Module II Special Education- Curriculum for the Gifted

Curriculum has been defined in many ways by the educationists. The term ‘curriculum’ has been
derived from a Latin word ‘currere’ which means a ‘race-course’ or a runway on which one runs
to reach a goal. Accordingly, a curriculum is the instructional and the educative program by
following which the pupils achieved their goals, ideals and aspirations of life.

Wolery (1983) defined it as an organized description of what to teach. It should also include
basic strategies and activities for teaching. But the primary emphasis of a curriculum definition is
generally on what to teach.

"A curriculum is all of the experiences that individual learners have in program of education
whose purpose is to achieve broad goals and related specific objectives, which is planned in
terms of framework of theory and research or past and present Professional Practice" (Glen Hass,
1987).

Vincent, (1988) has aptly described curriculum as a “road map” – a tool that helps us know the
structural objectives and teaching strategies.

According to Kelly, (1999), curriculum is negatively viewed as a “syllabus which may limit the
planning of teachers to a consideration of the content or the body of knowledge they wish to
transmit or a list of the subjects to be taught or both”. In other words, simply convey subject
knowledge is insufficient to be an effective curriculum.

But in the Hong Kong Yearbook published in the year of 2006, curriculum is more positive in
nature, which could achieve the objective of motivating learning, enhancing knowledge and
abilities and developing positive values or even attitudes. These elements could help achieve
whole-person development of students. These two ideas are polarized, yet they are not
contradicted with each other in a sense that they just view curriculum in either macro or micro
level.

In the past, the second name of curriculum was ‘course of studies’. This term was considered to
be a program related to various subjects only. As a matter of fact, this viewpoint was a static-
view which emphasized only the text book knowledge or factual information. In those it was
correct because the main objective of education was to help the learner to memorize the contents.
Furthermore, curriculum was a body of preserved factual knowledge to be transmitted from the
teacher to the pupils and mastered by them through memorization, recitation and drills; and to be
reproduced on the demand of the teacher. The traditional curriculum was subject-centered while
the modern curriculum is child and life-centered or student centered. Curriculum is now
considered to be a broad cumulative and comprehensive term including all the curricular and co-
curricular activities. It is the totality of all the learning activities to which we are exposed during
study, i.e. classroom experiences, laboratory, library, playgrounds, school building, study tours
associations with parents and community. Now, it is more than the textbooks and more than the
subject matter selected for a particular class. Modern education is the combination of two
dynamic processes. The one is the process of individual development and the other is the process
of socialization, which is economically known as adjustment with the social environment.

In short, curriculum is a series of potential experiences, set-up in educational institutions for the
reason of disciplining the learners in desirable ways of thinking of the concerned society.

Differentiated Curriculum

Differentiated curriculum is one that is individualized to meet the diverse needs of all of the
students in one class. According to Winebrenner (1996), equality means giving everyone equal
opportunities to learn, not teaching everyone in exactly the same way. If implemented
appropriately, differentiation does not have to mean more work for the teacher. In fact, it will
allow a teacher to spend his or her time more efficiently with a greater number of students. In the
words of Tomlinson (1999), curriculum differentiation for all students as “ensuring that what a
student learns, how he/she learns, and how the student demonstrates what he/she has learned is a
match for that student’s readiness level, interests, and preferred mode of learning.” This implies
a commitment to accommodating individual learner characteristics. That commitment is also
evident in the sets of principles of high quality curriculum for general and gifted education
derived from general and gifted education literature. Flexibility “to account for student
differences,” a theme common to high quality curriculum in both general and gifted education, is
operationalized in practice as curriculum differentiation. Students with special needs are
provided for in many educational settings. They range from students who are formally
undiagnosed but are identified as having a particular learning difficulty to those who are
immobile, lack functional communication skills, and need specialist, multi-disciplinary
interventions to realize their potential. These are the students who were previously labeled as
“mentally handicapped”. However, students who have a general learning disability display a
wide range of abilities, learn in different ways, and are motivated differently. Like students in
any typical primary or Junior High school class, their learning potential should be recognized
and be developed as fully as possible. Such students are entitled to access to a full educational
experience, but the pathways they need to take and the time they need to achieve this may be
different from many of their mainstream peers. However, the aim will be the same: the
realization of their full potential as unique human beings, both now and in the future. Although
some students will require detailed, individualized programs of work, these programs should not
isolate students from the class group, from the benefits of co-operative learning, or from the
educational opportunities available to their mainstream peers. They need a flexible and diverse
range of provision in location, curriculum, teaching approaches, and assessment and certification
options. Developing educational approaches that are appropriate for each student will require the
involvement not only of teachers and other professionals but of students and their parents in the
development of any adaptations, enhancements or elaborations of content and methodology that
will make their educational experience relevant and meaningful. Although the notion of
differentiation has appeared the education literature since the 1950s, it has gained greater
significance and attention as the diversity of students in today’s classrooms has increased
(Tomlinson, 1999).

