Gifted Learners

Why Identify?

Gifted = natural, untrained ability = potential

Talented behaviour = manifestation of giftedness in productive and observable ways

Giftedness + a process of development = talented behaviour

Gifted vs Talented

1. Facts you know about the learner

2. How do you (as a teacher) feel about the learner?

3. What are your concerns about the learner?

4. What are the positive things about the learner?

5. Questions you want to ask about the learner?

6. Ideas you have now for responding to the learner.

Thinking it Through

Why is it important to identify her?

What might be the long term impact of identifying her? Or not identifying her?

Furthermore …

Myths and Misconceptions about Gifted Learners

With a partner sum up the key ideas that the video showed about gifted children.

Which ideas contradicted something you thought about gifted children?

1. All parents think their child is gifted

(so teachers need to double check or question them or ask and keep asking for proof)(so we shouldn’t make it public that we are looking for gifted children) (especially those who think their child can already do what we are doing in class)

A Dozen Myths

2. No one is gifted

(I have been teaching for x years and not seen one)(in this regional/rural/low ses/high indigenous area we don’t have anyone)

3. Everyone is gifted at something

(so we shouldn’t separate them out)(we need to offer everyone this chance)(so he/she is just like everyone else)

4. IQ tests are worthless at identifying giftedness

(and are not really connected to real ability)(and might be wrong)(and are stressful)

5. There is a fine line between genius and insanity

(so gifted children are fragile and likely to have emotional issues)(so gifted children will be high maintenance and difficult to manage)

6. Gifted children are overexcitable.

(so they will be hyperactive, intense, hard to control, problems in the classroom)(so we have to let them have ‘space’ and accept misbehaviour – it is because of their ability)

7. Gifted children are perfectionists.

(so their work will be perfect and always high quality)(so they will spend a long time getting it right)(so they can be relied on to be the highest performer, do their best work)(and that is always a bad thing?)

8. Gifted children will be poorly adjusted if theyare told they are gifted.

(they will become big-headed)(they will be egocentric)(they need to be reminded that they are not special)

9. Gifted education helps children achieve their potential.10. Many gifted children are too socially immature to be educationally accelerated.11. Boredom is intellectual.12. Curriculum differentiation is about doing things differently.

Look for evidence of:

An exceptional learner

An exceptional use of knowledge

An exceptional generator of knowledge

Exceptional motivation

How can gifted learners be identified?

Multi-faceted Ongoing Connected to the program offering Considers a range of aspects of development Is looking at the whole child Needs to be started early About seeking information for planning Broad – look at low ses/indigenous /

underachievers/ creative learners

Identification is …

Parent nomination

Peer nomination

Self nomination

Teacher nomination

Anecdotal records

Work samples

Subjective Instruments

Standardised achievement tests

Classroom tests

Aptitude testing

Off level testing

Psychometric testing (IQ testing)

Objective Tools