Gifted and Talented Learners
SECTION 2
CHAPTER 3: TYPES, CHARACTERISTICS, AND IDENTIFICATION OF GIFTED AND
TALENTED LEARNERS
Learners who are gifted and talented also have special needs,
which when not properly addressed, may lead to deleterious
consequences.
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3. Percentage Definitions - Those who belong to a fixed
proportion that a school or district sets are considered "gifted" or
"talented"
Example: a school/district may consider the top 5% of students
as "gifted").
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Thus, in order to maximize their learning, it is important to
recognize gifted and talented learners.
This chapter introduces the concept of giftedness and the
various meanings attached to it. The different
characteristics and profiles of gifted and talented learners
are described, and ways to identify them are presented.
However, this can be very arbitrary as schools/ districts may
set different percentages that they consider gifted.
Moreover, it can easily be misunderstood as the
school/district having, for instance, 5% of students
who are gifted, when this is actually a predetermined
percentage ser by the school/ district.
4. Talent Definitions - Those who excel in specific aesthetics
or academic area/s are considered "gifted" or "talented."
Example: art, music
Example: math, science
DEFINITIONS OF GIFTEDNESS
The terms "gifted" and "talented" convey different meanings to
different people.
5. Creativity Definitions - Those who possess superior creative
abilities are considered "gifted" or "talented."
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Indeed, even among experts, the use of these terms is
ambiguous and inconsistent, and there is not one uniform
definition that is universally accepted.
However, whether creativity is an acceptable selection
criterion Personality-wist for giftedness is still debatable.
Importance of Recognizing Gifted Learners
•
Nevertheless, it is considered acceptable to use
these terms interchangeably, such as when we
say "gifted learner" or "talented learner," pertaining
to the same person
(Davis, Rimm, & Siegle, 2014).
It is important to determine gifted learners as failure to do so
could have deleterious consequences to the child's learning.
For uniformity in terminology in this chapter, we will refer to
gifted and talented learners as "gifted learners" and we will refer
to their characteristic as "giftedness."
Example:
when a gifted learner's needs are not met, the student might
become demotivated to work, which could lead to resistance
or working in a sloppy and careless manner.
The diverse definitions given to giftedness can be placed under five
categories (Davis et al., 2014; Stankowski, 1978).
Frustrations may also arise as one may perceive the regular
class pace as too slow.
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1. After-the-fact Definitions - Those who consistently perform
outstandingly and achieve in a valuable area are considered
"gifted" or "talented."
•
2. IQ Definitions - Those who get a score above a certain cutoff
point in an intelligence test are considered "gifted" or "talented."
It is one of the most popularly used definition of giftedness
despite the following limitations:
Because of the high need to understand, one may ask
embarrassing questions or question why things need to be
done in a certain way.
A student may become impatient for not being
called in class and blurt out answers without
raising a hand.
There is also a tendency to become intolerant of one's own or
others' imperfections and become overly sensitive to criticisms.
1.
its focus on intelligence as traditionally defined ignores
creative and artistle gifts;
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2.
it does not take into account gifts in specific areas;
The student may also have problems with cooperative learning
and may refuse to take directions from others.
3.
it discriminates against disadvantaged students;
4.
students who are just a few points below the cutoff
score are automatically considered "not gifted."
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GROUP 1
A student may act bossy with peers and teachers, refuse to
conform, and may rebel against routing and predictability.
There is also a possibility of acting out and monopolizing
class discussion; and boredom with the class may lead one
to behave as a "class clown" or to daydream
(Baxter, n.d.)
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TRANS: Chapter 3
Characteristics of Gifted Learners
Furthermore, the learner may exhibit nonconformity, tendency
to question rules/authority, and become an introvert.
In order to differentiate gifted students from those who are not,
Baxter (n.d.) identified intellectual, non-intellectual, and
personality characteristics that indicate a learner's giftedness.
Assessing giftedness may be challenging and one might have
to look beyond factors such as:
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•
•
•
•
•
Among the intellectual characteristics of a gifted learner are
having exceptional:
reasoning ability;
being curious intellectually;
learning quickly;
being able to do abstractions;
having complex thought processes;
having vivid imagination.
disruptive behavior,
negative attitude,
weakness in learning,
poor match of student with the teacher,
students' lack of effort.
These factors may be misconstrued as problematic but are in
fact merely manifestations of giftedness that is not properly
addressed.
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Moreover, other factors such as culture and poverty
must be considered when assessing a learner for
giftedness (Baxter, n.d.).
A gifted learner also shows:
✓
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early moral concern;
has passion for learning;
has the ability to concentrate;
thinks analytically;
creative;
has a keen sense of justice;
has a capacity to reflect deeply.