Teachers can differentiate at least four classroom elements based on student readiness, interest,
or learning profile: (1) content—what the student needs to learn or how the student will get
access to the information; (2) process—activities in which the student engages in order to make
sense of or master the content; (3) products culminating projects that ask the student to rehearse,
apply, and extend what he or she has learned in a unit; and (4) learning environment—the way
the classroom works and feels (Tomlinson, 1999). Every learning activity in a curriculum is
composed of four elements: content, process, product and learning environment.

In developing the curriculum, societal needs one of the elements in curriculum development. The
societal needs are then incorporated into the content (what to teach). The content of curriculum is
the new knowledge, skills, behaviors and attitudes to be learned in the activity. According to
Curriculum Research and Development Division (CRDD, 2007), the content column of the
syllabus presents a selected body of information that you (teacher) will need to use in teaching
each particular unit. Again, it states that, the content presented is quite comprehensive. Content
can be drawn from one discipline (subject) or it may be interdisciplinary (colonial life – social
studies, language, arts, math, science). Content includes curriculum topics, concepts, or themes,
reflects state or national standards, and presents essential facts and skills (Tomlinson & Allan,
2000).

The content in any discipline may be in the form of facts, concepts, procedures, principles,
generalizations, theories, strategies, heuristics, actions, meanings, emotions, etc. The concept
inclusion, where students are in the same classroom participating in the teaching and learning
process and getting access to the same content in the curriculum will be of help to them since
they will in the same society. However, with regards to ability or aptitudes of special needs
students especially those with severe impairment, sensory impairment and others with physical
disabilities accessing the content in the syllabus will be a challenge to them. In the words of
Bursztyn (2007), differentiated instruction supports the inclusion of all students, as teachers
consider differences in student ability and learning styles to be attributes of diversity rather than
identified characteristics used to sort and segregate students. When student both those with
disabilities and the non-disabled are differentiated in the mode of adapting to the curriculum will
be of help to them. To differentiate, teachers should use hands on’ activities for some learners to
help them understand a new idea, texts or novels at more than one reading level, present
information through both whole to-part and part-to-whole, use a variety of reading-buddy
arrangements to support and challenge students when working with different texts, re-teach
students who need further demonstration or exempt students who already demonstrate, mastery
from reading a chapter or sitting through a re-teaching lesson, use texts, computer programs, tape
recordings and videos as a way of conveying key concepts to varied, learners use Bloom’s
Taxonomy to encourage thinking about content at several levels use.

To differentiate process, Tomlinson and Allan (2000), have suggested the use tiered activities
through which all learners work on building the same important understandings and skills but
proceed with different levels of support, challenge or complexity, provide interest centers that
encourage students to explore subsets of class topics that are of particular interest to them,
develop personal agendas (task lists written by the teacher and containing both ‘common’ work
for the whole class and work that addresses the individual needs of learners) to be completed
either during specified ‘agenda time’ or if students complete core work ahead of time, offer‘
hands-on’ supports for students who need them, vary the length of time a student may take to
complete a task in order to provide additional support for a struggling learner or to encourage an
advanced learner to pursue a topic in greater depth and use flexible grouping to group and
regroup students, for example according to content, ability, interests.

Products of learning experiences communicate the substance of what has been learned. Bright
and gifted students should be expected produce evidence in which they demonstrate their
potential and their growth in understanding. Assessment criteria and procedures should clearly
communicate this expectation. The environment in which students learn has physical and
psychological features can be enhanced to increase the benefits of differentiating the contents,
processes and products learning. Pierangelo, and Giuliani (2008) assert a very important option
when working with children with special needs is to offer options that take into account learning
style, modality strengths (e.g. Visual learner), age, developmental motor skills, and attention
span. To differentiate the learning environment: the teacher has to make sure there are places in
the room to work quietly and without distraction as well as places that invite student
collaboration, provide materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home settings, set out clear
guidelines for independent work that matches individual needs, develop routines that allow
students to get help when teachers are busy with other students and cannot, help them
immediately.

Approaches to Curriculum Transaction

Approach to curriculum is a design for deciding the various aspects of curriculum development
and transaction. It is a planned or pattern of organization that the teachers follow in providing
learning experiences to the learners.

Activity-Centered Curriculum: Some experts view curriculum "as various forms of activity that
are grand expression of the human spirit and that are of the greatest and most permanent
significance to the wide world". According activity-centered curriculum students should learn by
engaging themselves in various activities which is desirable and purposeful. It stresses the
practical aspects of life. Emphasis is given on "learning by doing" and "learning by relating to
life". Laboratory work and field work are given more importance. Activity-centered curriculum
may consist of activities such as making a dress, constructing a box, building a miniature house,
etc. The activities become the focus (rather than the fixed content), which are intended to achieve
the pre-stipulated objectives.

