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The Nature and Needs of Gifted and Talented Students in the Early Years of Schooling

The Nature and Needs of Gifted and Talented Students in the Early Years of Schooling. Rosalind Walsh Children and Families Research Centre Institute of Early Childhood Macquarie University.

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The Nature and Needs of Gifted and Talented Students in the Early Years of Schooling

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  1. The Nature and Needs of Gifted and Talented Students in the Early Years of Schooling Rosalind Walsh Children and Families Research Centre Institute of Early Childhood Macquarie University

  2. Thinking back to the child/ren you are working with, what are some of the characteristics of young gifted children that you have observed?

  3. Characteristics of young gifted children • Learn quickly and easily • Excellent memory • Heightened level of curiosity (obsessive fascination) • Wide range of interests • Long attention span • Ability to handle abstract ideas • Independent • Advanced play interests

  4. Characteristics of young gifted children • High level of personal responsibility • Strong feelings and opinions • Advanced levels of moral development • Sense of humour • Superior vocabulary • Advanced reading ability • Single-mindedness • High levels of energy • Preference for unusual, original, creative responses

  5. Gross et al. 2003

  6. Gross et al. 2003

  7. Needs of young gifted children • “Complexity and Connection” • Support for abilities • Opportunities to take risks/make mistakes • Opportunities to mix with “like minds” • Teaching that focuses on a “strengths” model

  8. Three Fundamental Differences • The capacity to learn at faster rates • The capacity to find, solve and act on problems more easily • The capacity to manipulate abstract ideas and make connections (VanTassel-Baska, 1988)

  9. All learners should be provided with curriculum opportunities that allow them to attain optimal levels of learning. • Gifted learners have different learning needs compared with typical learners. Therefore, curriculum must be adapted or designed to accommodate these needs. • The needs of gifted learners cut across cognitive, affective, social and aesthetic areas of curriculum experiences. • Gifted learners are best served by a confluent approach that allows for both accelerated and enriched learning. • Curriculum experiences for gifted learners need to be carefully planned, written down, implemented, and evaluated in order to maximise potential effect. (VanTassel-Baska, 1996, p.126)

  10. Contact/Further Questions Rosalind Walsh Email: rosalindlee.walsh@students.mq.edu.au

  11. Teachers and precocious readers • Burns et al. (1991) – when early readers not challenged their achievement scores regress • Chall (2000) – teachers tend to give on-grade enrichment, rather than more challenging material • Stainthorp & Hughes (2004) – precocious readers maintained advantage, but school experiences did not appear to have added any value. • Early readers, tend over time to remain good readers (Jackson, 1992)

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