An Inclusive Education for Gifted Students

Created by Michelle Swami (32606896)

Gifted Students Need Special Attention within the Science Classroom;

Challenges for Teachers and Strategies to Engage and Create an Inclusive

Education for Students

What we will look at: Brief introduction Clarify understanding of what ‘gifted’ means Challenges of inclusive education for gifted students Strategies for teaching gifted students in the science

classroom Reinforcing the importance of inclusive education

for gifted students and how to work towards achieving this

I encourage you to: Please reflect on your teaching practices whilst hearing about my

literature findings Participate in activities throughout my talk that will assist me in

gaining further knowledge from your experience with creating an inclusive education for gifted students in the regular classroom

“How can I create that open door for gifted students within my science classroom so they can reach their full potential?”

Cartoon sums up my thoughts:

Quote from my findings that is paramount to my presentation:

“Gifted learners are just as far removed from average as are children with learning problems, the differentiation that gifted students need is highly defensible and equitable” (Winebrenner.S, 2000)

Introduction: I will finish Dip Ed-science next year after my prac Term 3, 2016 I am currently doing an inclusive education unit externally at

Murdoch My chosen topic of interest for this assignment is teaching gifted

students science Several reasons I wanted to explore this topic and include

personal experiences, as well as observations I have made thus far

Throughout my schooling I was placed to mentor other students once I completed my work

During my schooling years I was rarely given different tasks to complete within a regular classroom

Whilst completing my prac experiences I struggled to keep gifted students engaged if they finished early in regular class session-realised I need to add strategies to my toolbox!

Curious about what strategies practicing teachers find useful and compare them to research findings

Key reasons for exploring this topic include:

What does Giftedness mean to you?Quick word association brainstorm on the whiteboard

According to Gagnes model: Gifted Students- those whose potential is distinctly above average in

one or more of the following domains: intellectual, creative, social and physical

Talented Students-those whose skills are distinctly above average in one or more areas of human performance

Checklist of learning and behavioural characteristics common to gifted students:

In package for today’s presentation is the Dep of Education Gifted and Talented Guidelines booklet

Appendix E at the end states a checklist that I found useful and which you may already use in your practices- hopefully handy resource to refer to also

Numbers of interest to me were 17, 29, 6, 10

Place yourselves in the student’s shoes: you are a gifted student in your own classroom environment please describe what it feels, looks and sounds like

Challenges when teaching gifted students:

SIX GREAT GRIPES OF GIFTED KIDSJUDY GALBRAITH – GIFTED KID’S SURVIVAL GUIDE

No one explains what being gifted is all about – it’s kept a big secret

The stuff we do at school is too easy and it’s boring� Kids often tease us about being smart� Friends who really understand us are few and far between� Parents, teachers, (and even friends) expect us to be perfect, to �

do our best all the time We feel too different and wish people would accept us for �

what/who we are

“What are some of the challenges you have when teaching gifted students within the classroom?”

On your butcher paper draw a box and a central circle-divide into

number people in your group Give 2 mins to individually write 4-5 challenges you face Give 2 mins to as a group select 2-3 that were common or as a

group felt the most difficult of challenges Share with myself

Research findings on challenges: Different behavioral situations can arise when teaching

gifted students within the regular classroom Gifted students may question the appropriateness

of activities, however work hard on topics of high interest (Manning.S, 2006)

Students may be disruptive, bored, frustrated and go down the perfectionism trap

Behavioural challenges

Research findings on challenges cont’d Classes that are heterogeneously grouped present challenges

for both the teacher and students in the class Study by Gallagher et al 2010 acknowledges that it can make

instructional tasks of the teacher even more complicated Cooperative learning also presented issues for gifted students

with some liking and others disliking it Interestingly even students in the study expressed sympathy

toward the teachers, saying “it is too hard for the teacher when everyone is at a different level” (Gallagher et al, 2010).

Instructional challenges

Research findings on challenges cont’d Studies have kept reiterating the lack of teacher training and

expertise in both Australia and other countries and “most teachers have had little or no background on strategies to cope with these creative and fertile minds” (Gallagher.J, 2010)

In a study by Jennifer Rowley it was also “found that those teachers with specialised training in gifted education created better learning environments and utilised more effective teaching strategies to facilitate learning for the gifted and talented students”(Rowley, 2003)

Lack of teacher training

Research findings on challenges cont’d Throughout the literature reviewed, planning time is essential to

teaching gifted students and can pose a challenge for teachers. Gallagher et al. 2010, recognises the need of careful planning to

achieve the goal of a stimulating and challenging environment for gifted youth.

Furthermore, “without sufficient planning time, educators may feel frustrated and overwhelmed by the idea of meeting the needs of gifted learners” (Stambaugh.T & VanTassel-Baska.J, 2010).

