In educational systems all over the world, educators are tasked with the responsibility of meeting the needs of all the learners in their classrooms through the programs and curriculum options they construct and deliver. Each learner has specific needs and whilst the curriculum guidelines and syllabus documents are often designed to reach most learners in classrooms, additional strategies are often needed for students, such as the highly able learners, whose needs are different to those of their neurotypical peers. This group of students, who vary in the levels and expressions of their high ability, may find themselves marking time, multitasking, being disrespectful or simply tuning out of the day to day classes because the pace or complexity of learning does not meet their learning needs. Whilst it may be possible to recognise and respond to many of the positive behaviours of highly able students, such as speed of learning, superior vocabulary and advanced reading ability, some of the less favourable behaviours such as failure to complete tasks, disruptive and manipulative attitudes, and distractibility, may mean the recognition and response to high ability is more difficult. In addition, they sometimes possess twice-exceptionalities which may mask their high ability altogether.
Bronwyn MacLeod, has a Certificate of Gifted Education and a Master of Education, specialising in Gifted Education, from the University of New South Wales, and has undertaken doctoral studies in Education, focusing on Gifted Education and Technology also at the University of New South... Read More →
