The Extent, Nature and Effectiveness of Planned Approaches in ...

The BOT, parents and teachers really want this programme to succeed. Therefore at anycost to the school, the Board of Trustees will pay for any form of gifted professionaldevelopment. It is written in the action plan.Teachers in several of the case study schools have studied papers relating to gifted and talentededucation - “that gave us a basis.” Professional development helped teachers to adapt their teachingstyles to suit gifted and talented learners. Some schools targeted specific programmes (for example,thinking skills programmes) as a focus for their professional development. It was acknowledged toothat learning these new strategies to support gifted students would also benefit other students in theirclass.Being involved in a professional contract with gifted and talented advisers was considered by one ofthe primary schools to be excellent professional development because it provided its teachers with aninsight into the overall picture of gifted education. Schools on other professional developmentcontracts, such as the numeracy and literacy initiatives, were able to make connections to their giftedand talented programmes. So too did teachers attending professional development courses in specificsubject areas because teachers “are always on the lookout for extending gifted and talented students.”Courses were also attended by teachers who have students attending one-day-a-week programmes, toshow them how to build on and reinforce in their regular class the learning provided at the withdrawalprogramme.Professional development and guidance was also provided to teachers by their own colleagues. Forexample in one school, teachers found the folders collated by the schools’ gifted coordinator to behelpful because they contained information on characteristics for identification, practical strategies anduseful resources for enrichment etc. These folders are added to, for example, “X gave us this handoutthe other day about questions to promote reflective thinking so if there is something that applies shefeeds it to us so that we can use it - so it’s ongoing.”Advisers of gifted and talented education, attached to Teacher Support Services in colleges ofeducation, and in some instances, RTLBs provided valuable professional development. Sometimesthese support personnel also conducted in-service courses on gifted education for teachers in theirarea.One primary school acknowledged the benefit of using research to inform practice:Something we do a great deal here is looking at what is happening in the wide world andwhat research has been going on in educational fields and then....bringing it back andmaking sure it does have an influence on our classroom.Funding. Eight out of ten schools considered funding support to be a very important factor in theirability to appropriately cater for gifted and talented students. In the two secondary case studies, fundsare made available to support departments in their professional development. The major fundingcommitment for most schools, however, involved the allocation of a one day per week teacher releasefor coordination of the gifted and talented programme. For example, to enable the coordinator for oneprimary school to be released every Friday (.2) to run the gifted programme, the BOT paid .1 and thecoordinator used .1 of her deputy prinicipal release. The principal put .1 of his principal’s release timeinto teaching in the gifted programme as well. These procedures actually freed up .2 of a salary thatwas used to employ a special teacher. In essence although there were only four teachers in the giftedteam, this funding support enabled five teachers to teach in the enrichment programme, plus a specialteacher. In one primary school, the funding allows the gifted teaching position to be ongoing, and thiswas considered a very positive factor in the development of the programme.One primary school explained how the principal was proactive in sourcing funding (such ascommunity grants) to supplement the school’s resources. Two schools acknowledged that theirgenerous budget allows them to purchase additional equipment and resources, such as a video camerafor visual language programmes. Five schools indicated that parents sometimes have to provide252