Giftedness Nicole BruniMelissa

Objectives

Gain a greater understanding of what it means to be “gifted”

Understand the characteristics of “gifted” students

(Gifted Students vs. High Achievers vs. Creative Thinkers)

Gain a greater understanding of School Board’s policies related to Gifted Education

Learn how to make accommodations/ modifications for “gifted” students in your class

Gain a greater understanding of issues and concerns related to “giftedness”

Who is the Gifted Student? Activity 1 –In groups of 3-4 take 5 minutes to …

Identify the “gifted” student in the video.

Record on chart paper, what characteristics led you to your conclusions about who the “gifted” student was?

Who is the Gifted Student?

Who was the gifted student???

Giftedness According to the Ontario Ministry of Education

“An unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school program to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated.”

Activity 2

Put a check beside the statements that are true …

Each child is different. It is difficult to generalize, but many bright children have some of the characteristics listed

long concentration spans in areas of interest

advanced reading ability & extensive vocabulary

keen powers of observation

Cognitive intellectual level is very high

Will score 130 and above on I.Q. test

abstract and critical thinking

unusual insight and intellectual curiosity

What is the Difference Between Gifted Learners & High Achievers cognitive intellectual level is really high in

gifted learners, and this is not case with high achievers

gifted students have the capacity to learn in greater depth and breadth than high achievers

High Achiever Gifted Leaner Creative Thinker

Remembers the answers

Poses unforeseen questions

Sees exceptions

Generates advanced ideas

Generates complex, abstract ideas

Overflows with ideas, many of which will never be developed

Answer the questions in detail

Ponders with depth and multiple perspectives

Injects new possibilities

Performs at the top of the group

Is beyond the group

Is in own group

Gifted Learner Vs. High Achiever Vs. Creative Thinker

Identification Process

Main Perspectives on Being Gifted

Mystery Mode

VS.

Mastery Model

What Does Each Board Offer

TDSB

Gifted programs offered in 8 secondary schools schools across the TDSB

Students are placed in gifted sections and attend classes with their gifted peers

TDBS MAP

York Region

Offers gifted programs in 5 of it’s schools

Partially self-contained community

Classes at designated secondary schools or monitoring at the home school.

York Region Map

No Map Available

Peel

Offers “Regional Enhanced Learning Programs” in 5 schools in Peel

If not a full class with gifted students, classes are then offered to high achievers that have not been formally identified as gifted

Peel Map

http://www.peel.edu.on.ca/documents/Final_-_Full_Report.pdf

Accommodations &

Modification

“In all cases gifted education should be about matching the curriculum expectations to the advanced learners’ specific academic needs” – Being Smart About Gifted Education: A Guidebook for Educators and Parents, pp.112

Important Agendas in Gifted Education

Match curriculum to ability by adapting the curriculum for gifted learners

Supporting giftedness in those who have not yet demonstrated it.

**It is important to note that the degree of differentiation required should relate to the aptitude of the individual students and the degree of giftedness they display.

1. Modifying content, process, product

2. Altering pace of instruction

3. Creating a flexible classroom environment

4. Using specific instructional strategies

5. Altering assessment procedures

6. Employing a wide range of resource materials and technological options

IEP: Strategies To Meet Academic Needs of Gifted Learners in the Regular Classroom

Activity 3 1. Form groups based on your teachable subject

2. Take curriculum expectation and create accommodations for the gifted student in your class

3. Fill out the IEP section provided for accommodating gifted learners

4. Present your curriculum expectation & how you accommodated for the gifted learner to the group

Areas for Differentiation & Teaching Subject Modifying content, process, product

Altering pace of instruction

Creating a flexible classroom environment

Using specific instructional strategies

Altering assessment procedures

Employing a wide range of resource materials and technological options

Dilemmas & Issues Testing

Labeling

Learning Disabilities

TestingWho gets tested? What gets tested?

Underrepresentation of:

- minority students

- low- socioeconomic status

- disabled students

Labeling Compartmentalizes people

Living up to the expectations of the label is challenging for many

Bullying

Emotional, Social and behavioral problems

Learning Disabilities ADHD

Aspergers

Learning Disabilities (LD)

Activity 4. – Poem

After listen to this poem and the presentation what are some implications for educators professional practice with gifted students?

Resources

Academic Journals

Gifted Child Quarterly

Gifted Education International

Roper Review

Gifted Child Today

Journal of Secondary Gifted Education

Websites

www.nagc.org

www.beingsmart.ca

www.abcontario.ca

Books

How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms.

Planning Effective Curriculum for Gifted Learners by Joyce Can Tassel-Baska

The End We hope you enjoyed learning about Gifted

Education as much as we enjoyed presenting it to you