EDUFIELDS EDUCATIONAL CONSULT, GHANA

Workshops for in-service teachers in some selected districts in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Project for the Academic Year
2021- 2022

Background to the Program

Edufieds Educational Consult was formed by a colleague lecturer, who later ropped me into it, having recognized my competencies,
regarding teacher education issues in Ghana. This educational counsult was formed purposely to be one of the very few recognized
service providers in Ghana for the National Teaching Council (NTC).
The National Teaching Council is a statutory body enjoined by the Education Act 2008 (Act 778) and the Education Regulatory
Bodies Act, 2020, ACT 1023 to register and license all pre-tertiary teachers in the country. Article 79 (1) also states that a person
shall not knowingly or negligently employ a person as a teacher in an institution unless the teacher is registered under this Act .
Subsection (2) also states that a person who employs an unregistered teacher contravenes subsection (1) commits an offense and is
liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than five hundred penalty units and not more than one thousand penalty units or a
term of imprisonment of not less than six months and not more than one year or both.

In view of the above legal and constitutional provision, teachers in Ghana are mandated to renew their lincense in every three year
interval. However, such a renewal is not an automatic, as one needs to have attended a number of approved workshops and serminars
to build the expected points on the NTCs website. This consult is therefore strategically positioned to render and facilitate such
workshops for the teachers in our political administrative region of Ghana.

This therefore called for a program evaluation plan as presented below:

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 outcomes.
Presented by: Kotor Asare and Submitted to Dr. Chona M. Hernandez

The words “curriculum differentiation” are frequently used when discussing the educational
needs of gifted and talented children, but what does it actually mean when educating the
gifted?

Differentiation means modifications to regular curriculum by adjusting process, skills and

content and learning environment to suit gifted and talented students (NSW DET 2003;
Maker 1996). It needs to include extension and enrichment programs to broaden curriculum
to develop students’ skills and abilities to a degree of complexity en par with their cognitive
abilities (Braggett, 1997)
The following methods can assist in differentiating the curriculum:

 Assessing learners’ prior skills and comprehension; pre-testing for students who have
already mastered curriculum core topics
 Utilising tiered tasks
 Acceleration for gifted learners to encourage independent study
 Grouping flexibility to allow gifted learners to work with like-minded peers
 Planning autonomous research tasks where learners’ learn how to extend and direct
their own learning.

Curriculum Differentiation Models

In order to develop a curriculum that both challenges and stimulates gifted students, there
needs to be an ideal provided between student’s capacity to learn and experience level
(Braggett, Morris & Day, 1999). Both Kaplan’s (1986) and Williams’ (1986) curriculum
differentiation models demonstrate how content, instruction and learning processes can be
adjusted to sufficiently meet the gifted learner’s educational needs (NSWDET 2003).

The Kaplan Model

The Kaplan model (1986) is a useful model and thinking method for planning curriculum
differentiation which centres learning around a theme. This is very relevant for gifted
students because of their holistic approaches to learning; making connections with knowledge
faster and easier than non-gifted peers (Gross, 2000). Kaplan (1986) stresses that once
curriculum has been differentiated it then needs to be individualised for each student; this
should reflect “the needs, learning abilities and interests of individual gifted students.”
(Kaplan 1986:192).

The model aims to:

 interpret key areas of differentiated curriculum; put them into practice
 to identify development of a differentiated curriculum
 to develop an all-inclusive, versatile and integrated curriculum structure to guide
teaching/learning of gifted students

The ideas for curriculum design of this model are:

 focus on major ideas and issues
 activities which show correlation between topics
 emphasising research
 teaching thinking skills; high-order thinking
 increasing speed and complexity of work
 self-direction by students is a major focus
(Gross 2000; Kaplan 1986).

Content

Relate to chosen theme, topics should be interdisciplinary, incorporated and covered by all
pupils and have deadlines.

