Teaching Gifted and
Talented Learners
By Anthony M. Wanjohi
Gifted and talented
students are more academically capable than their peers and therefore need
additional academic challenges, (Clive, 1991). These students are commonly
integrated into standard classes, so they must be provided with enrichment
activities that they can complete independently. To ensure that your gifted and
talented students receive the added enrichment they need, prepare and implement
activities that allow them to demonstrate their abilities and to continue to
build their base of content information.
Before teaching a
lesson, create a slightly more difficult version of the activity than the
general student population will complete. For example, if other students are
asked to answer comprehension questions about a written piece, compose another
assignment in which you ask gifted students to apply the information in the
written work to their own lives. Print out these more challenging assignments
on bright yellow paper, immediately setting them apart from the standard lesson.
When you hand these assignments to your gifted students, make it clear that the
work is extra challenging because you believe in their abilities (Kinga, 2010). As other students see these special papers,
they too will want to develop the skills necessary to complete them,(Kinga, 2010). If these other
students excel in a certain activity or topic, allow them to attempt to
complete the gold sheet challenges as well.
Approaches in dealing
with gifted and talented learners
Dealing with talented
and gifted learners can be hectic for a teacher. Thus, proper designing of
activities and use of resources is fundamental.
2.1 Activities that
encourage Working independently
Gifted students commonly
finish work more rapidly than their classmates, (Kinga,
2010). If you do not have a prepared activity for them when they finish their
regular classwork, learning time will be lost. Working independently on the
study of a favorite author will ensure that gifted students always have work to
fill in the gaps created by their faster working speed. Allow each gifted
student to select a children's or young adult author. Obtain copies of the
writer's books and allow the student to read them. Let the student explore the
author's life by pointing him toward print or on-line resources with related
information. Allow the student to select a project to complete, letting him
decide how he would like to show what he has learned about his author's life
and works.
Allow your gifted
students to expand their understanding while helping their classmates learn.
Assign each gifted student a topic that you intend to cover later in the year.
Provide the student with resources related to the assigned topic, and instruct
him to gather information independently from these resources, (Kinga, 2010). Once the student has developed an
understanding of the assigned topic, help him create a PowerPoint presentation
that effectively shares the information he has learned. When it's time to teach
the topic, let each student present his PowerPoint presentation to the class,
sharing his discoveries with his peers.
It should involve a
careful evaluation by teachers and other educators of what has occurred as a
result of implementing a particular instructional design module or unit of
study, (Sutherland, 2005). At this stage of the process, decisions should be
made about the nature and extent of revision necessary to improve the model or
whether other alternative models should replace it. Revisiting each chapter in
the design model is useful in deciding what revisions may be most appropriate.
Assessment results may suggest a need for more activities to support a learning
outcome, a more effective instructional strategy to teach a concept, or a
broader array of resources, (Sutherland, 2005). Careful assessment of each of
these possibilities is important to improve learning the next time around.
2.4 Project Based
Learning (P.B.L)
PBL (sometimes also
referred to as project-based learning) can motivate students through the use of
real and authentic problems, (Sutherland, 2005). It can challenge students of
varying ability levels and interests to tackle aspects of a selected problem
that are appropriate to them, and can cover multiple interdisciplinary
objectives in a single scenario, (Sally and Joseph 2004). In addition, in-class
modifications can support meager specialized programs in times of budget
crunch.
Self-motivated students
and exciting curriculum can energize teachers, and involving students in real
problems in the community can create positive relationships with parents and
community members. PBL has the potential to impact today in a positive manner
the many difficulties facing classrooms, (Sutherland, 2005). The rest of this
discussion will focus on just one of these positive areas, that of providing an
appropriately challenging learning environment for highly capable students.
While PBL can motivate and engage students of all ability levels, it is an
elegant way to facilitate the characteristics of gifted education that can be
difficult for teachers to infuse in their classrooms using more traditional
methods.
When setting up a
problem scenario for a gifted student, the teacher must make sure that the
content is advanced and that the problem deals with complex concepts,
(Sutherland, 2005). The teacher must be careful to point out connections among
disciplines related to the topic. The students should gain practice in good
reasoning, in forming habits of mind within the disciplines used, and in
improving skills of self-direction, (Roberta, 1998). They should also have the
chance to discuss conflicting ethical perspectives surrounding the topic. As an
example, a middle school problem about using genetically engineered products in
fast food restaurants would deal with science curriculum regarding genetics
that might not have been covered in the traditional curriculum at that point.
The teacher might need
to point out relationships between genetic engineering in plants as well as in
humans and the problem might also include a discussion regarding religious
beliefs in various cultures, (Sally and Joseph 2004). Such a problem might
involve a study of how geneticists work. Students might create a plan for a
series of experiments that they feel are needed in order to resolve the issue.
They might also take on the roles of farmers, scientists, consumers, media
reporters, or businesspersons in order to view the problem from the various
perspectives of stakeholders in such a problem, (Sutherland, 2005). These
suggestions all relate to the types of characteristics of PBL that are
important to consider when setting up a problem for highly capable students. It
is also important to note that such a problem will cover many curriculum
standards related to science, social studies, technology, language arts,
health, and math. Depending on the activities that are designed and the
products that are created by students, this problem could also cover standards
within the creative and performing arts and world languages, (Margaret, 2008).
