What's individual Differences ?
Individual differences can be defined as individual characteristics that differentiate students from each other in teaching and learning. Students are unique individuals who provide an important set of variables to any field of study, including knowledge as indicators of ability, history of success, as indicators of past success, and predictors of future performance.
Some Causes of Individual Differences Among Learners.
There are various causes responsible for bringing about individual differences.
These are stated as thus:
1- Heredity:
Some hereditary traits bring about changes from one individual to another. Height, size, shape and colour of hair, shape of face, nose, hands and feet of an individual, so to speak, the entire body structure is determined by hereditary traits. Intellectual differences are also greatly influenced by heredity,mode of dressing tongue roll way of speaking and so many other things,
As teacher you have to put extra care on how to impact knowledge among your learners with different behaviour
2-Environment:
Environment brings about individual differences in behaviour, activities, attitudes and characteristic styles of life. Personality etc. Environment not only refers to the physical environment but also refers to different types of people, society, culture, customs, traditions, social heritage, ideas and ideals,when teaching you have put this at the back of your mind.
Judging your learners equally may hinder your successful deliberations of lesson.
3-Race and Ethnicity:
Race and Ethnicity is one of the major causes of individual differences among learners of different categories.For Instance in Africa especially in Nigeria Hausa People are religiously pious,Yoruba people loves their cultures much and Igbo people loves business from their childhood,
As teacher you have know all these differences among your learners like wise, Indians are very peace loving, Chinese are cruel, Americans are very honest because their races and ethnicity differs.
4- Sex:
Due to variation in sex, one learner is different from another. Men have strong mental powers. On the other hand, women on an average show a slight edge over men in memory, language and aesthetic sense. Women are superior to men in assuming social responsibilities and have better control over their emotions than men.
Always as teacher,instructor or mentor you are advised to consider sex into consideration before grouping your learners.
5- Age:
Age is another factor responsible for bringing about individual intoerences. Learning ability and self-adjustment capacity naturally grow with age. As a person grows older, he or she will have better control over emotions and better social differences, So When the Learner grows up, matured and develop can go hand in hand with other learners.
As teacher you have to consider age differences between your learners.
You have to mixed up learners of different ages for the better understanding of learners with low ages.
6-Knowledge:
Knowledge is one of the key factors that bring about individual differences. There is a wide gap in the behaviour of knowledgeable person and his opposition. All human traits like social, emotional and intellectual are controlled and modified through proper knowledge.
Thereupon knowledge brings about changes in our attitude, behaviour, appreciation and personality. It is seen that knowledge is the key to success.