Download - Teaching gifted children
Lecturing gifted children
EDS 2101
Av, Ed, Jason and Aaron
True or False?Successful lectures promote passive teacher-centred learning.
Q&A should not be encouraged during lectures.
All gifted children are geniuses.
Gifted children do not require support.
All students are capable of making effective notes.
Lectures cannot encourage reflective thinking.
Best used for large groups
Teacher has control over : content, pace and questions
Providing new information or introducing a new concept
Provide the ‘big picture’
Features, why lecture?
Highlighting differences/similarities or linking concepts together
Explore a lot of information in a relatively short period
Provides the same point of reference for all students
Creates an organized flow between different concepts in the lecture
Features, why lecture?
Limitations (Freiberg, p. 211)
Lectures can be boring
Participation limited to 12% of the total class time
Difficult to determine student learning and receive feedback
Students with insufficient note taking skills are disadvantaged
Tendency toward passive learning (Fry, p.85)
Individual student needs are rarely met or even identified
Learning processes (Freiberg, p. 211)
Ineffective lectures tend to…
Emphasise lower level cognitive skills of memorization and recall rather than higher level thinking of synthesis and evaluation.
Rarely provides opportunities for the inclusion of the psychomotor domain and affective learning.
Effective lectures tend to…
Provide the opportunity for students to be engaged with the topic.Promote an active learning environment, that is students take part in the lecture and contribute to the overall learning of the class.Encourage higher level learning like analytical learning and evaluative learning.Provide an affective learning experience, learning linked to a strong memory or emotional state.
Learning processes (Freiberg, p. 211)
Myths about gifted children (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 9, Table 1)
Common in public perception
Everything is going their way.
Can succeed without help.
Their families prize their special abilities.
Valued primarily for their brainpower.
More stable and mature emotionally
Got “something for nothing”
Want to be social isolates.
common among parents and educatorsNot aware of being different unless someone tells themWill reveal their giftednessGiftedness needs to be emphasisedNeed constant challenge by others to achieveNeed more disciplineAssume extra responsibility for othersEnjoy serving as examples for other children
Myths about gifted children (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 9, Table 1)
Characteristics (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 46 Table 4, p.15, 16, 17)
View world non-traditionally
Divergent thinkers
Do things differently
Like to experiment
Energetic/enthusiastic
If not engaged they get bored easily, daydream.
Highly developed curiosity and limitless supply of questions
Focused on personal interests
Can retain a great deal of information
Hop and skip from interest to interest – wide range of interests
Not always as mature as intelligent
Good vocabularies
Often read earlier than most children
Identify with each other
Unusual sense of humour
Characteristics (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 46 Table 4, p.15, 16, 17)
Needs (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 17, 29, table 3 p.36, table 6 p.67)
Guided focused supportive environmentCollaborative/cooperative learning environmentsTeachers to work from where they areIndividual needs to be metActive participation, empowerment, choices Constructive criticism and positive reinforcementEncouragement at attempts not just success
Consistency and transparency
Passionate enthusiastic teaching with realistic high expectations
Teaching that is relevant to life, interests and future
To belong, be liked by others, accepted
To feel good about themselves
Respect as an individual, not just as a learner
Help and opportunities to explore and recognise feelings
Needs (Webb & Meckstroth & Tolan, 1982, p. 17, 29, table 3 p.36, table 6 p.67)
ImplicationsStudents at all levels must be catered for
provide focused opportunities for student involvement
Lessons must be developed with an awareness of students knowledge/prior experience
Students choices to actively participate in lectures
Creative advice
Plan and organise your lectureCheck what time of day your delivering your lectureLimit the lecture to 3 – 5 concepts: don’t overloadState the objectives of the lectureIndicate how the lecture links in the big pictureIntersperse with other teaching strategies Lectures contextualised in student’s interests Place yourself in the students’ position
Variate the stimulus every 10-15 minutes, your pace must match your studentsUse humour Use cueing, let them know what’s especially important.Utilise varied media Use student interaction to stimulate active participation Supply handoutsUtilise a review Help students make lecture notes Walk around the space, check student notes
Creative advice
3 Goals of the lecture
Informative: provides information – content analysed into concepts/sub concepts then sequenced
Motivated: to motivate students primarily to provoke an interest in the subject
Reflective/critical thinking – encourage reflection/critical thinking
Variations of the lecture (Freiberg,2005, p.212)
• Pure lecture• Chalk/talk• Guided note taking lecture • A/V lecture• Combination lecture • Mini lecture
Main teaching steps Freiberg, 2005, (p. 207 )
Identify 2 or 3 key concepts to be included in lecture and provide examples of concepts
Prepare notes that highlight key concepts
Use analogies, stories and examples to support your ideas
Close lecture with summary of key points
Guidelines for lecturesContent material should be presented in small stepsPresentations should focus on 1 thought or idea at a timeAvoid digressing during lecturesModeling should accompany lectureBest accompanied by varied and specific examplesHave detailed explanations for difficult conceptsCheck for student understanding before proceeding to next pointMonitor progress with questions during the lectureStay on topic until students understand
SWOT analysis Strengths 1. Most information can be delivered in
short space of time 2. Teacher has highest degree of control
over pace, content and organization 3. Provides opportunity to
sharpen/practice note taking
Weaknesses1. Can be boring, passive learning2. Reduced opportunity for student
feedback, difficult to determine student understanding
3. Not all students are effective note takers
Opportunities. 1. Stimulus variation : humor, voice and
visuals 2. Combination lectures : Q&A,
discussion, etc. 3. Opportunity to teach note taking,
guided note taking, supply references
Threats/risks.1. Gifted children get bored easily unless
actively stimulated2. Gifted children want active participation
in learning with individual learning needs to be met
3. Gifted students generally will not write notes for what they already know
Conclusion
Reviewing what we have covered…
• Features of lecturing• Gifted students• Goals of lecturing
References• Driscoll, A., & Freiberg, H.J. (2005). Universal teaching strategies
4th ed.Boston : Pearson Education Inc.
• Fry, H., & Ketteridge, S., & Marshall, S. (1999). A handbook for
teaching and Learning in higher education. London : Kogan Page Ltd
• Gibbs, G., & Habeshaw, T. (1989). Preparing to teach. Bristol : Technical and
Educational Services ltd • Gibbs, G., & Habeshaw, S., & Habeshaw, T. (1984). Interesting
things to do in your lectures. Bristol : Technical and Educational Services ltd
• Tolan, S.S., & Meckstroth, E.A., & Webb, J.T. (1991). Guiding the
gifted child : a practical source for parents and teachers. Australia : Hawker Brownlow Education