FAQS: Frequently asked questions about giftedness

How can gifted students be
supported in the classroom?
A classroom in which teaching follows the “one pace
fits all” approach, with the whole class expected to work
on the same assignments at the same speed, is fortunately
in many schools now a thing of the past. In contemporary
classroom instruction, growing emphasis has been placed
on the learning levels of individual children and youth and
on providing the amount of support, practice, and challenge
needed by each individual student to learn effectively.
What this means for gifted students is that they
often start class with a higher level of prior knowledge, are
able to acquire new knowledge at a much faster rate, and
require less practice and repetition. The time that is gained
can be well used for further learning or working on
(self-chosen) projects. It goes without saying that gifted
students also need assistance and guided practice—though
usually on a different level and at a different pace than
other children. A challenge in this kind of differentiated
teaching is to avoid singling out or isolating students and
to consistently provide opportunities for joint learning
and interaction in the classroom. One promising approach
involves the whole class working on the same subject
matter at varying levels of proficiency and exploring in
depth the different facets of the material. Social learning
opportunities can also be provided through cooperative
learning in small groups, where gifted children can work
on more advanced topics with equally gifted peers who
are faster learners. The attitude of the teachers is also
fundamental for providing effective support of gifted
students in the classroom. If they are able to recognize
that the learning needs of a gifted child in the class are
legitimate and are willing to find appropriate assignments
and projects for that child, then the odds are high that
these support efforts will yield successful results. In contrast,
the idea of using gifted and fast-learning students in the
classroom as “assistant teachers,” that is, allowing them
to exclusively help other children in the time they have
gained, has not proven to be an effective solution.
78 79