Learner-Centered Curriculum: In learner-centered curriculum, the learner occupies the central

position in the teaching-learning exercise. Stress is given on the all-round development of the
learner. Provision is made for the varying abilities and interests of learners. They have choices
and options to fulfill their needs and interests. The learner-centered curriculum is based on the
psychological foundations of education. Subject-matter and objectives are identified with the
cooperation of or in collaboration with the learner. Importance is given to the 'process' of
acquiring knowledge or facts, rather than simple acquisition of knowledge. Attempt is made to
orient selection of content and teaching-learning towards every individual child, based on his/her
abilities, interest, aptitude and learning styles.

Integrated Curriculum: Integrated curriculum involves judicious mix of subject-centered, learner-

centered and activity-centered curriculum. It enables the students to get a comprehensive view of
the concepts to be learnt. For example, a course like "History of Civilization" may be an
integrated curriculum representing history, literature, art, music, and sociology. The traditional
curriculum is too much formal, fragmented and isolated. As a result it fails to give a
comprehensive view of life. It does not lead to unity of knowledge. Introduction of integrated
curriculum overcomes such barriers.

Holistic Curriculum: The Holistic approach integrates all developmental areas in an environment
that is carefully designed to encourage discovery and exploration. Classroom materials allow
children to interact with the world familiar to them. A unifying project focus (theme) that is
interesting to the children connects learning experiences across all developmental areas to form a
developmental web. This integration of developmental areas results in children reaching higher
levels of thinking. This approach carefully balances the opportunity for children to initiate play
and learning activities and the responsibility of the teacher to optimize children's development by
challenging and supporting their learning.

A more authentic curriculum emerges when all developmental areas are creatively integrated in a
natural way rather than artificially inserting developmental activities for the sake of including
each area.

Enrichment approaches

Curriculum delivery and pedagogy should incorporate multitude of learning experiences so that
desired outcome of learning process through acquisition of skills and knowledge will result in
critical thinking, creativity and scientific temper among the students and transform them into
life-long learners and innovators. This is also essential for developing younger generation into
responsible citizens of the country with social sensitivity and general neutrality upholding values
while at the same time employable and successful in their career. Various pedagogies are
introduced to the students in order to make them learn easy and grasp the concept in a different
manner.

Education is the right of every child. Curriculum enrichment is absolutely vital and a dynamic
process to be meaningful in any educational system. As we are aware that no matter how good
the curriculum material is on paper and whatever theory or rationale that led to its development,
the teacher makes the difference and plays a critical role in making the curriculum come alive in
the classroom. It is also noteworthy that curriculum enrichment cannot take place in isolation or
in a vacuum without the involvement of classroom teachers. The responsibility rests on the
shoulders of teachers in shaping the destiny of students. The enrichment of curriculum means
giving it a greater value, by putting life into the overall education process. Enrichment describes
activities which schools and colleges provide in order to extend students' education beyond their
main course of study. The best session included opportunities for personal research, group
projects, practical work, creative expression, discussion and brain-storm. This method generally
adopted by the students and there is some evidence that increases their motivation. The
commitment to provide opportunities for broadening students' educational experience is
widespread throughout the further education sector. Successful enrichment programs enhance
students' life at school & college increase motivation, achievements and retention. Because of its
connection with higher education, curriculum models and methods in gifted education have gone
through rigorous research processes. There are a myriad of approaches to gifted education with
varying levels of commitment required by districts, schools, and teachers.

1) Interdisciplinary Instruction
Integrated or Interdisciplinary instruction is a teaching model that is gathering attention in general
education and special education circles. Rather than thinking of instruction and curriculum as
separate entities, Shoemaker, (1989) defined an integrated curriculum as education that is organized
in such a way that it cuts across subject-matter lines, bringing together various aspects of the
curriculum into meaningful association to focus upon broad areas of study. It views learning and
teaching in a holistic way and reflects the real world, which is interactive. In general, integrated
instruction is defined as flexible schedules and student groupings, relationships between ideas, a
blending of subjects, an emphasis on project-based learning, and use of thematic interdisciplinary
units to organize instruction (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2001).
Interdisciplinary instruction has many characteristics attractive to special education instruction. It
focuses on meaningful learning and skills that occur across content/curriculum and should assist
students in forming the associations needed for lifelong learning.
Engaging students and helping them to develop knowledge, insights, problem solving skills, self-
confidence, self-efficacy, and a passion for learning are common goals that educators bring to the
classroom, and interdisciplinary instruction and exploration promotes realization of these objectives.
Repko (2009) asserts that interdisciplinary instruction fosters advances in cognitive ability and other
educational researchers (Kavaloski 1979, Newell 1990, Field et al. 1994, Vess 2009) have identified
a number of distinct educational benefits of interdisciplinary learning including gains in the ability
to: Recognize bias, Think critically, Tolerate ambiguity, Acknowledge and appreciate ethical
concerns. These cognitive skills are crucial for high schools looking to transform learning and
prepare students for success after graduation.
Interdisciplinary Teaching Helps Students Uncover Preconceptions or Recognize Bias:
Interdisciplinary instruction allows us to understand our preconceptions of the available
knowledge and the framework by which we arrived at the available knowledge. It also fits with
recent advances in learning science about how to foster learning when students bring powerful
pre-existing ideas with them to the learning process. Bransford (2000) drawing on scientific
research findings from the fields of neuroscience, cognitive science, social psychology, and
human development asserts that interdisciplinary forms of instruction help students overcome a
tendency to maintain preconceived notions. This is accomplished by recognizing the source of
the preexisting understandings they arrive with, and by introducing students to subject matter
from a variety of perspectives that challenge their existing notions. Interdisciplinary instruction
accomplishes this goal in two ways: first, by helping students identifying insights from a range of
disciplines that contribute to an understanding of the issue under consideration; second, by
helping students develop the ability to integrate concepts and ideas from these disciplines into a
broader conceptual framework of analysis.