Profiles of Gifted Learners
Betts and Neihart (2004; 2017) did a profiling of gifted, talented,
and creative learners and were able to arrive at six types. These
are the following.
In terms of non-intellectual characteristics, a gifted learner may
not always follow:
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1. Type I: The Successful
Most gifted and talented learners fall under this type.
The rule;
tends to be domineering and argumentative;
tends to tune out; and is excessively competitive.
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The learner may also have:
✓
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a tendency toward tunnel vision;
be excited very easily;
may have a sharp sense of humor;
usually has a tendency to become a compulsive
collector
This type of learner discovers what "sells" at home and at
school. This learner is a convergent thinker who learns
easily and excels in exams, one who is eager to gain the
approval of parents and teachers and to be liked by peers.
This learner also possesses positive self-concept but is
unaware of deficiencies.
2. Type II: The Creative
This learner is divergently gifted.
While these characteristics may easily be interpreted as
misbehaviors and may get a gifted learner into trouble,
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it is important to recognize that these may be an offshoot of
giftedness, and thus,
•
•
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However, it can be challenging when this learner's needs
are not met.
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There is a tendency for one to go unidentified, question
authority, and be nonconforming.
the learner must be properly assessed and the
learner's needs must be recognized and met.
•
Personality-wise, a gifted learner is insightful.
•
The learner may have a strong need to understand and
to be stimulated mentally.
Due to the little recognition this type of learner
receives, one usually experiences self-esteem
issues and is at a high risk for eventual drop out
from school.
3. Type III: The Underground
Due to social pressure, this learner may hide giftedness in order
to fit in with non- gifted peer groups.
There is also a possibility towards perfectionism. One may
demand for explanations as to why things work that way
due to high need for precision and logic.
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Giftedness may also entail having excellent sense of humor as
well as sensitivity toward others.
This could lead to a sudden decline in grades, and this
learner may experience conflict between one's needs and
the expectations of one's parents and teachers.
A gifted learner may as well show intensity, perseverance, and
have an acute self-awareness.
NAME
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TRANS: Chapter 3
according to Learning Disabilities Association of America (LD
Online, n.d.).
4. Type IV: The At-risk
Age: 1 year Old
The giftedness needs of this learner have not been met,
resulting to defensiveness and anger toward adults or oneself.
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This could lead to symptoms of depression and withdrawal
as well as acting out.
•
This learner usually develops interests that are outside
of the school's regular curriculum and has a poor selfconcept.
Cognitive:
➢ follows moving objects with eyes
➢ recognizes differences among people
➢ responds to and imitates facial expressions of others
➢ responds to very simple directions
➢ imitates gestures and actions
➢ puts small objects in and out of container with intention
Language
5. Type V: Twice Exceptional
This learner possesses giftedness at the same time as being
physically or emotionally challenged.
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Because of learning abilities or poor verbal abilities, this
learner is not typically identified as gifted.
•
Since school programs usually do not attend to
this learner's needs, it could lead to one being
discouraged, frustrated, rejected, helpless, powerless,
or isolated.
6. Type VI: The Autonomous Learner
This learner adapts easily to the school system and is able to
create oneself new opportunities.
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This learner has positive self-concept and receives positive
attention and support for one's accomplishments.
•
Moreover, this learner receives positive regard from
adults and peers, and is often put at leadership roles.
•
This learner is independent and self-directed, which is
usually the end goal for all learners.
Typical and Atypical Development
Knowledge of typical and atypical development can be
useful for teachers and parents in identifying learners with
giftedness and talents (as well as disabilities).
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Developmental milestones for typical development provide
a very useful anchor to which teachers and parents can
compare a child's development with. Table 3.1 shows
cognition (thinking,
understanding);
reasoning,
recognizes name
says two to three
words besides "mama" and "dada"
imitates familiar words
understands simple instructions
recognizes words as symbols for objects: Car-points to
garage, cat-meows
Motor Coordination
Gross Motor
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sits without support
crawls
pulls self to standing position and stands unaided
walks with aid rolls a ball in imitation of adult
Fine Motor
➢ reaches, grasps, puts object in mouth
➢ picks things up with pincer grasp (thumb and one finger)
➢ transfers object from one hand to the other drops and
picks up toy
Social Interaction
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smiles spontaneously
responds differently to strangers than to familiar people
pays attention to own name
responds to "no"
copies simple actions of others
Adaptive
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feeds self-cracker
holds a cup with two hands; drinks with assistance
holds out arms and legs while being dressed
Age: Between 1 and 2 years Old
typical developmental milestones in children in the areas of:
▪
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problem-solving,
Cognitive
▪
language (expressive and receptive abilities);
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▪
motor coordination (gross/fine motor, jumping,
hopping, throwing/catching, drawing, stacking);
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▪
social interaction (initiating peer contact, group play);
▪
adaptive development (dressing, eating, washing)
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NAME
imitates actions and words of adults
understands simple, familiar directions
responds to words or commands with appropriate
actions.
is able to match two similar objects
look at storybook pictures with an adult, naming or
pointing to familiar objects on request recognizes
difference
between "you" and "me"
has very limited attention span
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TRANS: Chapter 3
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accomplishes
exploration
primary
learning
through
own.
