Section 2.

2: Learner Exceptionalities

2.1.6 Compare theories and philosophies of education and training impacting learners with

exceptionalities.

Educational theories are a key consideration to an educator. Students that are exceptional

learners, including students that are on a 504 plan, on an IEP, or that are gifted may receive or

require special accommodations or modifications to their learning based upon the student goals.

Knowledge of the theorist Howard Gardner and the multiple intelligence theory, Albert Bandura

, and Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy Theory can help teachers design learning experiences for

exceptional learners. Bloom and Gardner are both cognitive theorists. The cognitive theories

assist teachers in helping students develop metacognition. (thinking about your thinking)

Bandura is more of a behaviorist. He believes that children learn by observation and imitation.

Teachers model behavior they want the students to adopt. (Evidence 2.2.1 Theorist Pizzas)

Exceptional learners may require an IEP or 504 plan. An IEP ​individualized Education

Program, is a written document that's developed for each public school child who is eligible for

special education. They are designed to meet students' unique educational needs. This is

reviewed at least once a year with the entire team. The team consist of the student, parent(s),

Intervention Specialist, General Education teacher, school psychologist, and any other person

that needs to attend the meeting. These plans are based off the students individualized needs for

students that are disabled unlike 504 plans. 504 plans are accommodations for the student to give

them the help they need. For example, the students on 504 plans could have ADHD, a physical

impairment, or a mental illness. (Evidence 2.2.2 Intervention specialist Mr. Lucas Notes,

Reference article from schoology, The life of autism.)

 Differentiation refers to a wide variety of teaching techniques and lesson adaptations that

educators use to instruct a diverse group of students with different learning needs. The basic idea

is that the primary educational goals are making sure all students master knowledge, concepts,

and skills. The material remains the same for every student. An example of this is students that

have physical, emotional, and mental issues. Emotional and mental issues can go together

because if your student is emotionally out of it that day, so will their mentality. An example of an

emotional student would be a student with anxiety, where they will get overwhelmed easily and

are unable to complete tasks. Mentally issued students are students with dyslexia or OCD where

with dyslexic students can’t process new material as fast as others and with OCD students focus

more on compulsions and not enough on their work. Physically challenged kids could vary from

being blind, to being in a wheelchair, to having a speech impediment. Kids that are blind can’t

visually pick up visual clues and examples you are giving so you have to think of different ways

to give them the same detail in the material as the other students. Kids that are in a wheelchair,

you have to be able to have the class set up to where the student in the wheel chair can move

freely around the room as freely as the other students. Students with speech can’t comfortably

speak in front of people so presenting will be a struggle for those kids. These are just some

examples of different exceptional learners. (Evidence 2.2.3 Using Differentiation assignments,

videos, How difficult can this be video, special needs activity, director of student well being olsd

Katie, Classroom design).

Education in 2019 has changed in so many ways over the last couple of decades. Students

of all backgrounds with different strengths and weaknesses as learners are all in the same

environment ready to learn. It is a challenge for the educator to be organized and proficient
enough in his or her job to meet the needs of all the students in the classroom, regardless of their

educational skill level or social status. Building strong relationships and getting to know your

students strengths and weaknesses becomes so important for your lesson planning and vision you

have for the success of your classroom.