So many
wide-ranging objectives can be achieved by employing PBL in the classroom that
educators should be encouraged to try it if they have not already, (Roberta,
1998). In order to be successful, teachers should pay attention to a few
helpful hints. It may be important to start slowly, using small, directed
problem scenarios that are designed for the readiness level of independence and
collaboration of the students in the class or group, (Margaret, 2008). It is
critical to plan well and to cover the basic information that will be needed in
the problem first. The content should drive the activity; the activity should
not drive the content. Remember that the depth of the learning is more valuable
than covering a lot of content. Make sure the activities are engaging, thought
provoking, and authentic, (Margaret, 2008). When assessing students, use a
rubric that clearly defines what high quality is and do not emphasize aspects
of the products that are not germane to the objective of the problem. (Sally and Joseph, 2004). Enjoy your new role as
facilitator and guide!
When the going gets
tough, and it could in the beginning, teachers should be reminded that research
on PBL, though still scarce, is showing positive results that hold promise for
gifted students as well as all students, (Sally and Joseph 2004). Students
using PBL perform as well on standardized tests and often better than students
in traditional classrooms, (Roberta, 1998). Students using PBL learn research
skills, understand the subject matter at a deeper level than students taught by
traditional methods, and are more deeply engaged in their work. Also important
is the finding that teachers and parents of students learning by doing projects
are pleased about students’ enthusiasm and hard work when they are doing PBL.
3.0 Resources for Gifted
and Talented Learners
Handling gifted and
talented learners requires not only sound teachers but also well selected
teaching and learning resources. This section closely examines human resources
and material resource factor (Kinga, 2010).
In regard to human resources,
certain groups of people would contribute greatly in the education of the
talented and the gifted. These include the following:
For the students to
understand how knowledge is generated in the real world, the utilization of
human resource which is fundamental is employed. Use of human resource paves
way for the application of the knowledge (Kinga,
2010).
Gifted and talented
learners need materials of various types which are essential to the learners
curricular and these must be selected carefully.
According to Kinga (2010), there are key issues that are considered
in choosing material resources used in the programme for the gifted, these
include the following:
I. The materials should address the learners’
outcome of the programme.
II. The reading level should be appropriate for the
gifted learners at the given stage of development. Educators for the gifted
need to determine the reading level of all texts considered for the programme
to ensure challenging reading behaviors for the gifted.
III. The materials should be organized by key
concepts rather isolated skills.
IV. The material should include ideas for discussion
at higher level of thinking. It should include questions that tap into
analytical, synthetic and evaluative thinking.
V. The materials include ideas for group and independent
project investigations.
VI. Problems set are organized from simple to
complex to allow gifted learners to extend off-level as appropriate.
VII. Materials should offer diversity of learning;
providing alternative means to attain ands within the curriculum frame work.
VIII. The materials provide opportunities for creative
thinking, for challenging assumptions and offering alternative solutions.
IX. The materials encourage gifted learners to
consult multiple resources on given topics i.e. the materials should encourage
further exploration of ideas. Good bibliographies and resources suggestions in
both print and non printer form are important.
Many parents believe
their children are gifted. The problem is there are many areas of
exceptionality, and sometimes overachievers or bright children may seem gifted
to the inexperienced observer. Indeed, many schools encourage skipping grades
to help challenge gifted students. This is a mistake if the child cannot accept
the social ramifications. In addition, and this is very important, it puts
students at a real disadvantage when taking tests. That extra year of
preparation and maturity could be worth many points and make the difference
between the school of choice and the others. Remember, with grade inflation,
many students have straight-A averages. National
exam scores and community and extracurricular work separate students from the
pack. So, the best way to help a gifted child is to challenge them and expand
their interests, while providing depth in their gifted areas.
Clive, T. (1991). Teaching Able, Gifted and Talented Children: Strategies,
Activities &
Resources. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Kinga, T. (2010). Education for
Children who are Gifted and Talented. Nairobi:
Institute of Open Distant Learning, Nazarene UP.
Margaret, S.
(2008). Developing the Gifted and Talented Young
Learner. London: SAGE
Publications Ltd.
Roberta, M. (1998). Gifted and Talented Children: a Guide for Teachers,
Counselors,
and Carents Creativity Research. London: McGraw.
Sally, M. and Joseph, S.
(2004). Identification of Students for Gifted and Talented
Crograms of Essential
Readings in Gifted Education V. 2. P 56-79. Corwin
Press.
Sutherland, M. (2005). Gifted and talented in the early years: practical activities
for children aged 3 to 5. London: SAGE.
Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented,
(2004). Instructional
Units for Gifted
And Talented Learners: Grades K-6. Prufrock Press
Inc.
Suggested Citation in
APA
Wanjohi, A.M.(2010) Teaching Gifted and Talented Learners. KENPRO Publications. Available online at
http://www.kenpro.org/papers/teaching-gifted-and-talented-learners.htm
Access PDF Format
Click
to access printable format for PDF Download