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A Gifted and Talented Foreign Language Learner

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Introduction
n Brian is a student in your MFL class who thrives on the more challenging and cerebral aspects of the subject. Although he appears to be well motivated, doing every piece of work you set him, he also shows signs of boredom when you pitch the lesson at too low a level. You need to differentiate your delivery to accommodate his needs, developing a repertoire of extension materials and approaches to stretch him and maintain his interest.

Problem 1
n How should schools identify and monitor pupils who are gifted in modern foreign languages?
n Read the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's Identifying gifted pupils: modern foreign languages. Then browse through the other online documentation listed in Gifted and Talented in Modern Foreign Languages, which includes professional development advice and classroom-ready materials. This school's Modern Foreign Languages Departmental Handbook contains a Gifted and Talented Policy: how applicable are its contents to the MFL department where you work?

Problem 2
n You decide to find out about educational projects targeting gifted and talented foreign language learners.
n The Department for Education and Skills Standards Site has three case studies of gifted and talented provision in MFL. Read the project reports Teaching Modern Foreign Languages in Primary Schools, Gifted and Talented Summer School in Modern Foreign Languages and Modern Foreign Languages for Gifted and Talented Pupils in KS3. How is the work of each initiative evaluated? Are all the projects easily replicable?

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© 2008 · David R. Wilson