Process

Inclusive of skills pupils need to acquire during the process.

 fundamental skills, i.e. observation, analysis, documentation
 researching skills, i.e. accessing, interpreting, summarising, reporting and designing
research methods

skills of productive thinking, i.e. creative, critical.

Product

Use a variety of media and products that can be negotiated .

Learning environment
By selecting content, teaching processes and product, teachers’ will have an influence on
learning environment that is developed.
Factors for consideration:

 Group characteristics
 Interests of gifted students
 Prior knowledge/developmental levels
 Gifted program type
(Gross 2004; Kaplan 1986).

Assessment/Evaluation of Kaplan’s Model Lesson Plan:

 Visual diaries and notes/images from research and experimental portfolio.

 Media experimentations
 How comprehensive student directed body of work is at applying the processes in
order to resolve the concept of the artist’s condition and the focus of time, place and
space.
 Independent research projects: peer feedback and discussion; evaluation on
sequencing of presentation; relevance; thoroughness.
 Altering reality
 Non-representational; vital elements

Maker’s Model for Curriculum Differentiation

Maker’s model of differentiated curriculum (Maker 1982) recommends curriculum
differentiation by modifying:
 Learning setting: to make an environment for learning, which best supports gifted
learners’ skills; risk-taking (educational), building knowledge and abilities in a
flexible and safe environment. The learning environment needs to:
 learner orientated – centring around learner curiosity, ideas including their
input instead of the instructors/teachers
 encourage autonomy – encouraging plus allowing pupil’s ideas
 receptive - allowing innovative materials, people and thoughts plus outside
school and inter-disciplinary skills to evolve
 tolerant - allowing tolerance of people’s opinions, ideas prior to assessing
anything
 complexity – incorporating resource variety; ideas, methods, media and
projects
 very mobile – allowing, supporting students to get up from their desks, go
into different groups, classroom and school.

Modifying Content: endeavor to take away upper limits to teaching and learning, and
utilise students’ own skills to enrich and diversify their skill foundations. Encouraged
via:
 abstractness - in content moving beyond just definitions and facts towards
crucial ideas, associations with key ideas
 intricacy - shifting content, intertwined connections instead of looking at
single parts
 diversity - in content going away from items offered by usual curriculum
 investigating authentic personalities - studying individual/ populations of
people plus what they did with regard to problem-solving in specific situations
 methods of investigation - counting processes utilised via specialists
functioning specific areas
 Process adjustment: Endeavor to encourage higher-level thinking plus creative
abilities, as well as encouraging productive employment plus managing information
which learners’ already know. Encouraged and made easier by using:
 High-level thinking - Bloom's Taxonomy of Cognitive Processes (1984),
logic problems, problem solving and critical thinking
 creative thinking - intuitive approaches, imagination and brain-storming
 open-endedness - encourage risk-taking behaviour; encouraging students to
believe in there being often no incorrect/correct answers
 grouping interaction – gifted plus highly motivated and able students can
bounce ideas about sparking new ideas and directions in particular tasks
 variable pace - enabling learners to go quickly beyond lower-order thinking
but permitting increased time for responding completely to higher-order
thinking tasks
 variety in the learning process - adjust to differing styles of learning
 de-briefing – teaching awareness and articulation of conclusions and thought
processes in answering tasks, problems and projects
 encouraging freedom of choice - allowing learners to evaluate topic choices,
products, methods and learning environments.
 Modifying the product: Gifted students need to be encouraged and given chance to
produce end-products which adequately demonstrate and show their capability,
especially important for gifted students with learning disabilities. To encourage this
incorporate:
 real-life problems – which are authentic and pertinent for pupils and the task
 real-life audience – by using a suitable viewers to see the final products
 real deadlines – enabling skills of time-management and real-life scheduling
to be learned
 transformations – which means transforming learning instead of just
reiterating
 appropriately evaluating – using self and peer evaluations, real-life
audiences, using previously established "real world" measures for assessing
and evaluating end-products and skills learnt

The Williams Model

The Williams Model (1986) is founded on research of the creative individual and processes,
it is particularly useful in curriculum differentiation in visual arts (William, 1986; 1970).

