Vocational Education: Gifted Students' Experience And Treatment

The treatment of gifted students in vocational universities is a topic that has long been of concern to educators. While the focus of vocational educators has traditionally been on student performance based on standard intelligence tests, they often overlook the presence of gifted and talented students in their classrooms. This can lead to a situation where gifted students are lost in the vocational education system, as they may not be provided with the necessary stimulation and challenges to reach their full potential.

To address this issue, vocational educators need to dispel persistent myths about the educational placement of gifted students and make a conscious effort to identify these students and their unique characteristics. This includes moving beyond solely using IQ tests as a measure of giftedness, as this can lead to the exclusion of gifted students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Providing differentiated instruction and curriculum enrichment can help create a more stimulating learning environment for gifted students in vocational education. This may involve pairing students with professionals in their field of interest, assigning research projects, or offering work experience through cooperative education programs.

Additionally, early entrance programs and dual enrollment options at universities can provide gifted students with the opportunity to accelerate their education and enroll in college-level courses while still in high school.

Overall, the treatment of gifted students in vocational universities is a complex issue that requires a nuanced approach to ensure these students are adequately supported and challenged.

Identifying gifted students

• Avoid Relying Solely on IQ Tests: While IQ tests are a common tool for identifying giftedness, they should not be the sole criterion. Other measures, such as achievement tests, classroom performance, and teacher and parent observations, are essential for a comprehensive understanding of a student's abilities.
• Look Beyond Standard Intelligence Tests: Vocational educators should not solely focus on student performance based on standard intelligence tests. They need to actively identify gifted students within their classrooms and recognise their unique characteristics.
• Consider Multiple Criteria: Giftedness can manifest in various domains, including intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership, and specific academic fields. A broad definition of giftedness, using multiple criteria, is essential for accurate identification.
• Utilise a Handbook or Guidelines: Developing a handbook or guidelines, similar to what was created by the state board of education in Virginia, can be invaluable for teachers. It can offer practical information on identifying gifted and talented students and designing stimulating curricula.
• Recognise Individual Differences: Gifted and talented students are not a homogeneous group. They exhibit diverse characteristics, such as curiosity, good judgment, leadership, and analytical abilities. It is crucial to look beyond a single measure, like IQ, to capture the full range of giftedness.
• Consult Specialists: Once a teacher recognises potential indicators of giftedness in a student, they should consult guidance counsellors and other specialists. This collaborative approach ensures appropriate testing, program planning, and career guidance for the student.

Enrichment vs acceleration

Enrichment and acceleration are two major approaches to gifted education. Both aim to engage and challenge gifted students to develop intellectually and socially. However, they differ in their methods and outcomes.

Enrichment

Enrichment activities build upon the regular curriculum, offering greater context and a deeper exploration of the subject matter. This is achieved through additional content, project-based learning, or hands-on experiences. Enrichment allows gifted students to remain with their chronological peers, which can support their social interaction skills, while still being academically challenged at their level. For example, a student who has mastered reading at a higher level than their peers may be asked to read to the class, developing their mastery and modelling good reading skills for their peers.

Enrichment can include interest-based projects, extension activities, independent study, and study contracts. It may also take place outside the regular classroom, such as in a chess club or robotics group.

Acceleration

Acceleration, on the other hand, involves moving gifted students through the curriculum at a faster rate or to a higher grade level. This approach matches the level and complexity of content with the student's readiness and motivation. Acceleration can take the form of early entrance to primary school or college, grade skipping, or completing more than one year of content in a calendar year.

While acceleration provides academically challenging content, there may be concerns about the student's emotional readiness for the material. Additionally, while grade acceleration may be suitable in grade school, the student may face greater social and emotional challenges in middle or high school.

Enrichment vs. Acceleration

Experts agree that the most successful gifted programs incorporate both enrichment and acceleration approaches. Enrichment allows students to explore their interests in greater depth, while acceleration ensures they are not held back and can progress at a pace that matches their abilities.

Ultimately, the decision to accelerate or enrich should be based on the individual needs of the student. Both approaches have the potential to engage and challenge gifted students, ensuring they remain stimulated and supported in their intellectual and social development.

Early entrance programs

Dual Enrollment

Dual enrollment allows students to take college courses while continuing to be enrolled in high school. This is the most common type of early entrance program and provides students with an opportunity to supplement their high school coursework. In some cases, a college or university course may be taken instead of a high school academic subject if the student has already exhausted the high school curriculum in that subject.

Early Admission

Early admission programs are designed for gifted high school juniors who have completed their high school curriculum and met state graduation requirements. These programs allow students to skip their senior year of high school and go straight to college.

