Chapter 4

Principles and Strategies of Teaching and Designing IEP for Gifted and Talented
Learners

Introduction
Many gifted and talented learners participate in classrooms with their heightened skills and
abilities go unnoticed and unrecognized. Some of them have to wait for their same-aged peers’
pacing on the lessons while others due to boredom may make unnecessary noise and unrelated
activities in the class. These learners with unusual skills and talents demand unusual strategies of
teaching, that a mismatch between these learners and their curriculum will put the learners’
capabilities to waste. The purpose of this chapter is to look at provisions for gifted and talented
learners through the principles and strategies of teaching in the classroom.
The Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines through the DepEd order no. 72,
series of 2009, also known as the Inclusive Education as Strategy for Increasing Participation Rate of
Children, organized a comprehensive inclusive program for learners with disabilities, giftedness and
talents, with the following components:
1. Child Find. It is about locating learners with disabilities, giftedness, and talents who are not in
school, through the family mapping survey, advocacy campaigns and networking with local health
workers, to be enrolled in Special Education (SpEd) centers or schools nearest their home.
2. Assessment. This is a continuous process of identifying the strengths and limitations of learners
with disabilities, giftedness and talents through the use of formal and informal tools for level
placement, with the help of existing SpEd centers.
3. Program Options. Schools, with or without trained SpEd teachers, shall make education
accessible to learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents. The program options are as follow:
a. Self-contained class for learners with similar disabilities or conditions
b. Inclusion or placement of learners in general education or regular class
c. Resource Room

4. Curriculum Modifications. This means using adaptations and accommodations in classroom

instructions and activities, and delivery options.
5. Parental Involvement. This involves parents or guardians in observing their child’s performance,
volunteering as teacher aide in the classroom, and serving as academic, moral, and spiritual
support to their child.
These components aim to make education available to all children that they could receive
appropriate education within the regular or inclusive classroom setting. For the purpose of this
chapter, program options and curricular modifications for the gifted and talented learners will be
discussed.

Program Options
There are many types of programs and services designed to fit in the educational needs of those
gifted and talented learners. According to Davis, Rimm, & Siegle (2014), this involves simple to
complex ways such as
(1) a teacher providing additional instructional materials to teachers to those who finish lessons ‘tasks
easily;
(2) enriching the curriculum by teaching extra time for bright students to work at resource centers or
interest-based projects;
(3) part-time acceleration to a higher grade for one o; two subjects;
(4) full-time acceleration or grade-skipping; (5) cluster grouping of all gifted learners at each grade
level in a single classroom for special services;
(6) implementing school-wide plans to accommodate every gifted learner in every regular classroom:
(7) implementing pullout programs;
(8) conducting part-time special gifted classes;
(9) assigning full-time special gifted classes at every grade level; and
(10) opening special schools for the gifted. With all of these alternatives, one must consider all
pertinent issues and concerns in planning the best program for these gifted and talented learners.
In the above paragraph, the term acceleration was introduced and it is defined as an advance
placement of learners from a current level to a higher level. Some acceleration instances involve a
four-year old child admitted early to kindergarten or elementary pupil who skips grade four. But when
learners are taught on the topic’s depth and intensity of content that go beyond their prescribed
grade-level curriculum, without providing them advance placement, this strategy is called enrichment.
An example of this is learning foreign language or taking an arts class. From the paragraph above,
number 2 is an example of enrichment while numbers 3 and 4 are for acceleration. Even if these two
strategies are differently defined, both enrichment and acceleration opportunities are provided in well-
rounded, competent and long-range gifted and talented programs. It is also important to note that just
like any other learners; gifted and talented learners should be allowed to work at their own pace,
accelerating in different levels, while having opportunities on enriching a topic that interests them.
Reis, Westberg, Kulikovich, and Purcell (1998) underscored four principles of enrichment teaching
and learning:
1. Each student is different.
2. Learning is more effective when students enjoy what they do.
3. Learning is more meaningful when students learn content and process while solving a real
problem.
4. Whereas some formal instruction is necessary, a major goal is promoting knowledge and thinking
skills via the application of what students have learned; they construct their meaningfulness.
Both acceleration and enrichment strategies require grouping gifted and talented learners. Three
grouping options provided to these learners are:
(1) full-time homogenous grouping;
(2) full-time heterogeneous grouping; and
(3) part-time or temporary groups.
Grouping
Full-time Homogeneous Grouping