Interdisciplinary Teaching Helps Advance Critical Thinking and Cognitive Development

Interdisciplinary instruction helps students develop their cognitive abilities - brain-based skills
and mental processes that are needed to carry out tasks. Allen Repko (2009) identifies a number
of cognitive attributes that interdisciplinary learning fosters. He asserts that interdisciplinary
learning helps students to acquire Perspective-Taking Techniques (Baloche et al., 1996) - the
capacity to understand multiple viewpoints on a given topic. Students develop an appreciation of
the differences between disciplines on how to approach a problem and their discipline specific
rules regarding viable evidence. This leads to a broader understanding of the issue under
investigation. Students develop both structural declarative knowledge (factual information) as
well as procedural knowledge (process-based information). Each of these forms of knowledge
are needed to solve complex problems. It also integrates conflicting insights from alternative
disciplines.

Interdisciplinary Teaching Helps Students Tolerate or Embrace Ambiguity

Interdisciplinary instruction helps students understand that there are ethical dimensions to most
issues of concern. Ethical considerations entail moral concerns which mean accounting for
perceptions of right vs. wrong, good vs. bad, and the provision of justice.

Promotes Significant Learning

Significant Learning (Fink, 2003) takes place when meaningful classroom experiences occur.
According to Fink when teachers impart students with a range of skills, and insights about the
educational process that students will see as meaningful and salient to them, and they promote
student engagement in the learning process and greater learning occurs. Interdisciplinary
instruction fosters the acquisition of foundational knowledge, promotes integration of ideas from
multiple disciplines and provides insight on how to apply knowledge all of which advance a
student understanding of how to learn. Moreover, students are encouraged to account for the
contribution of disciplines that highlight the roles of caring and social interaction when analyzing
problems. Thus, the very structure of interdisciplinary learning is consistent with the core
features of significant learning, so students are expected to find interdisciplinary education
engaging and thus an effective way to advance their understanding of topics under investigation.

Prominent psychologist Howard Gardner (1983) established that students bring multiple forms of
intelligence to the learning process. As a result, given that students are heterogeneous in their
learning styles and have diverse backgrounds, interests, experiences, talents, and values, he
believes that drawing on a broad array of frameworks and methodologies will enhance student
engagement, and thus learning.

2) Independent Study
Independent Studies can take many forms. These opportunities are usually reserved for students who
have mastered grade level material and need some challenge and enrichment. In the early twenty-first
century, many courses delivered within a traditional format are expected to have some component of
independent study and to build independent learning skills. After the teacher has done a pre-
assessment of grade level material to ensure the student understands the necessary standards, the
student can then engage in an autonomous project guided by his or her interests. Younger students
will need to be taught research and organizational skills before embarking on an independent study.
Younger students may also need choices and more structured tasks.

Independent studies are very open-ended. They can be as long or short as you need them to be. They
can be about any subject matter or topic. The product that results from an independent study can be
almost anything. Independent studies are extremely easy to use in a regular classroom. The major
elements of independent study are the following:

• Individualized teaching and learning takes place through the student's activity.
• A tutorial relationship exists.
• Learning is made convenient for the student.
• The learner takes responsibility for progress.
Purposes and Goals of Independent Study

Successful independent study programs provide preparation for students and guidance along the way:

• Students are taught knowledge and skills that cannot easily be communicated in classrooms.
• As evaluated by exams, independent students learn at least as well as students in classes.
• Independent study provides useful practice in the process of learning.
• Independent study is viable when an educational institution is inaccessible to the learner.
• Independent study meets the convenience needs of many learners.
• Independent study develops self-motivation, concentration, and discipline.
• The learner is taught to identify a problem, gather data, and take responsibility for
conclusions.
• The learner does all the work and cannot slide by on the anonymity of group activity.
In the past independent study has too often been viewed as being synonymous with learning by doing
or with special term projects. Independent study needs to be viewed as an integral part of the total
process of learning in all fields. Each curricular area needs sequenced materials that enable students
to learn independently effectively. The materials first should describe the required outcomes in terms
that each student can understand. Concepts and skills should be defined in behavioral terms. For
example, if students are asked to research an issue through independent study, the exact parameters
of their project, depth and breadth, the types and numbers of sources, the form conclusions should
take, and the formats that may be used to present the results should be clearly spelled out, so that
each student will know precisely what the school expects. Each segment in the learning sequence
should provide a variety of learning activities that may be used to arrive at specified outcomes.
Pretests and self-tests that enable monitoring of learning and suggestions of some ways to study in
greater depth should be included. Motivation is enhanced by self-selection of learning strategies that
work well for individual students and by the immediate reinforcement of self-testing.
John Marlowe (2000) recommends that educators offering independent study to high school students
analyze individual needs, match needs to options, use a paper trail to manage each program, enlist
teacher support, guarantee academic rigor, and include some component that allows for students to
socialize. Schools may opt for these programs for use in enrichment programs, especially for students
in accelerated programs or those identified as gifted, for remediation, for use with students with
identified learning problems, or in place of summer school programs.

3. Internship
The internship is a preponderant element in the training in numerous study programs (Andrade, &
Mesquita, 2016) in the search to establish dialogues between its theoretical component and the
professional performance of the student in training. Thus, the internship is a suitable space for the
emergence of stressful situations of and in the learning that are expected to be capitalized in training
and reflection, either in the context of the pre-teaching profession (Parveen, & Mirza, 2012; Braga,
2015) or in other training contexts of approach to the professional practice (Gomes, & Santana, 2019;
Lopes et al., 2019). According to Braga (2015) the internship is an articulating activity of the study
program and should favor a creative and transformative practice.
Internships enable students to acquire skills, which cannot be learned in the classroom environment,
while employers obtain access to low-cost labor and reduced recruitment costs (Galloway et al.,
2014; Holyoak, 2013; Maertz et al., 2014). Interns develop interpersonal skills, team-working skills,
professionalism and customer management experience. Students also improve their communication,
confidence and self-efficacy.
Internships are traditionally core components of academic programs in the business, hospitality and
health fields. However, the use of internships in the science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) disciplines has expanded (Galloway et al., 2014). The following benefits of
internships for interns and host organizations are highlighted in the literature:
• Internships are useful for developing soft skills such as interpersonal skills, professionalism,
confidence and self-efficacy.
• Interpersonal skills are valued by employers (Holyoak, 2013).
• Internships were particularly useful for enhancing communication skills, team working, customer
service skills and creativity (Galloway et al., 2014).
• Internships have a positive impact on earnings (Gault et al., 2010).
• Internships provide useful labor at low cost to employers (Maertz et al., 2014).
• Recruitment and training costs can be reduced by employing interns (Dobratz et al., 2014).
• Internships have the potential to facilitate professional networking and knowledge sharing, but there
is little evidence that this has occurred.
• Knowledge sharing is more likely to occur if interns who join professional communities are assisted
by well–connected mentors who can help them integrate into the community (Holyoak, 2013).

Internships provide students with practical experience, which cannot be fully simulated in the
classroom (Elarde & Chong, 2012). Consequently, interns are better prepared to cope with the
challenges of the work environment and their job performance may be accelerated (Maertz et al.,
2014, p. 126). Moreover, internships provide students with the opportunity to apply the skills that
they learn in classroom settings in the world of work. What distinguishes an intern from a volunteer
is the deliberative form of learning that takes place (O’Neill, 2010).
Internships are useful for developing soft skills and interpersonal skills, such as professionalism,
cultural sensitivity, time management and integrity, that are not generally part of the formal tertiary
education curriculum (Holyoak, 2013; Shoenfelt et al., 2013). Accounting interns report that
interpersonal skills were the most important skill that they learned during their internship. Integrity
and professionalism were rated as the top skills required by employers. Furthermore, the opportunity
to acquire skills and experience through internships reinforces self-efficacy, which in turn influences
entrepreneurial intent (Shoenfelt et al., 2013, p. 2). Interns are given more responsibility and are
allowed to take ownership of the work allocated to them.
Both the internship and their university studies have contribution to their skills development and the
combination was effective in terms of enhancing both technical skills and problem solving skills.
Internships have also been perceived to be particularly effective in terms of enhancing
communication skills, team working, customer service skills and creativity, especially by employers
(Galloway et al., 2014).

4. Enrichment triad/revolving door model

Programs based on enrichment models and enrichment activities are the most commonly used
approach in gifted education. However, options based on enrichment are not as well supported
by research as are programs based on acceleration. Research on acceleration has provided strong
support for the benefits of acceleration in the area of mathematics; and the objectivity of the
variables being examined (e.g., math grades and math performance) has enabled researchers to
use powerful quantitative research designs. Research on variables associated with enrichment, on
the other hand, usually examine more complex student outcomes such as creativity, the quality of
student products, and the influence of process-training activities on subsequent applications to
real world problems.