Williams describes his model as “morphological, not a taxonomy since none of the factors
nor dimensions imply hierarchy” (Williams 1986:462).

The Williams Model (1986) provides a practical scaffolding for developing activities and
questions to stimulate thinking processes . Teaching strategies encourage expressions of
inquisitiveness, risk-taking (educational), imagination, and intricacy that research has
recognised as significant factors in demonstration of creativity (NSWDET 2003; Williams
1986) it is also useful as a cross-curriculum differentiation model. Please note all areas of the
model do not have to be covered when differentiating curriculum.

Dimension 1: Is school curriculum subjects; subject matter and curriculum content. Students
need content to “think and feel about” (Williams 1986:467).

Dimension 2: This encompasses 18 modes of teaching which teachers’ can utilise to develop
creative thinking/creativity.

Dimension 3: This includes eight pupil behaviours; cognitive (4), affective, (4); which
empirical evidence has shown are involved in creative thinking (Williams 1986).
These behaviours comprise opportunities for creative thinking (fluency, flexibility,
innovation and expansion).

Assessment of Williams’ Model Lesson Plan:

 Visual diaries and notes/images from research and investigations.

 On-going; discussions, peer review/comments/brainstorming sessions
 Research projects: peer feedback and discussion; evaluation on sequencing of
presentation; relevance; thoroughness.
 Thoroughness/thoughtfulness/insight

Planning Differentiated Curricula for Gifted Learners

Curriculum planning and differentiation for gifted learners can be facilitated by the use of
curriculum models, however it is important to note that differentiated curricula then need to
be tailored to individual gifted students’ needs (Gross 2004b), there is no ‘one- size-fits-all’.
Assessment and evaluation of curriculum practice needs to be fluid and ongoing to best meet
the changing needs of gifted learners.

Strengths of the Models

Maker Model – modifies content, process and products for gifted learners, as do Kaplan and
Williams’ models.
Kaplan Model – translating outcomes for greater depth and complexity.
Williams – designing curriculum for the theme/topic.

Grouping Practices for curriculum differentiation

Drawbacks of part-time withdrawal:

 students have to catch up on class work they missed

 withdrawal group work should be extension work not ‘busy’ work
 students should not miss regular work which they enjoy

useful if skills learnt in withdrawal programs have relevance to regular class work –
good communication is needed between teachers
 part-time withdrawal classes should be used as part of a gifted program not be the
whole program; in conjunction with cluster grouping, full-time gifted classes and
ability grouping (Bailey 2004).

Ability Grouping

Broad amalgamation of investigations on achievement and ability grouping of gifted learners

(Rogers 1991; Gross 1993; Kulik & Kulik 1997; Benbow 1998; Gross 1997a) explains that
grouping by ability advances accomplishments of highly gifted students (Page & Keith
1996). Students in classes where ability grouping occurs and where curriculum is enriched
and accelerated have gained in year-level abilities at double average rate. Students in classes
grouped by ability where curriculum was mainly enriched, were also shown to have
progressed, these rates were 50% higher than same ability students in regular mixed-ability
classrooms (Kulik 1992).

However, when students are grouped by ability but get identical curriculum as they would
receive in regular classrooms, the impact on their learning is minimal. These students’
achievements showed only a month’s growth per year compared with same-ability students in
regular classrooms of mixed abilities. This is a minute increase when contrasted with
recorded increases for gifted learners in other ability groupings (Kulik 1992).