Age: Between 2 and 3 years Old
Cognitive
Language
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understands "no"
uses 10 to 20 words, including names
combines two words such as "daddy bye- bye"
waves goodbye and plays pat-a-cake
makes the "sounds" of familiar animals gives a toy
when asked
uses words such as "more" to make wants known
points to his or her toes, eyes, and nose
brings object from - another room when asked
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responds to simple directions
selects and looks at picture books, names pictured
objects, and identifies several objects within one
picture
matches and uses associated objects meaningfully
stacks rings on peg in order of size
recognizes self in mirror, saying baby, or own name
can talk briefly about what one is doing; imitates adult
actions
has limited attention learning is through exploration.
and adult direction
Motor Coordination
Language
Gross Motor
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walks alone
walks backwards
picks up toys from floor without falling
pulls toys, pushes toys
seats self in child size chair
walks up and down stairs with hand held
moves to music
Fine Motor
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builds tower of three small blocks
puts four rings on stick
places five pegs in pegboard
turns pages two or three at a time scribbles
turns knobs throws small ball
paints with whole. arm movement, shifts hands, makes
strokes
Social Interaction
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Motor Coordination
Gross Motor
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runs forward well
jumps in place with two feet together
stand on one foot (with aid)
walks on tiptoe
kicks a ball forward
Fine Motor
recognizes self in mirror or picture
refers to self by name
plays by self: initiates own play
imitates adult behaviors in play
helps put things away
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Adaptive
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identifies body parts
carries on 'conversation' with self and dolls
asks "what's that?" and "where's my?"
uses two-word negative phrases such as "no want"
forms some plurals by adding "s"; book, books
has a 450 words vocabulary
gives first name, holds up fingers to tell age
combines nouns and verbs "mommy go"
understands simple time concepts: "last night,"
"tomorrow"
uses spoon, spilling little
drinks from cup with one hand, unassisted
chews food
unzips large zipper • indicates toilet needs
removes shoes, socks, pants, sweater
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strings four large beads
turns single pages
snips with scissors holds crayon with thumb and
fingers (not fist)
uses one hand consistently in most activities
imitates circular, vertical, horizontal strokes
solves problems by talking instead of hitting or crying
answers "where" questions
names common pictures and things
uses short sentences like "me want more" or "me want
cookie"
matches three to four colors, knows big and little
Social Interaction
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NAME
plays near other children
watches other children; joins briefly in their play
defends own possessions
begins to play house
symbolically uses objects, self in play
participates in simple group activity
knows gender identity
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TRANS: Chapter 3
Adaptive
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Fine Motor
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uses spoon, little spilling
gets drink from fountain or faucet independently
opens door by turning handle
takes off coat
puts on coat with assistance
washes and dries hands with assistance
builds tower of nine small blocks
drives nails and pegs
copies circle
imitates cross
manipulates clay material (rolls balls, snakes, cookies)
Social Interaction
Age: Between 3 and 4 years Old
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Cognitive
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recognizes and matches six colors
intentionally stacks blocks or rings in order of size
draws somewhat recognizable picture that is
meaningful to child if not to adult;
names and briefly explains picture
asks questions for information: why and how questions
requiring simple answers
knows own age
knows own name
has short attention span; learns through observing and
imitating adults and by adult instruction and
explanation; is very easily distracted
has increased understanding of concepts of the
functions and grouping of objects and part/ whole
has increased understanding of concepts of function,
time, part/whole relationships; function or use of
objects may be stated in addition to names of objects
time concepts are expanding; can talk about yesterday
or last week, about today, and about what will happen
tomorrow
Adaptive
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Cognitive
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can tell a story
has a sentence length of 4-5 words
has a vocabulary of nearly 1000 words
names at least one color
understands
▪
"yesterday"
▪
"summer"
▪
"lunchtime"
▪
"tonight"
▪
"little-big"
pours well from small pitcher
spreads soft butter with knife
buttons and unbuttons large buttons
washes hands independently
blows nose when reminded
uses toilet independently
Age: Between 4 and 5 years Old
Language
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joins in play with other children; begins to interact
shares toys; takes turns with assistance
begins dramatic play, acting out whole scenes
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plays with words: creates own rhyming words, says or
makes up words having similar sounds
points and names four to six colors
matches pictures of familiar objects
draws a person with two to six recognizable parts, such
as head, arms, and legs; can name or match drawn
parts to own body as well as through exploration; is
easily distracted
has increased understanding of concepts of function,
time, part/whole relationships; function or use of
objects may be stated in addition to names of objects
time concepts are expanding; can talk about yesterday
or last week, about today, and about what will happen
tomorrow
Language
begins to obey requests like "put the block under the
chair"
knows his or her last name, name of street on which
he/ she lives and several nursery rhymes
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has sentence length of 4-5 words
uses past tense correctly
has a vocabulary of nearly 1500 words
points to colors red, blue, yellow, and green
identifies triangles, circles, and squares
understands "In the morning," "next," "noontime"
can speak of imaginary conditions such as "I hope"
asks many questions, asks "who?" and "why?"
