Research tasters: Part 1

published:June 2007

Research evidence
The RfT study Supporting gifted and talented students (June 2007) reported how behaviours indicating giftedness may not be readily observable. For example, students may not have had sufficient opportunity to demonstrate their ability or they may hide their ability in order to 'fit in' with their peer group. Looking for positive indications of giftedness may be helpful in the identification process, but students who do not 'tick the boxes' may still be missed. For example, in one study the researcher looked at the behaviours underachieving, gifted, students might display. These behaviours included:

• challenging the relevance of the topic area and being critical of the teaching and learning styles in the classroom
• liking to be seen as outspoken and provocative in class discussions
• coming alive in class discussion, but showing a total lack of effort in written work
• wanting to discuss the work with friends and the teacher when they should be writing, and
• saying they don't know the answer to questions even if they do.

How can I identify able underachievers?
Staff in one school were given training on behaviours associated with underachieving and possible reasons for them. These included:

Behaviours	Possible reasons for behaviours
Challenges the relevance of the activities set.	'I simply can't learn like that … I have a passion for this subject, but I'm frustrated that we can't study the really interesting bits.'
Spars with and argues with the teacher.	'You tell me what to think and say; you make me jump through hoops. You give me no ownership or independence, no freedom or choice.'
Comes alive in class discussion and says brilliant things in oral work, but written work shows total lack of effort, care and pride.	'I easily remember things the teacher says and things I read in books, so I don't see the point of having to write them down as well.'
Extension work shows little effort, but there is evidence from what the student says that s/he has spent time on another, vaguely related area of work.	'I see no point in that piece of work, but I really need to learn about so many other things that fascinate me. That's why I spend hours on personal projects.'
Finds it difficult to start a piece of work and even harder to finish it.	'I'm a perfectionist. I'm never happy with anything less than perfect marks. If I can't produce perfection, I won't hand anything in.'
Hides their ability – won't show it for fear that others will see it.	'I can't do as well as my teachers expect me to.' OR 'I deliberately underachieve in an effort to gain acceptance or at least tolerance from peers.'
Apologises and/or makes excuses for the quality of their work, even though it's good. Can't see why pieces of work are good – only sees what needs to be done to improve them.	'You think I'm clever, but I know I'm not I was lucky with that last piece of work. If I'm not careful, you'll find me out to be the fraud that I am.'
Dependent on constant reassurance and encouragement.	'I'm not coping with the pressure. Please help me.'
Says s/he doesn't know the answer to questions even when s/he does. Might copy the behaviour of those who get told off.	'There are lots of people in my class who will make fun of me if I am keen and get high marks.'
Spends most of the time in class talking to friends.	'I just want to chat to my friends – people like me need to work harder at fitting in than others. I can catch up at home or at revision time.'

How can I find out the causes of underachievement amongst G&T students?
One teacher decided to investigate underachievement amongst gifted and talented (G&T) students through pairing older G&T student coaches with younger G&T students, with much success. You might like to try the same thing. The coaches held regular meetings with the younger students to enable them to reflect on their learning needs and strategies. The younger students set the agenda for these meetings and decided the issues and the coaches recorded the main points that arose in the discussions, using the framework below.

Record of coaching meetings

Name of coach and coachee:

• Date and time
• Brief list of things that were discussed
• Agreed date of next meeting

 

Questionnaire
The coaches used the information recorded on the coaching cards to draw up a questionnaire about learning. The teacher analysed both the questionnaire responses and the coaching cards to determine and categorise reasons why G&T students underachieved. As an example, some of the items from the learning questionnaire are reproduced below.

1. How happy are you at school on a scale of 1-10? (Put a circle around the number the student says).

Miserable . Unhappy . Okay . Fine . Content .  Happy

0     1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10

2. Why have you chosen this number?

3. The school thinks that you are capable of achieving better marks and grades than most other students in your tutor group, learning group and year group. Do you agree?

4. How long do you spend on homework? (You can either say how long it takes you on an average night or how long it takes you in an average week or how long the average piece of work takes you to do).

5. What are your three most/least favourite types of work or types of activity in class?

Most
Least

6. Look at the lists in the last question, and record the things you do most/least in lessons.

Most
Least

7. Are there any subjects where you feel you are not doing very well? Which?

8. Here is a list of reasons why you might not be doing so well. Tick the ones you think apply to you.

• I can't do as well as my teachers expect me to.
• The work is too hard.
• The work is so easy that I feel frustrated and bored.
• The work is about right.
• I'm happy what I'm doing. I'm just not as good at this subject as my others.
• I easily remember things the teacher says and things I read in books so I don't see the point of having to write them down as well.
• I'm given no opportunities to develop my own ideas and to be original.
• I really like this subject but feel that we have to study the boring bits and never get to do the really interesting bits that I like.
• I find it hard to start pieces of work because I want them to be really good.
• I am afraid to try hard in case I get low marks because that will mean I'm not very good. I would prefer not to try so that when I get low marks I know it's because I haven't tried.
• In my class there are lots of people who will make fun of me if I am keen and get high marks.
• I just want to chat to my friends – this is more important to me than the work.
• Any other reasons:

How might I make use of these tools?
You might like to use these tools to help you gather evidence for your own enquiries. For example you might explore:

• Could peer coaching help enhance the achievement of G&T students?
• What helps our G&T students to achieve at the highest level?