Ability grouping success can be attributed to:

 improved match between learning needs and developmental inclination and
educational needs of particular student and speed and level of their learning.
 Students of different abilities responding in different ways to varied curriculum and
pedagogy.
 students are more likely to learn more efficiently when able to work with similar
ability (or slightly higher ability) peers.
 Ability grouping increases gifted student’s self-esteem and encourages them to reach
higher goals. Effect of “dumbing down” in order to fit in is negated.
 Ability grouping can close gaps on range of achievements. Coorey (1998) discusses
“learning gaps” found when surveying literacy in Australian primary classes. Gaps
were almost equivalent to five years of educational difference between children at the
apex and base 10% in Year 3 classes.
(Van Tassel-Baska 1989; Rogers 1991; Benbow 1998)
Subject Acceleration and Grade Skipping

 Louis, (15 years old) who scored 165 on WISC-R was doing university level maths
and physics whilst still attending his Queensland High School for all his other
subjects. Louis was grade skipped in his primary school years, initially just one grade,
allowed to settle in and then reassessed before being skipped again, in total he skipped
four years this way.

Early Entry

 This is similar to grade skipping but is probably the least disruptive form. Highly able
children who enroll at a younger age usually adjust well with the older peers
(Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross 2004; Kulik & Kulik, 1992; Rogers 1992, 2004).

Telescoping

 This program offered in Middle School allows acceleration for pupils entering Year 5.
The class enables gifted pupils to compact Years 5, 6 and 7 into two years, which is
offered in a supportive social and emotional setting. The program’s aims are to offer
educational experiences and opportunities, which are well suited to G & T students’
needs (Gross 2004a; Bailey 2004). The learning environment values and encourages
intellect, problem solving and critical thinking skills, talent and giftedness, whilst also
improving growth of pupil’s intuitive and affective abilities. The program is run in
separate classrooms, with separate curriculum and teachers to regular school; which
enables greater focus on individual gifted pupil’s needs.

Other examples of acceleration:

 Mentoring
 Extra curricular activities
 Parallel enrollment
 Combination classes
 Distinction programs
 Credit by exams
 Early entrance to tertiary programs – there are other options to full-time enrolment:
enrollment tertiary and high school programs, summer programs, distance education
and A P (Advanced Placement).
(Merrotsy 2008)

Positive Effects of Acceleration

 Augmented efficiency in learning, outcomes and productivity
 Acknowledgement of abilities and endeavours
 Augmented career and learning choices
 Introduction to new peers
 Administration (easier than keeping track of individual/grouping programs)
 Exposure to new peer group
(Merrotsy 2008)

Evaluation: An Instrument of Reflection when Developing Differentiated Curricula

Which of these have been done adequately?

1. What are the expected outcomes, do they include both content and skills?
2. What will pupils:
a. Be taught
b. Comprehend
c. Be capable of
3. What can be used to review and judge what pupils’ prior knowledge is
4. Are there any prior skills or knowledge already possessed by pupils
5. Is the curriculum differentiated so that activities spotlight key learning areas.

a. Include of differing ability levels within the classroom?

b. Including high-order thinking?
c. Allow for thought-provoking?
d. Allow for activities which challenge ideas and concepts?
e. Allow for creative and thinking experiences?
f. Create opportunities to experience in-depth learning and topics/activities? which
involve pupils’ own interests?
g. Allow pupils to choose activities/projects?
h. Let pupils know teacher’s expectations?
i. Let students know what the assessment measures are?
j. Gather feedback and teach pupils how to do this?
6. Use these ideas to increase pupils understanding, knowledge and skills:
a. Allow for group activities planned specifically for gifted pupils
b. Curriculum compacting
c. Study contracts
d. Private research projects
e. E-learning
f. Availability of centres for learning within the classroom
7. What assignments have been designed, do they allow for a wide variety of abilities
within the classroom? Do these:
a. Need all pupils to utilise skills learnt to apply main ideas, generalizing, idea
generation, problem solving to make useful end-products?
b. Main ideas designed to challenge and extend gifted students?
c. Show the process (es) utilised in making the product? (researching, explaining,
organizing and reviewing/reflecting?
d. Allow for individual expectations for students differing in abilities?
e. Allow for continual reflection and change to the expected product where
necessary?
f. Allow for products to be assessed by peers, pupils, real-life audiences as well
as the teacher?
g. Allow for input from parents where necessary?
(Bailey 2004; Gross 2004a).

