Lecturing gifted children EDS 2101 Av, Ed, Jason and Aaron

True or False? Successful lectures promote passive teacher-centred learning. Q&A should not be encouraged during lectures. All gifted children are geniuses. Gifted children do not require support. All students are capable of making effective notes. Lectures cannot encourage reflective thinking.

Successful lectures promote passive teacher-centred learning.

Q&A should not be encouraged during lectures.

All gifted children are geniuses.

Gifted children do not require support.

All students are capable of making effective notes.

Lectures cannot encourage reflective thinking.

Best used for large groups Teacher has control over : content, pace and questions Providing new information or introducing a new concept Provide the ‘big picture’ Features, why lecture?

Best used for large groups

Teacher has control over : content, pace and questions

Providing new information or introducing a new concept

Provide the ‘big picture’

Highlighting differences/similarities or linking concepts together Explore a lot of information in a relatively short period Provides the same point of reference for all students Creates an organized flow between different concepts in the lecture Features, why lecture?

Highlighting differences/similarities or linking concepts together

Explore a lot of information in a relatively short period

Provides the same point of reference for all students

Creates an organized flow between different concepts in the lecture

Limitations (Freiberg, p. 211) Lectures can be boring Participation limited to 12% of the total class time Difficult to determine student learning and receive feedback Students with insufficient note taking skills are disadvantaged Tendency toward passive learning (Fry, p.85) Individual student needs are rarely met or even identified

Lectures can be boring

Participation limited to 12% of the total class time

Difficult to determine student learning and receive feedback

Students with insufficient note taking skills are disadvantaged

Tendency toward passive learning (Fry, p.85)

Individual student needs are rarely met or even identified

Learning processes (Freiberg, p. 211) Ineffective lectures tend to… Emphasise lower level cognitive skills of memorization and recall rather than higher level thinking of synthesis and evaluation. Rarely provides opportunities for the inclusion of the psychomotor domain and affective learning.

Ineffective lectures tend to…

Emphasise lower level cognitive skills of memorization and recall rather than higher level thinking of synthesis and evaluation.

Rarely provides opportunities for the inclusion of the psychomotor domain and affective learning.

Effective lectures tend to… Provide the opportunity for students to be engaged with the topic. Promote an active learning environment, that is students take part in the lecture and contribute to the overall learning of the class. Encourage higher level learning like analytical learning and evaluative learning. Provide an affective learning experience, learning linked to a strong memory or emotional state. Learning processes (Freiberg, p. 211)

Effective lectures tend to…

Provide the opportunity for students to be engaged with the topic.

Promote an active learning environment, that is students take part in the lecture and contribute to the overall learning of the class.

Encourage higher level learning like analytical learning and evaluative learning.

Provide an affective learning experience, learning linked to a strong memory or emotional state.

Myths about gifted children (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 9, Table 1) Common in public perception Everything is going their way. Can succeed without help. Their families prize their special abilities. Valued primarily for their brainpower. More stable and mature emotionally Got “something for nothing” Want to be social isolates.

Common in public perception

Everything is going their way.

Can succeed without help.

Their families prize their special abilities.

Valued primarily for their brainpower.

More stable and mature emotionally

Got “something for nothing”

Want to be social isolates.

common among parents and educators Not aware of being different unless someone tells them Will reveal their giftedness Giftedness needs to be emphasised Need constant challenge by others to achieve Need more discipline Assume extra responsibility for others Enjoy serving as examples for other children Myths about gifted children (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 9, Table 1)

common among parents and educators

Not aware of being different unless someone tells them

Will reveal their giftedness

Giftedness needs to be emphasised

Need constant challenge by others to achieve

Need more discipline

Assume extra responsibility for others

Enjoy serving as examples for other children

Characteristics (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 46 Table 4, p.15, 16, 17) View world non-traditionally Divergent thinkers Do things differently Like to experiment Energetic/enthusiastic If not engaged they get bored easily, daydream. Highly developed curiosity and limitless supply of questions

View world non-traditionally

Divergent thinkers

Do things differently

Like to experiment

Energetic/enthusiastic

If not engaged they get bored easily, daydream.

