Individual indeferences (1)

Individual DifferencesBy

Dr.Shazia Zamir

Outline In t roduct ion

Def in i t ions of ind iv idual d i f ferences

Types or var ia t ions of ind iv idual

di fferences

The Qur ’an’s Views on Indiv idual -

Di fferences

Factor effect ing ind iv idual

di fferences

Role of schools in meet ing

ind iv idual d i f ferences

Definitions

“Individual differences stand for the variations or deviations among

individuals in regard to a single characteristic or a number of

characteristics”. (Carter B. Good)

According to heacademy.ac.uk, individual differences are "a learner's

personal characteristics that can affect how s/he learns."

“The psychology of individual differences is concerned with the

systematic study of intelligence and abilities associated with personality

of learner, learning styles and needs and interests of learner”.

Types of individual differences

Difference in interests, Attitude, values, study habits,

psychomotor skills, and self-concept are the different types

of individual differences. Every person is different from

other on the basis of these points .

Physical Differences

Individuals differ in height, weight, color of skin, color of eyes and

hair, size of hands and heads, arms, feet, mouth and nose, length of

waistline, structure and facial expression, mannerisms of speech and

walk, and other such native or acquired physical characteristics.

Mental Differences:People differ in intellectual abilities and capacities like reasoning and

thinking, power of imagination, creative expression, concentration etc. On

the basis of these differences they are

usually classified as idiot, border line,

normal, very superior and genius.

Difference in Motor Ability

The individual's movements of the hand and feet and other physical

abilities are seem to be very individual, as they do not resemble

another's to any great extent.

In this manner, the same individual in different ages and different

individuals in the same age group manifest considerable differences

in “manual dexterity” (Someone's ability to perform a difficult

action with the hands skillfully and Quickly so that it looks easy).

Difference in Achievement

Differences exist in achievement and in knowledge even

among individuals who have almost the same amount of

intelligence and have been subjected to equal amount of

schooling and experience.

Emotional Differences

Individuals also differ in the manner they express their emotions.

Some are emotionally stable and mature, while others are

emotionally unstable and immature.

Differences in Interests and Aptitudes

As has been pointed out, the difference in gender leads to a

difference in interests. Similarly, factors such as family

background, level of development, differences of nationality

and race, etc., cause difference of interests. In a similar

way, people are found to have different aptitudes. Some

have mechanical aptitude, while the others have scholastic,

musical or artistic aptitudes.

Differences in Self-Concept

Self-concept reflects the images, considerations or

judgment about one’s abilities and limitations usually

held by an individual not only projecting himself before

others but also for estimating his self in his own eyes.

Learning Differences

In respect of learning, children manifest such differences as past

experience and learning, ability in the use of various kinds of

apparatus, rate of learning, interest in learning, etc. Some learn

more easily and are able to make use of their learning more

comfortably than others. For some, one method of learning or

memorization is more suitable, while for others, a different method

suits.

Social & Moral Developmental Differences

Some are found to be adjusted properly in the social situations and lead

a happy social life while others are socially handicapped, unsocial or

antisocial. Similarly, people are found to differ in respect of ethical and

moral sense.

Differences in Mental Age

Children of differing ages as well as children of the same age show

differences in their respective mental ages. Generally speaking, all

Students studying in the same class differ according to their mental

ages.

Difference in Attitude

Some are conservative and rigid while the others are

progressive, liberal and dynamic.

Special Abilities

Individual's differences in respect of special abilities, in

addition to the general intelligence, are also important

since special professions and specialized fields of

vocation all need certain specific abilities. Abilities of this

kind are concerned with mental, artistic, personality or

motor ability.

Differences of Background

In school the differences that the children exhibit is the outcome

of their different families and their communities. Besides attitude,

the child's emotional, social, aesthetic and moral development is

influenced by his family and the neighborhood.

Gender Differences

Girls have greater skill in memory while many

have greater motor ability.

Girls’ handwriting is superior while boys excel in

mathematical logic.

Girls show greater skill in making sensory

distinctions of taste, pain, smell, etc. while boys

show greater reaction and consciousness of size-

weight illusion.

Girls are superior to boys in languages,

similitude's, word building, compositions and use

of long sentences etc. On the other hand, boys

are superior in physics and chemistry.

Young girls take interest in stories of love, fairy

tales, stories of the school and home and day-

dreaming and show various levels in their play.

On the other hand, boys take interest in stories

of bravery, science, war and scouting, stories of

games and sports, scouts stories and games of

occupation and skill.

Nationality Differences

Many studies have led to the conclusion that

individuals of different nations differ in respect of

nature, physical traits, interest and personality, etc.

Such a difference is only natural since their cultural

and geographic environment is distinctive.

Personality Differences

Type A/B

MBTI Type

Big Five Factor

Extroversion/Introversion

----------------------------

The Qur'an’s Views on Individual-Differences

Say! Every one acts according to his own disposition. But your Lord knows best who it is that is best guided on

the way. (17:84)This verse means that every single individual has a

unique disposition.

And we raise some of them (mankind) above others in ranks, so that some may

command work from others. (43:32)

According to Ibn Kathir, ALLAH explains in this

verse that He created disparities among His

creatures (mankind) in terms of what He has

endowed them with-wealth, intellect,

understanding, and the like-which pertains to

both the outward and the inward abilities. 35

Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) said at the day of

Hajj:

“O’ ye people! Allah says, O’ people We created you from one male and one

female and made you into tribes and nations, so as to be known to one

another. Verily in the sight of Allah, the most honored amongst you is the one who is most God-fearing. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab and for a non-Arab over an Arab or for the white over the black or for

the black over the white except in God-consciousness.”

Factors Affecting Individual Differences

a) Heredity

What occurs naturally as a function of the genes.

b) Environment

What is learned and communicated in different cultures or

other social groups includes Family, Socio-economic

status, Culture, Previous knowledge, experience and

gender differences.

Role of Schools in Meeting

the Individual Differences:

Proper Knowledge of the Individual ’s Potentialities

The first step in making provision for the individual differences

is to know about the abilities, capacities, interests, aptitudes

and other personality traits of individual pupils.

For this purpose, help from intelligence test, cumulative record

card, interest inventories, attitude scales, aptitude tests and

measures for assessing personality traits should be taken.

Ability GroupingIn the light of the results derived from various tests for

knowing individual differences in terms of individual

potentialities in various dimensions, the students in a class

or area of activity can be divided into homogenous groups.

Such division can prove beneficial in adjusting instruction

to varying individual differences.

Adjusting the Curriculum

The curriculum should be as flexible and differentiated as

possible. It should have the provision for a number of

diversified courses and co-curricular experiences. It should

provide adjustment suiting the local requirements and

potentialities of the students in different groups.

Adjusting the Method of Teaching

Every teacher should be somewhat free to formulate his own

plan and strategy and adopt instructional procedure which he

finds most suited to the particular types of pupils under him.

He should try to follow a different procedure or method of

instruction suiting the requirements of varying ability groups

of his pupils.

Adopting Methods for Individualizing

Instruction

Schools may also adopt special programs or method of teaching

like Demonstration, Group Discussion, and the project method

or use programmed learning material for enabling the students

to learn their own individual pace.

The size of the class or section should be as small

as possible.

The teacher should try to pay individual attention the

group under instruction.

The teacher should keep in view the individual

differences of his students while engaging them in

drill or practice work in classroom or assigning home

task

In case ability grouping is not possible and more

specifically under the prevalent system of class

teaching, special coaching and guidance program

for both the dull and gifted children is most helpful.

Other measures of Individualizing

Instructions