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The following activities, while suitable for all pupils, have been specially designed for teachers of children with special educational needs (SEN). They focus on developing computational thinking core skills in a fun, accessible way and can be easily adapted by teachers.
Computing for SEND - Guidance Document
This guidance is for teachers of pupils with special educational needs who are working below National Curriculum levels, although it will have relevance to all teachers of SEND. This document:

discusses the importance and relevance of teaching Computer Science to SEND pupils

explores teaching ideas for Computational Thinking

presents a revised version of the P Scales for Computing.

Dance Move Algorithms
In this fun activity pupils make up a dance routine and create the instructions (an algorithm) for a partner to follow.

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes Algorithms
In this activity lesson pupils create a set of instructions (an algorithm) to sing a well-known song. In doing so they also use debugging and repetition.
Bee-Bot Route Decomposition Activity
The aim of the activity is for the class to create a program to control a single Bee-Bot, or similar floor robot, around a complex course. The pupils achieve this by decomposing the route into sections in small groups, creating the algorithm in smaller steps for their own section and then programming the whole route into the Bee-Bot as a class.
Getting Ready for School Decomposition Activity
In this activity pupils will sequence the act of getting ready for school by decomposing the activity into smaller steps. In doing so they will create an algorithm - a sequence of instructions to complete each task. This activity comes with 9 Communicate:in Print resources to support your teaching.
SEND Scratch Tinkering Activity
In this activity pupils will tinker with the program Scratch through guided questioning to find out how it works and then adapt to make their own activity. Support and extension worksheets are provided to differentiate within your class along with exemplar Scratch files for your pupils to explore, before having a go at their own!
Musical Sequences Acti vity SEND Bee-Bot Basics Activity
In this lesson pupils will create sequences of colours to make music. In doing so they will learn about algorithms as sequences of instructions, and that the order of the instructions is important. This activity comes complete with a ready-made Scratch Colour Piano and Scratch Shape Piano to allow support and extension for different pupils.
Sorting Objects Activity
In this series of activities pupils learn to create short sequences of instructions ( algorithms) and enter these as very simple programs on the Bee-Bot floor robots (or similar). They learn how to spot and correct errors in their program ( debugging). Resources include a programming mat, command cards and Communicate:In Print files.
Story Sequencing Activity
In this lesson pupils sort objects according to their features and develop their ability to spot patterns. Some pupils may also create rules for their patterns and in doing so work with algorithms. This activity is supported by a picture cards, a ready-made Scratch project and Communicate:In Print resources.
Creating Patterns Activity
In this lesson pupils will identify and sequence events from a familiar story or song. In this way they will learn that the order of events is important. Using differentiated worksheets and picture cards, pupils work in groups or individually to identify the correct order of animals in the song There was an old woman who swallowed a fly.
Lego Building Algorithm Activity
In this activity pupils look for patterns, complete sequences and create their own patterns. There is the opportunity to develop their understanding of algorithms by making instructions for others to recreate their patterns. This activity comes with differentiated worksheets, a Communicate:In Print file and an ActivInspire Flipchart file.
River Crossing Activity
In this lesson pupils create a simple model (out of Lego or similar) and then take photos to create instructions (an algorithm) for other pupils to recreate their model. By removing one block at a time they are decomposing the problem into manageable steps. You may wish to split this lesson into two depending on your pupils.
Shopping List Activity
Pupils solve the traditional problem of a farmer trying to get a chicken, fox and corn across a river by acting it out. In doing so, they develop their logical reasoning skills. The activity can also be used to develop understanding of algorithms, decomposition and debugging. Pupils take on the different character roles and act out the different scenarios. The activity is supported by accessible, image-based materials and ideas for adaption are included.
House Patterns Activity
In this lesson, based around the practical scenario of creating a shopping-list, pupils identify the ingredients they need to make a cake. In doing so, they develop their skills of abstraction as they pick out the important information they need to make their cake and ignore any unimportant information. The activity is supported by differentiated, editable worksheets.

In this lesson pupils identify similarities between different houses and then use them to create their own house. In doing so, they are developing their skills around spotting and reusing patterns. Teachers are provided with ways of differentiating the activity according to their pupils' needs, including introducing simple sorting activities for those requiring more support and ideas for extension into Scratch for those working at higher levels. There are also ideas for adaption for pupils with visual and audio impairment.

