GIFTED CHILDREN AND LEARNING
A. Internationally, ‘giftedness’ is most frequently determined by a score on a general intelligence test, known as an IQ test, which is above a chosen cutoff point, usually at around the top 2-5%. Children’s educational environment contributes to the IQ score and the way intelligence is used. For example, a very close positive relationship was found when children’s IQ scores were compared with their home educational provision (Freeman, 2010). The higher the children’s IQ scores, especially over IQ 130, the better the quality of their educational backup, measured in terms of reported verbal interactions with parents, number of books and activities in their home etc. Because IQ tests are decidedly influenced by what the child has learned, they are to some extent measures of current achievement based on age-norms; that is, how well the children have learned to manipulate their knowledge and know-how within the terms of the test. The vocabulary aspect, for example, is dependent on having heard those words. But IQ tests can neither identify the processes of learning and thinking nor predict creativity.
B. Excellence does not emerge without appropriate help. To reach an exceptionally high standard in any area very able children need the means to learn, which includes material to work with and focused challenging tuition -and the encouragement to follow their dream. There appears to be a qualitative difference in the way the intellectually highly able think, compared with more average-ability or older pupils, for whom external regulation by the teacher often compensates for lack of internal regulation. To be at their most effective in their self-regulation, all children can be helped to identify their own ways of learning – metacognition – which will include strategies of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and choice of what to learn. Emotional awareness is also part of metacognition, so children should be helped to be aware of their feelings around the area to be learned, feelings of curiosity or confidence, for example.
C. High achievers have been found to use self-regulatory learning strategies more often and more effectively than lower achievers, and are better able to transfer these strategies to deal with unfamiliar tasks. This happens to such a high degree in some children that they appear to be demonstrating talent in particular areas. Overviewing research on the thinking process of highly able children, (Shore and Kanevsky, 1993) put the instructor’s problem succinctly: ‘ If they [the gifted] merely think more quickly, then we need only teach more quickly. If they merely make fewer errors, then we can shorten the practice ’. But of course, this is not entirely the case; adjustments have to be made in methods of learning and teaching, to take account of the many ways individuals think.
D. Yet in order to learn by themselves, the gifted do need some support from their teachers. Conversely, teachers who have a tendency to ‘overdirect’ can diminish their gifted pupils’ learning autonomy. Although ‘ spoon-feeding ’ can produce extremely high examination results, these are not always followed by equally impressive life successes. Too much dependence on the teachers risks loss of autonomy and motivation to discover. However, when teachers o pupils to reflect on their own learning and thinking activities, they increase their pupils’ self-regulation. For a young child, it may be just the simple question ‘What have you learned today?’ which helps them to recognise what they are doing. Given that a fundamental goal of education is to transfer the control of learning from teachers to pupils, improving pupils’ learning to learn techniques should be a major outcome of the school experience, especially for the highly competent. There are quite a number of new methods which can help, such as child- initiated learning, ability-peer tutoring, etc. Such practices have been found to be particularly useful for bright children from deprived areas.
E. But scientific progress is not all theoretical, knowledge is a so vital to outstanding performance: individuals who know a great deal about a specific domain will achieve at a higher level than those who do not (Elshout, 1995). Research with creative scientists by Simonton (1988) brought him to the conclusion that above a certain high level, characteristics such as independence seemed to contribute more to reaching the highest levels of expertise than intellectual skills, due to the great demands of effort and time needed for learning and practice. Creativity in all forms can be seen as expertise as mixed with a high level of motivation (Weisberg, 1993).
F. To sum up, learning is affected by emotions of both the individual and significant others. Positive emotions facilitate the creative aspects of earning and negative emotions inhibit it. Fear, for example, can limit the development of curiosity, which is a strong force in scientific advance, because it motivates problem-solving behaviour. In Boekaerts ’ (1991) review of emotion the learning of very high IQ and highly achieving children, she found emotional forces in harness. They were not only curious, but often had a strong desire to control their environment, improve their learning efficiency and increase their own learning resources.
Questions 14-17
Reading Passage 198 has six paragraphs, A-F.
Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 14-17 on your answer sheet
NB You may use any letter more than once.
14. a reference to the influence of the domestic background on the gifted child.
15. reference to what can be lost if learners are given too much guidance.
16. a reference to the damaging effects of anxiety.
17. examples of classroom techniques which favour socially-disadvantaged children.
Questions 18-22
Look at the following statements (Questions 18-22) and the list of people below.
Match each statement with the correct person or people, A-E.
Write the correct letter, A-E, in boxes 18-22 on your answer sheet.
18. Less time can be spent on exercises with gifted pupils who produce accurate work.
19. Self-reliance is a valuable tool that helps gifted students reach their goals.
20. Gifted children know how to channel their feelings to assist their learning.
21. The very gifted child benefits from appropriate support from close relatives.
22. Really successful students have learnt a considerable amount about their subject.
List of People
A. Freeman
B. Shore and Kanevsky
C. Elshout
D. Simonton
E. Boekaerts
Questions 23-26
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 23—26 on your answer sheet
23. One study found a strong connection between children’s IQ and the availability of .................... and .................... at home.
24. Children of average ability seem to need more direction from teachers because they do not have ....................
25. Meta-cognition involves children understanding their own learning strategies, as well as developing ....................
26. Teachers who rely on what is known as .................... often produce sets of impressive grades in class tests.
LỜI GIẢI CHI TIẾT
14. A
Question: a reference to the influence of the domestic background on the gifted child.
