Grouping for Supporting Gifted Students from Disadvantaged Backgrounds

Gifted children are those children in the school environ who show the potential of better performance in various sectors such as the leadership qualities, academically and creativity among the gifted students is always at the highest levels. However, these gifted students usually require special treatment to develop and enhance on such potentiality among them (Borg, 2015). Thus it is essential to note that not all gifted children typically excel in the sector of academics but also another area outside the class. A child is considered to be gifted if the intellectual ability of the child is of the close proximity of 130 or more. Therefore not all children who are deemed to be gifted are useful in the academic sector. The gifted children to be precise, are usually all-around and do well in all most all areas

  However, gifted children have more advanced and developed skills compared to their peers. It is vital for educators to know that giftedness in some occasions, comes up with particular learning differences which have effects on the performance of the children at school. It is thus very crucial to aid a child in the development of their talents and also go through any challenges that may be faced (García, Johnson, Seltzer & Valdés, 2017). In some instances, it is advised that the child attend a special institution or a professional program which is set aside particularly for the gifted children. This is essential in the bringing close of the required academic, psychological and resources support thereby helping the gifted child to maximize the potential in school.

Teachers have come up with particular strategies and efforts towards ensuring that they deal with the needs of the gifted children. Teachers achieve this by advancing the nature of what is being taught in the classroom, how the content is explained and the way the gifted students illustrate their learning. Five key strategies should be applied in the learning environments of the gifted students in the primary setting especially those from the disadvantaged backgrounds.

Teaching Strategies to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds

Grouping is essential for supporting gifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds such as those from the poverty-stricken homes. This is because the gifted children will feel accepted and more precious as they are also human beings. The gifted children tend to compare their lifestyles relative to the usual children (Zeidner & Matthews, 2017). The disadvantaged children usually know very well that their capability in life differs with that of other children. Since this may bring about a feeling of depression by thinking thus a defection with themselves. The teacher should group the gifted children from the disadvantaged background to illustrate to the children that they are normal only that they can learn quickly and quickly hence providing a chance for the gifted students to learn and socialize with the same minded children.

The teacher should be flexible with time. The children from non-English speaking group have to be treated in regards to being flexible with time sequence. Being adaptive to the time in which the children in the early childhood setting enhances their skills. Since the gifted children might require more time to delve on interest of their own (Cross, 2017). The teacher should aid the gifted children in the in-depth exploration of a concept that the children are willing to master quickly. The time usage should be scheduled in such a way that it favors the activities of the gifted child in whatsoever the case.

Flexibility with Time

The teacher should increase the levels of challenges and complexity for the children from disadvantaged backgrounds in order to stimulate them effectively such as the Aboriginal children. This is done by facilitation of the jigsaw puzzles and books which address a comprehensive view of problems that may be facing the gifted children (Capern & Hammond, 2014). The teacher should use this material for observing gifted children and interacting with the gifted children to identify the scope of the gifted children’ understanding. It is crucial for the educator to familiarize the children with the challenges and inquiries in all the application means that tend to support the children to continue understanding more

The children from the disadvantaged background such as those from non-English speaking group should be stimulated on their thinking levels. This should be focused on children in the early childhood setting. The teacher should support the reflection of the gifted children by asking them questions which are very open, and the issues should be consistent (Morrissey & Grant, 2017). The teacher can also strategize by applying the former questions when the gifted child is playing with fellow children in the field or in an instance of book sharing and a game that is interactive to both parties. The teacher has to invite the gifted children in specific tasks which enable the gifted children to always come up with something new that is totally different from the initial, make an analysis, a clear evaluation of what is really required and applying the required understanding of how something is done in the most proper manner .

Moreover, the teacher should explore learning games and other materials collaboratively in order to advance the learning of the children from disadvantaged backgrounds.. The teacher has  to deal appropriately with the gifted children by the use of the newly arrived digital resources, puzzles and the songs has to be swift in exploring the learning games. These are usually open to the gifted children to advance in their learning by raising the levels. This is to provide also fun to the gifted child (Roberge, Losey & Wald, 2015). This is a very crucial strategy towards the developing of the skills by the gifted student in the primary setting from disadvantaged backgrounds. This strategy is aimed at activating the moods and attitude of the gifted child towards the enhancement of more skills and knowledge in the learning process (Inman & Kirchner, 2016). This encourages the skilled individual to be more judgmental in the solving of problems, enhance the oral communication skills and critical thinking is developed by the student. Moreover, there is an addition of skills which are key in the self-management aspect among the gifted children

The beneficial of pedagogical practices improving the quality of gifted education for young children

Suitable pedagogical practices are essential in the improvement for the quality of the gifted children in the early childhood setting and primary setting. Proper pedagogical practices ensure that various children get access to activities and information which tend to develop their capabilities more. The educational practices by the educators towards the shaping of their strategies and means of passing information and the elaboration of needs of students is critical thus has to be more effective.

Increasing the Levels of Challenges and Complexity

Motivating the gifted children in the primary setting. Intrinsic motivation is critical in towards improving the potentiality of the gifted child. Intrinsic motivation is usually more cognitive as it originates from within the gifted children in the primary sector. However, some gifted individuals are usually motivated extrinsically. This is where the motivation towards them is from the external environment. For this case, the children are fully aware of what the other people have in their thoughts regards to their perspective (Houseal, Abd?El?Khalick & Destefano, 2014). Therefore an extrinsic gifted child would want to ensure that his presentation earns the accolades. Here the student wishes to impress the essential people watching the performance. The perceptive teachers, therefore, have to identify the work of the gifted children from intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and thus provide the necessary support and encouragements as the gifted learners usually move to higher niches regarding their current situation.

Increasing the perceived value of the gifted children in the early childhood setting. The teachers should ensure that the quality of the gifted children is enhanced by increasing the values of the instructions that are meant to accord the student the choices of how to present their works. This is achievable through the generation of a table menu of more innovative and creative presentation formats such as posters and plays. Another fundamental way of increasing the instructional value in the student’s view is to have a vital intended audience for the project that is already completed (Blau, Peled & Nusan, 2016). Thus the teacher has to respond to the needs of the gifted children by arranging a formal presentation to the local authorities as the children want some backups as their insights mean to other parties.

Utilizing the learning contracts to the gifted children from the disadvantaged backgrounds in the primary setting. The pedagogical practice in important in ensuring that the gifted individual to explore the topics which are more related. The teacher is responsible for generating an assessment for the strategized curriculum and then proceed with offering contracts to those gifted children who excel well in academics by scoring more than 85% in the tests (Sana & Adhikary, 2017). The teacher can go ahead and meet the students as a group on the contract and provide further teachings to them on active workings on a regular basis to get the required feedback and help the students to advance the strategies and be independent in the pursuit of their enrichment materials.

Involvement in community projects of the gifted children in the primary setting. The teachers have to ensure that the children in the primary setting participate in part of the community projects (Duguet, 2015). This is key in the improvement of the community life element and in the solving of problems that may face the community. However, the teacher should emphasize on the little beautification of the students project in a manner that the school program is well established for other students also and not only the gifted children

Stimulating Thinking Levels

The teachers should use technology to make other parties in the educational practices be in action when supporting children in the early childhood setting. The teacher should enhance the interconnectivity with the gifted children through the incorporation of more advanced technology (Van-Manen, 2016). The teacher should utilize the technological facilities to do quick searches which will aid in the research of suitable practice that supports the teaching. This will enable the educator to gain particular tips for the development of skills and knowledge. The work of the gifted student and also ensure that the connections with fellow teacher colleagues are intact so as to rely on them for some advice on the development of the skills of the gifted children in the curriculum.

The teacher should build collegiality to become a better teacher for the gifted child in the primary setting. Since teaching is more of an individual profession, the teacher has to play the role of ensuring collegiality since he is the only mature individual in the classroom with the students (Verplaetse & Migliacci, 2017). The teacher has to build intact relationships with the student to work together on a particular course for a specific period in the year. The teacher can achieve the collegiality by ensuring that he builds strong connections with the student. The relationships among the teacher should be positive in that it will enhance the success of the gifted children in their endeavors (Heritage, Walqui & Linquanti, 2015). This practice is vital as it puts a critical emphasis on the attitude of the gifted children. It will thus help in aiding the gifted children to restrain themselves from petty issues. This is an important practice towards the development of the abilities and potential of the gifted child. Thus the teacher should also attach himself to positively minded colleagues who will support him in the growing of the teaching practice of the gifted children

Conclusion

Gifted children only encompass around 5% to 15% of the whole school population. The categorization of gifted children diversifies from the low-socio-economic status. Some gifted children in the classroom usually have the trait if underperformance in various sectors of the classwork. These include the methods centralized and characterized by the teachers and IQ tests. The major reason for the underperformance however is due to poor teaching strategies (Berger, 2014). Effective strategies and practices being put in place will enhance the gifted children who are disadvantaged into setting their long term goals and short term goals and work hard towards achieve their goals. The teachers have to ensure that the self-belief does not control the students as it will lead into the children filing due to the poor management of tasks assigned by the teachers to the children. They have potentials in almost all sectors of the learning activities. The gifted children should thus be accorded an environment that stimulates the needs of the child in the school curriculum.

References

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