What is Intellectual Disability?Intellectual disability is a term used when a person has certain limitations in mental functioning and in skills such as communicating, taking care of him or herself, and social skills. These limitations will cause a child to learn and develop more slowly than a typical child. Children with intellectual disability may take longer to learn to speak, walk, and take care of their personal needs such as dressing or eating. They are likely to have trouble learning in school. They will learn, but it will take them longer. There may be some things they cannot learn.
Causes of Intellectual Disability?The most common are:
Genetic conditions.
Problems during pregnancy.
Problems at birth.
Health problems.
Signs of Intellectual Disability?There are many signs of intellectual disability. For example, children with intellectual disability may:
• find it hard to remember things,
• learn to talk later, or have trouble speaking,
• sit up, crawl, or walk later than other children;
• not understand how to pay for things,
• have trouble understanding social rules,
• have trouble solving problems, and/or
• have trouble seeing the consequences of their actions,
• have trouble thinking logically.
What About School?A child with an intellectual disability can do well in school but is likely to need individualized help.
Many children with an intellectual disability need help with adaptive skills, which are skills needed to live, work, and play in the community. Teachers and parents can help a child work on these skills at both school and home. Some of these skills include:
• communicating with others;
• taking care of personal needs (dressing, bathing, going to the bathroom);
• health and safety;
• home living (helping to set the table, cleaning the house, or cooking dinner);
• social skills (manners, knowing the rules of conversation, getting along in a group, playing a game);
• reading, writing, and basic math; and
• as they get older, skills that will help them in the workplace.
Tips for Teachers
• Learn as much as you can about intellectual disability.
• Be as concrete as possible. Demonstrate what you mean rather than just giving verbal directions. Rather than just relating new information verbally, show a picture. And rather than just showing a picture, provide the student with hands-on materials and experiences and the opportunity to try things out.
• Recognize that you can make an enormous difference in this student's life! Find out what the student's strengths and interests are, and emphasize them. Create opportunities for success.
• Break longer, new tasks into small steps. Demonstrate the steps. Have the student do the steps, one at a time. Provide assistance, as necessary.
• Give the student immediate feedback.
• Teach the student academic and life skills such as daily living, social skills, and occupational awareness and exploration, as appropriate. Involve the student in group activities or clubs.
• Work together with the student's parents and other school personnel to create and implement an educational plan tailored to meet the student's needs. Regularly share information about how the student is doing at school and at home.
Stephanie Botrel
