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Gifted & Talented Learners. Every School A Good School (2009). The characteristics of a successful school Child-centred provision High quality teaching and learning Effective leadership A school connected to its local community. Every School A Good School (2009). Child-centred Provision
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Every School A Good School (2009) • The characteristics of a successful school • Child-centred provision • High quality teaching and learning • Effective leadership • A school connected to its local community
Every School A Good School (2009) Child-centred Provision • A school culture of achievement, improvement and ambition exists – with clear expectations that all pupils can and will achieve to the very best of their ability. • Effective interventions and support are in place to meet the additional education and other needs of pupils and to help them overcome barriers to learning. • A commitment exists to ensuring that all children follow an educational pathway which is appropriate for them in a school or through a collaborative arrangement with another school, FE College or other provider.
Every School A Good School (2009) High Quality Teaching & Learning • A broad and relevant curriculum is provided for the pupils, including through the Entitlement Framework for pupils at Key Stage 4 and above. • Teachers use adaptable, flexible teaching strategies that respond to the diversity within the classroom. • Assessment and other data is used to effectively inform teaching and learning across the school and in the classroom and to promote improvement.
What does a gifted and talented learner look like? In small groups, agree on two sentences that describe a gifted and talented learner.
What does a gifted and talented learner look like? The clichéd view is of a gifted and talented learner who is competent, confident in his/her abilities and who succeeds unaided. It isn’t always like that….
In 1873 F. W. Woolworth got a job in a dry goods store when he was 21. He would not serve customers as he lacked confidence. In 1913, as a successful businessman, he paid for the Woolworth Building to be constructed in New York City at a cost of $13.5 million in cash.
Temple Grandin, PhD, was diagnosed with brain damage at age two. She is now an associate professor at Colorado State University and arguably the most accomplished adult with ‘high functioning’ autism in the world. She is also a world renowned professional designer of humane livestock facilities.
Maria Callas was rejected by the prestigious Athens Conservatoire. At the audition her voice failed to impress. She was later gained world-wide recognition as one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century. Critics praised her bel canto technique, wide-ranging voice and dramatic gifts.
Guidance • Learners, who are gifted and talented, have additional needs and may require: • Differentiated curriculum • Support for making and maintaining friendships • Support for coping with the emotional pressure of greater expectations • They may also have special educational needs. • CCEA, with the support of NCCA, developed guidance for teachers and schools on educating gifted and talented learners. You can download the guidance here.
Definition In Northern Ireland we use the term Gifted and Talented to describe those learners who are achieving or who have the potential to achieve a level substantially beyond the rest of their peer group inside their particular school. Those learners who demonstrate or have the potential to demonstrate extremely high levels of ability, compared to their peers across the entire population, will be referred to by the term Exceptionally Able.
Gifted & talented areas: general intellectual ability or talent; specific academic aptitude or talent; visual and performing arts and sports; leadership ability; creative and productive thinking; mechanical ingenuity; and special abilities in empathy, understanding and negotiation.
Talent spotting! It can be difficult to spot talent so a robust identification system is needed.
Talent spotting (cont.) • Has your school got an identification system in place? • Have you considered how to support those learners who are both gifted & talented and have a special educational need? • Have you considered all possible areas of talent and ability? • For further information the chapter on identification starts on page 10 of the CCEA guidance.
Profiles • Starting on page 80 of the guidance is a chapter which outlines typical profiles of learners who are gifted and talented. • Use this to identify and discuss the learners described in the pen portraits which follow.
Profiles The chapter on profiles gives a number of suggestions of how schools can meet the needs of different types of gifted and talented learners. • Which of these does your school already provide? • Which others could be implemented in the short term? • Which others could be implemented in the long term?
Case studies • From the ‘A Window On Special’ series watch: • Autism, Art and Achievement • Paralympic success • Which were the strong points in provision? • Which were the areas for improvement? • Which ideas could be used in your school? There are a wider range of case studies available in the CCEA guidance starting on page 96.
Teaching strategies Our PE colleagues are good role models to follow. Able sportspeople are: Given special training programmes to follow; Not extra work at simpler levels… Shown role models to follow; Set short term challenges; Given long term targets to reach; Work with peers of all abilities; Given opportunities to work or compete with others at a higher standard.
Lesson design to ensure differentiation • What content is to be covered, and when? • At what level of complexity? • How will the lessons be sequenced? • How quickly should you go? • Which strategies are suitable? • How can the experiences be varied? • Individual, paired, group work? • Varied stimulus…
Next steps • How will you take this forward… • …as a school? • …in your classroom? • List the actions needed. • Assign a person to be responsible for each action. • Set deadlines.
