Sometimes the hardest students to teach are the brightest. Gifted learners love challenge and sometimes that poses challenges for their teachers. Here are few strategies that teachers can use when teaching and assessing gifted children. These strategies focus around project-based learning, problem-based learning, performance-based learning, scenario learning and service learning (Ellis, 2009).
Project-based Learning
Project-based learning occurs when students take a concept they learned and apply it to a project that shows their understanding of what was taught (Ellis, 2009). Projects such as these can “provide rich substance for monitoring individual students’ growth, assessing a group’s progress, or satisfying accountability requirements” (Helm, 2004).
Project-based learning engages gifted learners. It can take a basic classroom assignment to a whole other level. For example, a lot of teachers use "Gallon Guy" to help students visualize how many quarts, pints, cups, and ounces are in a gallon. The body of Gallon Guy represents the gallon. Its arms and legs symbolize the four quarts in a gallon. The two “hands” on each arm and the two “feet” on each leg correspond to the two pints in each quart. The model goes on with fingers and toes that stand for cups and the eight warts on each appendage represent ounces.
Students enjoy this activity, but in order to "up the ante" for gifted students, have them create a model to represent how many quarts, pints, cups and ounces are in a gallon in some way other than Gallon Guy. One teacher had some interesting projects. A group of advanced/gifted girls constructed a restaurant (the gallon), where the tables were the quarts. The customers sitting at the table that represented pints. Each customer had two plates (the cups), and on each of those plates were eight oysters (the ounces).
Through this activity the teacher knew that the girls truly understood customary units of measurements for capacity and the conversions between those units. Not to mention, they had fun because they were forced to think outside of the “Gallon Guy” box.
Problem-based Learning
Problem-based learning is learning that is “centered around an investigation of a real-world problem” (Sisk, 2008). In this strategy, the problems a teacher presents to gifted students should have many solutions. The gifted student takes on the role of an expert who would have a particular interest in that problem (Goodnough & Cashion, 2003).
In grade five, students often cover a unit on the various biomes. Some teachers assign a group of students a biome, and then have the students research their biome’s climate, vegetation, wildlife, landforms, and location. For gifted learners, this may not pose a challenge. Instead, have them become scientists who research Global Warming’s effect (or another environmental threat) on a biome of their choice.
They can then come up with some way to present their findings to the class, such as making a video, a PowerPoint presentation, or classroom newspapaer article. Compile a rubric to guide the students during their research. Also use the rubric to assess them. A good rubric for problem-based learning assigns point values for defining the problem, gathering appropriate resources, presenting a solution, and debriefing the problem (Goodnough & Cashion, 2003).
Performance-based Learning
Performance-based learning is learning acquired by performing a certain task. Sisk (2008) states “performance-based learning is for students to experience, to compete, to learn, and to apply the knowledge that they experience in the activity.” During a unit on plants, have gifted students set up a school garden.
They can use their garden to experiment, changing variables like the amount of water, light, and nutrients that the plants are given. Then, they can reflect on what they observe and record the information they gather in a journal just as real world scientists do. Use the content of the data journal to assess the learning that has taken place during this time.
Scenario Learning
Scenario learning gives the students a situation to analyze from a particular topic being discussed in class. Then the students decide what they would do if they were in that particular situation. They also need to defend why they would make that particular choice (Sisk, 2008).
For example, while studying a unit on the American Revolution, gifted students can take on the persona of either King George III or a Colonist. They have to come up with a convincing argument of why the war is the other’s fault. They defend their accusations based on the facts they gather through their study of the events leading up to the first battle.
The students then present their defense in front of the class, and the class votes on who they believe is the guilty party, the Colonists or King George III. Use the content of the presentation to assess whether the child truly understands the factors that led up to the American Revolution.
Service Learning
“Service learning is a method which young people learn and develop through active participation” (Krystal, 1999). This is right up the gifted learners’ alley since gifted kids are known to be sensitive, have an intense sense of fairness, and can care deeply about social issues (Sisk, 2008).
After jumping through the necessary hoops, you can have your gifted learners come up with ways that they can use their time and talents to volunteer in their community. One teacher had a group of students waterproof wheelchair ramps in Oak Cliff, a suburb of Dallas known for its gang related violence. The teacher admitted they were all apprehensive of going there. During the service work, though, they met many friendly families in the community.
The hospitability and gratitude of the families they helped gave the teacher and students a new perspective of Oak Cliff that they might not have otherwise had. In turn, not only did the students learn through service, but they stretched their preconceived notions regarding what they had heard about that neighborhood.
What the Strategies Offer
All of the above strategies offer wonderful opportunities for gifted learners to dive into their learning. They are naturally self-directed learners. These strategies allow gifted students to be more in charge of their own learning process, engaging them deeply in their learning.
References
Ellis, K. (Producer, Writer, Director). Project learning: an overview. Edutopia. 2009, March 2. Video retrieved June 21, 2009.
Goodnough, K. & Cashion, M. "Fostering inquiry through problem-based learning." The Science Teacher 70(9), (2003): 21-25.
Helm, J. H. "Projects that power young minds." Educational Leadership 62(1), (2004): 58-62.
Krystal, S. "The nurturing potential of service learning." Educational Leadership 56(4), (1999): 58-61.
Sisk, D. Strategies for gifted students. [PowerPoint slides]. 2008. Retrieved online on June 2009 from Brighton Courseware, Lamar University.
Liese Semans - Liese Semans worked as an elementary school teacher for nine years in both Arizona and Texas. She has a Bachelor's in Elementary Education ...
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