Study material - book

The subject of interest of special pedagogy are individuals with special educational needs, who are in many respects out of the norm. It is therefore important to understand the views of norm and normality

• statistical (frequency) concept of normality - "normal is what is common, average, frequented"
• individually relational, subjective conception of normality - "normal is what corresponds to the individuality of each individual"
• health concept of normalcy - "normal is what is healthy"
• socio-cultural conception of normality - "normal is what is usual in a given society and culture"
• age factor in assessing normality - goes through all concepts

Statistical (frequency) concept of normality

• the most common concept, used in everyday life intuitively, based on personal experience with the frequency of occurrence of phenomena
• It is especially suitable for quantitative phenomena
• distribution of random phenomena according to the so-called Gaussian (bell-shaped) curve.
• showing the distribution of IQ (intelligence quotient) in the population
• the average band includes the majority of the population (average = most frequented)
• in dg. SLD example: basic dg. criterion IQ X RQ;                               RQ (reading quotient)

Individual relational, subjective conception of normality

• main meaning: not to relate the value of the trait to the frequency of occurrence in the whole population, but with regard to the constitutional values ​​and individual possibilities of each individual
• use belongs to the professionalism of helping professions (teachers, psychologists, doctors, social workers)
• the basic premise of working mainly with a person who deviates from the statistical standard
• at SLD analysis of the structure of ind. cognitive functions and rejection of the discrepancy criterion

Health concept of normality

• suitable for expressing qualitative phenomena
• normality is understood as the absence of disease
• formerly bipolar health - disease relationship
• today the definition of positive health (WHO)
• "A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity"
• SLD understood as a phenomenon of "discomfort"

Socio-cultural conception of normality

• social norm - rules of coexistence in one social space
• always tied to a social group
• represents what is in the group:
• usual, proven
• permissible
• correctly
• desirable
• different strength defining social norms (rules of children's party X laws)
• acquisition of norms in the process of socialization (moral development)
• social deviation - deviation from the social norm
• tolerance limit when assessing negative deviations from the standard
• at SLD, for example, historically and culturally different requirements for the literacy of an individual
• significant negative impact of SDL- functional illiteracy

Age factor in assessing normality

• developmental view in previous concepts
• tolerance limit for negative deviations from the social norm in children and the elderly
• at SUA, for example, different evaluation of ambidextrary performances in different ontogenetic periods

Keywords:

norm, normality, abnormality, pathology, deviation, Gaussian curve, health - disease, tolerance limit, functional illiteracy, SDL