Slide 5: Who are those
advanced learners?
Some advanced learners are
recognized as gifted. Nowadays, based on the funding and availability of gifted
specialists in school districts, gifted students usually have individual
educational plans in place and arrangements are made to support them: in-class
support or limited pull-out time. It was a different situation when Betty’s son
was in school. One day when he was in grade 3, he was given one, then a second
and then a third page with multiplication questions. He finished all three
pages while his classmates were still busy with the first page. He was
frustrated. He told his mom,
“Today I did 162 multiplication questions and I am not going back to school
ever again.” Fortunately for this boy, his mom was a psychologist and she
realized that she needed to get involved in her son’s education. Betty started
to learn about providing for advanced learners. The boy is now a highly accomplished adult and Betty is a
gifted education specialist helping other gifted students.
Many stories do not have
such a happy ending. With constant budget cuts, if there is nobody to advocate
for advanced and / or gifted learners, then classroom teachers could be left
with no support or idea what to do with those students. Jonathan and Susan are
examples of two children who were “left behind” according to Simone Phillips in
his article “Are We Holding Back Our Students That Posses The Potential To
Excel” (2008). Jonathan is a
second grade student. He has an average IQ but he possesses the aptitude and
skills necessary to participate in fifth grade reading. Susan is also an
ordinary sixth grade student. She does not have an above average IQ, yet she
excels in mathematics. Unfortunately, Susan's middle school restructured their
math program to standardize with other middle schools in town; thereby
eliminating advanced math programs. Also, Jonathan has not received a fair or
equal education for his individual needs. When he was in grade one, “Jonathan
finished the grade level activities assigned by his teacher quickly, at times
finishing a week's work in one lesson period. His teacher did not know what to
do with him and at one point crumpled up his worksheets and asked him to redo
the packet because he was asked to do only one sheet daily.” (Phillips, 2008)
Susan and Jonathan are
examples of students who are not recognized as having additional learning
needs. They, and other advanced learners, are students that are intrinsically
motivated, persistently working hard, and achieving top grades, but may not
qualify as "gifted".
Additionally, there are
students who successfully hide their giftedness (as they do not want to be seen
as different) or they are twice-exceptional students, frequently either not
diagnosed or diagnosed as just having only one exceptionality (a learning
disability or being gifted) without any support for the second
exceptionality.
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