| CODE | EDU5960 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Educating Gifted and Talented Children | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Faculty of Education | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Understanding giftedness and gifted education involves navigating complex and multifaceted concepts, demanding a nuanced approach. This study-unit intends to introduce participants to the major topics regarding the nature of gifted and talented students along with the unique educational needs of the gifted learner. The major definitions, concepts, theories, models and processes for curriculum modification and design will be explored. The study-unit will also introduce differentiation of instruction and of curriculum to meet the needs of the gifted and talented learner. The unit forms a firm foundation upon which candidates will develop a working knowledge of identifying the unique needs of gifted and talented students, as well as developing methods to better meet these needs. The study-unit will also expose candidates to a range of practical identification procedures, with particular attention to procedures which are effective in identifying gifted students from culturally diverse and disadvantaged groups. We’ll be emphasising the use of a combination of approaches rather than a single measure. The study-unit will also help candidates understand the causes of, and identify underachievement in gifted students. The candidates will explore planning interventions designed to prevent and reverse cycles of underachievement amongst the gifted and talented population. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit aims to expose students to the specialized study of the gifted and talented. It aims to expose students to the major theories and models informing the area. It aims to give students the knowledge and skills for identifying gifted and talented students and offer a range of pedagogical strategies to meet the needs of these students. The study unit also strives to foster active engagement with the subject. Moreover, it aims to delve into critical discussions surrounding how educational provisions for gifted individuals can inadvertently contribute to and perpetuate societal inequalities. Participants will be encouraged to explore diverse perspectives and critique existing paradigms to develop a nuanced understanding of the complexities associated with gifted education and its potential impact on social equity. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - demonstrate an understanding of the diverse perspectives surrounding the concept of giftedness, recognizing the absence of a universally agreed-upon definition; - analyze the implications of varying definitions and paradigms, gaining the ability to critically assess and appreciate the different assumptions about gifted and talented individuals that may arise from its inherently complex definition; - understand the difference between strengths, gifts and talents, and be able to distinguish some of these in their students; - understand the purpose of identification; - understand the difference between objective and subjective identification tools and when to use them; - ve aware of various tools available for identification; - appreciate the need for multiple identification criteria; - be aware of some of the causes of underachievement in gifted students; - understand that academic underachievement is common in gifted students and often hard to identify; - articulate the criticisms surrounding gifted education, specifically its potential role in perpetuating societal inequality. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - identify some cognitive and affective characteristics of gifted children or in some of their students; - use multiple identification criteria; - identify behaviours which may suggest that bright students are masking their abilities for peer acceptance; - analyse the elements of differentiation present in a unit of work; - describe the process of curriculum compacting; - develop an outcomes-based pre-test for a unit of work; - develop differentiated activities for gifted students using Bloom’s Taxonomy or the Williams Model; - develop an independent study project using the Kaplan Model; - select and apply appropriate strategies for implementing differentiation in a specific area of teaching; - analyze the argument that perceptions of ability are culturally constructed and explore how gifted programs may contribute to the reinforcement and exacerbation of social inequities. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts - GERRIC (2004). Gifted and Talented Education: Professional Development Package for Teachers (Modules 1-6). Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC), The University of New South Wales (UNSW). Freely available online. - Senior, J., Wallace, Belle, S., Dorothy, A. (2018). The Sage Handbook of Gifted and Talented Education. 55 City Road, London: SAGE Publications. Supplementary Readings: - Al-Hroub, A & El Khoury, S. (2018). Definitions and Conceptions of Giftedness Around the World. 10.1007/978-3-319-78592-9_2. - Baum, S. M., Ranzulli, J. S. and Hebert, T. (1995). The Prism Metaphor: A New Paradigm for Reversing Underachievement. National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, Storrs, CT. Downloadable from ERIC. - Peters, S., Makel, M., & Carter, J. (2023). Gifted education advances school integration and equity. Phi Delta Kappan, 105(3), 50-54. - Corbett, M., & Corbett, N. (2018). Giftedness: A sociological critique from rural perspective. Critical Education, 9(1), 1-16. - Smedsrud, J. (2020). Explaining the Variations of Definitions in Gifted Education. Nordic Studies in Education, 40(1), 79–97. - Spiteri, J. (2021). Position statement on teachers of the gifted and talented in Malta. Malta Review of Educational Research, 15(1), 129-136. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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