Instructional design for the gifted learner by Crystal Mahler

Gifted definition ➲ Federal definition “Students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities” (

Gifted students are protected ➲ Gifted education is a federally mandated and unfunded program schools are required to: ➲ develop to support students who are mentally gifted ➲ to create a system for determining if a student is mentally gifted ➲ coordinate a curriculum to correspond with their needs ➲ develop an individual education plan based on the individual needs of the student ➲ (Pennsylvania Department of Education Chapter 16, 2009).

Gifted reality ➲ Gifted students who remain unchallenged often drop below their full learning potential as a result of a constant state of disengagement. ➲ More often than not gifted children can feel isolated and misunderstood.

Did you know? ➲ Einstein was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read. ➲ Isaac Newton did poorly in grade school. ➲ When Thomas Edison was a boy, his teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything. ➲ Louis Pasteur was rated as mediocre in chemistry when he attended the Royal College ➲

Cognitive characteristics ➲Solves problems quickly and creatively ➲Insightful ➲Learns new information quickly ➲Answers questions in detail ➲Draws conclusion based on sound reasoning ➲Separates problems into their component parts ➲Quickly grasps the essence of a problem ➲Applies prior knowledge to solving problems ➲Learns difficult concepts easily ➲ Advanced reading, writing, and/or math skills ➲ Approaches the world as an explorer ➲ Excellent abstract-thinking skills

In the classroom ➲ Can easily become bored with routine assignments. ➲ May want to do things his/her own way—why not? ➲ May notice the teacher’s lack of inconsistency with “But you said we should always…” ➲ May not always pay close attention to directions. ➲ Sometimes TOO innovative. ➲ Restless, inattentive, disturbing others ➲ Poor in Spelling, careless in handwriting, inaccurate in Math because they are impatient with details requiring rote learning or drill. ➲ Outspokenly critical of both themselves and others, an attitude which often alienates adults as well as peers.

Renzulli and Reis ➲ “giftedness is not a state of being, it is not fixed,... It is, rather, developmental—in some children and adults with high potential, at certain times, under certain circumstances, and with appropriate levels of support, time, effort, and personal investments and choices (p.233)”.

Gifted curriculum? ➲ 2002 an investigation ➲ Purcell., Burns, Tomlinson, Imbeau, and Martin ➲ on the curricula, textbooks, and studies relating to gifted learners in the USA, found an immense gap between the curricula for gifted learners and the learning needs

Self-regulatory learning Gifted students excel at self-regulatory learning SRL is foundational work of educational theorist Vygotsky. Zone of Proximal Development-what can be achieved independently and what a child can achieve when assisted by an adult.

Thoughts about design Curriculum design should consider: -characteristics of the learner -permit Self-regulatory learning -create a learning environment that stimulates self-regulated learning. -think conceptually -apply their higher level thinking skills and complex thinking capacities

Theory and design ➲ Constructivism ➲ allows the learners to use their own processes to arrive at an answer. ➲ Inquiry-based ➲ promotes higher level thinking skills. ➲ engaging ➲ appeals to different learning styles fosters critical thinking.

Dewey and Piaget ➲ students to collaborate ➲ actively involved in the learning process ➲ learning is social ➲ construct meaning from their environment ➲ hands-on tasks

Vygotsky ➲ action and inherently tied to language that developed around the learning process. ➲ products of the activities practiced in the social institutions of the culture. ➲ more materials one had to experiment with and learn from, the greater amount of language the individual acquired as a result ➲ relate out-of-school experiences ➲ zone of proximal development (ZPD),

Bloom and the gifted ➲ study the thought processes of eminent individuals from various domains. ➲ well planned curriculum was the key to talent devlopment. ➲ 35 individuals prodigious in their field. ➲ All had a support system (parents etc) ➲ Outlet for their area of talent.

Gifted curriculum ➲ Should be integrated. ➲ Leave room for critical thinking tasks. ➲ Tasks to develop their advanced abilities. ➲ Contain opportunities to work independently. ➲ Inquiry-based instructional techniques. ➲ contain ways to respond to the particular needs. ➲ Think beyond the facts.

Some examples of good models ➲ Content based curriculum (Vantassel-Baska) ➲ Problem-based learning ➲ Project-based ➲ Renzulli Enrichment system

Questions to guide curriculum ➲ 1. Does the material address the goals and outcomes of the curriculum framework? ➲ 2. Is the material differentiated for gifted learners in respect to advancement, complexity, and creativity? ➲ 3. Is the material well-designed in respect to emphasizing research-based strategies, such as concept mapping, metacognition, and articulation of thinking? ➲ 4. Is the material aligned with standards in the relevant subject area, or easy to align?

references ➲ Pennsylvania Department of education chapter 16 regualtions. Available: ➲ Feng, A., VanTassel-Baska, J., Quek, C., Bai, W., & O'Neill, B. (2004). A Longitudinal Assessment of Gifted Students' Learning Using the Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM): Impacts and Perceptions of the William and Mary Language Arts and Science Curriculum. Roeper Review, 27 (2), Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. ➲ Hein, G, E. (1991, October 22). Constructivist learning theory. Retrieved November 8, 2009, from Exploratorium Web site: ➲ Reis, S., & Renzulli, J. (2009). Myth 1: The Gifted and Talented Constitute One Single Homogeneous Group and Giftedness Is a Way of Being That Stays in the Person Over Time and Experiences. Gifted Child Quarterly, 53 (4), Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. ➲ VanTassel-Baska, J. (1995). The development of talent through curriculum. Roeper Review, 18 (2), 98. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.