1. TOPIC 5 CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES Debbie Waimon Debby Stephens Carol Nichols
2. Identifying effective strategies for gifted instruction Most instructional strategies have some value for gifted learners but we need to emphasize strategies which are: Open-ended Interactive Generative* *strategies that generate new ideas.
3. Key strategies that promote open-ended, interactive and generative learning are:
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5. Questioning Techniques – example is Socratic questioning that uses in-depth exploration of an issue.
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7. Bibliotherapy- the use of books to help learners to reach important understandings about themselves and others.
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9. Characteristics of effective gifted teachers Continued: Stimulates and models problem solving techniques. Conducts group discussions well. Encourages independent thinking and open inquiry. Understands and encourages student ideas and student directed work. Synthesizes student assessment data and curriculum content effectively. Provides for student extension activities outside of class. Promotes a healthy teaching-learning climate.
10. Questions to address while planning the lesson: Will the modified lesson take the same amount of time for the bright student to complete as average-ability students need to complete the unmodified activity? 2. Does the modified lesson contain the core content that the rest of the class will be expected to know (or is there some assurance that the core is known and understood) as well as offer an additional challenge and benefit?
11. Criteria and rationale to evaluate gifted curricula and instructional strategies: Strategies should relate to instructional purposes, curriculum, and setting- You would want to carefully examine the time frames and consider the setting when choosing a strategy. Strategies should be diverse- Striving for a good balance is optimal. Strategies should include several that are generative in nature- Effective teachers rely on active learners capable of generating new ideas and products through inquiry, problem solving, and discussions. Strategies should provide a balance among active and passive activities- Receiving information passively is important but some of the best insights come from interaction with one another. Strategies should mesh with the cognitive style of both teacher and learners-The teacher needs to be sensitive to the individual student’s cognitive style. This should be blended with the teacher’s strengths to maximize the outcome. Strategies should be subordinate to educational purpose-We have to be careful that the strategy doesn’t become the purpose. We have to remember why we’re using the technique.
12. TRANSMOGRIFICATIONS Very fancy words for simple thoughts Students use dictionaries to translate sayings from complex to simple language. Later, they use a thesaurus to translate sayings from simple to complex language. Bleat, bleat, ebony ewe. Baa, baa black sheep.
15. YOUR TURN! Consistent dedication to one’s career-related pursuit without interludes to disportment establishes John as a doltish shoveling. All work and no play Make jack a dull boy.
16. YOUR TURN! The capital of England’s metal structure collapsing. London bridge is falling Down.
17. REFLECTION How would you respond to the statement, “Gifted education is just good teaching”?
18. Bibliography Maker, C. June. Curriculum Development and Teaching Strategies for Gifted Learners. Austin: Pro-ed Publishing, 1982. VanTassel-Baska, Joyce. "An Analysis of the Efficacy of Curriculum Models." Gifted Child Quarterly (2007): 342-358. —. Curriculum Planning and Instruction Design. Denver: Love Publishing Company, 2003. —. "The Development and Use of a Structured Teacher Observation Scale to Assess Differentiated Best Practice." Roeper Review (2007): 84-104. Winebrenner, Susan. Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing, 1992.