The School-wide Enrichment Triad Model (SEM) evolved after 15 years of research and field
testing by both educators and researchers (Renzulli, 1988). It combined the previously developed
Enrichment Triad Model (Renzulli, 1977) with a more flexible approach to identifying high-
potential students called the Revolving Door Identification Model (Renzulli et al., 1981). In the
SEM, a talent pool of above-average ability/high-potential students is identified through a variety
of measures, including achievement tests, teacher nominations, assessment of potential for
creativity and task commitment, as well as alternative pathways of entrance (self-nomination,
parent nomination, etc.).
Informal and formal methods are used to create or identify students’ interests and to encourage
students further to develop and pursue these interests in various ways. Learning style preferences
assessed include projects, independent study, teaching games, simulations, peer teaching,
programmed instruction, lecture, drill and recitation, and discussion. Second, curriculum
compacting is provided to all eligible students; that is, the regular curriculum is modified by
eliminating portions of previously mastered content. This elimination or streamlining of
curriculum enables above-average students to avoid repetition of previously mastered work and
guarantees mastery while simultaneously finding time for more appropriately challenging
activities (Reis et al., 1992; Renzulli et al., 1982). Third, the Enrichment Triad Model offers
three types of enrichment experiences. Type I, II, and III Enrichment are offered to all students;
however, Type III Enrichment is usually more appropriate for students with higher levels of
ability, interest, and task commitment.

Type I enrichment is designed to expose students to a wide variety of disciplines, topics,

occupations, hobbies, persons, places, and events that would not ordinarily be covered in the
regular curriculum. In schools that use this model, an enrichment team consisting of parents,
teachers, and students often organizes and plans Type I experiences by contacting speakers,
arranging mini-courses, demonstrations, or performances, or by ordering and distributing films,
slides, videotapes, or other print or non-print media.

Type II enrichment consists of materials and methods designed to promote the development of
thinking and feeling processes. Some Type II training is general, and is usually carried out both
in classrooms and in enrichment programs. Training activities include the development of (a)
creative thinking and problem solving, critical thinking, and affective processes; (b) a wide
variety of specific learning how-to-learn skills; (c) skills in the appropriate use of advanced-level
reference materials; and (d) written, oral, and visual communication skills. Other Type II
enrichment is specific, as it usually involves advanced methodological instruction in an interest
area selected by the student.

Type III enrichment involves students who become interested in pursuing a self-selected area
and are willing to commit the time necessary for advanced content acquisition and process
training in which they assume the role of a first-hand inquirer. The goals of Type III enrichment
include:

• providing opportunities for applying interests, knowledge, creative ideas and task
commitment to a self-selected problem or area of study,
• acquiring advanced level understanding of the knowledge (content) and methodology
(process) that are used within particular disciplines, artistic areas of expression and
interdisciplinary studies,
• developing authentic products that are primarily directed toward bringing about a desired
impact upon a specified audience,
 • developing self-directed learning skills in the areas of planning, organization, resource
utilization, time management, decision making, and self-evaluation, and
• developing task commitment, self-confidence, and feelings of creative accomplishment.

5. Curriculum compacting programs Acceleration approach

Curriculum Compacting is an element of the School-wide Enrichment Approach to Gifted
Education, but is a valuable resource outside the context of the School-wide Enrichment Model.
Curriculum compacting is not limited to students identified as "gifted," but is open to all who
show need. Curriculum Compacting is an instructional technique that is specifically designed to
make appropriate curricular adjustments for students in any curricular area and at any grade
level. Essentially, the procedure involves - (1) defining the goals and outcomes of a particular
unit or segment of instruction, (2) determining and documenting which students have already
mastered most or all of a specified set of learning outcomes, and (3) providing replacement
strategies for material already mastered through the use of instructional options that enable a
more challenging and productive use of the student’s time.
The system of curriculum compacting, then, is the adjustment of regular curriculum to meet the
rigor needs of students who are not challenged by regular classwork. Renzulli, and Reis (1986)
state the objective of curriculum compacting as follows: modifying the regular curriculum in
order to eliminate repetition of previously mastered material, upgrade the challenge level of the
regular curriculum, and provide time for appropriate enrichment and/or acceleration activities
while ensuring mastery of basic skills. A key point to distinguish is that curriculum compacting
is not meant to eliminate the regular curriculum in classrooms, but first to ensure proficiency,
then to move beyond that curriculum to more challenging curricular pursuits.

How to Use the Compacting Process?

Defining Goals and Outcomes: The first of three phases of the compacting process consists of
defining the goals and outcomes of a given unit or segment of instruction. This information is
readily available in most subjects because specific goals and outcomes usually can be found in
teachers’ manuals, curriculum guides, scope-and-sequence charts and curricular frameworks that
are emerging in connection with outcome based education models. Teachers examine these
objectives to determine which objectives represent the acquisition of new content or thinking
skills as opposed to reviews or practice of material that has previously been taught. A major goal
of this phase of the compacting process is to help teachers make individual programming
decisions; a larger professional development goal is to help teachers be better analysts of the
material they are teaching and better consumers of textbooks and prescribed curricular material.