Also lack of administrative support and resources poses a challenge when teaching gifted students

Lack of planning time

Now something to take a 30 second break

Workshop ActivityStrategies for teaching gifted students science

Strategies for teaching gifted students

Explore strategies for teaching student ‘G’ with a set of characteristics (refer worksheet ‘Strategies for Teaching Gifted Students’)

Teaching : Human Biology Year 11-Reproduction and Assisted Reproductive Technology (refer to content to be covered in strategy worksheet)

Work together for 5 minutes and come up with strategies and ways you would instruct gifted students in the classroom

Discuss and relate to the golden rules for teaching gifted students defined by Deborah Eyre (2007) and see if their strategies catered for these in their science classroom

Teaching scenario workshop activity (please refer to strategy worksheet)

Student ‘G’ characteristics:

Learns rapidly and quickly grasps new concepts Creative or imaginative, e.g. produces many ideas and is highly

original Independent - prefers to work alone Highly motivated, particularly in self-selected tasks Advanced interests Exceptional critical thinking skills and problem-solving ability Superior leadership and interpersonal skills Demonstrates a high degree of social responsibility or moral

reasoning Possesses a large, advanced vocabulary Superior insight and the ability to draw inferences Often resists doing assigned work if not challenging enough

Topic: Assisted Reproductive Technology

There are a variety of assisted reproductive technologies to help overcome infertility problems, but each has its limitations, risks and benefits

Technological advances has meant sex selection of embryo is possible to avoid genetic diseases, as well as stem cell collection for future use-each having risks, benefits and ethical considerations

Reference: Year 11 Syllabus, Human Biology, copy right School Curriculum and Standards Authority, 2014, Government of Western Australia

Curriculum content descriptors:

You will have 5 minutes to brainstorm some strategies as a group and then we will discuss them

Strategies for teaching gifted students- other findings according to research and Carol Tomlison:

Think back and remember that the 3 main ways we can differentiate curriculum for gifted students are via:

1) Process modifications2) Product modifications3) Learning Environment modifications

1) Process modifications

Learning tasks should be abstract, complex, and varied Learning tasks should involve issues of world, organisation, study of

people, methods of inquiry and research

2) Product modifications

Promote creative and critical thinking Require problem solving Variable levels of pacing Open-endedness Allow freedom of choice

3) Learning Environment modifications Flexible and open Encourage independent learning Accepting and non judgemental Encourage complex and abstract thought

Strategies for teaching student ‘G’ within the regular classroom: Can begin the topic introduction by promoting critical and

creative thinking using open ended questions such as “what could be the long term impact of sex selection via assisted reproductive technologies?”

Then ask the question of whether they have heard about test tube babies and artificial inseminations

Engage student ‘G’ as well as other class members through using people and world examples in discussion, ie ‘As medical science advances, scientists learn more about the complex biological interactions that form a newborn from a fertilized ovum, which, in turn, leads them to discover more ways to prevent conception and treat birth defects, and to heal the fetus or newborn baby and allow couples who cannot conceive naturally to have a baby.’

Strategies for teaching student ‘G’ within the regular classroom: Tasks on the classroom worksheet could be :

Given the class discussion 1) Research reasons for infertility in males and females (list and explain at least 4), 2) Then research 2 types of assisted reproductive technology and explain how it works, and 3) Investigate the ethical considerations and possible challenges for society by introducing reproductive technology? You can choose the focus of this investigation, ie sex selection, genetic testing, age of parents etc. One example of focus a student may select is: Technological advances has

meant sex selection of embryo is possible to avoid genetic diseases, as well as stem cell collection for future use- with each having risks, benefits and ethical considerations

Strategies for teaching student ‘G’ within the regular classroom: To cater for student ‘G’ needing to be challenged to engage in the work you

could give this same worksheet(discussed on previous slide) to the whole class however do a numbered heads allocation activity.

This involves numbering students from 1-3 and assuming you know your ‘gifted’ students in the class you can give them the number 3 to begin with. This means they get straight into independent work and the activity 3 also allows them to self select what they wish to critically think about and problem solve about

Allows for acceleration of content and real world content application to their investigation

Then given student ‘G’ possesses great leadership and interpersonal skills once they completed task 3, they could then go onto be grouped so they can do task 1 and 2 with other students to assist them and demonstrate their knowledge through teaching their peers. The environment created would be non judgemental, flexible and open

What Really Works in Gifted and Talented Education Deborah Eyre (2007)

‘Golden Rules’ for teaching gifted and talented students: Creating a classroom climate that supports risk taking and

high flying Approaching lessons as an apprenticeship rather than

studying to pass the exam Make use of the strengths and recognize weaknesses in

individuals Encourage higher order thinking and questioning Explaining and challenging from both teacher and students

How to tell if appropriate levels of teaching are being achieved with gifted students:

According to Mary Coleman (2001): * It makes us a little uncomfortable, and we are not 100% sure where it is taking us; * It "hooks" the students, and us, in a way that is hard to escape--we want to debate,

experiment, and explore the ideas because they are interesting; * It requires us to draw from a substantial amount of prior knowledge--we can't just

`wing' it; * It forces us to look at multiple points of view and conflicting data; * It has no single, correct conclusion, answer, or solution; * It is way beyond the level of the textbook and pacing guide; * It impacts the future, relates to real issues and concerns, or involves multiple cultural

and ethical issues; or * It forces us to re-examine our beliefs, theories, laws, and values

Useful Resources:

“Reflecting on your experience, what resources have you accessed to assist teaching gifted students in your class?”

Please think, jot and share

Useful Resources:

Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented (AAEGT) via www.aaegt.net.au

The Gifted and Talented Children’s Association of WA (Inc) via www.gatcawa.org

Gifted Education Research Resource and Information Centre Australian Curriculum: (http://

www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/studentdiversity/gifted-and-talented-students)

Department of Education- http://www.det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/giftedandtalented/detcms/portal/

Ultimately… To complacently teach without identifying and strategizing for the

gifted students in the class is to deny their equal right to an appropriate education

“Society also desperately needs the most gifted minds to face the enormous problems that will confront humanity in the next decades” ( Diezmann & Watters, 2003)

Overall, the research presented illustrates the importance of identifying gifted students within the classroom, differentiating their learning and creating an inclusive education so that they can reach their full potential

Thank you for your input and time, and …..