Who are our Gifted and Talented?

Robyn BoswellGATE Facilitator

Think*Pair*Share - what you know or want to know about gifted and talented students.

Fact or Fiction?

Names I’m glad my parents never gave me

Soul TanaWeir HausLoff Aut LaudFu de Pois NingBurg Gir

Tim Buck II

Po Sarm Ting StenksWai Yu Karm Hia NaoSuwain FluUgl YeeElla Phant

Old New

Definitions:

Conservative

Exclusive

Definition usually based on IQ score.Top 5%

Liberal

Inclusive

Based on a broad range of criteria.10% - 15%

A Multi-Category Concept

The gifted and talented represent a wide range of students with many different abilities. For example, some students may have exceptional abilities in science or technology, some in art or poetry, and others in social leadership. It is now accepted that the gifted and talented are not simply those with high intelligence.

The range of special abilities that relate to the concept of giftedness and talent has become quite broad over the years.

It now includes:

• general intellectual abilities• academic aptitude• creative abilities• leadership ability• physical abilities• abilities in the visual and performing arts•cultural giftedness

Multi-Cultural Perspectives

New Zealand is a multicultural society with a wide range of ethnic groups. The concept of giftedness and talent that belongs to a particular cultural group is shaped by its beliefs, values, attitudes, and customs. The concept varies from culture to culture. It also varies over time.

Bi-Cultural Perspectives

Maori giftedness might include such attributes as:•Manaakitanga•Whanaungatanga•Wairuatanga•Kaitiakitanga•Rangatiratanga•Matauranga•Te Mahi Rehia•Tikanga

Maori also tend to expect these abilitiesand qualities to be used in the service of others.

Degree of support for students with special needs

Average

Mildly

Moderately

Highly

Exceptionally

Profoundly

Mainstream with

teacher aide

Full time teacher

aide

Requires support beyond the

regular classroom

Mainstream with Remedial

Programme

Mainstream

So what’s the difference?

Mildly

Moderately

Highly

Exceptionally

Profoundly

Average

It needs to be emphasized that there are some gifted people with severe physical disabilities – Steven Hawking for instance.Thanks to Robyn Boswell

Degree of support for students with special abilities

Average

Mildly

Mildly

Moderately

Moderately

Highly

Highly

Exceptionally

Exceptionally

Profoundly

Profoundly

Mainstream

Mainstream with Remedial

Programme

Mainstream with teacher aide

Full time teacher aide

Requires support beyond the regular classroom

Personalising learning

programme

CWSA/GKP

Accelerated learning/

Individualised programme

Requires support beyond the regular classroom

Bell curve

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•How to do Your Hair Like Prince William•How to Make a Cup Out of Wool•How to Make Your Cat Bark•Plant a Real Giraffe in Your Garden•Places in New Zealand That Don't Exist•How to Teach Your Baby to Rollerskate•Photographs of the Wedding of Two Ants•765 Things to do with a Blade of Grass•How to Make Clothes for your Goldfish•How to Have a Picnic in the Middle of the Ocean without a Boat•320 Ways to Boil an Egg

Gifted Learners and High Achievers

High Achievers tend to be the type of students that many teachers find pleasurable to teach.

Gifted Learners may share some of these characteristics but they may also be the students who……

Gifted Learners and High Achievers

High Achievers: Know the answers and

are prepared to share them with their classmates

Show interest and learn with ease

Have sensible ideas Listen with interest Absorb information and

complete set work

Gifted learners: Ask the difficult or

obscure questions Daydream or appear to

be inattentive and yet score well on teacher tests

Need little repetition for mastery

Give elaborate and detailed answers to simple questions are highly inquisitive

Display strong opinions

Gifted Learners and High Achievers

Generally, high achievers enjoy school while gifted learners enjoy

learning.- ‘Understanding Giftedness - A Guide to Policy Implementation - DECS 1996

Gifted and Talented

Have another look at your true and false.

What do you think now?

Questions?

•benefit from enrichment; •benefit from a classroom climate that is accepting and nurturing;

•should be given opportunities for creativity and challenge;

•have strengths and personal learning needs but not all students are gifted and talented.

Elaine le Sueur TEAM Solutions 2007