Identifying Candidates for Compacting: The second phase of Curriculum Compacting is

identifying students who have already mastered the objectives or outcomes of a unit or segment
of instruction that is about to be taught. This first step of this phase consists of estimating which
students have the potential to master new material at a faster than normal pace. Knowing one’s
students is, of course, the best way to begin the assessment process. Scores on previous tests,
completed assignments, and classroom participation are the best ways of identifying highly
likely candidates for compacting. The second step of identifying candidates consists of finding or
developing appropriate tests or other assessment techniques that can be used to evaluate specific
learning outcomes. Unit pre-tests, or end-of-unit tests that can be administered as pretests are
ready made for this task, especially when it comes to the assessment of basic skills. An analysis
of pretest results enables the teacher to document proficiency in specific skills, and to select
instructional activities or practice material necessary to bring the student up to a high level on
any skill that may need some additional reinforcement.

Providing Acceleration and Enrichment Options: The final phase of the compacting process can
be one of the most exciting aspects of teaching because it is based on cooperative decision
making and creativity on the parts of both teachers and students. Efforts can be made to gather
enrichment materials from classroom teachers, librarians, media specialists, and content area or
gifted education specialists. These materials may include self-directed learning activities,
instructional materials that focus on particular thinking skills, and a variety of individual and
group project oriented activities that are designed to promote hands on research and investigative
skills. The time made available through compacting provides opportunities for exciting learning
experiences such as small group, special topic seminars that might be directed by students or
community resource persons, community based apprenticeships or opportunities to work with a
mentor, peer tutoring situations, involvement in community service activities, and opportunities
to rotate through a series of self-selected mini-courses.

Though curriculum compacting takes time and energy on the parts of both teachers and students,
the process is adaptable to any school configuration or curricular framework, and it is flexible
enough to be used within the context of rapidly changing approaches to general education.

6. Advanced placement
The classes are modeled on regular courses and meant to represent the difficulty and breadth of
material that students are expected to handle. A teacher’s responsibility in Advanced Placement
(AP) is critical to promoting the academic talent development process in gifted adolescents and
other students electing for such course work. Its role in the talent development process is central
as can be seen from situating it as an example of differentiated curriculum. Origins of
differentiated curriculum for gifted learners have come from our understanding of the
characteristics and needs of students who have the capacity for higher functioning in all areas of
learning, as well as those who exhibit some specific aptitude in related academic areas such as
the verbal arts and humanities or mathematics and science or the arts. This framework is used as
the primary backdrop for identification as well as programming. Advanced Placement course
work is exemplary of a tailored curriculum response that recognizes advanced cognitive
capacities such as abstract reasoning, higher level thinking, and rapid learning rate in such
students and provides a rich and complex set of learning experiences. The program is
comprehensive by specific subject area, and although offered only at high school level, has
promise for earlier articulation of major skills and processes.

In the late 1970's gifted students reported AP to be the most beneficial program taken during
their high school years. This perception has not changed appreciably over the intervening
decades (Kolitch & Brody, 1992). One such benefit to these students is accelerated learning.
Research on the benefits of acceleration includes the following:

- improved motivation and confidence of gifted and talented students over time,

- prevention of habits of mental laziness,

- earlier access to and completion of more advanced opportunities,

- reduction of the total cost of university education and time towards a degree and professional
preparation.

A second benefit is the emphasis on higher order thinking skills. Current research suggests that
teaching critical thinking requires domain-specific tactics and the development of a strong
knowledge base in students. Much of the AP material in most subjects is performance-based,
requiring students to exhibit analytical, interpretative, synthetic and evaluative skills to perform
the task demands at high levels. A third benefit of the AP program for bright students is the
emphasis on advanced concepts. Current learning research suggests that focusing student
learning on major ideas in a discipline can both help retention and provide a mental schema on
which students can build their understanding as new applications to that schema are made.
Teaching the structure and tools of a discipline also affords gifted students an important avenue
for meaningful learning. Because AP is content-rich, approach to coverage has to be well-
focused on what really matters in an area of learning which strips teaching of nonessential
material. Students acquire core knowledge used by professionals and the tools to inquire about
how knowledge is generated in a given field. The Advanced Placement program also sets high
level expectations for learners. Course expectations are clearly stated and require persistent work
over time to do well. Lastly, the Advanced Placement program provides powerful incentives to
able learners. The program allows for the possibility of receiving college credits earned for high
school course work as well as exempting students from introductory college courses.

