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Individual Differences Profile Essay Kelsey, Lacy Instructor: Dr. Egbert Education 205: Developmental Differences

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Running head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFRENCES PROFILE Individual Differences Profile Essay All children can learn. However, their learning schema, or cognitive structuring of people, places, specific events, and even actions, is altered depending on their specific needs. There are some students require special attention, while some require an altered set of academic rules. Still others need consistent supervision to aid in their physical, emotional, social, and mental development. In a profile study of one student who suffers from multiple learning and physical disabilities, one can see how every childs needs should be addressed differently in order to provide the most beneficial environment for cognitive development.

General Information Toby is a white male, 8 years and 9 months old; who has Cerebral Palsy and Autism. Tobys Mother has custody; however, Toby spends the majority of his time with his Grandmother, who cares for five other grandchildren ranging from 4 to 15 years of age. Toby is in the Special Education program, or SPED pull out most of the day. Toby is also assigned a Para Professional or Para to assist him throughout his daily routine. A set routine is very important for most students, but especial for a child with a disability. Having a set routine for the child to follow gives them a better understanding of events and material being learned. Tobys primary educator is not asked to keep a record of his grades. Together with social interaction among his peers, she is responsible for modeling positive moral reasoning, the processes involved in judgments about questions of right and wrong. Tobys routine begins with in class amongst his peers; he is then periodically pulled out for speech therapy, language therapy, physical therapy, and behavioral therapy. After school Toby continues therapy in various areas, after which he is picked up by his grandmother. Tobys home life is often

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Running head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFRENCES PROFILE switched between his Grandmother and his Mother and Toby does not receive any further developmental assistance at home.

Physical Development Toby has a light complexion with dark/brown hair and brown eyes. He wears glasses, stands 4 feet tall, is very thin for his age, and struggles with walking due to the Cerebral Palsy. His height and weight is within the same spectrum as his peers but his altered muscle development causes his back to hunch. Toby has limited speech ability making it difficult to understand what he says. Toby has limited vision, normally not making direct eye contact. The other students in his class understand his method of communication which seems to be pertinent in child-to-child communication physiology. Toby is considered to be in good health. However, Toby will not develop in the same ways as his peers, but with continued therapy he will be able to maintain a good quality of life. He will not be able to assume responsibility for his own care and he will always be reliant upon others for his day-to-day care/needs. Toby is right hand dominant and his small motor skills are underdeveloped. He has difficulty gluing, cutting, coloring or holding a pencil.

Cognitive Development Toby has undergone numerous evaluations; an important process by which teachers make specific judgments about students knowledge, performance, or attributes, and assessments; a general term used for all forms of information gathering used to determine Tobys capabilities. Tobys mathematical skills are highly developed, along with his skills of reading and comprehension. However, Toby cannot form full sentences and his writing is very

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Running head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFRENCES PROFILE limited. Tobys educator has employed various learning strategies, with the goal of furthering his overall development. For example, she has asked him a question and Toby will verbally answer the question. His answer is drawn in large letters using a highlighter and with the assistance of his Para, Toby will trace the highlighter with his pencil. Toby is able to learn; however, he does better in a cooperative learning environment,

where students work together to achieve a goal, using rewards or treats as a motivational tool for the group as a whole. According to Jean Piagets theory of cognitive development, Toby seems to be within the pre-operational stage. This is the second stage of Piagets theory of cognitive development, in which the lack of logical operation/understanding forces the child to make decisions based on their perceptions. More specifically, Toby displays another certain characteristic of the pre-operational stage called centration; the tendency to focus on one perceptual aspect of an event to the exclusion of another. Toby becomes distracted with certain sensory stimuli such as mirrors, music, and colorful lights. And needs to be refocused in order to move on. Toby may be able to reach the concrete operations stage of Jean Piagets theory, where he is able to utilize logical thought process in order to solve problems placed before him. However this will only happen with the continued assistance of therapy and he will always need assistance with personal care.

Socio-emotional Development Toby does not demonstrate an understanding of self-concept; the way most individuals perceive or think about themselves or self-esteem; the value each of us places on our own characteristics, abilities, and behaviors. Toby understands if he has done something good he will be rewarded through positive praise. Toby is aware of his actions and demonstrates this

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Running head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFRENCES PROFILE with adults. He will sometimes act in a violent manner, knowing the adult will give him a prize

or treat in order to dissolve the situation. Toby has formed a bond with his Educator, responding when she speaks to him and making brief eye contact or hold her hand. His Educator does not pressure or prompt his actions in any way. Both the Para and Tobys teacher interact gently with him, using soft tones and slow movements. Otherwise Toby is easily angered, often acting out with violent mannerisms. He will push, spit, and yell if anyone comes within proximity. He does not form close bonds with many people and can be very happy one minute and very angry the next, which demonstrates low self-regulation. Tobys classmates/peers are aware of his behaviors; they help by aiding to his comfort zone and by modeling good behavior in the class room. Toby does not like loud noises and seems to respond better to girls/women more than his same sex peers. Toby also struggles with mixed signals from his home environment to his school environment. At home he is placed in a pull up diaper during the evening until his arrival at school. He is treated like an infant and often left with little supervision or social interaction. At school Toby is placed in clean dry underwear and asked numerous times throughout the day if he needs to use the restroom. He is also under constant supervision, yet still expected to do things for himself in order to aid in his social, mental, emotional and physical development. The overall stable use of Bronfenbrenners Ecological Systems theory; would benefit greatly in Tobys development. Toby lacks the sufficient Microsystems, of parent-child interaction at home. He does receive the extended family, school, and neighborhood support or more specifically the mesosytem of Bronfenbrenners theory at school; which causes conflict in his continued development. The use of cooperative learning groups, peer tutoring, multiple

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Running head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFRENCES PROFILE techniques to peak understanding and motivation will allow Toby to receive a well balanced standard of development and social stimuli.

Summary, Conclusions and Implication Through schoolization; a process of socializing the child to the role of student, Toby will achieves a balance between his social, mental, emotional, physical and academic development. He is physically able to play and utilize his large muscle motor skills but he is not able to utilize his small motor skills without some form of assistance. He enjoys reading and his cognitive ability to understand what he has read seems to be equal to that of his peers. He is drawn to girls/women more and does not like to be touched. He loses focus rather quickly, but with help of his Para and educator he is able to refocus. Toby is not at a typical level in any of the given fields. He is unable to socially interact with his peers without supervision and his cognitive and physical capacities are weakened due to his condition. Tobys needs are extensive and will always need the assistance of an adult or even a peer. He needs to be taken care of on a basic level i.e. food, shelter, and safety. Toby also needs kindness and love, and would benefit from a positive home environment that is able to meet his needs at all times. His Grandmother tries very hard to provide this environment, however due to the demands of many other children it is hard. His therapy sessions are not being met at home and this seems to delay progress during the day. Through continued efforts from Tobys primary educator and the Special Education department, Toby will become more adapt at socialization and learn how to self-regulate.

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Running head: INDIVIDUAL DIFFRENCES PROFILE

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