1. Special Schools for the Gifted. These schools cater to elementary or secondary gifted learners
with a curriculum that includes both prescribed academic content that is based on Department of
Education (DepEd) guidelines and requirements, with a special enriched and accelerated training
in academic, scientific, artistic, and other areas of development the school opted to highlight.
Enrichment opportunities include music classes, foreign language training, arts and sculpting,
athletic training, and others: An example of this school is the Philippine High School for the Arts,
which implements a general secondary level program, combined with a special curriculum for the
arts prepared for early recognition and development of highly gifted and talented learners in the
arts.
2. Special Classes. These are school-within-a-school concepts where gifted children of the same
level attend a class together on a full-time basis. In the public school system, under DepEd, special
classes usually occur at the elementary level, jumping from grade three to grade five, where their
curriculum covers prescribed grade level objectives and extending beyond them with a variety of
enrichment, personal development and advanced classes. Special classes also include DepEd’s
Headstart Program for-the Gifted, which is a comprehensive program for the gifted and talented
pupils in public elementary schools. This program is designed to address the educational,
aesthetic, and social needs of preschoolers who manifest superior abilities - expected above their
age.
 Full-time Heterogeneous Grouping
1. Cluster Groups. Cluster grouping refers to placing five to ten high ability students in one regular
class per grade, along with other 15 to 20 regular students. This grouping is handled by a trained
professional teacher and could be divided further in individual or small groups. Enrichment
activities are used in this kind of grouping, which include in-depth lessons on content on Meta
cognitive skills and collaboration and independent learning activities, which include research
presentation or mastery of advanced skills in math, music, and others. This grouping is not very
common in the Philippines.
2. Heterogeneous Classes. These classes combine prescribed and differentia, curriculum for the
benefit of both regular and gifted learners. Kaplan (200) recommends using two strategies in
teaching both groups in one class, and this is through “paralleling” and “clustering.
Paralleling means covering both prescribed and differentiated curriculum “in tandem” while
clustering is using core concepts and skill of the prescribed curriculum as “the centerpiece,” while
differentiated concepts and skills “reinforce the core.” Kaplan said that both curricula could be taught
without, sacrificing the other. While these strategies work in heterogeneous classes, some teachers
apply the use of IEP or Individualized Education Program/Plan to shape the independent work of
those gifted and talented students.
3. Individualized Education Plan. IEP is a basic requirement for schools catering to LSEN. It is a
written plan that is customized to achieve learner’s goals in a span of one academic school year. It
includes the learner’s current skills, strengths and challenges, learning styles and the goals
targeted for the school year. In order to accomplish the academic goals set for the specific learner,
the teacher first gather specific data regarding the learner’s progress or academic concerns
through parent conferencing, student conferencing, student observation, and analysis of student
performance. The information gathered here would be vital to the next step, which is determining
specific strategies to be used in the class. Formal assessment will follow especially once strategies
do not work (particularly to those gifted learners with heightened abilities or additional disabilities).
All information will then be used to determine the eligibility of the learner to the use of IER Take
note that not all gifted and talented learners and LSEN need IEP To be eligible, the, learner’s
condition must affect functioning in school and the evaluation be done by a multidisciplinary team
of professionals that include classroom teachers, a Psychologist, a Psychometrician, a special
educator and other professionals who are needed depending on the learner’ specific needs. The
professionals are involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the plan. However,
unlike in the United States, the schools in the Philippines are not legally bound to formulate IEP for
LSEN or to organize an IEP meeting. It is usually up to the parents or guardians of the learner to
take further. steps to ensure the development of their child. The IEP meeting subsequently involves
the professionals and the parents or guardians of the learner. They discuss the learner’s
educational needs and come up with specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound
(SMART objectives) annual goals for each of those needs, This will be implemented for a year and
will be reviewed annually to update the goals and ensure that the levels of service meet the
learner’s emerging educational needs.
Part-time and Temporary Grouping
1. Pullout Programs. In this setup, learners are pulled out of their regular mainstreamed classes
once or twice a week to spend two to three hours per session in special enrichment activities,
guided by a teacher of gifted and talented education. The sessions usually take place in a resource
room or center where supplementary materials are provided. Through the pullout activities, gifted
and talented learners acquire knowledge and skills apart from the regular curriculum, which helps
them strengthen their creativity, metacognitive skills, communication and other personal areas of
development. In the Philippines, pullout program are given to high performing learners, where
teacher trainers work with them in honing their skills and talents. This may be in a form of arts,
dance, playing chess, journalism, and other activities. These learners usually represent their
schools in competitions within and outside of the country.
2. Part-time Special Classes. This school-within-a-school concept can also be offered in part-time
basis. In this option, gifted and talented learners enjoy 50% to 70% of prescribed curriculum in the
regular classes and attend differentiated curriculum in the special classes. Part-time special
classes include independent projects and research, accelerated subjects, and small group
collaborations that aim to heighten creativity and higher-level thinking skills.
3. Enrichment Clusters. This kind of grouping works for different level learners with common
interests such as journalism, literature, engineering, baking, and others. These groups of learners
meet with an experts in the interest area at designated times for 6-12 weeks. The topic of interest
is explained in depth, say if their interest is on folk dance, the history of each dance and of different
suites of folk dance will be discussed further, including dance properties (costume, music, and
counting) and the intricacies of accessories used.
4. Special Interest Groups and Clubs. This type of grouping is more common among secondary
students where enrichment activities in different clubs exist, such as drama class, chess club,
mathematics club, religious club, and others. High school students in the country, especially among
private schools, apply for membership while the officers as well as the club adviser assess their
skills and abilities. Teachers with expertise in the field are tasked to meet the students two hours in
a week and implement activities that will sharpen their skills. As club advisers, these teachers are
also tasked to evaluate the learners’ performance that will also be reflected on their scorecards,
along with their academic grades.