Curriculum Differentiation Management Strategies

Include:
  contracts – catering for individualised and student negotiated projects whilst
encouraging pupils’ time-management skills and independence
 conferencing – encouraging pupil co-operation and evaluation, and parental
input
 grouping strategies - allowing students to operate with like-minded students
and facilitating group communication.
Environment for Learning
By selecting content, processes plus products the teacher (or parent), has an effect on the
kind
of environment for learning that is developed. Many aspects, along with the outcomes,
influence what teaching strategies teachers’ employ. This depends a great deal on the
individual students being taught; the students’ own interest areas; the levels of development

to which the students have already reached and the gifted program type and its features
(Gross 2004a; Bailey 2004; NSWDET 2003).

Conclusion

Curriculum differentiation in its many forms, is one useful strategy for serving the individual
needs of gifted and talented students. As discussed the need for teacher, parent and student
input is necessary to gauge the extent of curriculum differentiation which is needed for each
child. Consider using the tools discussed in this paper in your educational context, be it a
traditional classroom, grouped situation, home-school, or to give your gifted child extension
and enrichment activities outside school.
Gifted education (also known as gifted and talented education (GATE), talented and gifted programs (TAG), or G/T education)
is a broad group of special practices, procedures, and theories used in the education of children who have been identified as gifted or
talented.

Gifted education is a type of education that provides gifted and talented students with an educational environment designed
specifically for their social, emotional, and academic needs. Gifted education can be traced back to the 1800s, culminating with the
first gifted school opening in Massachusetts in 1901.

Gifted education allows gifted and talented students to have access to a classroom that is tailored to their social, emotional, and
academic needs. Explore the history of gifted education, the various models used in the classroom, and issues that impede this
educational philosophy

Tannenbaum (2003) proposed a definition of giftedness in children to denote their

potential for becoming critically acclaimed performers or exemplary producers of ideas in
spheres of activity that enhance the moral, physical, emotional, social, intellectual or
aesthetic life of humanity.

Characteristics of gifted children

As to their intellectual ability,

Davis, Rimm, and Siegle (2011) observed that gifted individuals are developmentally

advanced in language and thought;

thinking process are quick and logical, early
advanced mathematical,

musical, and artistic abilities;

and high motivation with

persistence. Upon examining several studies,

Davis et.al (2011) also observed that gifted

individuals are well adjusted in childhood, and reported to have had greater personal
adjustments,

emotional stability,

self-esteem,

professional success,

and personal
contentment.

Calvin Taylor (1988) observed that majority of gifted students possess special skills
and talents:

academic,

productive thinking,

communicating, forecasting,

decision- making,
planning,

implementing,

human relations,

and discerning opportunities. In the

Philippines, Pawilen (2014), identified general attributes of Filipino gifted individuals

and classified them into three: (1) high intellectual ability, (

2) exceptional talents,

and (3)
outstanding leadership skills

Acceleration

Main article: Academic acceleration

Pupils are advanced to a higher-level class covering material more suited to their abilities and preparedness. This may take the form of
skipping grades or completing the normal curriculum in a shorter-than-normal period of time ("telescoping"). Subject acceleration
(also called partial acceleration) is a flexible approach that can advance a student in one subject, such as mathematics or language,
without changing other studies, such as history or science. This type of acceleration is usually based upon achievement testing, rather
than IQ.

Some colleges offer early entrance programs that give gifted younger students the opportunity to attend college early. In the U.S.,
many community colleges allow advanced students to enroll with the consent of school officials and the pupil's parents.
Acceleration presents gifted children with academic material from established curricula that is commensurate with their ability and
preparedness, and for this reason is a low-cost option from the perspective of the school. This may result in a small number of children
taking classes targeted at older children. For the majority of gifted students, acceleration is beneficial both academically and socially.[2]
Whole grade skipping is considered rapid acceleration. Some advocates have argued that the disadvantages of being retained in a
standard mixed-ability classroom are substantially worse than any shortcomings of acceleration. For example, psychologist Miraca
Gross reports: "the majority of these children [retained in a typical classroom] are socially rejected [by their peers with typical
academic talents], isolated, and deeply unhappy. Children of IQ 180+ who are retained in the regular classroom are even more
seriously at risk and experience severe emotional distress."[3] These accelerated children should be placed together in one class if
possible.[4] Research suggests that acceleration might have an impact long after students graduate from high school. For example, one
study shows that high-IQ individuals who experienced full-grade acceleration earned higher incomes as adults.[5]