Key words: influence, domestic background, gifted child
We need to find out some information about “domestic background” in the text. In paragraph A, the author refers to the importance of “home educational provision” and “reported verbal interactions with parents, number of books and activities in their home etc”. “Giftedness” is related to “educational backup” at home.
– domestic=home
15. D
Question: reference to what can be lost if learners are given too much guidance
Keywords: what lost, too much guidance
We need to find out some information about “too much guidance” provided. In paragraph D, the author indicates that “Conversely, teachers who have a tendency to ‘overdirect’ can diminish their gifted pupils’ learning autonomy…Too much dependence on the teacher risks loss of autonomy and motivation to discover.” This means that too much help from teachers causes students’ autonomy and motivation to be lost.
– overdirect=too much guidance
16. F
Question: a reference to the damaging effects of anxiety.
Keywords: effects, anxiety
We need to find out some information about anxiety. In paragraph F, the author argues that “Fear, for example, can limit the development of curiosity, which is a strong force in scientific advance, because it motivates problem-solving behaviour. So, fear, or anxiety, has negative effects on the development of curiosity.
– anxiety=fear
17. D
Question: examples of classroom techniques which favour socially-disadvantaged children.
Keywords: techniques, socially-disadvantaged children.
We need to find out some information about disadvantaged children. At the end of paragraph D, “There are quite a number of new methods which can help, such as child-initiated learning, ability peer tutoring, etc. Such practices have been found to be particularly useful for, or in other words ‘favour’, bright children from deprived areas.” So, some classroom techniques such as child-initiated learning, ability-peer tutoring, etc are very useful for socially-disadvantaged children.
– techniques=methods=practices
– socially-disadvantaged=deprived
18. B
Question: Less time can be spent on exercises with gifted pupils who produce accurate work.
Keywords: Less time, exercises
In paragraph C, Shore and Kanevsky say “If the gifted merely think more quickly, then we need only teach more quickly. If they merely make fewer errors, then we can shorten the practice.”
– produce accurate work=make fewer errors
– less time spent on exercises=shorten the practice
19. D
Question: Self-reliance is a valuable tool that helps gifted students reach their goals.
Keywords: self-reliance, reach goals
In paragraph E, Simonton concludes that “above a certain high level, characteristics such as independence seemed to contribute more to reaching the highest levels of expertise than intellectual skills, due to the great demands of effort and time needed for learning and practice.”
– self-reliance=independence
– goals=the highest levels of expertise
20. E
Question: Gifted children know how to channel their feelings to assist their learning.
Keywords: channel feelings, assist learning
In the last paragraph, “In Boekaerts’ (1991) review of emotion in the learning of very high IQ and highly achieving children, she found emotional forces in harness. They (gifted children) were not only curious, but often had a strong desire to control their environment, improve their learning efficiency, and increase their own learning resources.”
– channel their feelings=emotional forces in harness
– assist their learning=improve their learning efficiency
21. A
Question: The very gifted child benefits from appropriate support from close relatives.
Keywords: benefits, support from relatives.
In paragraph A, “A very close relationship was found when children’s IQ scores were compared with their home educational provision. The higher the children’s IQ scores, especially over IQ 130, the better the quality of their educational backup, measured in terms of reported verbal interactions with parents, number of books and activities in their home, etc” The researcher mentioned in this paragraph is Freeman.
– support from close relatives=educational backup/ home educational provision
22. C
Question: Really successful students have learnt a considerable amount about their subject.
Keywords: learnt a considerable amount.
In paragraph E, “individuals who know a great deal about a specific domain will achieve at a higher level than those who do not.”
– Really successful=achieve at a higher level
– learnt a considerable amount=know a great deal
– subject =specific domain
23. books - activities
Question: One study found a strong connection between children’s IQ and the availability of…………… and………….. at home.
Keywords: connection, children’s IQ, at home.
In paragraph A, the writer argues that “A very close… relationship was found when children’s IQ scores were compared with their home educational provision. The higher the children’s IQ scores, especially over IQ 130, the better the quality of their educational backup, measured in terms of reported verbal interactions with parents, number of books and activities in their home, etc”
– a strong connection=a very close relationship
24. internal regulation
Question: Children of average ability seem to need more direction from teachers because they do not have………….
Keywords: average, more direction, they do not have
We need to find out some information about average-ability children. In paragraph B, the author indicates that “There appears to be a qualitative difference in the way the intellectually highly able think, compared with more average-ability or older pupils, for whom external regulation by the teachers often compensates for lack of internal regulation.”
– direction=regulation
– do not have=lack(v)
25. emotional awareness
Question: Metacognition involves children understanding their own learning strategies, as well as developing……………
Keywords: metacognition, developing
We need to find out the information about metacognition. In paragraph B, “To be at their most effective in their self-regulation, all children can be helped to identify their own ways of learning-metacognition-which include strategies of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and choice of what to learn. Emotional awareness is also part of metacognition, so children should be helped to be aware of their feelings around the area to be learned.”
– understand=identify
26. spoon-feeding
Question: Teachers who rely on what is known as…..often produce sets of impressive grades in class tests.
Keywords: rely on, produce impressive grades, tests.
In paragraph D, “Although ‘spoon-feeding’ can produce extremely high examination results, these are not always followed by equally impressive life successes.”
– extremely high=impressive
– grades=results
– test=examination
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