Motor Coordination
Motor Coordination
Gross Motor
Gross Motor
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runs around obstacles
walks on a line
balances on one foot for five to ten seconds
hops on one foot
pushes, pulls, steers wheeled toys
rides tricycle
uses slide independently
jumps over six-inch high object and lands on both feet
together
throws ball overhead catches a bounce ball
NAME
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walks backward toe- heel
jumps forward 10 times without falling
walks up and down stair independently, alternating feet
turns somersault
Fine Motor
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cuts on line continuously
copies cross
copies square
prints some capital letter
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TRANS: Chapter 3
Social Interaction
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plays and interacts with other children
dramatic play is closer to reality, with attention paid to
detail, time, and space
plays dress-up
shows interest in exploring sex differences
Cuts easy foods with a knife
laces shoes
copies first name
prints numerals 1 to 5
colors within lines
has adult grasp of pencil
had handedness well established
pastes and glues appropriately
Social Interaction
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Adaptive
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chooses own friends
plays simple table games
plays competitive games
engages in cooperative play with other children
involving group decisions, tole assignments, fair play
Age: Between 5 and 6 years Old
Adaptive
Cognitive
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retells story from picture book with reasonable
accuracy
names some letters and numerals
rote counts to ten
sorts objects by single characteristics
is beginning to use accurately time concepts of
tomorrow and yesterday
uses classroom tools meaningfully and purposefully
begins to relate clock time to daily schedule
attention span increases noticeably; learns through
adult instruction; when interested, can ignore
distractions
concepts of function increase as well as understanding
of why things happen; time concepts are expanding
into an understanding of the future in terms
Language
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has a sentence length of 5-6 words
has a vocabulary of around 2000 words
defines objects by their use (you eat with a fork) and
can tell what objects are made of
knows spatial relations like "on top," "behind," "far" and
"near"
knows her address
identifies a penny, nickel and dime
knows common opposites like "big/ little"
Understands "same and different"
counts ten objects • asks questions for information
distinguished left and right hand in herself
uses all types of sentences, for example "let's go to the
store after we eat"
Gross Motor
runs lightly on toes
walks on balance beam
can cover 2 meters hopping
skips on alternate feet
jumps rope
skates
CHAPTER 4: PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES OF TEACHING AND DESIGNING
IEP FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED LEARNERS
A lot of gifted and talented learners participate in classrooms
with their heightened skills and abilities go unnoticed and
unrecognized.
➢
Some of them have to wait for their same-aged peers'
pacing on the lessons while others due to boredom
may make unnecessary noise and unrelated activities
in the class.
These learners with unusual skills and talents demand unusual
strategies of teaching, that a mismatch between these learners
and their curriculum will put the learners' capabilities to waste.
The purpose of this chapter is to look at provisions for gifted
and talented learners through the principles and strategies of
teaching in the classroom.
The Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines
through the DepEd or 0.72, series of 2009, also known as the
Inclusive Education as Strategy for Increase Participation Rate
of Children, organized a comprehensive inclusive program for
learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents, with the
following components:
2. Assessment - This is a continuous process of identifying the
strengths and limitations of learners with disabilities, giftedness
and talents through the use of formal and informal tools for level
placement, with the help of existing SpEd centers.
3. Program Options - Schools, with or without trained SpEd
teachers, shall make education accessible to learners with
disabilities, giftedness and talents.
Fine Motor
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dresses self completely
bow ties
brushes teeth independently
crosses streets safely
1. Child Find - It is about locating learners with disabilities,
giftedness and talents who are not in school, through the family
mapping survey, advocacy campaigns and networking with local
health workers, to be enrolled in Special Education (SpEd)
centers or schools nearest their home.
Motor Coordination
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cuts out simple shapes
copies triangle
traces diamond
NAME
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TRANS: Chapter 3
The program options are as follow:
a.
