Mairehau School: Case Study
Programmes –gifted and talented learners
The purpose of defining and identifying giftedness is to uncover individual abilities, qualities, and interests, and the objective of differentiation is to further develop them. Gifted education, in its simplest terms, is about enabling gifted and talented students to discover and follow their passions. It's about opening doors, removing ceilings, and raising expectations by providing an educational experience that strives towards excellence.
Ministry of Education 2000.
Gifted and Talented Students:
Meeting Their Needs in New Zealand Schools. (P. 35)
The underlying principles guiding differentiation for gifted and talented students can be found on page 36 of the above-mentioned document and this document can be found in each classroom.
The principles highlight the need for qualitative rather than quantitative changes for gifted and talented students, and within qualitative differentiation, three primary areas emerge:
Content: What is taught or learned – the concepts, information, ideas, and facts within the curriculum.
Process: How the content is taught or learned – how new material is presented, what activities students are involved in, and what teaching methods are used.
Product: How gifted and talented students evidence learning – tangible or intangible results of learning, "real" solutions to "real" problems.
| Content | Process | Product |
| Abstract | Discovery | Results of a real problem |
| Complex | Open-endedness | Variety |
| Varied | Metacognition | Self-directed |
| Organised around concepts | Higher level thinking processes | Addresses to a real audience |
| Study of gifted people | Choice | Appropriately evaluated |
| Study of methods of inquiry | Group interaction Pacing and variety |
Represents transformation of knowledge via originality |
Differentiation
Enrichment
Enrichment is any activity designed to broaden knowledge, understanding, interests, processes/strategies, and skills beyond the normal school programme, and at a level appropriate to the developmental needs of students
Examples of enrichment
- Cultivation of interests
- For example computers, electronics, piano, acting, sketching, model-making, dog training, ethnic cooking, futures, tie dying, science fiction, and reading.
- Development of interests
- Timetabling to allow students to pursue these interests.
- New subjects
- For example foreign language, palaeontology, and computing.
- Excursion-type enrichment
- For example visits to places, people, and exhibitions.
- Project-type enrichment
- For example allowing learners with specific interests in the class topic to learn beyond what they already know, go off in a different direction, raise the ceiling of expectations and assessment criteria. Teaching the research skills required is necessary.
- Advanced levels
- Students work in other classes at a higher level in their area of interest or skill.
Acceleration
Acceleration is instruction that aligns gifted and talented students' abilities and learning needs more closely to the curriculum. In practice, acceleration occurs when students are exposed to new content at an earlier age than other students, or when they cover the same content in less time.
Types of acceleration
Early entry to school
Early entry to secondary school
Early entry to university or college
General year acceleration
Curriculum compacting
Eliminates previously learned information and starts the learner off with opportunities for challenge, enrichment, and acceleration. Use pre-assessment to begin, thus basic skill mastery is assured. Students can "buy in or out" to pursue individual interests and strengths.
Subject telescoping
Covering one or more subjects in a shorter space of time.
Small group or individual study
Small groups or individuals investigate topics related to curriculum and to personal strengths and interests. Begin with some direction and scaffolding and work towards independence.
Learning centres
Providing a choice of activities based on high interest topics. By creating a range of activities designed to suit many ability levels and learning styles, learning centres allow for individualism, independence, and challenge. Centres should include important learning goals, clear directions for students, a system of monitoring, and include a means of assessment.
Grouping
Flexible grouping within classroom according to students' strengths and interests. Plan the groups based on assessed skills. Direction could be changed by student interest rather than assessment.
IEPs
Goal setting for individual students based on assessment and team planning. Should reflect what the student knows, needs to know, and what differentiated activities will be offered. Planning, monitoring, and review are critical to the effectiveness of the IEP.
Integrated curriculum
Using broad-based conceptual themes that encompass a range of disciplines and allows learning across a wide range of issues. The umbrella allows gifted and talented students (and indeed all students) to study sub-topics within the umbrella.
Correspondence School
Used when the school is unable to provide to the needs of the gifted and talented student. Allows learning and completion at the students' rate.
Pull-out or withdrawal programmes
Extension groups of students of varying ages but similar abilities/strengths at around the same level and who are taught by a separate teacher or mentor.
Mentorships
Linking students with people in the community who have matching interests or strengths and who are willing to work together to allow the student to pursue interests at deeper levels. The GATE database is on the Mairehau Primary School staff pool and has a list of children, parents, teachers, and caregivers. It includes their contact phone numbers, addresses, and their occupations and interests. When looking for possible mentors we try these people first.
Concurrent enrolment
Enrolment in another school for specialised learning, for example correspondence school and primary school, primary school and secondary school, or secondary school and university etc.
Competitions
Offering real life challenges and opportunities to practise skills and knowledge and to compete against others. For example, Australian exams, Dunedin problem solving, Interschool competitions such as speeches, literature quizzes, Future Problem Solving, sporting, science, and technology, and public competitions.
Clubs, electives, cluster groups virtual instruction (Internet)
Special programmes
- After school and holiday programmes
- School networking
Christchurch School of Young Writers
Mairehau Primary School have obtained a discount to offer opportunities
for students from year 4 to work with tutors in the correspondence
option, and from 2002 we have workshops occurring in school for
students from year 6.
More detailed information can be found in the document provided by the Ministry of Education handbook Gifted and Talented Students: Meeting Their Needs in New Zealand Schools (2000).