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Activities for pupils with special educational needs - Barefoot Computing

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The following activities, while suitable for all pupils, have been specially designed for teachers of children with special educational needs (SEN). They focus on developing computational thinking core skills in a fun, accessible way and can be easily adapted by teachers. Computing for SEND - Guidance Document ...

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Barefoot SEND guidance and computer science statements for P5-P8

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Barefoot SEND guidance and computer science statements for P5-P8

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Computing for SEND Guidance - Barefoot Computing

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To view this content you need to be a member of the Barefoot community. Please register to view this content or login if you are already a member

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Laying foundations for computing in the Early Years

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Laying foundations for computing in the Early Years

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Computing co-ordinators often wonder what to encourage in the nursery or reception class. The easy answer is, 'not computing!' However, there is a lot of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) that provides a foundation for computational thinking.

Computing may not be part of the EYFS Statutory Framework, but there is much that goes on in the EYFS that provides a foundation for computational thinking - the golden thread that runs through Computing in the National Curriculum.

In the Statutory Framework for EYFS, the early learning goal from the 'technology' strand in the 'understanding the world' area of learning, requires that, 'children recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools'. This is about helping children to understand their place in a world that seems increasingly dominated by technology. We need to help them make sense of this world, as well as planting the seeds for their understanding of the implications of technology in their lives and society. This is the start of 'digital literacy' and it extends into Key Stage 1, where children are taught to 'recognise common uses of information technology beyond school'. Early Years practitioners provide a rich environment in which children can build up an understanding of the world through play. They help children to be curious about technology in real world contexts: what happens inside a microwave? or a photocopier? what happens when Mummy puts her card in the machine outside the bank? what is the machine called? why does she have to type a number in? why does she keep it secret? Through roleplay and natural discussions like these the children make sense of their world.

Although the EYFS 'technology' requirement doesn't explicitly state digital technology, it would be hard to address this properly without giving children an experience of the digital as well as the analogue here. That said, many of us would worry about an environment, whether at home or school, in which young children are spending too much time 'plugged in' to screens, narrowing communication and the range of practical experiences from which children learn.

An analogue only education seems of diminishing relevance to the modern world; a digital only education seems a hugely impoverished early childhood experience. Irrespective of access to Bee-Bots, iPads or other digital technology, young children should also be learning outside, making mud pies, climbing trees, playing with puppets, sharing books, making models and chatting with their friends.

The technology early learning goal states that children should 'select and use technology for particular purposes'. There are a wide range of digital technologies that young children can use playfully and collaboratively, such as digital cameras, audio recorders, tablet computers, phones (smart or otherwise) and simple, programmable robots such as Bee-Bot. As they play with these devices, children will form their own mental model (schema) of how these work, sometimes through chatting to one another, or asking a grown-up, but more often just through play. Note the reference here to 'select' - it's not enough for children to use the tech they're given: they've got to have some say in what they use. Are these things stored somewhere children can access them? How are these things kept charged? Do children know the basics of how to keep themselves and the equipment safe? How will they be shared fairly?

The use of technology can support children across other areas of learning, providing children with new ways to communicate and share their ideas. In the 'being imaginative' strand of the 'expressive arts and design' area of learning, the early learning goal states the expectation that children 'use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role-play and stories'. The requirement doesn't specify digital media or information technology, but nor does it preclude it. Alongside working with crayons, pencils, paints and craft materials, there's ample opportunity for children to use photography, record music they make, video one another and paint with fingers, trackpad or mouse on screen

Further up the primary school, we recognise that there is much more to computing than learning to use digital technology. Computational thinking, understood, after Jeanette Wing, as "taking an approach to solving problems, designing systems and understanding human behaviour that draws on concepts fundamental to computing", is the golden thread running through the computing curriculum. But computational thinking doesn't begin in Key Stage 1: the foundations are laid in EYFS.

The Barefoot computational thinker

Barefoot Computing, developed by CAS, offers a model of computational thinking as being made up of both concepts and approaches. It's widely used in primary schools. All these concepts and approaches can be applied, at least to some extent with four and five year olds. Indeed, some begin earlier still. The nursery or reception classroom is full of opportunities to solve problems. Carrying the water up the hill; solving (or making) jigsaws; building models; spotting and extending a pattern. When children are faced with these problems, the questions that Early Years practitioners would naturally be posing can encourage computational thinking. Here's some examples:

Logical reasoning What will happen if I do this? How do you know?

Algorithms What do I need to do to solve this? Is there a better way?

