Gifted and Talented Students
Scenario
Amy Part 3:
“George did not want to collaborate with any of his group members. He never made any contributions to the tasks, although Amy felt he was a very bright child”
“George did not want to collaborate with any of his group members. He never made any contributions to the tasks, although Amy felt he was a very bright child”
George: A Gifted Student
It is important that beginning teachers, like Amy, to provide students who are gifted and/or talented (G&T) with higher order thinking tasks, that incorporate Bloom’s Taxonomy and develops students’ skills. This is significantly more important than purely providing bright children with more schoolwork. It will prevent students feeling resentment towards schoolwork and continue to develop their learning ability (Kerry & Kerry, 1997). For Amy to instil student interest, particularly for those who are disengaged or refuse to participate like George, provide tasks that appeal to student interests, and have a clear meaning to real world problems. Personal interest projects should extend on class topics and require students to utilise research skills and creating a product will motivate and engage students. Importantly provide students with a choice, which allows students to have a role in the learning process and feel ownership in their learning goals.
Amy, like other beginning teachers, will have difficulty motivating and engaging students who gifted and/or talented. Teachers need to strongly consider students learning needs and provide students with a differentiated curriculum.
Amy, like other beginning teachers, will have difficulty motivating and engaging students who gifted and/or talented. Teachers need to strongly consider students learning needs and provide students with a differentiated curriculum.
Student Learning Needs
Students who are gifted and/or talented require individualised teacher support to enable them to reach their full capacity as well as developing new skills and abilities. It is vital that teachers who have gifted and talented students within their class, devise teaching strategies and a differentiated curriculum that fosters students, and assists them to transform their potential to achievement, talent and success. The needs of G&T students include regular segments with intellectual peers, flexible pacing, acknowledgement of their personal, social and emotional needs, and to be provided with a curriculum that is challenging, provides extension, and allows the development of higher-order thinking skills (Vialle & Rogers, 2009).
Differentiated Curriculum
Teachers should facilitate diverse ways in assisting G&T students to achieve learning outcomes (Lewis, Hudson & Hudson, 2010). The most important teaching tool is providing student with a differentiated curriculum. G&T students require a curriculum that is tailored to their specific learning needs, just as students with learning disabilities require a differentiated curriculum (Vialle & Rogers, 2009). Differentiation requires: modification, that varies from slight to major, in four primary areas; content, which includes topics, themes and ideas students learn; process, refers to the skills students develop through learning tasks; product, the outcomes of student’s learning experiences, and; learning environment, refers to the learning climate in the classroom (Lewis, et al, 2010; Vialle & Rogers, 2009).
Differentiation provides a challenging curriculum that matches the ability of G&T students (NSW DET, 2004). G&T students learn differently to their peers, as they learn at faster rates, have comprehensive problem solving skills, manipulate abstract ideas and make advanced connections (NSW DET, 2004b). Differentiation should consist of enrichment and extension activities. Enrichment broadens the curriculum, developing knowledge, application, and thinking skills that are appropriately complex to suit a student’s developmental level. Extension activities deepen student’s knowledge, understanding and skills (NSW DET, 2004).
Differentiation provides a challenging curriculum that matches the ability of G&T students (NSW DET, 2004). G&T students learn differently to their peers, as they learn at faster rates, have comprehensive problem solving skills, manipulate abstract ideas and make advanced connections (NSW DET, 2004b). Differentiation should consist of enrichment and extension activities. Enrichment broadens the curriculum, developing knowledge, application, and thinking skills that are appropriately complex to suit a student’s developmental level. Extension activities deepen student’s knowledge, understanding and skills (NSW DET, 2004).
How does this relate to the National Professional Standards for Teachers?
Professional Knowledge
Standard 1: Know students and how they learn
Focus: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Graduate 1.1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning
Focus: Understand how students learn
Graduate 1.2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching
Focus: Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
Graduate 1.5.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
Focus: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Graduate 1.1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning
Focus: Understand how students learn
Graduate 1.2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching
Focus: Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
Graduate 1.5.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities