When we want to get the best educational experiences for our gifted children, we really need to be familiar with the various educational options available. The options listed here are the most common ones.
Options Based on Grouping Children
These options are available with limited resources and little, if any, extra money. Ideally, the teacher in any option will have some training or at least some knowledge and understanding of gifted children.
- Ability Grouping. As the name indicates, children are placed into groups based on their ability.
- Cluster Grouping. All the gifted children in the same grade level are placed in the same classroom.
- Homogeneous Grouping. This is similar to ability grouping. All the high ability children in one classroom are grouped together.
- Heterogeneous Grouping. This is the most common method of grouping, but the least helpful to gifted children. Students of varying ability are placed in the same group.
Options Designed Specifically for Gifted Children
These options sometimes require additional funding and resources, but less than people imagine. Both options require the identification of gifted children and separating them either full time or part time from other children.
- Pull-Out Program. Gifted children are taken out of their regular classroom for a short amount of time every week for special services.
- Self-Contained Classroom. Gifted children get their own classroom. They spend all day, every day with other gifted kids.
Other Options in Gifted Education
These options are not necessarily strictly for gifted children, but they can certainly benefit gifted kids.
- AP Courses. These are advanced placement courses and are available only for high school students, when they are available at all.
- Differentiation. This is an instructional method that takes into account the strengths and weaknesses of all the children in a classroom. It can be used with all age groups.
- Grade Skipping. Children who have already mastered the material in one grade level and are capable of handling the material at the next grade level are moved to the next grade level.
- Cooperative LearningThis is another instructional methodology, but it is based on a system of heterogeneous grouping.
When you want to know what kind of services are available in your child's school (or potential school), you can ask about these specific options. And when your child's school (or potential school) tells you about the educational options available, you'll know what they are talking about!