Highly developed curiosity and limitless supply of questions

Focused on personal interests Can retain a great deal of information Hop and skip from interest to interest – wide range of interests Not always as mature as intelligent Good vocabularies Often read earlier than most children Identify with each other Unusual sense of humour Characteristics (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 46 Table 4, p.15, 16, 17)

Focused on personal interests

Can retain a great deal of information

Hop and skip from interest to interest – wide range of interests

Not always as mature as intelligent

Good vocabularies

Often read earlier than most children

Identify with each other

Unusual sense of humour

Needs (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 17, 29, table 3 p.36, table 6 p.67) Guided focused supportive environment Collaborative/cooperative learning environments Teachers to work from where they are Individual needs to be met Active participation, empowerment, choices Constructive criticism and positive reinforcement Encouragement at attempts not just success

Guided focused supportive environment

Collaborative/cooperative learning environments

Teachers to work from where they are

Individual needs to be met

Active participation, empowerment, choices

Constructive criticism and positive reinforcement

Encouragement at attempts not just success

Consistency and transparency Passionate enthusiastic teaching with realistic high expectations Teaching that is relevant to life, interests and future To belong, be liked by others, accepted To feel good about themselves Respect as an individual, not just as a learner Help and opportunities to explore and recognise feelings Needs (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 17, 29, table 3 p.36, table 6 p.67)

Consistency and transparency

Passionate enthusiastic teaching with realistic high expectations

Teaching that is relevant to life, interests and future

To belong, be liked by others, accepted

To feel good about themselves

Respect as an individual, not just as a learner

Help and opportunities to explore and recognise feelings

Implications Students at all levels must be catered for provide focused opportunities for student involvement Lessons must be developed with an awareness of students knowledge/prior experience Students choices to actively participate in lectures

Students at all levels must be catered for

provide focused opportunities for student involvement

Lessons must be developed with an awareness of students knowledge/prior experience

Students choices to actively participate in lectures

Creative advice Plan and organise your lecture Check what time of day your delivering your lecture Limit the lecture to 3 – 5 concepts: don’t overload State the objectives of the lecture Indicate how the lecture links in the big picture Intersperse with other teaching strategies Lectures contextualised in student’s interests Place yourself in the students’ position

Plan and organise your lecture

Check what time of day your delivering your lecture

Limit the lecture to 3 – 5 concepts: don’t overload

State the objectives of the lecture

Indicate how the lecture links in the big picture

Intersperse with other teaching strategies

Lectures contextualised in student’s interests

Place yourself in the students’ position

Variate the stimulus every 10-15 minutes, your pace must match your students Use humour Use cueing, let them know what’s especially important. Utilise varied media Use student interaction to stimulate active participation Supply handouts Utilise a review Help students make lecture notes Walk around the space, check student notes Creative advice

Variate the stimulus every 10-15 minutes, your pace must match your students

Use humour

Use cueing, let them know what’s especially important.

Utilise varied media

Use student interaction to stimulate active participation

Supply handouts

Utilise a review

Help students make lecture notes

Walk around the space, check student notes

3 Goals of the lecture Informative: provides information – content analysed into concepts/sub concepts then sequenced Motivated: to motivate students primarily to provoke an interest in the subject Reflective/critical thinking – encourage reflection/critical thinking

Informative: provides information – content analysed into concepts/sub concepts then sequenced

Motivated: to motivate students primarily to provoke an interest in the subject

Reflective/critical thinking – encourage reflection/critical thinking

Variations of the lecture (Freiberg,2005, p.212) Pure lecture Chalk/talk Guided note taking lecture A/V lecture Combination lecture Mini lecture

Pure lecture

Chalk/talk

Guided note taking lecture

A/V lecture

Combination lecture

Mini lecture

Main teaching steps Freiberg, 2005, (p. 207 ) Identify 2 or 3 key concepts to be included in lecture and provide examples of concepts Prepare notes that highlight key concepts Use analogies, stories and examples to support your ideas Close lecture with summary of key points

