Gifted and Talented (G &T)
FIA values all children equally and endeavors to ensure that each child should have the opportunity to realize his/her potential in a challenging and supportive environment. We believe in providing the best possible provision for students of all abilities. We plan our teaching and learning so that each child can aspire to the highest level of personal achievement.
Definition
What is Giftedness? Who is Talented?
The term giftedness refers to ‘a student who is in possession of untrained and spontaneously-expressed exceptional natural ability in one or more domain of human ability.
The term talented refers to ‘a student who has been able to transform his ‘giftedness’ into exceptional performance’.
All gifted students have the potential to be highly able but not all highly-able students are truly gifted.
Common distinctions between the Outstanding and gifted students:
An outstanding student | The Gifted Learner |
knows the answer | Asks the questions |
Works hard to achieve | Knows without working hard |
Enjoys school | Enjoys self-directed learning |
Has a fine imagination | Uses that imagination to experiment with ideas. |
Domains of Giftedness:
- Intellectual
- Creative
- Social
- physical abilities
Intellectual
- Gifted students are those who have superior general intellectual ability as revealed by intelligence and achievement tests and teacher ratings of their classroom performance.
- An intellectually gifted person may have a striking talent for mathematics without equally strong language skills.
Creative
- It is essential to understand their creative potential.
- The way of thinking of students with high potential, often differs from the way that other students think, because generally gifted present in their thinking many details that are present in a single idea, their answers are uncommon.
Social
- Gifted students are no different when it comes to navigating peer relationships.
- They are often more sensitive and emotionally aware than other children, can easily be hurt by unkind comments.
Physical abilities
- Gifted students are those who are exceptional in motor skill abilities in many activities and maintain a high level of physical fitness.
- In general such student is simply a good all-round performer.
- In a game situation the gifted student seem to be in the right place at the right time.
Process of Supporting GAT
The following are key aspects to consider when personalizing education programs for students with special gifts and /or talents.
1. Differentiation
An effectively differentiated curriculum meets the needs of students with a range of learning styles and ability levels. A differentiated curriculum is essential for gifted and talented learners whose potential is unlikely to develop without special educational provisions.
2. Pace
It is likely that gifted and talented students will learn at a faster pace. They may understand new concepts more easily and with fewer repetitions. Consequently teachers will need to provide appropriate challenge to sustain the students’ attention and desire to learn.
3. Assessment
Assessment is an important, ongoing diagnostic tool for matching curriculum delivery to students’ needs. Pre-assessment allows teachers to determine what students already know, so that a more challenging learning program can be provided.
4. Curriculum Modification
Gifted and talented students generally understand concepts and ideas at a level which is above usual age-related expectations. Therefore the curriculum needs to be concept based and include complex, abstract ideas so that interests and abilities are challenged and extended.
5. Enrichment
It is expected that the vast majority of gifted and talented learners will be taught in mainstream classes as part of a differentiated curriculum. Provisions for gifted and talented learners need to include opportunities for enrichment, extension and acceleration within and beyond the classroom.
Revised AY2020-2021