In-Depth Notes on Giftedness, Disabilities, and Educational Influences

Ecological Systems Model

• Contextual Understanding: Based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model (1979), individuals are influenced by:

  • Their immediate environment (family, school).

  • Broader cultural and societal factors.

• School Experiences: Middle and late childhood is critical; the role of parents and cultural influences is significant in shaping children's academic experiences.

Gender Stereotypes in Education

• Stereotypes’ Influence: Teachers’ beliefs about gender can impact children’s self-efficacy:

  • For instance, beliefs that girls are better readers can lower boys' performance.

  • Conversely, beliefs that boys excel in math can hurt girls’ performance (Retelsdorf et al., 2015; Plante et al., 2013).

• Performance Expectations: Affected children may internalize these stereotypes leading to decreased performance.

Parental Involvement in Education

• Variability in Parental Participation: There are disparities in how involved parents are in their children's schooling.

• Teacher Reception: Teachers may have biases towards parents who share cultural backgrounds:

  • Some parents may feel less heard if they express criticism about school policies.

  • Higher socioeconomic status lends parents more influence often termed as "family capital".

• Improving Involvement: Schools should find ways to bridge communication gaps with all parent demographics.

Cultural Differences in the Classroom

• Bilingualism: A significant portion of children (20% in 2013) speak languages other than English, predominant being Spanish.

• Unique Challenges: Bilingual students exhibit varying degrees of proficiency, which can affect their educational experience.

  • Fluent bilinguals have cognitive advantages in learning.

  • Losing the primary and original language negatively impacts learning capacity (Hansen, Umeda & McKinney, 2002).

Cultural Variations in Classroom Interaction

• Communication Styles: Differences can cause misunderstandings:

  • Politeness Norms: Limited talking can be misconstrued as being unfriendly.

  • Eye Contact Expectations: Varied expectations around eye contact may lead teachers to misinterpret engagement levels.

  • Social Distance Norms: Different cultural norms regarding personal space can create discomfort in interactions.

  • Wait Time Expectations: Different comfort levels around wait times, the gap between the end of a question and the next person’s reply, can impact classroom communication (Tharp & Gallimore, 1989).

  • Questioning Norms: The intention behind questions may differ culturally, leading to confusion in classroom assessments.

  • Competitive vs. Cooperative Activities: School activities often turn competitive, which can disrupt supportive relationships. Students who prioritize cooperation may find competition confusing, and cultural differences influence how sharing and helping are viewed.

Understanding Learning Disabilities (LD)

• Definition: Learning disability refers to significant discrepancies in academic performance without stemming from broader issues.

  • Most prevalent special need in U.S. schools, affecting around 20% of students.

• Types of Disabilities: Include dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, each with specific challenges:

  • Dyslexia: Reading difficulties stemming from phonological processing issues.

  • Dysgraphia: Writing difficulties that may co-occur with dyslexia.

  • Dyscalculia: Math-related learning difficulties linked to processing skills, memory and reasoning.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• Overview: ADHD presents as inattention and hyperactive/impulsive behavior.

• Symptoms: Include difficulties with attention, organization, following through with tasks and excessive movement.

• Prevalence: Affects about 5% of children with boys being 3 times more likely to have ADHD.

• Challenges for Affected Children: Often have lower academic performance and social relationships.

• Etiology of ADHD:

  • Genetics: Family and twin studies show a strong genetic link, with identical twins having a higher concordance rate for ADHD than fraternal twins (Burt, 2009).

  • Dopamine: ADHD is associated with dopamine regulation, as ADHD medications (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall) increase dopamine activity. People with ADHD show reduced dopamine activity in brain regions linked to motivation and reward (Volkow et al., 2009).

  • Brain Abnormalities: Children with ADHD have smaller frontal lobes and less activation in this area, which affects behavior inhibition (Banaschewski et al., 2017).

  • Environmental Factors: Maternal smoking during pregnancy and prenatal nicotine exposure increase the risk and severity of ADHD (Linnet et al., 2003; Sourander et al., 2019). Low birth weight and prematurity are also linked to ADHD (Banaschewski et al., 2017).

  • Diet and ADHD: Sugar and food additives have minimal effect on ADHD, though food additives may increase hyperactivity in non-ADHD children (Wolraich et al., 1995; McCann et al., 2007).

• Increase in ADHD prevalence rate: Research indicates a significant rise in ADHD prevalence rates over recent decades, potentially attributed to increased awareness, better diagnostic criteria, and the impacts of environmental factors.

Historical Legislative Impact on Disabilities

• Rehabilitation Act (1973) - Section 504: First significant legislation protecting individuals with disabilities in federally funded programs.

• Americans with Disabilities Act (1990): Broader anti-discrimination legislation including accommodations in public settings.

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Focused on educational rights for children with disabilities, ensuring free appropriate education and individualized educational programs.

Conclusion on Learning and Disabilities

• Impact of Labels: Diagnostic labels can influence expectations and self-perception, sometimes negatively affecting students' confidence and performance.

• Dynamic Nature of Disabilities: Children’s educational needs can evolve with time and circumstances, indicating that rigid labels should be reconsidered periodically.