Thriving not just surviving
The Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, during Gifted Awareness Week 2021
brings you
Thriving not just surviving:
An interactive presentation of the latest research on grouping in gifted education
presented by Dr Karen Rogers & Dr Peta Hay
This session will be conducted via Zoom. Those registered will be sent a link closer to the date.
Presentation Abstract:
Educators aim to give all of their students an optimal learning environment so that they can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Sadly, many gifted students experience inappropriate educational provisions due to educators’ misinformation and misconceptions about appropriate programming. Many gifted students simply survive school; tragically, some even drop out of school despite their high potential. It is critical that parents and educators understand how to challenge and encourage our gifted students by using evidence-based educational provisions.
Few educators would disagree that grouping students is important for learning given it provides important opportunities for observation and modelling (Bandura, 1977; 1986). However, differences arise around how to group students. Gifted/talented students do not respond to grouping in the same way as their same age peers; they generally thrive in like-minded/like-achieving groupings (Steenbergen-Hu, Makel & Olszewski-Kubilius, 2016). In this workshop we will analyse the most recent meta-analysis data on gifted and talented students comparing their academic, social, and emotional outcomes in ability/achievement groupings with mixed-ability groupings (via effect sizes).
For parents, this session will provide good information they might present to their respective schools to ensure that their own children will have their needs for grouping addressed. Teachers who participate will be invited to consider the ways in which research may apply to different students’ needs, classrooms, and schools. This presentation will actively engage teachers and parents in figuring out how to apply the grouping research that is presented. It is expected that discussion will be lively, yet useful!