Cluster grouping

Main article: Cluster grouping

Cluster grouping is the gathering of four to six gifted and talented and/or high achieving students in a single classroom for the entire
school day. Cluster teachers are specially trained in differentiating for gifted learners. Clusters are typically used in upper elementary
grades.[citation needed] Within a cluster group, instruction may include enrichment and extensions, higher-order thinking skills, pretesting
and differentiation, compacting, an accelerated pace, and more complexity in content.

Colloquium

Like acceleration, colloquium provides advanced material for high school students. In colloquium, students take Advanced Placement
(AP) courses. However, colloquium is different from AP classes because students are usually given more projects than students in AP
classes. Students in colloquium also generally study topics more in depth and sometimes in a different way than students enrolled in
AP classes do. Colloquium is a form that takes place in a traditional public school. In colloquium, subjects are grouped together.
Subjects are taught at different times of the day; however, usually what is being taught in one subject will connect with another
subject. For example, if the students are learning about colonial America in History, then they might also be analyzing text from The
Scarlet Letter in English. Some schools may only have colloquium in certain subjects. In schools where colloquium is only offered in
English and History, colloquium students usually take Advanced Placement courses in math and science and vice versa.

Compacting
In compacting, the regular school material is compacted by pretesting the student to establish which skills and content have already
been mastered. Pretests can be presented on a daily basis (pupils doing the most difficult items on a worksheet first and skipping the
rest if they are performed correctly), or before a week or longer unit of instructional time. When a student demonstrates an appropriate
level of proficiency, further repetitive practice can be safely skipped, thus reducing boredom and freeing up time for the student to
work on more challenging material.

Enrichment

On the primary school level, students spend all class time with their peers, but receive extra material to challenge them. Enrichment
may be as simple as a modified assignment provided by the regular classroom teacher, or it might include formal programs such as
Odyssey of the Mind, Destination Imagination or academic competitions such as Brain Bowl, Future Problem Solving, Science
Olympiad, National History Day, science fairs, or spelling bees. Programmes of enrichment activities may also be organised outside
the school day (e.g. the ASCEND project in secondary science education[6]). This work is done in addition to, and not instead of, any
regular school work assigned. Critics of this approach argue that it requires gifted students to do more work instead of the same
amount at an advanced level. On the secondary school level sometimes an option is to take more courses such as English, Spanish,
Latin, philosophy, or science or to engage in extracurricular activities. Some perceive there to be a necessary choice between
enrichment and acceleration, as if the two were mutually exclusive alternatives. However, other researchers see the two as
complements to each other.[7]

Full-time separate classes or schools

See also: List of gifted and talented programmes

Some gifted students are educated in either a separate class or a separate school. These classes and schools are sometimes called
"congregated gifted programs" or "dedicated gifted programs."

Some independent schools have a primary mission to serve the needs of the academically gifted. Such schools are relatively scarce
and often difficult for families to locate. One resource for locating gifted schools in the United States can be found on the National
Association for Gifted Children's "Resource Directory" accessible through their home page. Such schools often need to work to guard
their mission from occasional charges of elitism, support the professional growth and training of their staff, write curriculum units that
are specifically designed to meet the social, emotional, and academic talents of their students, and educate their parent population at
all ages.
Some gifted and talented classes offer self-directed or individualized studies, where the students lead a class themselves and decide on
their own task, tests, and all other assignments. These separate classes or schools tend to be more expensive than regular classes, due
to smaller class sizes and lower student-to-teacher rations. Not-for-profit (non-profit) schools often can offer lower costs than for-
profit schools. Either way, they are in high demand and parents often have to pay part of the costs.

