The need for differentiation by resources, by task or by outcome is something that we hear about regularly within teaching. However, all too often the focus of this differentiation is on the lower ability students and helping them to catch up. Of course, they need a lot of support, but what about the higher ability students – the ones who can spend a lot of their time in class simply repeating already learned work or grasping key concepts early and having to wait for others to catch up? How can we stimulate these learners, taking them out of their comfort zone and encouraging them to push towards the outer edge of what is possible for them to achieve?
This course initially explores the history and definition of what it means to be ‘exceptionally gifted’, moving beyond its usually exclusive academic aptitude focus, and considers the many other ways in which students can be considered ‘gifted’. The course considers how various other nations stretch and challenge these students. Then, we consider numerous practical strategies and approaches that can be employed by schools/colleges and specifically within classrooms to provide the appropriate level of stretch and challenge. Teachers will leave the course with resources and strategies and a very clear understanding of how to better cater to the needs of these often forgotten students.
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