I am looking at going into college (special ed.) now i dont understand the difference between cognitive....?

Question

...I am looking at going into college (special ed.) now i dont understand the difference between cognitive and emotional impairment

can somebody help me out?

thanks in advance

im looking to do just about anything, but a lot of detail would be much appreciated

Answer 1

Cognition has to do with how you think, learn and understand the world around you.  Students with cognitive deficits or impairments are generally defined as having mental retardation (IQ of 70 or less).  They are usually wonderful to work with - I taught grades K-6 and 11-12 CLS (comprehensive life skills) and loved them all.  They need help with learning the basic skills of life i.e. potty training, using knives, forks and spoons, washing dishes, to using public transportation, filling out job applications, how to budget, writing checks, planning meals, shopping, leisure activities - things you and I take for granted, they need specific instruction.  When I taught high school, my class was out in the community 3-4 days a week doing job shadowing at Wal-Mart, going to the library, bowling, ice skating, roller skating, grocery shopping, going to plays, going to the park - anything I could come up with to introduce them to what was available to them in their community, always using public transportation.

Emotional impairment deals with how you interact with the world.  Some emotional impairments are OCD (obsessive/compulsive disorder - having to do the same thing over and over, like washing hands or needing to do several steps in a specific order before they can leave a room), ODD (oppositional defiance disorder - do not follow any rules or directions, can be very physically violent), bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.  They take a special person to work with them, lots of structure, patience, and the ability to absorb physical assault, expecially now that the federal laws are very restrictive about the kinds of holds, take-downs and restraints that can be used.  I personally only had a child with ODD in my CLS classroom for 1 day before I convinced my principal that the child was not properly placed.

Answer 2

Cognitive impairment is a broad term to describe a wide variety of impaired brain function relating to ability to:

    * think

    * concentrate

    * react to emotions

    * formulate ideas

    * problem solve

    * reason

    * remember.

Cognitive impairment can be associated with many disabilities and disorders that can be present at birth or acquired later in life, for example:

    * acquired brain injury

    * autism spectrum disorder

    * intellectual disabilities

    * organic dementia

    * other neurological conditions

    * other psychiatric and mental health

    * specific learning disabilities

    * substance dependencies.

An emotional disability is defined as a condition resulting in persistent and consistent maladaptive behavior, which exists to a marked degree, which interferes with the student's learning process, and which may include but is not limited to any of the following characteristics:

*An inability to achieve adequate academic progress, which cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors

*An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers

    

*Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances

    

*A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression

*A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems

In addition to the above criteria, an emotional disability must exist over an extended period of time, and in more than one situation.  The emotional handicap must interfere with the student's learning in academic areas, social-personal development, language development, or behavioral progress and control.

Answer 3

cognitive would be learning disability, mild mental disability (mild retardation), moderate mental disability (moderate retardation) and severe and intense mental disability (severe retardation)

Emotional impairment is an emotional disability...kids who are mentally ill and usually very violent.  Oppositional defiant, bipolar, and other seriously misbehaved kids fall into this category.  don't go into this unless you are comfortable getting attacked by kids and putting them in restraint holds while they try to bite you, kick you, spit in your face, and scream curse words at you.  I used to teach an ED (emotionally disabled) class.

Answer 4

A cognitive impairment means low IQ (mental retardation) or learning disability (difficulty in learning in a particular academic area such as reading, though intelligence may be normal or higher). An emotional impairment would be a mental health issue, such as bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, etc.).

Answer 5

Cognitive is referring to a persons ability to learn.  In that area you'll see people with a range of mild,moderate to severe intellectual disabilities.  This is determined by a team qualified persons administering specific test to determine the level at which the person is functioning.  The tests provide scores which  help determine the I.Q. of the individual.  Intelligence Quotients are often used to help place the person in the setting which would meet his/her needs.  In my school district, if a child scored 72 or below, they were considered to have an Intellectual Disability.  These kids would be placed in a classroom with other children in the same age range and would receive lessons based on their Individualized Education Plan.  Parents are included when the I.E.P. is written so they have input.  At least once a year, parents and teachers go over the I.E.P. and look at the progress.  These classes are called Self-Contained since most of their instruction takes place there.  However, when it's appropriate, they may attend a traditional class for a specified time based on the I.E.P.    For those who are tested and receive a score in the normal I.Q. range, they are considered to have a learning disability.  For some reason, the information needs to be presented in a different manor for the child to benefit.  A child with a learning disability would attend a traditional classroom.  He would have an I.E.P.  Based on his needs, he would leave his classroom and go to a Resource Classroom in which he would receive instruction based on his I.E.P.

People with Intellectual disabilities and people with Learning disabilities could also have problems with emotional and behavioral disorders.  I've taught children in self-contained classrooms and these kids had learning disabilities and language delays.  Most of my years I've taught in self-contained classrooms with children who had intellectual disabilities.  A few also had physical disabilities as well.  In the past few years I've seen more children with behavioral disorders in addition to the intellectual disabilities.  It is with these children that my paraprofessionals (aides) and I often experienced getting pinched, hit, hair pulled, spat upon, kicked etc.  But when you consider the motivation for these behaviors, we can develop interventions which keep the children and adults safe.  We were never seriously harmed.  We never harmed the children.  Although when a little tiger has you by the hair, pulling for all he's worth and you're trying not to show much reaction (which is what he's after) other than prying his hands off, it's hard not to visualize drop-kicking his little butt sky high!  I've been teaching children with special needs for 18 yrs. and love it.  The paper work- Ugh!  Learn all you can about classroom management and positive reinforcement!

Good luck!