Christine Gillions : 'Differentiation not Deluge for Gifted Students'

Christine Gillions : 'Differentiation not Deluge for Gifted Students'

Gifted students should not be deluged with more of the same. Instead, gifted students should be provided with opportunities to go deeper, broader and beyond. This necessary teaching approach to catering for the needs of gifted students in the mainstream can be achieved when the curriculum and teaching is differentiated.

Differentiation does not require a different program, it simply requires modification to the core/mainstream content, process, product, learning environment and/or the assessment.

Examples for a Year 8 Media Unit:

Core/Mainstream question: What different forms does the media take?

Differentiated/Gifted question: How has the range of products in the media category changed over time?

Core/Mainstream question: What techniques do the media use to persuade?

Differentiated/Gifted question: How have different famous people used the media? Why/Impact

Research proves that there is a significant impact on a gifted student's cognitive and affective gains when the curriculum is differentiated to meet their needs. This desirable outcome for the gifted student occurs when both the school's leadership and teaching staff are motivated to become more knowledgeable and skilled in the theory, practices and resourcing of a differentiated curriculum for gifted students.

However after talking the talk' both the administrators and teachers then need to walk the walk', so there is an accepted, planned, skilled, resourced and supported (professionally and affectively) teaching approach. With this approach in place the curriculum can be effectively and efficiently differentiated, enabling the gifted student to achieve increased engagement and learning gains ((cognitively and affectively) throughout the learning process.

Furthermore differentiating the curriculum also assists schools to redefine excellence in education by offering innovative, quality educational services to gifted students so these young people are inspired to pursue excellence and to love learning for life.

Christine Gillions: Learning Support and Gifted Education Specialist

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