1. GIFTED AND TALENTED
EDUCATION
at MURITAI SCHOOL - Eastbourne, NZ
Monday, 21 March 2011

2. WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
There are dozens if not hundreds of definitions as to what gifted
and talented actually means. We like the following ones:
Gifted describes learners who Talented describes learners who
have the ability to excel have the ability to excel in
academically in one or more practical skills such as sport,
subjects such as English, leadership, artistic performance,
Numeracy, Higher Order or in an applied skill.
Thinking ...
Monday, 21 March 2011

3. GIFTED STUDENTS LOVE
Choice Pursuing a question or idea
Experimenting & innovative Challenge - complex ideas / questions
thinking
Problem Solving Active learning: doing, talking, making,
testing etc.
Wide variety of experiences Activities which allow risk taking
Opportunity to explore Being able to complete their work to
(persistence) their own timetable
The unexpected
Monday, 21 March 2011

4. CHARACTERISTICS OF A GIFTED AND TALENTED
LEARNER
In general they are the ones who:
¥ Ask more insightful questions, display curiosity
¥ Are observant of detail
¥ Grasp concepts quickly
¥ See relationships/connections readily
¥ Develop expert vocabulary / knowledge
¥ Read with enthusiasm in their area of expertise
¥ Enjoy playing with ideas
¥ Persevere in problem solving
Monday, 21 March 2011

5. GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS ARE THOSE WHO:
Stand out from peers
through: Includes qualities such as:
• Assessment data
• originality of thought
• Performance
• an openness to and
observations
eagerness for
• Speed and depth of
experience
thinking when learning
• flexibility.
Includes qualities such as:
• application
• Perseverance
• practice
• ability to accept
constructive criticism
• self-confidence Renzulli, 1978
Monday, 21 March 2011

6. MEETING THE STUDENTS NEEDS
DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING involves providing students with different avenues to
acquire content; to process, construct, or make sense of ideas; and to develop
teaching materials so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively,
regardless of differences in ability.
Differentiated learning is the process of “ensuring that what a student learns, how he/she
learns it, and how the student demonstrates what he/she has learned is a match for that
student’s readiness level, interests, and preferred mode of learning”.
Monday, 21 March 2011

7. DIFFERENTIATING PLANNING?
•
It should not take long to differentiate a programme as all that is required is for you to
take time to consider how you can cater for your gifted learners by adapting your
existing programme.
•
You do not need a new curriculum or set of separate lessons.
•
Differentiating a programme involves targeting learning experiences to suit the particular
needs and abilities of individual students.
•
Before you can differentiate your class programme you need to know who the gifted
students in your room are.
Monday, 21 March 2011

8. COMPONENTS FOR A DIFFERENTIATED
PROGRAMME
Lessons need to have:
1. Choice but within a framework
2. Is the content challenging current understanding?
3. Are original and reference research activities included?
4. Does it include hands on activities through investigation, observation, construction etc.
5. Does it examine our thinking - analyze, critically evaluate, point of view etc.
Monday, 21 March 2011

9. AIMS OF DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING
1. Acceleration in the pace
2. Complexity of thought
3. Depth of Understanding
4. Novelty and uniqueness in personal expression
5. Intensity and idealism in manner and deed
Monday, 21 March 2011