| CODE | EPE3019 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Providing Challenge for Highly Able and Gifted Learners in the Primary Classroom | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Early Childhood and Primary Education | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit aims to introduce trainee educators to the key issues related to the nature of high potential and giftedness in primary school-aged learners and to their unique cognitive and affective needs. It seeks to develop their awareness and understanding of the heterogenous nature of gifted and talented learners as well as the key indicators of high ability and giftedness in the primary classroom. Trainee educators will understand the role they play in recognising and nurturing children’s diverse gifts and talents. The use of inclusive practices will seek to equip them with the right knowledge, attitude and beliefs to address gifted learners’ specific academic and socio-emotional strengths and needs. The main issues pertaining to gifted education will be tackled, including issues on definitions, identification, and adequate provision. Throughout this study-unit, students will engage in critical reflection on the rationale for gifted education and how a lack of adequate provision may hinder the growth and development of this group of learners as well as restrict their educational experience in school. The crucial role of school leaders and policy makers will also be addressed – having a national educational policy will facilitate the creation and sustainability of schoolwide inclusive practices that provide challenge and novelty in primary classrooms. Motivation, underachievement and misdiagnosis in relation to high ability and giftedness will be discussed as well as the mutual impact of teacher and learner identities on one another. The notion of twice-exceptionality will also be covered. Study-unit Aims: This study-unit aims to expose undergraduate students training to work with primary school-aged learners to the specialised issue of giftedness and high ability. It will seek to equip them with the knowledge, attitudes and competences required to address the diverse needs of ecologically diverse classrooms in the local scenario with a focus on intelligence, potential, ability, and talent. Awareness on the prevalence of giftedness and twice-exceptionality in primary education will be raised and an argument in favour of effective pedagogy and provision for the gifted and talented will be presented. Students will be encouraged to develop their theoretical knowledge and understanding of the topic through exposure to major theories and models that inform the field of gifted education and high ability studies, with a focus on primary education. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Illustrate the different ways to conceptualise and define giftedness; - Develop awareness of the heterogenous nature of gifted and talented children; - Define the difference between gifted and twice-exceptional learners; - Identify the key indicators of high ability and giftedness in primary school-aged learners; - Appreciate the need to recognise and nurture advanced skills and high ability in the primary classroom and the value of schoolwide inclusive practices that celebrate unique gifts and talents; - Discuss the purpose of identification, and the need to use multiple criteria when assessing and identifying giftedness; - Be aware of the consequences of misdiagnosis or inadequate provision for gifted and talented learners; - Recognise that academic underachievement can have adverse consequences on a child’s psycho-social development; - Value the role of the educator in developing positive learner identities through the creation of safe and stimulating learning spaces that provide challenge and novelty; - Become familiar with innovative pedagogical practices that cater for the strengths and needs of gifted learners. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Define and describe giftedness in the context of primary education; - Describe various cognitive and affective characteristics of gifted and talented learners; - Identify high potential, emerging abilities and giftedness in primary school-aged children; - Apply models of giftedness to analyse case studies of gifted learners; - Recognise and address the diverse needs of highly able and gifted children through differentiated teaching; - Create a stimulating learning environment that fosters optimal learning and development for all learners; - Extend children's learning through the provision of challenge and novelty in everyday classroom activities using innovative pedagogies and practices that aim to develop 21st century skills; - Identify factors that may lead to underachievement or misbehaviour and come up with an action plan to reduce this risk; - Plan an integrated curriculum that develop young children's problem-solving and thinking skills across the primary curriculum; - Devise a project for independent study based on a child's interests and gifts. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Farrugia, R. C. (2021). Learning, potential and identity construction in Maltese early years settings. In R. Willis, M. de Souza, J. Mata-McMahon, M. Abu Bakar, & C. Roux (Eds.), The Bloomsbury handbook of culture and identity from early childhood to early adulthood : perceptions and implications (pp. 105-119). Bloomsbury Academic. - Smith, C. (2005). Teaching gifted and talented pupils in the primary school. A practical guide. Bel Air, CA: Paul Chapman Publishing. Supplementary Reading: - Barab, S., & Plucker, J. (2002). Smart people or smart contexts? Cognition, Ability & Talent Development in an Age of Situated Approaches to Knowing and Learning. Educational Psychologist, 37 (3), 165-182. Available from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.474.5617&rep=rep1&type=pdf - Dai D. Y. (2020). Assessing and accessing high human potential: A brief history of giftedness and what it means to school psychologists. Psychology in the Schools, 57(10), 1514–1527. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22346 - Farrugia, R. C. (2017). An Enquiry into Young Children's Perceptions of Learning, Ability and Schooling as an Uncovering of a Teacher's Pedagogy and Practice. In Informing Educational Change: Research Voices from Malta. Available from https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.719333!/file/Bookv4_Final.pdf - 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. - Said, L. & Camilleri, R. (2020). Teachers’ pedagogy on the creative-thinking preferences of gifted children, influence of. In. M.A. Peters (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Teacher Education (pp. 1-5). Springer. - Spiteri, J. (2021). Position statement on teachers of the gifted and talented in Malta. Malta Review of Educational Research, 15(1), 129-136. Sutherland, M. (2012). Gifted and Talented in the Early Years: Practical Activities for Children Aged 3-6. (2nd Ed.) London: Sage Publications. |
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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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