Curriculum Modifications
Differentiation strategies is a least intrusive intervention that helps gifted and talented learners the
best environment for their high abilities and achievements. .
Differentiation. It is an effective teaching strategy for inclusive special education which involves
giving all learners in the regular classroom choices based on how bes they could achieve their
greatest potentials, not creating a separate level for each student Tomlinson and Jarvis (2009)
emphasized that differentiation is being proactive in plannin; | curriculum and instruction that fit
students’ learning profiles, interests, and learnin: levels. They went further by explaining “it is a
process of creating multiple, ‘differentiated learning opportunities within a high-quality curriculum,
to maximize the probability that all students will become engaged in learning, experience efficiency
of learning, a? experience cognitive growth”
From Figure 4.1, the process of differentiation is based on the teacher’s proactive response to learner
differences, guided by five key principles applied to different classroom elements through the use of
varied instructional strategies. It is evident from the figure above that differentiation demands extra
work on the part of the teachers, but this strategy is necessary to ensure that all learners are learning,
a situation that has not always existed for some groups of students (including gifted and talented
students). Ann Lewis (1992) identified 11 forms of differentiation, which teachers may use in order to
support learning.

Lewis’ Forms of Differentiation

Forms Definition Examples
Differentiation of Content This involves the design of Learners in a group all work
different curriculum materials toward a single aim, such as
and resources reading competent but use several
different reading schemes to get
there.
Differentiation by interest This is to be particularly All learners are producing graphs,
important for poorly motivated but these graphs represent
learners different data according to
personal interest.
Differentiation of Pace This means (1) allowing some All learners work at the same task,
students more time to complete or with the same materials but the
core work; (2) providing for teacher has different expectations
extension activities for others; of the time required for completion.
(3) sometimes involving
teaching certain groups at a
very brisk pace to accelerate the
learning rate of low achievers
Differentiation of Access This means allowing learners While one learner reads a
different pathways into specific computer, other may listen to a
topic speaker or reads different
reference materials. Others may
also have peer or teacher-aide
assistance
Differentiation of This involves allowing students One learner writes a story, another
Outcome to present their responses in draws a picture to tell the story and
different ways another records the story on
audiotape
Differentiation of This involves changing the order Learners enter the curriculum at
Curricular sequence in which sub-topics are different points or take part in the
presented curriculum in a different order from
that of their peers
Differentiation of All learners work on the same Some learners work on task
Structure topic but the teacher provides analyzed curriculum while others
step-by-step coverage for some work on chunks
learner s while others progress
more independently
Differentiation of The teacher will devote more or The teacher gives more time to
Teacher Time less attention to individual some pupils during specific tasks
learners during the lesson and in order to ensure access to
in follow-up information
Differentiation of This involves varying the way in Some learners may require
Teaching Style which topics are presented individual instruction while others
can work in small group or pairs
Differentiation of All learners study the same topic All learners work through a similar
level but the teacher sets different sequence, in Physics for example,
degrees of complexity in what but at a variety of difficulty
students are asked to do.
Differentiation by This involves using one’s The teacher groups particular
grouping knowledge of learner pupils together for specific
 characteristics activities. Pupils act as supporters,
or work with peers with whom they
are comfortable.

