Meanings of Intelligence and Adaptive Behavior - Essay Example

? Adaptive behavior and intelligence measure Definitions of adaptive behavior and intelligence According to Shapiro, E. S. (2011, adaptive behavior is a measure of the effectiveness and degree to which an individual measures up to the social/cultural standards of personal independence and social responsibility. Social skills on the other hand, portray behaviors, which, in specific situations, predict important social outcomes for children and youth. Intelligence on the other hand, is the art of understanding and trying new life situations. It is also being able to learn and apply one’s knowledge in a given context and environment. It also means being able to think about abstract ideas and find meaning for them. Rayment, T. (2007) says that, therefore, it enables one to manipulate their environment, so as to measure the given criteria in the abstract situation. It also refers to mental acuteness or synonymously shrewdness. Intelligence, to me, is indicated by a person’s ability to solve novel problems and navigate through noble situations. While you cannot teach intelligence, you can help it grow by requiring its regular use. Intelligence is the ability to figure things out by pulling together reasoning, experience and observation. Rayment, T. (2007) further argues that adaptive behavior is the application of more specific skills in navigating through daily life requirements. There are people with lower intelligence who can survive very well on the street, while your college professor would probably perish if he or she were required to live a week on the street. Adaptive behaviors can be learned and taught and that is a large part of what we do when teaching students with MR.  We can navigate many adaptive behaviors by following a script or series of steps. What problems are associated with assessing students with ID? Shapiro, E. S. (2011) pointed out that, in assessing the students, the teacher requires combining, intelligence and adaptive behavior that causes them fall behind in their school achievement. This cannot be caused by a sensory impairment, a specific learning disability or a behavioral disorder and the onset must be prior to being school aged. For those with milder cognitive impairment, this would look like a broad form of a learning disability that is not specific to any one area. Those with specific learning disabilities and many with autism will have performance valleys and spikes, where they may be proficient in one area while being very weak in another. Cognitive impairment cuts across all learning, which is intelligence and adaptive behavior together, are important. Shapiro, E. S. (2011) asked a question on how one would assess a student with a cognitive disability fairly and accurately. The answer to that is that it will take more than one tool to do it and over some span of time. It will not be easy or cheap. First, you can use standardized intelligence tests provided they do not floor out. You can also use adaptive behavior assessments and questionnaires. The questionnaires should be given to parents as well as teachers. Next, do some real-time observations of the student in the actual environment. Then look at actual work products and compare them with same-aged peers. All of these last measures should be done in several settings and across time in order to assess the rate of progress. Assessment should always inform instruction, but in practice most of what passes as “accountability” and “performance” nowadays does not (Shaw, 2008). Shapiro, E. S. (2011) added that, eligibility for special education services requires two findings: first, the student must meet the criteria for at least one of the thirteen disabilities recognized in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or the counterparts thereof in state law, 1, 2. Second, special education and/or related services must be required for the student to receive an appropriate education 2, 3. It is true that some students are eligible for special education and/or related services but do not need them, while other students need the services but are not eligible according to federal or state classification criteria. If the disability diagnosis and special education need are confirmed, the student then has certain important rights to individualized Programming designed to improve educational performance and expand opportunities. These rights are established through several layers of legal requirements based on federal and state statutes, federal regulations, state rules, and state and federal litigation. Shapiro, E. S. (2011), noted that when a student performs poorly in all their subjects, when their reading skills are poor. The child qualifies to be in a special abilities class. Hence, different people should make assessments at different times so that the intelligent levels may be checked. Assessment becomes a problem because, many a times, their native language hence has majorly affected the student; it is difficult for them to speak in proper academically sound English. Hence, such children require to be given some considerable time for them to adapt to the official language. Consider the way in which the curriculum was set, instead of looking at the material and instructions taught. This is because the curriculum addresses the weak and strong students; hence, it is the measuring cup. A clear understanding of the teaching ecology and methodology is to be achieved through direct teacher interviewing and checking out on the mark and worksheets to gauge the efforts of the teacher depending on the performance of the students overall. Summary Identification and Assessment of Students with Disabilities According to Rayment, T. (2007), special education classification is not uniform across states or regions. Students with identical characteristics can be diagnosed as disabled in one state but not in another and may be reclassified when they move across state or school district lines. The child’s physician or parents with a clear medical basis recognize most disabilities soon after birth or during the preschool years. In contrast, their classroom teacher (or parents) initially refers the majority of students with disabilities for evaluation because of severe and chronic ailment or behavioral problems. There is evidence that the prevalence of some disabilities varies by age. The high-incidence disabilities such as learning disabilities and speech-language disabilities occur primarily at the mild level. The mild disabilities exist on broad continua whereby there are no clear demarcations between the disabled and the nondisabled. Mild disabilities may constitute formidable barriers to academic progress and significantly limit career opportunities. Problems with the current classification system include stigma to the child, low reliability, poor correlation between categorization and treatment, obsolete assumptions still in use in treatment, and disproportionate representation of minority students. Identification and Assessment Purposes According to Rayment, T. (2007), the two main purposes of identification and assessment of students with disabilities are to determine whether they are eligible for special education services and, if they are eligible, to determine what those services will be. Eligibility for special education services requires two findings: first, the student must meet the criteria for at least one of the recognized in the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or the counterparts thereof in statelaw,1,2 and second, special education and/correlated services must be required for the student to receive an appropriate education. If the disability diagnosis and special education need are confirmed, the student then has certain important rights to individualized programming designed to improve educational performance and expand opportunities. Rayment, T. (2007), these rights are established through several layers of legal requirements based on federal and state statutes, federal regulations, state rules, and state and federal litigation. Chief among these rights are the requirements that eligible students with disabilities must receive an individualized educational program (IEP) based on needs identified in an individualized, full, and complete evaluation. The needs identified during the evaluation form the basis for the student’s personal and educational goals, the specially designed instruction and related services (for example, psychological consultation or physical therapy), and the methods to evaluate progress toward the student’s goals. Conclusions Rayment, T. (2007) says that classification reform in special education has been discussed for at least two decades. Intractable problems in the current classification structure shape the delivery system and detract from the implementation of effective interventions for children and youth with learning and behavior problems. Changes are needed to focus attention on effective interventions and evaluation of outcomes. The current knowledge base and assessment technology supports the development of a classification, system based on functional dimensions of behavior and oriented toward effective educational programming. Application of the available knowledge base and assessment technology is needed to further the goal of improving the outcomes of educational interventions for children and youth. References. Rayment, T. (2007). The problem of assessment in art and design. Bristol, UK: Intellect. Shapiro, E. S. (2011). Academic skills problems: Direct assessment and intervention. New York, NY: Guilford press. Shaw, S, R. (2008). Intervention in School and Clinic. 43.5: 291-299. Read More