This document discusses terminology and categories related to learners with exceptionalities. It defines key terms from the World Health Organization like impairment, disability, and handicap. It also outlines categories of exceptionalities including cognitive/academic difficulties, social/emotional/behavioral difficulties, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, and giftedness. Specific conditions are described within each category like dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and visual impairments. Approaches for supporting learners with exceptionalities are also mentioned such as people-first language, instructional accommodations, consultation, encouragement, and patience.

1. LEARNERS WITH
EXCEPTIONALITIES
Facilitating Learning
7:30-9:00 AM; M-F
Ms. Aida R. De Vera

2. TERMINOLOGIES:
World Health Organization:
- 3-tier terms:
(a) Impairment
- loss or abnormality of psychological,
physiological or anatomical structure or
function
- intrinsic to the individual
- “…when the individual with an impairment was
expected to carry out regular or routine tasks
that relied on the use of skills or knowledge in
the area(s), affected by the impairment..”

3. …TERMINOLOGIES
(b) Disability
- measurable impairment or
limitation that “interferes with a
person’s ability, for example, to
walk, lift, hear, or learn. It may
refer to a physical, sensory, or
mental condition”.
(Schiefelbusch Institute, 1996)
(c) Handicap
- disadvantage that occurs as a
result of a disability.

4. …TERMINOLOGIES
Disability has become more
accepted and used, replacing
“handicap”.
**In the USA, “disability” is
used in its federal laws, such
as Individuals with
Disabilities Act (IDEA).
**In the Philippine Constitution,
Article XIV, Section 2:
“…provide adult citizens, the
disabled, and out-of-school
youth with training…
 Exceptional learners
- Learners who are different
from “normal” or “average”
learners, needing special
needs such related to
cognitive abilities, behavior,
social functioning, physical
and sensory impairments,
emotional disturbances, and
giftedness.

5. CATEGORIES OF EXCEPTIONALITIES
1. Omrod’s Educational Psychology (2000) :
Exceptionalities
Cognitive or
Academic
Difficulties
Social/Emotional
and Behavioral
Difficulties
Physical
Disabilities and
Health
Impairments
Sensory
Impairments
Giftedness

6. … Categories
a. Cognitive or Academic Faculties
• Learning Disabilities - perception, language,
memory or metacognition
Dyslexia - reading disorder
Dysgraphia – writing disorder
Dyscalculia – arithmetic disorder
Dyspraxia – psychomotor disorder

7. Dyslexia Dysgraphia Dyscalculia Dyspraxia
difficulty with reading difficulty with the
physical act of writing
wide range of lifelong
learning disabilities
involving math
brain-based condition
affecting plan and
coordinate physical
movement
-Trouble sounding out
words
-Difficulty
memorizing sight
words
-Avoiding reading
aloud
Confusing the order of
letters
-Trouble following a
sequence of directions
-Difficulty organizing
thoughts when
speaking
-Tight awkward pencil
grip and body position
-Illegible handwriting
-Tiring quickly while
writing
-High levels of
resistance and
frustrations while
writing
-Large gap between
written ideas and
understanding
demonstrated through
speech.
-Shows difficulty
understanding
concepts
-Difficulty
understanding and
completing word
problems
-Exhibits difficulty
using steps involved in
math operations.
-Challenged making
change or handling
money
-Poor balance.
Difficulty in riding a
bicycle, going up and
down hills
-Poor manipulative
skills. Difficulty with
typing, handwriting
and drawing.
-Tracking. Difficulty in
following a moving
object smoothly with
eyes without moving
head excessively.
Tendency to lose the
place while reading

8. • ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder ) – inattention, distractibility; with
or without hyperactivity
• Speech and Communication Disorders -
spoken language including voice disorders
(e.g. difficulties pronouncing sounds, or
articulation disorders, and stuttering)
… Categories

