Teaching for Challenge

Teaching for Challenge Helen Wilson Oxford Brookes University h.wilson@brookes.ac.uk

A rising tide… ‘If you are willing to deal effectively with the needs of able pupils you will raise the achievement of all pupils.’ Renzulli

This is the English (Department for Education and Skills) definition: Gifted: able in one or more subjects in the statutory school curriculum, other than art, music & physical education Talented: able in art, music, physical education or in any sport or creative art This is all relative to each school

USA Gifted: Innate potential Talented: Developed potential Australia (New South Wales) Gifted: Able in a specific domain Talented: An all-rounder International Definitions

Parliamentary advisory group on G&T Report: Highly Able Children 1999 OFSTED Survey of International Provision 1998 Major National Developments in G&T in England Fact finding Excellence in Cities 1999 - 2007 Areas of deprivation National Academy for G&T Youth 2002 - 2007 Summer schools etc Quality Standards: 2006/7 Leading Teachers for G&T 2007 Go national Monitor/evaluate YGT Young Gifted and Talented http://ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/

General Principles within Excellence in Cities 1. The development that would make the most difference in the education of the highly able is a change in attitude among teachers and education authorities, but perhaps even more importantly among the public and society at large.

2. The emphasis must be on improving provision in mainstream schooling. Most children are educated in maintained primary and secondary schools and it is therefore in mainstream schools that the principal effort should be directed. 3. Although many recognised approaches exist, there is no single 'best way' to meet all these children's needs. Not private schools

4. Highly able children must be allowed to enjoy their childhood. 5. There is already good practice in a range of areas. It is not our role in this report to re-invent the wheel. Our intention is to draw attention to some of the good practice that is currently going on and suggest ways in which it might be spread further.

Sports Model (Freeman) Provide Identify Pupils show their ability when the provision in the classroom is challenging

My personal viewpoint of the English approach: • Building on good practice – differentiation for different abilities normally takes place in lessons • a rounded view of the identification of ability: more than the IQ test • an inclusive approach • a focus on in-class provision • A recognition that schools cannot always provide everything

… tests can dominate teachers’ work, and insofar as they encourage drilling to produce right answers to short out-of-context questions, this dominance can draw teachers away from the paths to effective formative work. Black & Wiliam (1998, p.17)

One had to cram all this stuff into one's mind, whether one liked it or not. This coercion had such a deterring effect that, after I had passed the final examination, I found the consideration of any scientific problems distasteful to me for an entire year...... It is in fact nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of enquiry.

Provision for the more able in the classroom. The Components • 3. Strategies/ • tools: • Think, pair,share • Resources • Thinking hats… • 1.Background theory: • HOT • Bloom • Creativity • Critical thinking… • 2. Lesson structure: • Learning objectives • Questioning • Task setting…

Relates, rearranges Information Possible answers Another definition of Higher Order Thinking: • ‘Higher order thinking occurs when a person takes new information and information stored in memory and interrelates and/or rearranges and extends this information to achieve a purpose or find possible answers in perplexing situations.’ Lewis and Smith (1993, p.136)

Professor Philip Adey ‘What the research shows consistently is that if you face children with intellectual challenges and then help them talk through the problems towards a solution, then you almost literally stretch their minds. They become cleverer, not only in the particular topic, but across the curriculum.’

Infusion HOT Reflection Use/Apply Content of the Curriculum

Redefine the central objectives in teaching as: • To enable pupils to think efficiently • To communicate these thoughts succinctly, whatever subject content is under study. • Montgomery, 1981

Research reveals: • Effective learning is associated with teaching which incorporates cognitive skills • Modest changes in general teaching methods are shown to be able to incorporate cognitive process strategies which could improve the learning opportunities of all learners • [Montgomery]

Deeper: An intention to develop personal understanding Active interaction with the content, particularly in relating new ideas to previous experience Linking ideas together Relating evidence to conclusions Shallower: An intention to reproduce content Passive acceptance of ideas & information Lack of recognition of guiding principles or patterns Focusing learning on assessment requirements Shallower vs deeper

Key dimensions for providing challenge: • Depth • Breadth • Pace Effective provision for gifted and talented children in primary education

Breadth • Going beyond the prescribed curriculum – sideways • No increase in the level of complexity • Enrichment • Within class or outside school • Extended time for work

Pace • Covering the same work as everyone else but in a shorter period of time

Depth My favourite • Within the prescribed curriculum • Increasing the level of challenge • Higher order thinking skills

Higher Order Questions Revision questions and those requiring only the representation of known material (simple comprehension) attract lower order answers; while questions that ask students to deduce, hypothesise, analyse, apply, synthesise, evaluate, compare, contrast or imagine attract higher order responses. Kerry & Kerry: The Centrality of Teaching Skills in Improving Able Pupil Education

Rich questions: • Open ended • Needs time to think – can’t usually answer immediately • Answers generally require one or more sentences • Sometimes pupils need to ask other questions to work towards main question • Tend to prompt further questions • Need to make links, apply ideas, give reasons Skinny questions: Check pupils’ knowledge Often one word answers Seeking facts Science Inside the Black Box Black & Harrison, nferNelson

When questions arise in the classroom that no-one can answer, put them in the poster of the light bulb Questions Challenge: who can find the answer?

Excellence carries a charge of excitement, without which it can be difficult to inspire and motivate the ablest pupils. Keeping that crackle of excitement, over an idea, a process, a product or a presentation is one of the most enjoyable challenges of working with able pupils. Key Stage 3 Strategy. Teaching able, gifted and talented pupils: overview http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3/

The chocolate teapot Punctuation marks are abolished Being an evacuee in World War 2 You make some up! A world without friction The 4 day week-end

Thinkers’ keys: http://www.primary-teacher-uk.co.uk/2005/12/ryans_thinkers_.html Examples: • What If key • …we each had 10 cars • …friends only lasted a week • Interpretations Key • A mouse running towards a cat. • Your neighbour sweeping the roof. • Disadvantages key • List disadvantages & improvements to: • School • A lawnmower

Science Inside the Black Box Black & Harrison, nferNelson • The essential ingredients: • Challenging activities that promote thinking & discussion • Rich questions • Strategies to support all learners in revealing their ideas • Opportunity for peer discussion about ideas • Group or whole-class discussions which encourage open dialogue

Teaching for Challenge