Self-contained class for learners with similar disabilities
or conditions
b.
Inclusion or placement of learners in general education
or regular class
c.
Resource Room
But when learners are taught on the topic's depth and intensity
of content that go beyond their prescribed grade-level
curriculum, without providing them advance placement, this
strategy is called enrichment.
An example to this is learning foreign language or taking an
arts class.
From the paragraph above, number 2 is an example of
enrichment while
4. Curriculum Modifications - This means using adaptations
and accommodations in classroom instructions and activities,
and delivery options.
5. Parental Involvement - This is involving parents or guardians
in observing their child's performance, volunteering as teacher
aide in the classroom, and serving as academic, moral and
spiritual support to their child
Numbers 3 and 4 are for acceleration.
Even if these two strategies are differently defined,
both enrichment and acceleration opportunities and provided in
a well-rounded, competent and long-range gifted and talented
programs.
➢
Program Options
There are many types of programs and services designed to fit
in the educational needs of those gifted and talented learners.
According to Davis, Rimm, & Siegle (2014), this involves
simple to complex ways such as:
It is also important to note that just like any other
learners, gifted and talented learner should be allowed
to work on their own pace, accelerating in different
levels, while having opportunities on enriching a topic
that interests them.
Reis, Westberg, Kulikovich, Purcell (1998) underscored
four principles of enrichment teaching and learning:
1.
Each student is different.
2.
Enriching the curriculum by teacher supplying extra time
for bright students to work at resource centers or interestbased projects;
Learning is more effective when students enjoy what
they do.
3.
Learning is more meaningful when students learn
content and process while solving a real problem.
3)
Part-time acceleration to a higher grade for one or two
subjects;
4.
4)
Full-time acceleration or grade-skipping;
Whereas some formal instruction is necessary, a major
goal is promoting knowledge and thinking skills via the
application of what students have learned; they
construct their own meaningfulness.
5)
Cluster grouping of all gifted learners at each grade level
in a single classroom for special services;
Both acceleration and enrichment strategies require grouping
gifted and talented earners.
6)
Implementing school-wide plans to accommodate every
gifted learners in every regular classroom
Three grouping options provided to these learners are:
7)
Implementing pullout programs;
8)
Conducting part-time special gifted classes;
(1) Full-time homogenous grouping;
(2) Full-time heterogeneous grouping; and
(3) Part-time or temporary groups.
9)
Assigning full-time special gifted classes at every grade
level;
1)
2)
A teacher providing additional instructional materials to
teachers to those who finish lesson's tasks easily;
10) Opening special schools for the gifted. With all of these
alternatives, one must consider all pertinent issue and
concerns in planning the best program for these gifted and
talented learners.
On the above paragraph, the term acceleration was introduced
and it is define as an advance placement of learners from a
current level to a higher level.
Some acceleration instances involve a four-year old child
admitted early to kindergarten or an elementary pupil who skips
grade four.
NAME
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TRANS: Chapter 3
Groupings
Heterogeneous Classes - These classes combine prescribed
and differentiated curriculum for the benefit of both regular and
gifted learners. Kaplan (2001)
Full-time Homogeneous Grouping
Recommends using two strategies in teaching both groups in
one class, and this is through:
Special Schools for the Gifted.
These schools cater to elementary or secondary gifted learners
with a curriculum that include both prescribed academic content
that is based on Department of Education (DepEd) guidelines
and requirements, with a special enriched and accelerated
training in academic, scientific, artistic, and other areas of
development the school opted to highlight.
Paralleling - means covering both prescribed and differentiated
curriculum "in tandem".
Enrichment opportunities include music classes, foreign
language training, arts and sculpting, athletic training, and
others.
Clustering - is using core concepts and skills of the prescribed
curriculum as "the centerpiece," while differentiated concepts
and skills "reinforce the core."
➢
An example of this school is the Philippine High School
for the Arts that implements a general secondary level
program, combined with a special curriculum for the
arts prepared for early recognition and development of
highly gifted and talented learners in the arts.
➢
➢
"paralleling"
"clustering"
Kaplan said that both curricula could be taught without
sacrificing the other.
While these strategies work in heterogeneous classes, some
teachers apply the use of IEP or Individualized Education
Program/Plan to shape the independent work of those gifted
and talented students.
Special Classes
These are school-within-a-school concept where gifted children
of the same level attend a class together in a full-time basis.
➢
In the public school system, under DepEd, special
classes usually occur at the elementary level, jumping
from grade three to grade five, where their curriculum
covers prescribed grade- level objectives and
extending beyond them with a variety of enrichment,
personal development and advanced classes.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) - is a basic requirement
for schools catering to LSEN. It is a written plan that is
customized to achieve learner's goals in a span of one academic
school year. It includes the learner's current skills, strengths and
challenges, learning styles and the goals targeted for the school
year.