9. b. Social/Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties
• Autism - social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and
nonverbal communication
• Mental Retardation - sub-average intelligence and deficits in
adaptive behavior
- imbecile
• Emotional / Conduct Disorders - presence of emotional states
like depression and aggression disturbing learning and
performance in school
c. Physical Disabilities and Health Impairments
• Physical and health impairments – affect individual’s energy
and strength, mental alertness and muscle control
• Severe and multiple disabilities - presence of two or more
different types of disabilities
… Categories

10. … Categories
d. Sensory Impairments
• Visual Impairments - malfunction of the eyes or
optic nerves that prevent normal vision even
- myopia (farsightedness)
- hyperopia (nearsightedness)
- astigmatism
• Hearing Impairments (otherwise known as
hearing loss) - malfunction of the ear or auditory
nerves that hinders perception of sounds within
the frequency range of normal speech
e. Giftedness

11. e. Giftedness
 speaks of talent, which includes all areas of a child’s life:
academic, artistic, athletic, and social. (US Department of
Education, 1993)
 involves significantly high levels of cognitive
development
 performance and accomplishment
 Identification:
- Ability vs. Achievement
- Tests vs. Grades
- Standardized Testing
- Ability
- IQ
- Creative and Critical Thinking Achievement
 Twice Exceptional Learners

12. …Giftedness
 Six areas where giftedness could be found: (a) creative
thinking, (b) leadership, (c) general intellectual ability, (d)
psychomotor, (e) specific academic ability and (f) visual/
performing arts.
 Characteristics:
a. Perfectionist and idealistic
b. Heightened sensitivity to their own expectations and
those of others
c. Maturity beyond age
d. Problem solvers
e. Abstract thinkers

13. 2. Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA):
a. Autism
b. Deaf-Blindness
c. Deafness
d. Emotional Disturbance
e. Hearing Impairment
f. Intellectual Disability
g. Multiple Disabilities
h. Orthopedic Impairment –
caused by an congenital
anomaly, impairments caused
by disease (e.g. poliomyelitis,
bone tuberculosis);
impairments from other causes
(e.g., cerebral palsy,
amputations, and fractures)
i. Other Health Impairment
- having limited strength,
vitality or alertness
j. Specific Learning Disability
k. Speech or Language
Impairment
l. Traumatic Brain Injury -
acquired injury to the brain
caused by
an external physical force,
resulting in total or
partial functional disability or
psychosocial
Impairment
m. Visual Impairment

15. Dealing with Learners with Exceptionalities
 People-First Language
- No generic labels
- Emphasize abilities; not limitations
- No euphemisms
- No implication of illness of suffering
 Brief and simple instructions
 Clear definition of course requirements, the dates of exams
and deadline of assignments.
 Handouts and visual aids and study guides
 Several examples and demonstrations
 Consultation time
 Asking and providing assistance
 Encouragement
 Patience, patience, patience and PATIENCE!

17. • How can I enable this student to show what
he/she knows or understands?
• How can I reduce the negative impact of this
student’s processing difficulties in instructional
and assessment contexts?
• How can I accommodate this student’s weak
academic skills to ensure access to the
curriculum? How can I continue to help this
student continue to develop basic academic
skills?
• How can I make adjustments to instruction and
assessment to help this student achieve intended
learning outcomes in a way that does not require
excessive effort on the part of the student or
excessive supports from the adults?

19. • Universal Design for Learning - recognizes and
accommodates varied learning styles focusing on
social participation and inclusion
• Adaptations - designed to accommodate a student’s
needs
• Early Intervention - monitoring student response to
instruction and documenting difficulties
• Direct Instruction - particular skill or content to be
learned is presented explicitly
• Learning Strategies - maximize student strengths and
provide structures
• Technologies - personalize the learning experience
• Formative Assessment - uses feedback from the
continuous monitoring of student progress

20. THANK YOU FOR NOT
SLEEPING!
Ad astra per aspera.
To the stars through difficulties.
A rough road leads to the stars.