International programs for the Gifted and the Bethlen School

Prof. em. Dr. Franz MönksRadboud University Nijmegen

(Netherlands)Center for the Study of Giftedness

• Musical Girl Child Prodigy

• A child prodigy or a Wunderkind is a child, who is performing at a level of a highly trained adult person.

• Mozart started composing at age 5 (Menuett G-Dur).

• Other prodigies: Pablo Picasso, Carl Friedrich Gauß.

• Curriculum is mainly focused on the average

Curriculum is made for the average.

What about the students who have learning capacities above the average?

1000092000Austria

20000190000The Netherlands

80000770000Germany

Students who have learning capacities above the average.

AnnualBirth-rate(1990 – 1995)

Country

How can we meet the learning needs of the above average ability student?

A) A curriculum is a plan for learningB) Curriculum must consist essentially of disciplined

study in five great areas: (The International Encyclopedia of Curriculum, 1991, p. 15):

1) command of the mother tongue and the systematic study of grammar, literature, and writing;

2) mathematics;3) sciences;4) history;5) foreign language

C) Curriculum is what is taught to students, i.e. intended and unintended information, skills, and attitudes that are communicated to students in schools (Sowell, 1996, S. 5)

Curriculum conceptions, purposes of education and primary sources of content (E.J. Sowell (1996). Curriculum – An Integrative Introduction. Egglewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, p. 41)

Needs and interest of learners

To develop individuals to their fullest potentials

Self-actualization

Needs of society and culture

To prepare people for living in an unstable, changing world; to reform society

Social relevance- reconstruction

Academic disciplines, subject matter

To cultivate cognitive achievement and the intellect

Cumulative tradition of organized knowledge

Primary Source of Content

Purpose of Education

Curriculum Conception

• Main issues concerning gifted education: Integration versus Separation, Grouping, Acceleration and/or Enrichment

• Grouping is the main entrance for gifted education

• There exists a rich research concerning grouping (e.g. Feldhusen & Moon; Kulik & Kulik; Rogers)

• In the literature there are mainly three questions discussed:

1. What are the grouping options for the gifted?

2. What are the academic effects of grouping?

3. What are the social and psychological effects?

Ad 1) One can distinguish between:• fulltime gifted programs, classes or schools for

the gifted• grouping for acceleration of the program:

Curriculum Compacting, Advanced Placement, Subject Acceleration, Early Admission (School and/or College)

• Enrichment pull-out programs• Within-class ability grouping• Cooperative grouping

Ad 2) The greatest effects came out of• Grade Skipping• Enrichment (pull-out)• Subject Acceleration• Curriculum Compacting• Mentorship• Regrouping for Specific Instruction (reading, math)• Cooperative Learning (heterogeneous classes:

fast learner supports the slow learner): There was NO positive effect

• Cooperative learning (bright students teaching average or below average learners) can be exploitative, because the special learning needs of gifted students are neglected. Many cooperative learning researchers and practitioners view gifted students as social misfits who need socializing and therefore cooperative learning should be healthy for them.

Ad 3) In general there are slight gains or improvements concerning socialization

socialization includes:

• social maturity

• leadership activities

• peer interaction

There is no research concerning psychological effects of grouping. Such research should include:

• self-esteem• confidence• emotional health• emotional development• creativity• risk-tasking

Conclusion of the research concerning effects of grouping is as follows:

• gifted and talented learners need some form of grouping

• pacing of instruction• depth of content• independent and creative learning cannot be

effectively facilitated without some forms of ability-grouped arrangements

• in sum: ability grouping produces significant academic benefits for gifted and talented students

Renzulli’s Schoolwide Enrichment Model (Based on pedagogical optimism)

• “A rising tide lifts all ships” (boats) Bei Flut steigen alle Schiffe

• First used by John F. Kennedy (1962) regarding economic situation

• “The rising tide will lift some boats, but others will run aground” (Sperling, 2005)

• Renzulli: Schoolhouse Giftedness and Creative-Productive Giftedness

Bethlen School

• started in 1987 with gifted programs, still ongoing

• Identification: teacher nomination, school achievements, intelligence tests

• Teacher training: 15 teachers have the ECHA-Diploma

• about 600 students (more girls than boys)

Bethlen School

What are the main objectives of the program?? • Strengthening the intellectual abilities,

independent learning, and peer interaction• Strengthening learning style, learning motivation,

and self-esteem• in the morning regular classes, in the afternoon

differentiated and individualized programs = grouping

• Main result: improvement of intellectual and personality factors

Bethlen School

• Conclusion: ability grouping and individualized learning are most productive

• Programming and results at Bethlen School are in accordance with international research

Köszönöm