➢
Special classes also include DepEd's Headstart Program for
the Gifted, which is a comprehensive program for the gifted
and talented pupils in public elementary schools.
In order to accomplish the academic goals set for the
specific learner,
▪
This program is designed to address the educational,
aesthetic and social needs of preschoolers who manifest
superior abilities expected above their age.
The information gathered here would be vital to the next step,
which is determining specific strategies to be used in the class.
FULL-TIME HETEROGENEOUS GROUPING
✓
1. Cluster Groups - Cluster grouping refers to placing five to
ten high ability students in;
➢
One regular class per grade, along with other 15 to 20
regular students.
This grouping is handled by a trained professional teacher and
could be divided further in individual or small groups.
➢
the teacher first gather specific data regarding
the learner's progress or academic concerns
through
parent
conferencing,
student
conferencing, student observation, and
analysis of student performance.
Enrichment activities - are used in this kind of
grouping, which include in-depth lessons on content on
metacognitive skills and collaboration and independent
learning activities which include research presentation
or mastery of advanced skills in math, music, and
others.
This grouping is not very common in the Philippines.
Formal assessment will follow especially once
strategies did not work (particularly to those gifted
learners with heightened abilities or additional
disabilities). All information will then be used to
determine the eligibility of the learner to the use of IEP.
Take note ……
that not all gifted and talented learners and LSEN
need IEP To be eligible, the learner's condition must affect
functioning in school and the evaluation be done by a
multidisciplinary team of professionals that include classroom
teachers, a Psychologist, a Psychometrician, a special
educator and other professionals who are needed depending
on the learner's specific needs.
.
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TRANS: Chapter 3
The professionals are involved in the planning,
implementation, and evaluation of the plan.
➢
However, unlike in the United States, the schools in the
Philippines are not legally bound to formulate IEP for
LSEN or to organize an IEP meeting.
➢
It is usually up to the parents or guardians of the learner
to take further steps to ensure the development of their
child.
➢
The IEP meeting subsequently involves the professionals
and the parents or guardians of the learner
PART-TIME AND TEMPORARY GROUPING
1.Pullout Programs - In this setup, learners are pulled out of
their regular mainstreamed classes once or twice a week to
spend two to three hours per session in special enrichment
activities, guided by a teacher of gifted and talented education.
4. Special Interest Groups and Clubs -This type of grouping
is more common among secondary students where enrichment
activities in different clubs exist, such as:
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
drama class,
chess club,
mathematics club,
religious club,
others.
High school students in the country, especially among
private schools, apply for membership while the officers as well
as the club adviser assess their skills and abilities.
Teachers with expertise in the field are tasked to meet the students
two hours in a week and implement activities that will sharpen their
skills. As club advisers, these teachers are also tasked to evaluate
the learners' performance that will also be reflected on their
scorecards, along with their academic grades.
➢
The sessions usually take place in a resource room or
center where supplementary materials are provided.
Curriculum Modifications
➢
Through the pullout activities, gifted and talented
learners acquire knowledge and skills apart from the
regular curriculum, which helps them strengthen their
creativity, metacognitive skills, communication and
other personal areas of development.
Differentiation strategies - is a least intrusive intervention that
helps gifted and talented learners the best environment for their
high abilities and achievements.
In the Philippines, pullout program are given to high
performing learners, where teacher trainers work with them in
honing their skills and talents. This may be in a form of arts, dance,
playing chess, journalism, and other activities. These learners
usually represent their schools in competitions within and outside of
the country.
2. Part-time Special Classes-This school-within-a-school
concept can also be offered in part-time basis. In this option,
gifted and talented learners enjoy 50% to 70% of prescribed
curriculum in the regular classes and attend differentiated
curriculum in the special classes.
➢
Part-time special classes include independent projects
and research, accelerated subjects, and small group
collaborations that aim to heighten creativity and
higher-level thinking skills.
DIFFERENTIATION - It is an effective teaching strategy for
inclusive special education, which involves giving all learners in
the regular classroom choices based on how best they could
achieve their greatest potentials, not creating a separate level
for each student.
Tomlinson and Jarvis (2009) emphasized that differentiation
is being proactive in planning curriculum and instruction that
fit students' learning profiles, interests, and learning levels.
▪
They went further by explaining "it is a process of
creating
multiple,
'differentiated'
learning
opportunities within a high-quality curriculum, to
maximize the probability that all students will
become engaged in learning, experience efficiency
of learning, and experience cognitive growth".
3. Enrichment Clusters - This kind of grouping works for
different level learners with common interests such as
journalism, literature, engineering, baking, and others.