Hobby

Activities such as reading, creative writing, sport, computer games, chess, music, dance, foreign languages, and art give an extra
intellectual challenge outside of school hours.

Homeschooling

An umbrella term encompassing a variety of educational activities conducted at home, including those for gifted children: part-time
schooling; school at home; classes, groups, mentors and tutors; and unschooling. In many US states, the population of gifted students
who are being homeschooled is rising quite rapidly,[citation needed] as school districts responding to budgetary issues and standards-based
policies are cutting what limited gifted education programs remain in existence,[citation needed] and families seek educational opportunities
that are tailored to each child's unique needs.

Pull-out

Main article: Gifted pull-out

Gifted students are pulled out of a heterogeneous classroom to spend a portion of their time in a gifted class. These programs vary
widely, from carefully designed half-day academic programs to a single hour each week of educational challenges. Generally, these
programs are ineffective at promoting academic advancement unless the material covered contains extensions and enrichment to the
core curriculum. The majority of pull-out programs include an assortment of critical thinking drills, creative exercises, and subjects
typically not introduced in standard curricula. Much of the material introduced in gifted pull-out programs deals with the study of
logic, and its application to fields ranging from philosophy to mathematics. Students are encouraged to apply these empirical
reasoning skills to every aspect of their education both in and outside of class.

Self-pacing
Self-pacing methods, such as the Montessori Method, use flexible grouping practices to allow children to advance at their own pace.
Self-pacing can be beneficial for all children and is not targeted specifically at those identified as gifted or talented, but it can allow
children to learn at a highly accelerated rate. Directed Studies are usually based on self-pacing.

Summer Enrichment Programs (United States)

These offer a variety of courses that mainly take place in the summer. Summer schools are popular in the United States. Entrance fees
are required for such programs, and programs typically focus on one subject, or class, for the duration of the camp

Models of gifted curriculum

There are several foreign curriculum models that can provide insights into what type
of curriculum is needed and how to develop a curriculum appropriate for gifted
individuals.

School-wide Enrichment Model

Widely implemented as an enrichment program used with academically gifted and

talented students and a magnet theme/enrichment approach for all schools
interested in high-end learning and developing the strengths and talents of all
students.

Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM)

It is based on the premise that every learner is somewhere on a path toward expertise in a content
area. It promotes a curriculum model for developing the abilities of all students
and extending the abilities of students who perform at advanced levels. The
Parallel Curriculum Model (PCM) offers four curriculum parallels that
incorporate the element of ascending intellectual demand to help teachers
determine current student performance levels and develop intellectual challenges
to move learners along a continuum toward expertise. (Tomlinson, Kaplan, et.al,
2002)

The four curriculum parallels in this model are:

(1) Core curriculum – focuses on the nature of knowledge that is embedded in the discipline. These are core concepts,
skills and values that are unique for each discipline;

(2) Curriculum of Connection – focuses on the integration or interconnectedness of knowledge across

different disciplines;

(3) Curriculum of Practice – involves application of

knowledge to different real-life situations: and the methodology of a practitioner;
and

(4) Curriculum of Identity – fits the learner’s values and goals and those that characterize practicing professionals.

Autonomous Learner Model

Betts (2004) pointed out that curricular offerings typically fall into three levels.
Level 1 is a prescribed curriculum and instruction that focuses on state standards.

Level 2 involves differentiation of curriculum base on individual differences.

 Level 3 features learner-differentiated options where students are self-directed and teachers provide opportunities for
the learners to be in charge of their learning.

