Giftedness

1. Giftedness Nicole Bruni Melissa

2. Objectives Gain a greater understanding of what it means to be “gifted” Understand the characteristics of “gifted” students (Gifted Students vs. High Achievers vs. Creative Thinkers) Gain a greater understanding of School Board’s policies related to Gifted Education Learn how to make accommodations/ modifications for “gifted” students in your class Gain a greater understanding of issues and concerns related to “giftedness”

3. Who is the Gifted Student? Activity 1 –In groups of 3-4 take 5 minutes to … • Identify the “gifted” student in the video. • Record on chart paper, what characteristics led you to your conclusions about who the “gifted” student was?

4. Who is the Gifted Student?

5. Who was the gifted student???

6. Giftedness According to the Ontario Ministry of Education “An unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school program to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated.”

7. Activity 2 Put a check beside the statements that are true …

8. Each child is different. It is difficult to generalize, but many bright children have some of the characteristics listed long concentration spans in areas of interest advanced reading ability & extensive vocabulary keen powers of observation Cognitive intellectual level is very high Will score 130 and above on I.Q. test abstract and critical thinking unusual insight and intellectual curiosity

9. What is the Difference Between Gifted Learners & High Achievers cognitive intellectual level is really high in gifted learners, and this is not case with high achievers gifted students have the capacity to learn in greater depth and breadth than high achievers

10. Gifted Learner Vs. High Achiever Vs. Creative Thinker

11. Identification Process

12. Main Perspectives on Being Gifted Mystery Mode VS. Mastery Model

13. What Does Each Board Offer

14. TDSB Gifted programs offered in 8 secondary schools schools across the TDSB Students are placed in gifted sections and attend classes with their gifted peers

15. TDBS MAP

16. York Region Offers gifted programs in 5 of it’s schools Partially self-contained community Classes at designated secondary schools or monitoring at the home school.

17. York Region Map No Map Available

18. Peel Offers “Regional Enhanced Learning Programs” in 5 schools in Peel If not a full class with gifted students, classes are then offered to high achievers that have not been formally identified as gifted

19. Peel Map http://www.peel.edu.on.ca/documents/Final_-_Full_Report.pdf

20. Accommodations & Modification “In all cases gifted education should be about matching the curriculum expectations to the advanced learners’ specific academic needs” – Being Smart About Gifted Education: A Guidebook for Educators and Parents, pp.112

21. Important Agendas in Gifted Education Match curriculum to ability by adapting the curriculum for gifted learners Supporting giftedness in those who have not yet demonstrated it. **It is important to note that the degree of differentiation required should relate to the aptitude of the individual students and the degree of giftedness they display.

22. IEP: Strategies To Meet Academic Needs of Gifted Learners in the Regular Classroom 1. Modifying content, process, product 2. Altering pace of instruction 3. Creating a flexible classroom environment 4. Using specific instructional strategies 5. Altering assessment procedures 6. Employing a wide range of resource materials and technological options

23. Activity 3 Form groups based on your teachable subject Take curriculum expectation and create accommodations for the gifted student in your class Fill out the IEP section provided for accommodating gifted learners Present your curriculum expectation & how you accommodated for the gifted learner to the group

24. Areas for Differentiation & Teaching Subject • Modifying content, process, product • Altering pace of instruction • Creating a flexible classroom environment • Using specific instructional strategies • Altering assessment procedures • Employing a wide range of resource materials and technological options

25. Dilemmas & Issues Testing Labeling Learning Disabilities

26. Testing • Who gets tested? What gets tested? • Underrepresentation of: • minority students • low- socioeconomic status • disabled students

27. Labeling Compartmentalizes people Living up to the expectations of the label is challenging for many Bullying Emotional, Social and behavioral problems

28. Learning Disabilities ADHD Aspergers Learning Disabilities (LD)

29. Activity 4. – Poem After listen to this poem and the presentation what are some implications for educators professional practice with gifted students?

30. Resources • Websites • www.nagc.org • www.beingsmart.ca • www.abcontario.ca • Books • How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms. • Planning Effective Curriculum for Gifted Learners by Joyce Can Tassel-Baska Academic Journals Gifted Child Quarterly Gifted Education International Roper Review Gifted Child Today Journal of Secondary Gifted Education

31. The End We hope you enjoyed learning about Gifted Education as much as we enjoyed presenting it to you 