Decomposition Can we break this problem up? Could we each do different jobs to solve the problem?

Patterns Have you solved something like this before? What did you do then? What's changed?

Abstraction What's the most important thing here? Maybe we can draw a picture of this?

Evaluation What went well? Which way worked best? What would you do differently next time?

The Statutory Framework expects practitioners to consider how children learn and develop in relation to three 'characteristics of effective learning':

playing and exploring - investigate, experience things, and 'have a go';

active learning - concentrate, keep on trying if encountering difficulties, and enjoy achievements; and

creating and thinking critically - have their own ideas, make links between them, and develop strategies for doing things.

There are very close connections here with the 'approaches' to computational thinking that Barefoot Computing uses. Playing and exploring links closely with tinkering and collaborating, as well as abstraction. Active learning is tied to debugging and persevering. Creating and thinking critically connects with Barefoot's creating, as well as back to the concepts of logical reasoning and algorithms.

So how do we encourage the development of these approaches? This is often about getting the learning environment right. By providing open ended activities that encourage children to use all their senses to observe, discover and engage with the world, we encourage them to tinker, play and explore. Opportunities to take things apart, to build and make models help children to be creative. Getting children to do a jigsaw, recreate a pattern or draw a picture can all encourage them to debug. We provide activities that require longer periods of engagement, concentration and perseverance. Sharing books and toys, playing with puppets or taking part in a nativity play or harvest festival all help develop collaboration.

Some of the characteristics of effective learning

The non-statutory guidance in Development Matters gives plenty of examples of how these characteristics of effective learning develop, and these link directly with the notion of computational thinking. So, for example, the early stages of logical reasoning will draw on 'making predictions' - getting a child to say what will happen if they do or change something, as well as 'developing ideas of cause and effect' - can they link their actions to the effects they produce, on screen or off? Abstraction starts early too: representative play captures the essence of a thing, putting to one side much of the detail: children 'pretend objects are things from experience' and 'represent experiences as play'. Debugging, whilst not called that, is common in Early Years with children 'learning by trial and error' and 'persisting with activities when challenges occur'.

As with all learning, we need to recognise the importance of children's early experiences. If we can get the environment right in these early days, we can set children off on the right foot to develop computational thinking and creativity.

Written by Emma Goto and me for the Spring 2016 edition of Switched On, the CAS Newsletter.

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Laying the foundations for computing in the early years - An open mind

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Computing co-ordinators often wonder what to encourage in the nursery or reception class. The easy answer is, 'not computing!' However, there is a lot of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) that provides a foundation for computational thinking.

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CAS guide for primary and early years computing

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CAS guide for primary and early years computing

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Teach Computing Science - A Guide for Primary and Early Years Practitioners

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A Guide for Primary and Early Years Practitioners

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New directions for early literacy in a digital age: The iPadRosie Flewitt, David Messer, Natalia Kucirkova

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New directions for early literacy in a digital age: The iPadRosie Flewitt, David Messer, Natalia Kucirkova

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Virtual Demos

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JISC Getting started with accessibility and inclusion

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JISC Getting started with accessibility and inclusion

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Getting started with accessibility and inclusion

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How your organisation can help to reduce and overcome the barriers faced by learners with special educational needs.

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Accessibility, assistive technology and inclusive practice

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Digital classrooms - making the most of inclusion - Accessibility, assistive technology and inclusive practice

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The concept of Digital classrooms (often linked to Sticky Campus ideas) is gaining traction. But what is it? Is it good for inclusion and if so why and how?

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CAS Include talking to Catherine Elliott

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CAS Include talking to Catherine Elliott

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Catherine Elliott of Sheffield eLearning and CAS #include discusses inclusion strategies for how best to make computing accessible to pupils with special educational needs.

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Assistive technology for gifted and talented

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Assistive technology for gifted and talented

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Assistive Technology for Gifted and Talented Students

Gifted and talented students need opportunities to perform at naturally higher levels of creativity and academic performance. Content should be engaging, and pacing should be challenging in order to foster motivation and decrease the chance of underachievement.

Assistive technology, technology that helps students reach their full potential, is often associated with children with disabilities. But it has many beneficial functions that can extend to gifted and talented students. It allows for multiple levels of enrichment activities that support classroom instruction and self-pacing curricula. It also provides opportunities for high-level problem solving and collaboration. Assistive technology is an excellent tool for the classroom teacher as well as in the home-based learning environment.