➢
These groups of learners meet with an experts in the
interest area at designated times for 6-12 weeks. The
topic of interest is explained in depth, say if their
interest is on folk dance, the history of each dance and
of different suites of folk dance will be discussed
further, including dance properties (costume, music,
and counting) and the intricacies of accessories used.
Figure 4.1
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From Figure 4.1, the process of differentiation is based on the
teacher's proactive. Response to learner differences, guided
by five key principles applied to different classroom elements
through the use of varied instructional strategies.
It is evident from the figure above that differentiation demands
extra work on the part of the teachers,
➢
But this strategy is necessary to ensure that all learners
are learning, a situation that has not always existed for
some groups of students (including gifted and talented
students). Ann Lewis (1992) identified 11 forms of
differentiation, which teachers may use in order to
support learning.
DIFFRENTIATION OF CURRICULAR SEQUENCE
This involves changing the order in which sub-topics are
presented.
▪
Example: Learners enter the curriculum at different
points or take part in the curriculum in a different order
from that of their peers.
DIFFERENTIATION OF STRUCTURE
All learners work on the same topic but the teacher provides
step-by-step coverage for some learners while others progress
more independently.
▪
Example: Some learners work on task-analyzed
curriculum while others work on 'chunks'.
DIFFERENTIATION OF CONTENT
This involves the design of different curriculum materials and
resources.
▪
Example: Learners in a group all work toward a single
aim, such as reading competence, but use several
different reading schemes to get there.
DIFFERENTIATION OF TEACHER TIME
The teacher will devote more (or less) attention to individual
learners during the lesson and in follow-up.
▪
Example: The teacher gives more time to some pupils
during specific tasks in order to ensure access to
information.
DIFFERENTIATION BY INTEREST
This is said to be particularly important for poorly motivated
learners.
▪
Example: All learners are producing graphs, but these
graphs represent different data according to personal
interest.
DIFFERENTIATION OF TEACHING STYLE
This involves varying the way in which topics are presented.
▪
Example: Some learners may require individual
instruction while others can work in small groups or
pairs.
DIFFERENTIATION OF PACE
DIFFERENTIATION OF LEVEL
This means;
1. Allowing some students more time to complete core work
2. Providing for extension activities for others
3. Sometimes involving teaching certain groups at a very
brisk pace to accelerate the learning rate of low
achievers.
All learners study the same topic but the teacher sets different
degrees of complexity in what students are asked to do.
▪
Example: All learners work at the same task, or with
the same materials, but the teacher has different
expectations of the time required for completion.
DIFFERENTIATION OF ACCESS
This means allowing learners different pathways (materials or
methods) into a specific topic.
▪
Example: While one learner reads through a
computer, others may listen to a speaker or reads
through different reference materials: Others may also
have peer or teacher-aide assistance.
▪
Example: All learners work through a similar
sequence, in Physics for example, but at a variety of
difficulty.
DIFFERENTIATION BY GROUPING
This involves using one's knowledge of learner characteristics.
You sent
▪
Example: The teacher groups particular pupils
together for specific activities. Pupils act as supporters,
or work with peers with whom they are comfortable or
confidant.
Tiered Instruction - Tiering is an example of instructional
strategy as listed in Figure 4.1. As differentiation begins with
assessment of learner skills, learners will then be identified
based on how advanced their skills are.
DIFFERENTIATION OF OUTCOME
This involves allowing students to present their responses in
different ways.
▪
Example: One learner writes a story, another draws a
picture to tell the story and another records the story
on studiotape.
NAME
➢
This is where tiering becomes beneficial.
➢
This strategy involves the process of creating the best
possible lesson and making it fit based on the learners'
levels of readiness.
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TRANS: Chapter 3
The levels could be divided into three or five, paralleled with
corresponding tasks set for the lesson.
➢
Learners have the option to work within their tiers,
independently or with a partner and present their works
reflecting the best practices in the content area.
Through these tiers, all learners are meeting a common
outcome, but of different paths.
This means that they achieve outstanding results in one
subject area, yet the same achievement is not reflected in
other subjects or vice-versa.
Others may also excel in written tasks but may perform poorly
on verbal activities.
➢
CHAPTER 5: TRENDS AND ISSUES IN TEACHING GIFTED AND TALENTED
LEARNERS
Can a learner be both gifted and coupled with a learning
disability?
Giftedness comes in different variations. There are some gifted
with extraordinary IQ scores coupled with remarkable skills
while others have high IQ scores combined with disabilities.
➢
With the latter described condition, the disability of these
learners turn to overpower their cognitive abilities most
especially when they are already labeled to having
disabilities.
➢
Commonly, the priority is given to the disabling condition,
which often delimits the actual talents and capabilities of
these learners.
