Gifted and Talented Teaching Resources for Independent Learning

Independent learning is fostered by an environment that is sensitive, flexible, and responsive to the needs of the student. It involves a healthy interactive process between the teacher and learner that encourages the student’s intellectual development and capacity for independent and reflective judgment. This is a student-centered learning model.

More than the traditional role learning of facts and skills, independent learning encourages students to formulate meaning for themselves, based on their understanding of why and how new knowledge is related to that which they already know.

The teacher‘s role in this process is to facilitate the process with matter that is age and subject appropriate, related to the available resources, and connected to the students’ needs for a balance between structured experience and independence. It is therefore essential to equip oneself with gifted and talented teaching resources that would help you contribute to the child’s learning process better.

Here are some resources that will help you to support your gifted students.

Concept Mapping Resources:

Learn more about concept mapping

Cog Map and EDrawSoft are some free software that can help students with concept mapping.

Journal Writing:
Journal writing helps record reactions to subject matter, personal thoughts, or feelings.

Inquiry Process
This is a context, framework and focus for questions, and different levels of questions. Learn more at http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html

From Professional Learning Board’s online continuing education course for teachers: Differentiation for Gifted Learners in the Classroom