Specific Needs of Gifted and Talented Students

Students who are gifted and talented can have their core needs met through assistive technology in the following ways:

Area of Need

Benefits of Assistive Technology

Examples of Assistive Technology

Literacy

Allows students to learn in their preferred style and interests while accessing a wide array of information on related topics.

Blogs, ebooks, online games, podcasts, online journals, discussion forums, online magazines and newspapers, YouTube

Content delivery

Provides individualized activities to support topics taught in class, encouraging higher-level thinking, creativity, and collaboration.

WebQuests, simulations, video games, wikis, learning management systems like Moodle

Demonstration of learning

Gifted students can showcase their achievements in an environment that encourages differentiation, collaboration, and deeper critical thinking skills.

Podcasts, social bookmarking like Delicious, blogs, digital storytelling, YouTube, e-publishing, wikis, social networking sites

Information resources

Immediate answers are provided to inquisitive gifted and talented students. Interacting with content and experts in the particular topic of interest is also possible.

Encyclopedia sites, online dictionaries and thesauruses, ebooks, scholarly websites and blogs, news sites, podcasts

Social networking

Students are able to collaborate and learn from other gifted students, educators, and experts in a way that cannot be achieved locally. They have worldwide access to others who have the same experiences, challenges, and goals.

Gifted Students Academy, among other local and national networks available by searching the internet

Incorporating Assistive Technology in the Classroom

There are many ways to use the assistive technology discussed above in the classroom to help gifted and talented students reach their full potential. Let's explore a couple of these strategies.

Enhance Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning encourages students to work collaboratively or individually across all disciplines of study, and it improves their problem solving and critical thinking skills. Adding the component of multimedia through handheld devices and laptops provides an outlet for creativity. For instance, a student might use an iPad to interview school, family, or community members on a particular topic and then collate the information into graphs, poetry, slide presentations, videos, or movies.

Create a Virtual Learning Environment

Creating a virtual learning environment ( VLE) within the classroom can benefit all students, particularly the gifted and talented. It focuses on using the wide array of information technology available to provide stimulating, challenging, and individualized learning experiences for students.

A VLE incorporates the internet, online databases, scanned pictures and drawings, video, and other technology and resources. Students can visit online museums, and they can access reliable and up-to-date information though government and scholarly website sources. They may explore the customs and values of other cultures, have enriching experiences in the performing and visual arts, and more.

Additional Programs and Resources

Below are some additional resources that may help you incorporate assistive technology for gifted and talented students in the classroom.

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assistive technology for gifted & talented students | study.com

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Assistive Technology for Gifted & Talented Students | Study.com

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Gifted and talented students need opportunities to perform at naturally higher levels of creativity and academic performance. Content should be engaging, and pacing should be challenging in order to foster motivation and decrease the chance of underachievement. Assistive technology, technology that helps students reach their full potential, is often associated with children with disabilities.

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The Guardian Teacher Network: role of technology in gifted and talented education

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The Guardian Teacher Network: role of technology in gifted and talented education

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Here we have collated some highlights and links from our recent live chat, in association with IGGY, that explored the role of technology in gifted education. To read the discussion in full, click here.

Jackie Swift (@jactherat), head of English at a London secondary school, was the G&T co-ordinator at her previous school and has blogged for the Guardian Teacher Network on gifted and talented pupils: Just what is gifted and talented?

Do gifted and talented pupils need gifted and talented teachers? I agree that G&T students do need exceptional teachers, ones who don't feel threatened by them, who are open to being challenged beyond the usual and open to many things. Indeed a multi-subject specialist of some sort would fit the bill. G&T students too often coast and we must push and stretch them. It's also why an online global community would be something many of them would enjoy.

Ian Warwick, senior director, London Gifted and Talented

Technology opens up spaces for really smart learners to explore: Technologies that include peer-education, learning through discourse, learning (and forming a world-view) synthesised from multiple discourses, rather than a single, authoritative narrative about any given subject, open up spaces for really smart learners to explore.