7. Ability Grouping
Ability grouping refers to the grouping of students based on their academic abilities, aptitudes,
and achievements. Ability grouping is the practice of placing students of similar academic ability
in the same class group as opposed to placement based on age and grade level. It can be
implemented in regular and special education classrooms. The groups are typically small,
consisting of fewer students. When used poorly, ability grouping has the potential to harm
traditionally marginalized or underrepresented groups, and it can stoke feelings of resentment or
lead to accusations of elitism. However, proponents of gifted education universally agree that
some level of differentiated instruction is necessary if gifted students are to reach their potential,
and ability grouping is one way to ensure appropriate differentiation.

Most gifted students spend most of their school time in general education classrooms, where
opportunities for acceleration or enrichment activities are few and far between. Given the
priorities of regular education teachers, combined with a lack of training and resources to
adequately address the needs of the gifted, it would be appropriate for schools to consider adding
ability grouping to their services for gifted students.

The benefits of ability grouping for gifted students are well-documented. Studies have found that
when gifted students are ability grouped with similarly motivated and intelligent peers, they
advance as much as a whole year compared to students of a similar age and intelligence. This
type of intellectual growth likely occurs because grouping allows gifted students to move at a
pace that is appropriate for their abilities.

Ability grouping also creates space for enrichment opportunities and other activities that
encourage gifted students to pursue their passions. Additionally, studies focusing on the social-
emotional needs of the gifted have found that gifted students perceive homogeneous ability
grouping more positively than mixed-ability grouping with respect to academic outcomes, and
most report having more positive feelings about school and about their giftedness in general
when grouped with their intellectual peers. Despite accusations of elitism, the evidence is clear
that ability grouping has positive academic and affective consequences on gifted students and
should thus be pursued where possible.

Types of ability grouping

There are many different types of ability groups, and it’s important for families to understand the
benefits and drawbacks of each type so as to make the best choice based on the needs of their
gifted children. Below are a handful of the most commonly used types of ability groups, starting
with those utilized in heterogeneous classes and moving toward full-time homogeneous
grouping.

Cluster groups: Cluster groups are a small-scale form of ability grouping that are used in mixed-
ability classrooms. “Clustering” involves placing 5 to 10 gifted or high-achieving students in
each regular education classroom, and then allowing this group to work together on accelerated
materials, problem-solving activities, or assignments that develop higher-order thinking skills.
Clustering is ideal for schools that do not have dedicated gifted education classrooms, as the
teachers can more effectively differentiate their curricula, and students still gain the benefits of
working with their intellectual peers.

Enrichment clusters: Similar to cluster groups, enrichment clusters bring together smaller groups
of students to work on special activities. However, rather than being comprised solely of gifted
students, enrichment clusters bring together students from several grades who share a common
interest, such as astronomy, creative writing, physics, specific historical eras, or journalism.
Enrichment clusters are a great option for students who want to share their passion with like-
minded students.

Pullout programs: Pullout programs are a popular and often successful method of bringing gifted
students together, if only for a portion of the school week. Most common in elementary schools,
pullout programs take students from their regular education classrooms once or twice per week
for two-to-three-hour enrichment sessions. When done well, pullout programs offer gifted
students challenging curricula and opportunities to explore their passions. However, pullout
programs are often criticized as being part-time solutions to the full-time challenges of being
gifted, and students who participate in pullout programs are sometimes required to make up the
work they miss in their regular education classrooms.

School within a school (SWAS): This form of ability grouping blends homogeneous classes with
mixed-ability classes and requires careful organization at a wide level. SWAS programs draw
gifted students from around the district and places them in a school that also accommodates
regular education students. Gifted students spend the majority of their day in accelerated classes
that are appropriate for their abilities, but they mix with the rest of the school population for
whole school activities and nonacademic subjects such as PE, music, and art. SWAS programs
are used primarily in elementary and middle schools, and students within these programs reap
the benefits of both homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping.

Magnet schools: While magnet schools are not designed specifically for gifted students, they are
an excellent option for motivated students who are passionate about a certain field. Magnet
schools offer specialized training in a variety of fields, including the arts, mathematics,
technology, and certain vocations. Magnet schools draw motivated students from across the
district and will often offer career counseling and placement in internships. Students who are
intellectually gifted may want to consider magnets that focus on academic subjects. However,
even magnets that focus on vocations might offer acceleration options for gifted students.

Special schools for the gifted: The most exclusive, and therefore most controversial, method of
ability grouping is gathering gifted students together in special schools that are designed
specifically to meet their academic and social-emotional needs. These schools offer accelerated
or enriched education on a full-time basis, and they are staffed with educators who understand
the specific needs of gifted students. Most schools for gifted students have strict entrance
requirements, usually based on IQ scores or performance on other standardized achievement
tests. The high barriers for entry often leave out traditionally underrepresented groups, although
this can be remedied in larger cities where the entry requirements can be based on the
performance of students within a single neighborhood or district. Students enrolled in these full-
time schools for the gifted report more positive feelings about school and stronger social
connections with their peers, making them an excellent choice for families who have access to
them.