Tiered Instruction. Tiering is an example of instructional strategy as listed in Figure 4.1. As

differentiation begins with assessment of learner skills, learners will then be identified based on how
advanced their skills are. This is where tiering becomes beneficial. This strategy involves the process
of creating the best possible lesson and making it fit based on the learners’ levels of readiness. The
levels could be divided into three or five, paralleled with corresponding tasks set for the lesson.
Learners have the option to work within their tiers, independently or with a partner and present their
works reflecting the best practices in the content area. Through these tiers, al} learners are meeting a
common outcome, but of different paths.

Enrichment Strategies
Strategies for enrichment contain higher-order delivery methods of developing skills in creative
thinking, critical thinking, and problem solving.
1. Library and Internet Research Projects. This is given to learners with strong interest on a
specific topic. Learners may select their own topic of interest or may choose from a wide range of
brainstormed topics with the teacher and group of students. The learner initially poses a question
and finds out the answer through interview of experts, library work, field trips, and other means
chosen by the learner. With this strategy, learners are taught to triangulate data by consulting
multiple sources and to evaluate validity of their references.
2. Scientific Research Projects. This strategy is an investigative process of finding solutions to a
scientific problem. Finding its answer entails discovering, collecting, and investigating information
that could later be displayed and demonstrated on Science fairs. The teacher’s role here is to be a
facilitator in aiding and directing the solution to science inquiries of the learners.
3. Art, Drama, Creative Writing, and other Independent Projects. Art projects comprise of different
areas in drawing,.sculpting, photography, and others. Drama projects include writing, directing,
producing, and performing plays. Creative writing would benefit the school newspaper for
publications, which further involve interviewing people, writing articles, taking photographs,
newspaper editing, among others. This could also ‘be in a form of online blogs and e-news for
school clubs, interest groups or personal websites.
4. Mentorships. Mentoring comprises of professionals working with interest clubs in schools, meeting
once or twice in the school campus. The adult mentor serves as the resource person, role model,
teacher and a friend with the goal of transferring skills and attitudes they have to their learners with
the same interest as theirs.
5. Peer Tutoring. Peer tutoring, also known as “peer-assisted learning” or “peermediated instruction,”
is a strategy that involves learners acting as tutors to other learners (tutees) on a face-to-face
interaction, under the supervision of a teacher. Any learner who volunteers and is known to be
more knowledgeable on a particular topic could be selected as tutor, regardless of their age or
levels. Teachers could structure application and training of tutors and could welcome any learner to
be their tutees.
6. Questioning. Teachers can simply incorporate cognitively challenging forms of questions that
ignite critical and creative thinking skills in their everyday teaching in the classrooms. Questioning
is a way of making learners think deeper and become More challenged. Follow-up questions to an
initial answer generate increased intellectual prowess, and some sample questions are:
1. Clarification: “Do you mean... ?”, How about explaining it once again? ; ° ”
2. Justification: “How come?,” “Why do you say so?
3. Conception: “How do you understand the ...?
4. Stability: “Do you agree with your classmate saying...
Open-ended question samples are seen below:
1. Speculation: “How can you describe yourself five years from now?”
2. Discrimination: “What makes a good learner?”
3. Solution: “How can we achieve our greatest potentials?”