THE ENRICHMENT SHIFT
BY : MORGAN WHITFIELD
Who are the gifted students in your classroom ? You may observe them in the front row , eagerly straining their arms to answer every question ; you may find them in an exercise book , with classwork rushed through , while every challenge task is tackled ; and they are often found on shared spreadsheets , according to standardised test scores . Whether we label them as highability students , scholars , or moreable pupils , giftedness is rooted in our conceptions of education . There is an understanding that we should find exceptional students and provide them with the most challenging education possible . However , whilst a student can be crying out for extension , flaws in our data and school structures can overlook them in our interventions .
Should the gifted and talented labels exist ? Being identified as ‘ gifted ’ or high-ability is distinct , it recognises that some students need different learning opportunities and support in their education . The problem is often entanglements with old systems of ‘ gifted and talented ’, a term that is ready to be retired . The word ‘ gifted ’ is itself a blunt instrument , and puts the emphasis on a category of students . There is a shift in education away from labelling gifted students , and instead cultivating gifted behaviours . We can hold two truths at the same time : that high ability pupils exist and should be targeted , and that teachers can cultivate gifts in all pupils .
A fully inclusive classroom recognises and supports the needs of high ability pupils . An inclusive school will stretch and challenge students in and out of the classroom . Several strategies are laid out below , to target high ability pupils while creating extension for all . These strategies are inside-out , beginning with what happens in our individual lessons , and moving onto the larger picture of schoolwide enrichment . These are part of a toolkit , and schools can adopt the elements that best suit their own educational vision and culture .
Not more , but interesting …
Great challenge has breadth , depth and pace . Extension should never be performance punishment , with students doing more of the same work , or simply jumping ahead to the next lesson . Instead , it should be an opportunity to go off-piste and interrogate thinking . When there is assessment for learning at the start of the class , remove the obligation for students to ‘ prove ’ their mastery in low order tasks . Those who demonstrate prior knowledge can go straight to extension . Invite students to build the processes . Instead of answering a given essay question , instruct students to design a scaffolded model on a question they wished had been asked . Have students tackle concepts behind rules and conventions . How would they create new systems ? For example - an alternative to describing the structure of the Security Council , is setting a task to reinvent the United Nations without veto powers . Students build understanding with the former to creatively achieve the latter .
Go big and think long-term with extension
Differentiation in tasks is a great start , the next step is embedding
independent investigation opportunities . Small add-on tasks every lesson is piece-meal for students , and creates more work for teachers to build effectively into every lesson . Going big with extension means setting an open-ended extension for students to explore over a term , or even an entire academic year . You can devote time in lessons for genius hours or change the nature of homework with passion projects . Map milestones and arrange check in points that evaluate skills . Encourage students to specialise and become experts , The best extension gives students an opportunity to increase depth .
Give students as much choice as possible
Students are motivated when they can choose their field of study , as opposed to being heavily directed . Curriculums can be constraining : a student who loves dinosaurs can be frustrated if there is no scope to study the Triassic Period . A constructivist approach is to ask students what they know about subjects outside of the curriculum . Students can fill in an interest profile , mind map topics , or complete an exploratory assignment .
Methods of investigation are best
26 Term 3 Apr - Jun 2022
Class Time