Adventurous Thinking for the Able, Gifted & Talented
‘New knowledge should not be presented in isolation as facts to be remembered, but given context and a conceptual framework…‘more able’ means less didactic teaching is required’
Introduction
Making provision for the able, gifted and talented is sometimes considered the elitist approach. We consider it a time-effective method of designing exciting learning experiences that can be adapted for all other learners. Teaching to an ‘adventure story’ format provides unique opportunities for the teaching staff and the school. Delivering an event such as those outlined in this article is a motivating experience that should remind us of the reasons we started teaching. This approach fosters enthusiasm – the freedom to trial new methods of delivery, new equipment and new resources in our lessons.
Specialist events enable teachers to quickly evaluate the impact of teaching and learning styles adopted. The opportunity for immediate feedback and analysis enables the further development of effective classroom resources within a short time period. Furthermore, activities can be designed for cross-curricular use, impacting on classroom teaching throughout the school.
We are fortunate enough to work with hundreds of schools, primary and secondary, with a specific focus on the provision for able, gifted and talented (A,G&T) pupils. The common aim is to improve the level of creative thinking throughout the curriculum, for both the learners and their teachers.
These schools have adopted an approach that helps them to develop new activities and delivery styles for the classroom, meaningful and practical CPD, greater parental involvement and themed homework challenges. These schools have opted to host Adventure, Thriller or Horror themed events.
