Understanding the Needs of Gifted Children: Issues and Challenges Dr. Jyoti Sharma Cluster Innovation Centre University of Delhi jyotisharma/01May 2017
Claim Gifted students are a special population Learning needs of gifted students are not met effectively in regular classrooms Gifted students are excluded from main stream education Education provisions in India are not designed to meet the learning demands of gifted students jyotisharma/02/June/2016
What Does Gifted Students Possess ? jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Highlights Potential to run extra mile Learning behavior unusual as compare to average peer group Aware of their unusual closeness to the subject Potentials as missed opportunities are converted into challenges Struggling on their own to understand their problems and find the solutions Education system is either unaware or unprepared to meet their challenges jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Highlights Such students demonstrate clues of their exceptionality in many exceptional ways Within the group, they are a heterogeneous community All such cases are known as children with high potentials; learners with Advanced learning needs or Gifted Students jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Gifted Child Chronological peer group jyotisharma/02/June/2016
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Non-Academic jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Masked or hidden potential jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Issues with Gifted Education Potentially gifted children (Talent Pool) 13- 15% Significantly Gifted Children 3-5 % Exceptionally Gifted Children 0.1-1% jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Common traits of gifted child Learn faster Think or process more deeply Requires less repetition/practice Quick recall Large memory Connect thread of knowledge together from different domains jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Difference between a Bright child and Gifted child Bright child Gifted child Is interested Is highly curious Answers the questions Discusses in details Knows the answers Ask questions Top set Beyond the group Is alert Is keen observant Has good ideas Has unusual ideas Teacher pleasure Speaks own mind Understands ideas Construct ideas Enjoys school Enjoys learning Grasps meaning Draws inferences Enjoys straightforward sequence of Thrives for leaning challenging problems jyotisharma/02/June/2016
When you have a gifted child in your school Role of Teacher jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Handing Gifted Child Top to Bottom Approach Grass root level Approach jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Issues with Gifted Child Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened curiosity create learning demands & experiences that are qualitatively different from the norm. These unique traits make them vulnerable and requires modification in teaching, parenting and counselling. jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Myths about Gifted Children They are so bright that they don’t need any help They can manage all issues on their own They are highly mature so they can deal with stress They can be engaged with other responsibilities to keep them busy They shall be assigned responsibilities to help weak students to balance their time jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Issues with Gifted Children Surviving in a society that does not recognize, understand, welcome or foster giftedness Unchallenged academic environment lead to boredom, frustration and disruptive behavior. Lack of goals, motivation, direction can make them underachievers Feel pressured to live up to the expectations of parents, teachers and other significant adults in their lives jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Cognitive issues Running faster than their peer make them lone runner Unconventional thinking make them subject to criticism or fun Un-satisfied when cognitive needs are not met Struggle to confine their urge for higher knowledge to be accepted by peer group jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Psychological and social issues More prone to depression Emotional intensity Heightened sensitivity Feeling different from others Perfectionist Social isolation Peer relation issue Old age peer vs same age peer jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Issues with Gifted Child Low self esteem Often set unrealistic standards for themselves Get irritated with peer who don’t understand their idea Difficulty in trusting others • Real sense of failure and become school refuses • Difficulty in solving inner conflict • Withdraw their giftedness or high level creativity if feel threatened • Dislike drill/practice work jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Other contributing factors Inappropriate parenting Burden of expectations from self and others Personality conflict Behavioral issues Dual or multiple exceptionality jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Why school counselor School counselors are uniquely qualified to provide assistance in academic, social and personal domains of a child Open and trusting relation with child Monitor progress of child Work collabratelvy with child, school and parent jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Role of T eacher High ability may not always translate into insightful career planning They need special assistance in planning their future High ability in multiple domains, find it difficult to narrow their career choice leading to delay in career decision making Time appropriate and specific career planning at an early age jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Role of T eacher Loose focus due to unchallenging learning environment Keep Motivating them with more and more challenging task Planning enrichment and accelerated curriculum planning Monitor their academic progress for modifying curriculum requirement jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Role of T eacher Lack self confidence due to their unusual way of thinking Create opportunities to appreciate their divergent way of thinking Help teachers to understand and appreciate creativity Assess them on well known standardized tests of intelligence and creativity jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Role of T eacher Look forward to meet cognitively appropriate peer group Allow them to mix with older peer group who are cognitively at their level Convince schoolsfor above grade placement Engage them in project learning at higher grade level jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Role of T eacher Heightened potential in one domain may be overshadow by limitation in some other domain Identify specific learning, emotional and social needs Focus on both kinds of needs Design intervention for one and enrichment for other jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Role of T eacher Children from disadvantaged background are mostly ignored Take clues from their everyday behavior in multiple school setting Create contexts where their gifted behaviors are easily demonstrated Foster their gifts by providing additional hand- holding jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Role of T eacher Provide them leadership role Show faith in their heightened potential Periodic assessment is must Be objective in your approach Provide them Emotional Scaffolding Be a support to them so that they can share their problems jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Child Increasing his/her true potentials • Channelizing his/her strength • • Fostering his/her self esteem Engaging in creative task • Conducting time bound assessments • Adjusting with peers • Creative opportunities outside classroom • • Connecting with older peer of same interest Patiently listening to his/her worries and helping • them out jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Parents • Make them aware about the potentials of the their • ward • Sensitize them with unique learning needs • Keeping them grounded • Guiding them on how to support the child • Sound them of the challenges with a gifted child • Educate them about services and opportunities • available for such children • Continuously guiding them to make a balance between expectations and healthy parenting jyotisharma/02/June/2016
School Administration • Bring to their notice • Update school about the progress/limitations of such children • Ask them to create opportunities • Convince them to create flexible opportunities/options • Guide them to set up resources • Counsel them to be grounded and let the gifts blossom jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Self • Update yourself with latest research & practice • Link with higher/research institutes • Involve in small scale research • Develop database and analysis it • Upgrade your skills and knowledge through professional development programs • Member of professional bodies engaged in related work jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Some facts to consider There are some programs/ schemes that focus on Academically Bright Students but these are limited only in Science and Mathematics. Some of the programs are: NTSE INSPIRE KVPY OLYMPAIDS jyotisharma/02/June/2016
Identification and Assessment Intelligence T est Creativity T est Aptitude T est Achievement T est Personality T ests Motivation Scales jyotisharma/02/June/2016
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