➢
With this, opportunities were denied to intellectually gifted
children due to their disabling condition.
This chapter aims to examine the characteristics of gifted
and talented learners with disabilities, as well as present
some issues concerning their educational needs.
One famous individual of this
condition is Thomas Alva Edison who
was unable to read until he was twelve
years old.
His writing skills were poor
throughout his life but these difficulties
did not stop him to become one of the
greatest inventors throughout history.
Some others who were said to have the
same condition are Walt Disney, Leonardo Da Vinci, and
George Washington, who were famous for their contributions
and not for their disabling conditions.
Gifted with Autism
Another unique intersection happens between giftedness and
autism.
Some characteristics of these learners include extreme ability to
concentrate, poor social skills, and extraordinary visual talents.
➢
The gifted learners with disabilities are individuals with
exceptional potentials who have the capabilities of performing
high ability skills even with the presence of impairments and/or
disabilities.
➢
These conditions are not limited to learning disabilities,
emotional and behavioral disorders, hearing
impairments, visual impairments, physical disabilities,
which manifest either alone or in combination.
Furthermore, these individuals are often called as twice
exceptional, double labeled, or those with dual
exceptionalities
Gifted with Learning Disabilities
The prevalence of twice exceptional learners is difficult to
identify, mainly because they are usually clustered with groups
of learners with disabilities.
➢
Many of them tend to be inattentive in class, have
difficulties in spelling or reading skills, have poor
relationships with peers, and even have low selfesteem.
Current research suggests that intellectually gifted
learners often have learning disabilities, which is often
hard to recognize. The most common and significant
feature of GLD (gifted with learning disabilities) is
having an inconsistent, unpredictable and inexplicable
academic performance.
NAME
Some learners with this condition exhibit repetitive
motor mannerisms, have an unusual but passionate
interest in one topic, and often lack empathy for others
and may tend to disengage in social activities that
result to having trouble forming friendships.
One famous person
with this condition is Dr.
Temple Grandin, who has
autism and was diagnosed
as
deaf
and
braindamaged at age 2, but was
tested with an IQ of 137 at
age 8.
Dr. Grandin became a prominent author and speaker on
both autism and animal behavior and is recently a professor of
Animal Science at Colorado State University. Included in the
celebrated list of eminence with autistic characteristics are
Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Bobby Fischer, Howard Hughes,
Sir Isaac Newton and Vincent Van Gogh (Davis, Rimm &
Siegle, 2014) who were known for their gifted contributions and
not for their autism spectrum disorder.
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TRANS: Chapter 3
The combination of giftedness and disability can deliver a
double disadvantage that can make learners hide their
giftedness, or become unable to know their talents, causing
them not to be identified for gifted programs.
➢
On the contrary, Moon (2004) claimed that their high
intellectual abilities might mask their disabilities,
causing them to be overlooked for special education
programs.
➢
In the case of gifted learners with learning disabilities,
Robinson (1999) argued that students are doubly at
risk because the characteristics of the two categories
influence one another, talents must be nurtured and
learning strategies must be taught.
The following guidelines are critical when creating effective
educational programs
•
for gifted/LD students (Baum, 1990; Robinson, 1999):
•
Give focused attention to developing the gift or talent
in its own right.
•
Enrichment does not equate to remediation.
Provide a supportive environment that values and appreciates
individual abilities.
➢
The first tier usually consists of quality or core
instruction in the general education classroom where learners
who have not met expected grade level benchmarks are
considered for more intensive support and interventions.
The second tier, still part of the general education
system of supports, consists of providing students with smaller
group, more focused instruction in their area of need, and similar
types of educational support.
Students who continue to be unresponsive to
treatment, determined by ongoing progress monitoring, are then
provided with a third tier of interventions and further
assessment. In some models of RTI, Tier 3 is considered to be
special education (Mellard & Johnson, 2007).
Teach students strategies to compensate for their
learning problems as well as provide direct instruction
in basic skills.
It is important to recognize that not all strategies will work with
all twice- exceptional students.
➢
Proper diagnosis will help develop education plans for
those gifted and talented learners, but educators
should be flexible to try different strategies among
different learners.
➢
One of the strategies given to gifted learners with
learning disabilities is RTI or the Response to
Intervention.
Response to Intervention is an early intervention strategy that
is implemented within the general education classroom.
➢
It is a process used by educators in helping learners
who are struggling with either a lesson or a skill.
➢
This strategy is not only made for gifted learners but to
any learner that struggle in some way.
➢
The general framework of RTI revolves around a
collaborative, problem-solving and intervention
process with multitiered support on varying degrees as
seen on the figure below.
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SUBSUBSUB
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List 1
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VIDEO
SUBTOPIC 2
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PARAMETERS
DESCRIPTION
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