It has become increasingly apparent to me through all of our learning networks that G&T learners are eminently capable of more devolved and self-directed learning wherever their environment allows them access to multiple bodies of knowledge. They also require mutual feedback when they are attempting to apply ideas, the pooling of information (research leads) and pooling of effort toward more sophisticated understanding of the subject, the opportunity to compare contrasting or conflicting interpretations of a subject and the opportunity to make contact with people at a higher level of study in multilateral conversation with a large group of learners. Technology can offer all of the above. By doing so it directly leads to the acquisition of sophisticated information literacy skills (critical reading of sources, contextual understanding of what they read and the ability to negotiate content delivered through multiple media). It is our duty as educators to support our most able learners in their quest for such discriminatory skills.
But there are huge pedagogical implications as a result of taking on this paradigm, which I believe our discussion really needs to focus.

Dr Adam Boddison, academic principal for IGGY is responsible for ensuring that there is a broad range of academic content for IGGY members, which is both relevant and engaging

Technology can offer personalised learning that stretches G&T students: I think most people would agree that we need to challenge our G&T students as some of them are likely to be the leaders of tomorrow across a range of fields. I see that investing in these students now is an investment into the future for everybody. The bigger issue is about how to stretch these students. There is no one-size-fits-all model, so technology seems to be a good starting point, since students can more easily personalise their learning experience.

Technology can bridge the gap between rich and poor G&T students: One of the things I like about technology is that students have an opportunity to reinvent themselves in some sense. So a student from a disadvantaged community can operate on the same intellectual plane as those who might be more fortunate. Sometimes, not being able to physically see the people you are working with can discourage misconceptions about disadvantaged students.

The idea of gifted students being only from middle class or wealthy backgrounds is a classic misconception. There is perhaps an argument that parents from such backgrounds are better at recognising talent and so put their children forward for the relevant opportunities. However, I think gifted education is becoming less exclusive and more inclusive, particularly through the use of programmes like GOAL and the Social Mobility Foundation, which identify gifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Valerie Thompson is chief executive of the e-learning Foundation, a national educational charity dedicated to eliminating the digital divide for school children in the UK

Technology is still an untapped resource: We have a real problem given the government's position that "schools are best placed to make the best decision" on every subject from technology implementation to lease finance. With no leadership from the political perspective the prospects of individual learners is subject to a postcode lottery of whether they attend a school that happens to be able to respond to their needs. Collaboration and information sharing has never been more vital.

My impression is that technology is mostly being used in a 'one size fits all' way and that the huge capacity of technology to be tailored and personalised around the needs of individual learners is still in its infancy.

Matt Britland (@mattbritland) is head of ICT at Kingston Grammar School. He has been teaching for six years and taught in both state and independent schools. Matt blogs here and is also a teacher adviser to the Guardian Teacher Network

Remember, the best things in life are free: Schools should be made aware that it is not all about expensive kit. Things like Google Drive, Edmodo, social networks among others can be used in schools for free. I love the iPad and how it can be used to support teaching and learning. But, with tight budgets it is not a necessity if money is not there.

If students can access the internet, whether it is at home, in a library or a youth club they can benefit. Teachers and schools need to take this into consideration. Make as much available as possible. Low cost computers like Raspberry Pi could be used instead of computers costing several hundred pounds. Schools should try and help these student with access.

Use social networks to work together with gifted and talented (G&T) pupils: Social networks can be really important. It opens up an anytime and place collaborative tool. Students have ownership of these spaces. For instance, they feel that Facebook is 'theirs'. Sharing information, getting involved in discussions with other students as well as teachers. Students and teachers can also share resources.

Peter Lydon (@peter_lydon) is the founder GTNetwork. He is a specialist teacher of gifted children, gifted educational consultant and lecturer. Peter is the founder of GTNetwork - a network of advocates and support groups for exceptionally able/gifted children in Ireland

Let your pupils loose on a tablet: I have one tablet which I give to targeted students. I provide a set of learning outcomes and let them loose to address those. I check in to see their progress. They have to keep a diary of their experience learning with the devices (a small nod to metacognition). I would love to have enough tablets to give one to each of my students. It would revolutionise what I do and what they do. I could preach less and facilitate more. I know my students would get much more out of it. But best of all, in a mixed ability class like mine, using a tablet or laptop allows the G&T student to work at their pace, not the average pace of the class.
Links, videos and blog posts:
Schools need to teach more Computer Science. This really appeals to many G&T children. They can start here and progress on to app inventor before going on to Python, Java and C.

Here are some of the Myths of Giftedness.

Here's a useful website on researching giftedness.

Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?