Early Entrance

• Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts: Most applicants are 14 to 16 years old and have completed 9th grade. They can earn an Associate in Arts degree after 2 years or a Bachelor of Arts degree after 4 years.
• Bucksbaum Early Entrance Academy at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa: This program is for high-achieving students with a passion for STEM and the Arts/Humanities. Students can begin full-time on-campus study at the University of Iowa after their sophomore year of high school.
• Boston University Academy in Boston, Massachusetts: A co-educational day school for students in grades 9 through 12, offering a rigorous academic program that combines a classical curriculum with a contemporary approach.
• California State University, Los Angeles, Early Entry Program (EEP): This program supports 80 full-time students between the ages of 12 and 17, all of whom maintain above-average grades while taking on the challenge of college courses.
• University of Washington Early Entrance Program (EEP) in Seattle, Washington: The Transition School is for students no more than 14 years old, and the Early Entrance Program is for full-time university students who are "graduates" of the Transition School.

These are just a few examples of the many early entrance programs available for gifted students. Each program has its own unique characteristics, admission requirements, and benefits, so it's important for students and their families to carefully research their options to find the best fit.

Cluster grouping

The benefits of cluster grouping include:

• Meeting the intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted students.
• Providing a challenging and enriching learning environment, allowing gifted students to work at a pace suitable for their abilities.
• Improving academic achievement and increasing student motivation.
• Allowing teachers to more effectively differentiate their teaching and meet the needs of gifted learners.
• Facilitating social connections between gifted students and their intellectual peers, fostering a sense of acceptance.
• Avoiding the social and emotional problems that can arise when gifted students struggle to understand their differences from their age peers.

However, there are also some potential challenges and criticisms of cluster grouping. These include:

• The need for specialised teacher training to differentiate instruction and meet the needs of gifted students effectively.
• The potential for teachers to feel frustrated by the wide range of instructional needs in the classroom.
• The possibility of resentment from educators who are not selected as cluster teachers.
• Accusations of elitism or denying academic leadership opportunities to other students, although evidence suggests that new leadership arises within non-cluster groups.
• Pressure from parents to have their children placed in cluster groups, even if they do not qualify.

Overall, cluster grouping can be a successful strategy for providing full-time services for gifted students within existing budgets and improving learning opportunities for all students. It allows gifted students to learn with their intellectual peers while remaining in a heterogeneous class, fostering both academic growth and social connections.

Differentiated instruction

To effectively differentiate instruction for gifted students, teachers must first identify the needs of each student. This can be done by observing student behaviour, assessing student work, and speaking with parents and other teachers. Once these needs have been identified, teachers can develop differentiated instruction plans that provide appropriate challenges and support for each student. When creating these plans, teachers should consider the student's interests, strengths, and weaknesses. For example, if a student is highly advanced in math but struggles with reading comprehension, the teacher can create a plan that provides challenging math assignments while also offering additional support in reading comprehension.

• Content Differentiation: This involves tailoring the topics and concepts taught to a student’s individual interests and abilities. For instance, assigning more challenging reading materials or providing additional research topics.
• Process Differentiation: This focuses on the way tasks are presented to students. This approach may involve allowing gifted students to work at their own pace, providing them with more open-ended questions, or enabling them to explore topics in greater depth through independent projects or group activities.
• Product Differentiation: This emphasizes the quality of the work produced by students. Gifted students are given the opportunity to create more advanced projects or presentations that require higher-level critical thinking skills, such as a complex essay or a multimedia presentation.
• Environment Differentiation: This strategy aims to create an environment where gifted students can thrive. It may involve providing them with a quiet place to work or allowing them to work in small groups with other high-ability students. Teachers can also give gifted students access to specialized resources or permit them to participate in advanced classes.
• Curriculum-Based Differentiation: This approach modifies the curriculum to meet the needs of gifted students. It could involve changing the amount of material covered or providing additional activities or supplementary material for further exploration.

Additionally, here are some other strategies for differentiated instruction:

• Tiered Assignments: Learners complete the same assignment but at different levels of difficulty, allowing each student to demonstrate understanding.
• Self-Paced Learning: By giving a pre-assessment, students who already know the material can be given the option to work on independent projects or skip certain assignments.
• Open-Ended Assignments: These tasks can be approached in many valid ways, allowing students to apply their unique skills and ideas while stimulating higher-order thinking.
• Compact Curriculum: If students can demonstrate mastery of a topic, they can move on to more challenging material.
• Project-Based Learning: Students learn through actively engaging in meaningful projects, encouraging intellectual and emotional development, critical thinking, and collaboration.

By utilizing differentiated instruction, teachers can ensure that gifted students receive an education that meets their individual needs, addresses their unique abilities and interests, and provides appropriate challenges and support.

Frequently asked questions