STEPS TO MEET INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES:
As there are marked individual differences among the pupils, it is the duty of every school to devise and plan their educational programmes in such a manner that every individual pupil benefits from those for the fullest development of his potentialities and capabilities. The school can do this in the following ways:
1.Measuring the Intelligence of the Pupils:
Intelligence being one of the most important factors of individual differences, the intelligence of every student should be measured, so that the teacher may know the level of achievement expected of each individual pupil.
2. Identification of Special aptitudes, interest and talents:
Almost every individual has potentialities for some specific talents and, therefore, shows his aptitude and interest in them at an early age. Such talents must be identified and efforts should be made to develop the same individually,
3.Paying Individual Attention:
As far as possible, individual attention should be paid to the pupils, even while teaching in the class. The teacher must know the students individually.and cater to their individual problems and difficulties..
4.Grouping according to Ability:
Wherever possible, students may be divided into groups in accordance with their ability and intelligence. The students comprising such groups will better compete with each other and hence, will show better performance.
5.Skipping and Acceleration:
Skipping implies double promotion. This means that a superior student may be promoted to a higher class rather than to the next class generally without completing the work of the intervening class. But, it has its drawbacks, as even with bright learners, skipping may result in educational gaps that affect the future learning of the student.
Acceleration or Rapid advancement means completing of, say, three years of work in two years. One disadvantage of this programme is that such a student may be otherwise immature as compared to his class-fellows and, therefore, at a disadvantage in certain other respects.
6.Enrichment of Curriculum:
This means expecting a more detailed and deep study of the same courses from a brighter student. This is considered to be better them skipping and acceleration programmes.
7. Making special Provisions for the Gifted and Slow-learners:
Specially gifted children with a very high I.Q. and the very slow learners may be grouped separately. Special provisions should be made for their education, so that they may be able to benefit to the maximum according to their abilities. In a traditional type of class, the gifted children will be simply wasting their time, as every thing that is being taught in the class is very much below their standard and the slow learners will also be wasting their time as it is very difficult for them to follow and understand what is being taught in the class. Special and separate arrangement should, therefore, be made for teaching the gifted as well as the slow learners.
8.Separate Arrangements for the PhysicallyHandicapped:
Physically handicapped children cannot be taught profitably along with the normal children. Therefore, separate provisions have to be made for the pupils who are either blind or deaf and dumb.
9.Provisions for the Socially disadvantaged children:
One of the areas in which children differ is the socio-economic status of the families to which they belong. The expression 'socially disadvantaged children' refers to children who come from families of very low socio-economic educational status. The socially disadvantaged children have economic and social disadvantages. The parents of such children are so poor that they are not in a position of satisfying even the minimum needs of their children. Therefore, they have the least incentive for academic type of learning. Generally, their language is also poor and, therefore, they cannot be properly benefited either from the teachings of the teachers or from the text books. Special provisions for teaching such children should, therefore, be made. The methods of teaching adopted by the teachers should also be adapted to fit the requirements of such children.
10.Adoption of Modern Individual Methods of Teaching:
If possible, modern individual methods of teaching may be introduced in the school. Such methods are "The Dalton Laboratory Plan". "The Project Method", "The Winnetka. Plan", etc. These methods aim at individualising education. The students are to work according to their own pace. The work to be done is allotted to them and it is their choice to complete the work in as much time as is possible for them. But, it is rather difficult to introduce these methods in our traditional type of schools: of course, such methods can be tried in certain selected schools.
Thus, it is concluded that there are vast individual differences in the pupils which must be recognised by the educationists and the teachers, and provisions should be made, as far as possible to cater to their individual needs and requirements, so that they may be benefited properly by the educational procedures and processes adopted by the school.