Sharing Good Practice left open : I have had students take incredible initiative , interviewing university professors or scouring 17th century recipe books . Give freedom too in the finished product , whether writing a traditional essay , building a model in Minecraft , or creating a selfsustaining aquarium . Ask students to choose which 21st century skill they want to hone , then let them decide whether they work independently or collaborate with peers .
Choice creates the space to explore and builds skills by using curiosity as a vehicle .
Reflect with Metacognitive Strategies
Enhance extension with metacognitive and self-regulation techniques . Classroom practice regularly requires pupils to reflect on their own progress against targets and engage in the direction of their learning . Throughout a differentiated task , or at the conclusion of a project , invite students to think about their thinking . How could they have approached the task differently ? What learning strategies were the most effective and why ? What is the significance of this investigation ?
Metacognitive skills challenge students to transfer understanding from one context to another , making links between different subjects .
Multifaceted Identification
Identification of high ability pupils is key to effective planning and monitoring progress . Empowering departments is vital . There is more utility for teachers in creating subject specific lists as opposed to following whole school cut offs - a gifted mathematician has different skills than a gifted artist . Confining identification to a single criterion , like a cognitive ability test or exam result misses so many students out . Identification is used for setting those high targets . Assessing ability using multiple criteria and triangulation is key .
Renzulli ’ s Three Ring Conception of Giftedness looks at above average ability ( whether in tests , portfolio work or leadership ), creativity ( outof-the-box thinking in any subject )
and task commitment ( a cluster of traits like resilience , organisation and perseverance ). This also recognizes that ability is not forever fixed , these attributes can be cultivated in all students .
Create Whole School Models
Whole school enrichment models create ethos and set the tone for teachers and students . I recommend having a dedicated enrichment coordinator . By having an enthusiastic teacher drive enrichment , there is consistency from subject-to-subject , year group-to-year group , to improve the student experience in and out of the classroom . A curated co-curricular offering , compliments extension in the classroom . In a post-COVID era where extracurricular provision was effectively shut down , rebuilding and reimagining these programs is especially pertinent . A coordinator can cast an eye to fill gaps , create interest groupings , initiate cross-curricular opportunities , and track participation rates . Programs go beyond extracurriculars and can include pullout or after-school sessions , subject acceleration classes , formal qualification opportunities , mini-EPQs , mentoring and coaching , launch labs , fairs , competitions and conferences .
While schools can choose which enrichment activities work for them , it is important that programs be implemented with equity in mind . Enrichment is for everyone and should be accessible to all students .
Empower Inclusion Departments
Inclusion tends to focus on SEN / EAL , with little provision for , or remit over , a school ’ s more able pupils . These departments have the power to guide progress through individual education plans and personalised learning pathways . Additionally , this larger ownership can better support twice exceptional students - we are less likely to see high ability when it is masked by another learning need like dyslexia . Having teachers look in different places for learning accommodations , creates unnecessary barriers . We can utilise existing communication and organisational structures . High ability lists and accommodations can be made accessible to teachers in the same way and on the same platforms as SEN and EAL .
High ability pupils should appear proportionately across ethnicity and gender , this requires tracking whole school data and introducing interventions for groups in need . All of this can be done in collaboration with inclusion departments , underlining a school ’ s fundamental approach to stretching all students .
Show off and Dazzle
Celebrating success makes enrichment visible and builds a culture that takes the lid off learning . It is delightful to showcase the extraordinary accomplishments of students . This can be through virtual and classroom display , assembly presentations , awards or student fairs . Promote enrichment to parents and community , highlight success on social media , create exhibition evenings for extensions projects , make a fuss to incentivise engagement . Make extension tangible through effort grade descriptors , and explicitly mention the extension skills demonstrated in reports - creative , evaluative , investigative .
Given the opportunity students will knock our socks off .
In Conclusion
Now is the time to reimagine our approach to giftedness , not as a bracket of students , but as an inclusive environment to be cultivated , fostering challenge and exploration . Extension and enrichment can work together to capture the dynamism of our pupils . Using a combination of these strategies , schools can create the conditions in which a rising tide lifts all boats .
Morgan Whitfield has taught in schools across Canada , the UK and the United Arab Emirates . Morgan has been a Head of Humanities , Head of Scholars and Head of Sixth Form , and she finds that all roads lead to enrichment . Morgan has designed bespoke scholars ’ programmes , explored everyday extension in the classroom , completed action research on enrichment programs , and created whole-school interventions for high ability students .
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