Make a Twist: Curriculum Differentiation for Gifted Students

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Book gifted | authors: Juratowitch, M. & Blundell, R.

Make a Twist is a book that puts educational theory into practice, assisting educators and parents to identify and implement appropriate differentiation strategies for gifted children. Activities, aka ‘Twists’ contained in the book, are readily aligned with all subjects, curriculum topics, assessment tasks, and student interests.

The book is designed for upper primary school to middle high school high-ability students. The book can be used for higher-order thinking challenges during lessons and for extended differentiation tasks.

The gifted education book puts into action the principles of June Maker’s curriculum modification strategies (the ‘Maker model’) in a way that is complex and challenging, appropriate and engaging for high-ability children.

Make a Twist is a book that guides educators to develop an understanding of a learner’s abilities, skills, strengths, interests, creativity, and learning needs. It facilitates evidence of the adjustments made in support of gifted students throughout their learning.

Make a Twist can be used for advocacy of gifted children’s learning needs. It can connect parents and educators by opening communication, presenting easy-to-use strategies and ideas for differentiating classroom practice and for supporting the learning of the high ability child.

Parents can gain insight into their gifted child’s learning and learning development, the book also a recommended addition to support homeschooling of high ability children.

Certain (free) e-Book readers are required to view the interactive e-book.
Book gifted | authors: Juratowitch, M. & Blundell, R.

In this article:

• Supporting gifted children in the classroom
• Parenting gifted kids and supporting their schooling
• Authors of Make a Twist

Supporting gifted children in the classroom

When given an opportunity to explore an area of interest, gifted kids produce extraordinary work. Sometimes the work and creativity produced by students is at the level of experts and professionals. Innovative ideas, valuable research studies, practical solutions for problems in society and breathtakingly creative works have been developed by gifted and talented students.

To perform at an expert level requires considerable intellectual abilities, deep knowledge, creativity, specific skills and a willingness to take realistic risks. Students preparing passion projects have an opportunity to demonstrate expert performance in an area of personal interest and relevance.

Gifted children require sufficient stimulation to focus their attention; higher levels of challenge to personally engage with new material; an understanding of their emotional sensitivities and psychosocial needs to structure a learning environment that provides a nurturing, supportive climate to ignite learning.

Maureen Neihart has identified seven mental competencies (similar across different domains) and the factors that facilitate expert and gifted children’s performance. 

In this context, risk refers to feelings of doubt that the goal can be achieved; to understand that new skills must be developed to accomplish the task. As Neihart describes,

a willingness to work at the edge of competence.”

Maureen Neihart

This is frequently accompanied by uncertainty and the feeling of teetering at the edge of the safe, known world; unsure about what lies ahead; realizing courage and persistence are required to move forwards to success. 

To accomplish challenging tasks, it’s important to have a vision of what might be accomplished. There is a need to: establish the goals – both large and small; identify the skills required; develop the skills; allocate sufficient time; work hard in productive ways; manage feelings of uncertainty or fears and make steady, determined progress.

Understanding at the outset that challenges and difficulties lie ahead is part of mentally preparing for the work. Building in regular stress reduction techniques, including study breaks, exercise, relaxing (but not distracting) activities and time with friends can help to ensure that anxiety and mood are managed. Identifying who can provide practical help for the work and emotional support along the way is an important way of acknowledging and anticipating that there will be hurdles to overcome.

Geoff Masters, CEO of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), recently referred to the importance of maximizing students’ learning by incorporating the work of American psychologist, David Ausubel and Soviet psychologist, Lev Vygotsky, whose work, Masters claimed, identified:

… the way to maximize learning is to stretch or challenge learners in a way that is appropriate to the points they have reached in their learning.”

Geoff Masters

This is aligned with Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi’s Flow concept and author Jane Piirto’s powerful statement:

Nothing inspires smart people so much as intellectual challenge.” 

Jane Piirto

It’s critical for positive identity formation to focus upon children’s strengths. Csíkszentmihályi refers to the importance of focusing upon personal strengths and Masters emphasizes the importance of stretching and challenging children when he states:

If teachers are to provide all students in a class with learning experiences that will stretch and challenge them, they must be able to differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of students who are at quite different points in their long-term progress.”

Geoff Masters

The educational resource book, Make a Twist: Curriculum differentiation for gifted students opens opportunities for intellectual challenge, for student to develop deep knowledge, to stretch their skills and experience risk an appropriate level.

Achieving at expert level in any area entails risk-taking, being willing to increase challenge and push the boundaries of one’s knowledge. It involves wanting to learn new information, develop new skills and explore possibilities. Being on the edge can be exciting, challenging and at times uncomfortable. It’s important for learners to build the psychological skills necessary for attaining excellence.

Parenting gifted kids and supporting their schooling

Parents might advocate for gifted children as they start school, a different class or a new school. Educators may not otherwise be aware that a child is gifted. From an early age, gifted children begin to mask abilities to fit in. It’s important for parents to provide the school and teacher with information about a child’s abilities, interests and achievements. This is especially important when a child is reading young, prior to starting school. It’s important for parents to acknowledge support for their child’s learning needs and to communicate any concerns, while they are young.

Parents can be effective when they join a parent association; make practical contributions; establish a positive presence in the school. This will hold parents in good stead if they later need to advocate for provisions for gifted learners. A gifted child may need a range of adjustments to learn appropriately at school and at home.

There are times when a task is ideally matched to a child’s intellectual abilities, academic and practical skills, passions, and needs. When a task is not too hard, not too easy but ‘just right’, a student will be engaged in learning. Educators can address the learning needs of gifted learners by differentiating the curriculum and implementing specific teaching strategies. Academic work should provide sufficient challenge for the child, requiring the student to stretch a little beyond the current level, so new learning takes place and academic skills are developed. The way in which a child’s strengths, abilities and gifts are identified, challenged and nurtured by parents and educators will largely determine whether a child develops skills and talents.

Make a Twist: Curriculum differentiation for gifted children can open communication and a connection with the busy teacher by offering a means for practical differentiated learning.

The book supports

• Higher-order thinking skills
• Problem-based learning
• Autonomy in learning

Gifted children, require sufficient stimulation to focus their attention; higher levels of challenge to personally engage with new material; an understanding of their emotional sensitivities and psychosocial needs in order to structure a learning environment that provides a nurturing, supportive climate to ignite learning.

Authors of Make a Twist | Book gifted

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