Identify 2 or 3 key concepts to be included in lecture and provide examples of concepts

Prepare notes that highlight key concepts

Use analogies, stories and examples to support your ideas

Close lecture with summary of key points

Guidelines for lectures Content material should be presented in small steps Presentations should focus on 1 thought or idea at a time Avoid digressing during lectures Modeling should accompany lecture Best accompanied by varied and specific examples Have detailed explanations for difficult concepts Check for student understanding before proceeding to next point Monitor progress with questions during the lecture Stay on topic until students understand

Content material should be presented in small steps

Presentations should focus on 1 thought or idea at a time

Avoid digressing during lectures

Modeling should accompany lecture

Best accompanied by varied and specific examples

Have detailed explanations for difficult concepts

Check for student understanding before proceeding to next point

Monitor progress with questions during the lecture

Stay on topic until students understand

SWOT analysis Strengths 1. Most information can be delivered in short space of time 2. Teacher has highest degree of control over pace, content and organization Provides opportunity to sharpen/practice note taking Weaknesses 1. Can be boring, passive learning 2. Reduced opportunity for student feedback, difficult to determine student understanding 3. Not all students are effective note takers

Strengths

1. Most information can be delivered in short space of time

2. Teacher has highest degree of control over pace, content and organization

Provides opportunity to sharpen/practice note taking

Weaknesses

1. Can be boring, passive learning

2. Reduced opportunity for student feedback, difficult to determine student understanding

3. Not all students are effective note takers

Opportunities. 1. Stimulus variation : humor, voice and visuals Combination lectures : Q&A, discussion, etc. Opportunity to teach note taking, guided note taking, supply references Threats/risks. 1. Gifted children get bored easily unless actively stimulated 2. Gifted children want active participation in learning with individual learning needs to be met 3. Gifted students generally will not write notes for what they already know

Opportunities.

1. Stimulus variation : humor, voice and visuals

Combination lectures : Q&A, discussion, etc.

Opportunity to teach note taking, guided note taking, supply references

Threats/risks.

1. Gifted children get bored easily unless actively stimulated

2. Gifted children want active participation in learning with individual learning needs to be met

3. Gifted students generally will not write notes for what they already know

Conclusion Reviewing what we have covered… Features of lecturing Gifted students Goals of lecturing

Reviewing what we have covered…

Features of lecturing

Gifted students

Goals of lecturing

References Driscoll, A., & Freiberg, H.J. (2005). Universal teaching strategies 4 th ed. Boston : Pearson Education Inc. Fry, H., & Ketteridge, S., & Marshall, S. (1999). A handbook for teaching and Learning in higher education . London : Kogan Page Ltd Gibbs, G., & Habeshaw, T. (1989). Preparing to teach . Bristol : Technical and Educational Services ltd Gibbs, G., & Habeshaw, S., & Habeshaw, T. (1984). Interesting things to do in your lectures . Bristol : Technical and Educational Services ltd Tolan, S.S., & Meckstroth, E.A., & Webb, J.T. (1991). Guiding the gifted child : a practical source for parents and teachers . Australia : Hawker Brownlow Education

Driscoll, A., & Freiberg, H.J. (2005). Universal teaching strategies 4 th ed.

Boston : Pearson Education Inc.

Fry, H., & Ketteridge, S., & Marshall, S. (1999). A handbook for teaching and

Learning in higher education . London : Kogan Page Ltd

Gibbs, G., & Habeshaw, T. (1989). Preparing to teach . Bristol : Technical and

Educational Services ltd

Gibbs, G., & Habeshaw, S., & Habeshaw, T. (1984). Interesting things to do in your

lectures . Bristol : Technical and Educational Services ltd

Tolan, S.S., & Meckstroth, E.A., & Webb, J.T. (1991). Guiding the gifted child : a practical source for parents and teachers . Australia : Hawker Brownlow Education