Providing for Individual Differences.

The article presents information on the educational practices in the American elementary schools. The social values of American society are consistent with practices of flexible grouping, a balanced program of studies, and the recognition of the worth of each individual regardless of his native ability. The American people recognize that individuals differ in their needs and abilities and that the schools must and should provide special opportunities for children who have special needs. These opportunities would be for both the slow and the advanced, the handicapped and the abundantly endowed. One group would not be served at the expense of the other, yet no school could claim to be fulfilling its obligations without recognizing and providing for individual differences. Trait differences refer to the variations in different abilities possessed by an individual. Therefore, grouping children on the single criterion of IQ overlooks the trait differences within an individual, IQ is only one measure of individual differences as related to ability to do school work.