Key Issues in

Gifted and Talented

Education

Omagh / Belfast

February2008

Dr Carrie Winstanley C.Winstanley@Roehampton.ac.uk

Session Outline • Who are we talking

about?

• Key issues and questions

• Arguments for and against provision

• Implications for teachers and learners

Key Questions

Questions raised by school managers and teachers:

1. Is it ethical to focus on more able pupils, or will this create an elite group?

2. Aren’t schools doing a good enough job already?

3. Able pupils will do well whatever the circumstances so schools should put their resources intolearners with difficulties.

Who are we talking about?

‘Children and young people with one or more abilities developed to a level significantly ahead of their year group (or with the potential to develop those abilities).’

DfES:2005; DCSF:2008

Key Questions 1- Psychological

The nature of high ability:Does high ability exist at all?

Can it be measured? What is dyssynchronous

development?

The behaviour of the able:Are they happy / unhappy?

Are there specific behaviour patterns to discern? What is the cause of

disaffection among the able and what might be the

outcome?

Key Questions 2 - Policy

Should society invest in able children since they are the experts and high achievers of the future?

Is high ability merely

a product of privilege?

Should we fund any and

all enrichment activities?

Key Questions 3 - PedagogicalDoes high ability equate with high

achievement?

Which teaching methods and schooling structures are most appropriate for more able children? Is this just good practice?

How should we group children of different abilities?

How can we train and develop teachers to best meet the needs of the able?

Missing Questions - Philosophy• What do we mean by

‘intelligence’, ‘potential’, ‘achievement’?

• What are we aiming for with education policy?

• What do we mean by ‘social justice’ or ‘equality’?

Arguments against provision for the able (1)

• Elitism;

• Provision for the able will increase the gap between rich and poor;

Arguments against provision for the able (2)

• Provision for the able offends against equality.

Arguments for provision for the able (1)

• Academic excellence is both extrinsically and intrinsically valuable;

• Economic and social benefits accrue from ensuring the gifted achieve highly;

Arguments for provision for the able (2)

• Special provision for the able is valuable because it leads to a rise in general standards for all;

• All pupils are entitled to an education based on their needs.

Equality of Challenge

Meeting children’s needs requires some equality, in terms of the quality of their experience in school.

Implications for Teaching and

Learning

More than the usual

good practice?

What constitutes good practice?

What is Challenge?

demandingstimulating difficulty

Commonlyused

term…

…rarely defined

David Shrigley

Challenge is personal

Challenge depends on:

• personal characteristics (strengths, fears and interests)

• field of endeavour of knowledge

• required skills

What are the ingredients of challenge [1]?

1. Vygotsky: Zone of Proximal Development / Piaget: cognitive dissonance;

2. Novelty and variety;

3. Independence and self-direction;

4. Risk of failure and chances to succeed;

What are the ingredients of challenge [2]?

5. Building on existing motivation / igniting passions;

6. Metacognition, reflection and review;

7. Like-minded peers … and age peers.

Affective / Social / Emotional

• Self-understanding• Understanding others• Coping with being

‘gifted’ or ‘talented’• Fostering a spirit of

enquiry / love of learning

• Resilience• Exploring safely

References

• Brighouse, H (1995) ‘In Defence of Educational Equality’ in the Journal of Philosophy of Education Vol.29 No.3 pp416-420

• Cooper, D (1980) Illusions of Equality London: Routledge • Swift, A (2001) Political Philosophy: A beginner’s guide

for students and politicians Cambridge: Polity • Winstanley, C (2004) Too Clever by Half: a fair deal for

gifted children Staffs: Trentham Books • White, J.P. (1994) ‘The Dishwasher’s Child: education

and the end of egalitarianism’ in the Journal of Philosophy of Education Vol.28 No.2 pp180-192