Gifted and Talented Programming

Programming Options? Pull out –Weekly –Full day a week –Daily Self-contained Push in Acceleration Options Cluster Grouping

Is it a program or a provision? Programming for what? A teacher with vision and energy might recognize that a particular student needs to have his or her curriculum modified and decide to provide special activities. However, unless there is a commitment on the part of the school system to continue meeting the student's needs and to offer similar opportunities to other able students at each grade level, it does not constitute a program. Berger (1991)

Programs for gifted and talented need to: Demonstrate a match between your definition of giftedness, the identification of gifted learners and the programming model –Dont identify children with creative strengths and put them into a program which stresses academics –Need internal consistency Be large enough so that it will have an impact, but not so large that it becomes superficial and therefore hard to defend. Three main things you need to provide in a gifted program - Opportunities, Resources and Encouragement (ORE)

COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM Needs Assessment - gather information about the nature and instructional needs of the students and the resources of the school or school district. Definition of Population - should address specific abilities and traits possessed by persons of high ability Identification Procedures - to locate students whose needs are not being met by the core curriculum, evaluate their educational needs, and provide them with an appropriate program. Identification procedures must be consistent with the definition in local use and should measure diverse abilities. Program Goals - written, clear policy statements of what the district will do to respond to the needs of the target population.

Program Organization and Format - decisions on how students will be grouped for instruction, where instruction will take place, how often instruction will occur, who will provide instruction, and who will be responsible for the program and the administrative organization Staff Selection and Training - Selection and training of staff are crucial to the success or failure of a program for students of high ability (Renzulli, 1975). Curriculum Development - substantive scope and sequence, based on the needs of the target population (TAG, 1983; VanTassel-Baska et al., 1988). Program Evaluation - to reassess student needs and determine the efficiency and effectiveness of its various program components (Callahan, 1983; Callahan & Caldwell,1986). Evaluation should be both formative (ongoing) and summative (final outcomes). (adapted from Berger, 1991)

A Differentiated Activity Quiz Did every student do it? Should every student do it? Would every student want to do it? Could every student do it? Did the student do it willingly and zestfully? Did the student use authentic resources and methodology? Was it done for an audience other than (or in addition to) the teacher?

Characteristics of a real world problem 1)You are interested enough to want to do something about it 2)There is no single correct answer 3)Authentic methodology – advanced content 4)Authentic audience – they want to be there