The Autonomous Learner Model is divided into five major dimensions:

1. Orientation – acquaints students, teachers, students, and
administrators with the central concept in gifted education and the
specifics of this model. At this level, gifted students work together in

doing some self-understanding exercises that will help them familiarize

each other. The students are expected to develop an Advanced Learning
Plan as part of their orientation experience that includes information
about their giftedness, various personal and academic needs, learning
experiences they might need, and other things that will help them
succeed in school.
2. Individual development – focuses more clearly on developing skills,
concepts, and attitudes that promote lifelong learning and self-directed
learning.
3. Enrichment Activities – two kinds of differentiation of curriculum are
involved here: (1) differentiation of curriculum by the teacher, and (2)
differentiation by the student. Students are exposed to various

activities to develop their passion for learning.

4. Seminars – it is designed to give each person in a small group the
opportunity to research a topic and present in seminar format to other
people or to the rest of the group.
5. In-Depth Study – students pursue areas of interest in long-term
individual or small-group studies. The students will decide what will be
learned, the process of doing it, the product, how it will be presented,
and how the entire learning process will be evaluated

Integrated Curriculum Model

This model is a popular way of organizing or designing different kinds of
curriculum. The Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary
developed its curriculum based on this model and has trained many teachers
around the world in using their curriculum materials (Davis et.al. 2011). The
model presented three dimensions based on the model of VanTassel Baska (1987)
that guide in the development of the curriculum:
1. Advanced Content Dimension – meeting the needs of gifted students for
acceleration by providing content earlier and faster than same-age

peers would normally receive it. Content area experts and educators
work collaboratively to develop the content, and they align key topics,

concepts, and habits of mind within a domain to content area

standards.
2. Process/Product Dimension – incorporates direct instruction and
embedded activities that promote higher-order thinking skills and
create opportunities for independent pursuit in areas of student
interest.
3. Issues/Themes Dimension – learning experiences are organized around
various issues and themes. In doing so, students are able to develop
deeper ideas and philosophies that ultimately promote understanding
of the structure of knowledge learned.

Gifted Education Curriculum Models in the Philippines

The Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) was established on June 11, 1977,
as a government-run secondary school for artistically gifted and talented children and
adolescents. It implements a special secondary education program committed to the
conservation and promotion of the Filipino artistic and cultural traditions.

Philippine Science High School System

Another government program for gifted students in the Philippines is the
Philippine Science High School System. It is a service institute of the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST) whose mandate is to offer on a free scholarship basis
for a secondary course with special emphasis on subjects pertaining to the Sciences
with the end view of preparing its students for a Science career. This is according to
Section 2 of Republic Act 3661 that established the first Philippine Science High
School campus in 1964.

The Learning Tree Child Growth Center

The school started as a preschool program in 1994. The school now offers an
excellent program for elementary grades. Many of their graduates study high school
at Philippine Science High School, Philippine High School for the Arts and big private
secondary schools in Metro Manila. The school is famous for nurturing and developing
the gifted potentials of young children in different subjects in a Christian atmosphere.

Headway School of Giftedness

This school uses different forms of instruction and curricular approaches to develop
and nurture the giftedness of their students. It provides a learning environment that
is conducive for learning. The school also uses a differentiated and flexible program
that responds to the unique learning abilities of their students. The school employs an
interdisciplinary team approach composed of specialists in General Education, Early
Childhood Education, Special Education, Counselling, Psychology, Developmental
Paediatrics and mentors in areas of special interests.

BEREA Arts and Sciences High School

This school was established in 2005 as an attempt to integrate the philosophy of
combining arts and sciences as the core curriculum to develop gifted students. It
develops students' abilities in Math, Sciences, and Languages, at the same time, their
abilities in the arts - visuals arts and music. The curriculum of the school followed the
Department of Education prescribed curriculum but as soon as a BASHS student
turns sophomore, he has a choice of what major to take.

The main approaches to gifted education are enrichment and acceleration. An enrichment program teaches additional, related material,
but keeps the student progressing through the curriculum at the same rate as other students. For example, after the gifted students have
completed the normal work in the curriculum, an enrichment program might provide them with additional information about a subject.
An acceleration program advances the student through the standard curriculum faster than normal. This is done through many
different approaches