Introduction to Children with
Exceptionalities
Learning Objectives
At the end of the session, student should be able to:
1. Clarify terms typically used for children
exceptionalities; and
2. Identify the broad categories of exceptional
conditions on children
Introduction:
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear
that someone's work or performance is exceptional? You may
think along the lines of those people who were auditioning on
reality shows who has extraordinary talents. You may also
remember a famous artist or scientist who has brilliant brain
to be able to create works like no others.
Who are the children with
exceptionalities?
Children who have exceptionalities have been called many things. They have
been called as special child, disabled children, handicapped children, PWDs,
and exceptional children among others.
Disability is more specific. It can refer to loss of sight, mobility or hearing. A
person with disability needs the society or his/her environment to
accommodate his/her limitations. For example, when you invite an
inspirational speaker who is in a wheelchair, and the venue for the event does
not have ramps that he/she can freely use, his/her disability created a handicap
(Hardman, Egan, & Drew, 2017.)
vThe word "exceptional" describes a whose
physical, intellectual, or behavioral performance
is significantly different from what is typical
either higher or lower. People with
exceptionalities can benefit from a community
who offers support, assistance, and
accommodation (Hardman, Egan, & Drew,
2017.)
Categories of Children with
Exceptionalities
The following sections will briefly discuss the
broad categories of children with exceptional
abilities. Specific discussion about its causes,
red flags, and criteria for determination of some
of the most common exceptionalities.
Learning Disabilities
Interdisciplinary approach is used to define
learning disability. Educational science,
psychology, sociology, medicine, and many more
have contributed to the interpretation of learning
disability to avoid issues surrounding it (Buttner
& Hasslehorn, 2011).
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) of 2004 provide 2 definitions for learning
disability
Learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the
basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in
using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in
an imperfect ability to listen, speak, think, read, write, spell, or
to do mathematical calculations. This term includes such
conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain
dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
Specific learning disability does not
include learning problems that are
primarily the result of visual, hearing or
motor disabilities, of
intellectual disability, of emotional
disturbance, or of environment, cultural,
or economic disadvantage.
Emotional/Behavioral Disorders.
Various terminologies have been used to describe
children with emotional or behavioral disorders. Some
people use terms like emotionally disturbed, conduct
disordered, behavior disordered, and socially maladjusted
to describe these children.