Sara Findlater is assistant principal and headteacher of Aquila College, Riddlesdown Collegiate. She has experience of G&T programmes

G&T pupils can blog their way to achievement: A way I used blogging with my gifted students was through a daily revision (often tech based) revision task over the Christmas break. An advent calendar of revision if you like. Each day leading up to their exams I posted a new task for them to dip into. I tried to keep it challenging while also fresh.

[Students] have got to get there themselves for it to be real and deep learning. Gentle guide and a pulling back on course from teachers can be very empowering for the gifted student. They discover things that can blow the most learned of us away. They have young fresh minds. We can learn a lot from them.

For some revision ideas, click here.

For an example of collaborative learning blogging and online teacher marking, visit Sarah Findlater's blog.

Pearltrees also has some great revision resources and Techspectacle also has a great article on the best laptops for college students.

Adrian Hall, managing director, IGGY

Thinking about access for disadvantaged students: I think there is much that can be done with technology and gifted students and the point about parents from disadvantaged backgrounds is a very valid one. Since there is no longer the Home Access programme, clearly there will be some children who won't have access and may struggle. That said there are schools who are taking advantage of the work the e Learning Foundation does and finding innovative ways to give access to those that don't, Shireland Collegiate Academy being a good example. From an international perspective we at IGGY are looking to work with various partners in Africa to deliver Saturday schools for students from Townships so they will have access.

In my experience you need to look at what you want to do with the technology and identify the technology that will deliver that vision and engagement for your staff and students. There are some interesting long term mobile projects in the UK, it may be worth exploring some have moved from PDA to smartphone to netbook to iPad.

blehpunk, reader and participant in the live chat, was a G&T pupil for 18 years in the USA

Technology is vital to G&T students: As I progressed through school, my engagement with gifted education became more distant as I developed as a more creative and independent person. While technology was important to me at an early age (and we had limited access in the 80s/90s when I was in school) I think more would have helped.

Here, I would like to discuss tech beyond just social and virtual networks, but to incorporate creative media access. Using technology to make, build, and experiment is vital to certain G&T students. I could see 3D printers, video projectors, and other a/v equipment being a tremendous help. I think just getting their hands on some of these technologies will make them think more clearly about what they want to do when they get out of school. Whilst this tech is in its infancy, these students will use it as a springboard to create the next Google or Facebook or what have you.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get articles direct to your inbox, and to access thousands of free resources, sign up to the Guardian Teacher Network here. Looking for your next role? See our Guardian jobs for schools site for thousands of the latest teaching, leadership and support jobs
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Gifted and talented education: using technology to engage students

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Here we have collated some highlights and links from our recent live chat, in association with IGGY, that explored the role of technology in gifted education. To read the discussion in full, click here. Do gifted and talented pupils need gifted and talented teachers?

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EducationWorld is pleased to present this article contributed by Neven Jurkovic, CEO of Softmath and creator of Algebrator, a widely used math tutoring software.

The one student population whose needs have been most ignored throughout the No Child Left Behind testing era of the past decade is undeniably gifted students. As school districts have been urged to "close the gap" between high- and low-performing students and between various subgroups of students, it seems they've taken that mission quite seriously: vast resources go toward helping struggling students attain certain standardized measures of success. At the same time, gifted students' needs are often ignored, if not sabotaged). They are already "good enough," and, after all, the easiest way to close the gap between high-achieving and low-achieving students is to slow down the progress of the high achievers.

Thankfully, the dramatically increasing rate of technology use in the classroom has the potential to help teachers more effectively meet the needs of gifted students without sacrificing their efforts to help other students. Here are four key ways technology-particularly 1:1 technology-can be used to meet the needs of gifted learners of all ages.

Content differentiation

This one is straightforward: gifted students often need to be taught entirely different, more advanced material than their peers. Through the use of free online college courses or even just the free video library of KhanAcademy.org, a wealth of advanced content is available for gifted students to tap into at anytime, from anywhere. Through the use of video technology (whether using existing videos or creating your own), planning a differentiated lesson where different students receive different instruction is simple.

Differentiated assignments

Not only can the content students are learning about be differentiated easily through the use of technology, but so can the tasks that students are asked to complete. Adaptive math programs that get easier or harder based on students' responses can replace static, unresponsive math textbooks, for example. Gifted writers who used to write papers for an audience of one person (their teacher) can now be helped to develop a significant, real audience as they create individual blogs showcasing their talents. In all subjects, technology can allow students who are performing far above grade level to progress as rapidly as they are able.

Interest-based choices

Many gifted students have specific areas of deep interest or expertise. