Learning Forum Gifted and Talented

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Learning Forum - Gifted and Talented
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The Background
Past littered with research and reports, 1975 -
77 HMI surveys on National provision. !981
Schools Council project on gifted pupils. 1988
National Curriculum - No mention of GT but no
coherent government drive until 1998 First Gov
White Paper to mention GT Freeman conducts
survey for OFSTED on international research 1999
House of Commons inquiry into highly able
launch of Excellence in Cities programme.
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What are we looking for?
Stereotype - GCSE Maths at 8
University at 14 Socially
weak, introverted, awkward.
DFES say - this is a disparate group of
indeterminate size
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• There are various views of what constitutes high
  ability.
• Education Select Committee agreed a list of
  reasonable consensus
• Great intellectual curiosity
• Ability to learn easily and readily
• Initiative and originality in intellectual work
• Ability to memorise quickly
• Superior powers of reasoning.

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Butarent these the characteristics of someone
who will do well in our traditional education
system? Is this definition self-perpetuating?
Challenges to the notion of IQ and the
quantifying of intelligence have been supported
by new brain science. Multiple Intelligence
theories prompt a wider view and the Beckham
problem.
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Gardners Intelligences
How many of these does Beckham demonstrate? Verbal
-linguistic logical-mathematical
visual-spatial musical/rhythmic-auditory
bodily-kinesthetic interpersonal interpersonal
naturalist. Gardner defines an intelligence as
The ability to solve problems, or create
products, that are valued within one or more
cultural settings. The brain has a number of
intelligence centres, the key to effective
learning lies in unlocking these centres.
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Quote from a secondary heads evidence to the
select committee If children are able in every
subject area then, in my own school, we are
talking about 2 per cent. If you take multiple
intelligences and then identify the children,
then you are talking of a group in excess of 30
per cent of the school population, sometimes as
high as 40 per cent. Committee concluded The
search for a precise definition might distract
schools from finding ways to meet the needs of
our most able children.
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• We can agree..
• We are talking about a large cohort
• It will have overlapping groups within it
• All-round ability, or ability in one area of
  intelligence could extend to 30 - 40
• The very able might constitute 5
• The exceptionally able 2
• Prodigies a tiny handful, 0.01

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• Freemans international research findings (1998)
• Memory and knowledge
• Self-regulation
• Speed of thought
• Dealing with problems
• Flexibility
• Preference for complexity
• Concentration
• Early symbolic activity

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Conclusion

• We need to
• Address teaching and learning strategies
• Manage and develop the learning culture.

• Next step
• Faculties nominate contact person.
• Draft whole College policy
• Draft faculty policies