INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 3.

INFLUENCE OF CASTE, RACE AND NATION – different

nation show differences in respect of their
Types of Individual Differences personality, character and mental ability.
4. SEX DIFFERENCES – girls are kind, affectionate,
1. Physical Differences – shortness or tallness of stature, sympathetic and tender while boys are
darkness or fairness of complexion, fatness or brave, hard, efficient and competent.
thinness, or weakness are various physical 5. AGE AND INTELLIGENCE – physical, intellectual and
differences emotional development is caused by the
2. Differences in Intelligence – we can classify the growth in age. Individuals who are below
individuals from super normal (above 120 the average in intelligence and mental age
IQ) to idiots (from 0 to 50 IQ) on the basis find much difficulty in learning and the
of their intelligence level. average intelligent person can learn
3. Differences in Attitude – individual differ in their quickly.
attitudes towards people, object, institution 6. TEMPERAMENT AND EMOTIONAL STABILITY – some
or authority. people temperament active and quick
4. Differences in Achievement – visible among the while others are passive and slow.
children who are the same level of Emotional stability of the individual is
intelligence. differently affected by physical, mental
5. Differences in Motor Ability – these are visible at and environmental factors.
different ages. Some people can perform 7. OTHER CAUSES – Interests, Aptitudes, Achievements,
mechanical tasks easily while others even Sentiments, Character, Educational, and
though they are at the same level, feel much home background lead to individual
difficulty in performing these task. differences.
6. Differences on Account of Sex – women have greater 8. ECONOMIC CONDITION AND EDUCATION –
skills in memory while men have greater individual differences are caused by
motor ability. Hand writing of women is economic condition of the parents and the
superior while men excel in Mathematics or education of the children.
Logic.
7. Racial Differences – Differences of environment is a ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN EDUCATION
normal factor in causing differences. One of the important objectives of modern
8. Differences due to Nationality – Individuals of education is the complete development of the individual.
different nations differ in respect of physical Individual have different goals, different interest, different
and mental differences, interest and emotional problems, and different abilities. We cannot afford
personality. to ignore these individual differences in imparting education
9. Differences due to Economic Status – differences of to children. Since school work is planned on group basis it
children’s interest, tendencies and character presents a formidable challenge to all teachers.
are caused by economic differences.
10. Differences in Interest – factors such as sex, family HENCE SOME PRACTICAL PROCEDURES FOR ADAAPTING
background level of development, differences SCHOOL WORL TO INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES ARE
of race and nationality cause differences in SUGGESTED:
interest. 1. LIMITED SIZE OF THE CLASS – the size of the class
11. Emotional Differences – some are irritable and should be small. It should be divided into
aggressive and they get angry very soon. various units so that after class-room work
There are other who are of peaceful nature their various difficulties may be found out
and do not get angry easily. 2. PROPER DIVISION OF CLASS –now there are separate
12. Personality Differences classes for the students who have different
Personality Differences have been classified into many group: intelligence. While bringing out the
Spranger classified personalities into 6 types: classification, the teacher should keep in
a. Theoretical c. Aesthetic e. Political mind the difference in age, interest,
b. Economic d. Social f. Religious emotional and social qualities.
Jung classified into 3 groups: 3. HOME TASK – the teacher should assign home task to
1. Introverts 2. Extroverts 3. Ambiverts the student while keeping in view the
Trottor divided individuals into: individual differences
1. Stable Minded 2. Unstable Minded 4. FACTOR OF SEX – boys and girls to play different in the
Jordon thinks of personalities into: society
a. Active type b. Reflective type 5. CURRICULUM – should be modified to suit the needs of all
Thorndike has classified people into 4 categories on types of children. Curriculum should not be
the basis of thinking: rigid but it should be flexible.
1. Abstract Thinkers 3. Object Thinkers 6. METHODS OF TEACHING – should be choses on the
2. Ideational Thinkers 4. Thinkers in whom sensory basis of individual differences. It is not
experience is predominant advisable to use the same method of
Terman classified people into 9 classes according to education in the case of all children-gifted or
their level of intelligence: backward.
a. Genius d. Superior g. Feebleminded 7. EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE – teacher should impart
b. Near Genius e. Average h. Dull educational guidance to the students while
c. Very Superior f. Backward i. Idiot keeping in view their individual differences.
He can assist them in the selection of
CAUSES OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES educational career, selection of subjects,
selection of books or hobbies and co-
Some of the main causes of individual differences are under: curricular activities and in many other areas
1. HEREDITARY – individuals inherit various physical traits connected with education.
like face with its feature, colour of eyes and 8. VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE – the teacher can guide the
hair, etc. students in the vocation that they should
2. ENVIRONMENT – changes in child’s environment adopt.
reflected in the changes in his personality. 9. INDIVIDUAL TRAINING – plans and technique for
Environment consists of physical, individualizing instruction have been
intellectual, social, moral, political, advocate.
economic and cultural forces. All these - they are not taught in classrooms, they are
forces cause individual differences. given subjects that suit their interests.