Study Guide--Chapter 12--Slavin (1997)	                      Page 1

** Questions marked with asterisks are not necessarily answered directly in the text; you may need to expand on the information provided in the book.

1.  ** What do you think of Ms. Wagner's philosophy about students at risk?

2. Who are exceptional learners?  How have the definitions of such learners evolved?  Why?

3.  What are the categories of mental disabilities or cognitive impairments?  How common are they?

4.  .  What is mental retardation?  What is it caused by?  How is it defined using the IQ?  How is it classified?

5.  How can teachers teach adaptive behavior skills to mentally retarded students?  (See "Theory into Practice", p. 435).

6.  What are learning disabilities?  How are they identified?  What characteristics do these students often have?

7.  What is attention deficit disorder (ADD)?  How does it differ from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?  What is the role of teachers with students with ADHD (see "Theory into Practice", pp. 439-440).

8.  What are communication disorders?  

9.  What are common speech disorders? How do they differ from language disorders?

10.  What are emotional disorders and behavioral disorders?  How are they caused?  What are characteristics of students with such problems?

11.  What are aggressive, withdrawn/immature, hyperactive, and autistic students like?

12.  Are visually impaired students blind?  Support your answer.  How can teachers be alert to such problems?  

13.  How can students with hearing loss be aided in class?

14.  What is cerebral palsy?  How can students with this be helped?

15.  Should teachers be aware of students with convulsive disorders? Why or why not?  What are the different types?  
16.  What is TBI?  How can students with this be helped?

17.  What is giftedness?  How is it defined?  What are characteristics of gifted and talented students?  How are acceleration and enrichment programs used to help these students?

18.  What is the purpose of IDEA? How is it related to the notion of the least restrictive environment or mainstreaming?  

19.  What are IEPs?  How can teachers prepare them?  See "Theory into Practice", pp. 455-459.  

20.  What is the continuum of special-education services?  Give examples of each level.

21.  What is meant by the phrase full inclusion?  Is it a good idea?  Why or why not?

22.  What has research on mainstreaming and inclusion shown?  

23.  How can instruction be adapted for mainstreamed students?  (See also "Theory into Practice", pp. 464-466).  

24.  How can teaching learning strategies and metacognitive awareness, prevention and early intervention, computers, buddy systems and peer tutoring, special education teams, and social integration impact upon special needs students?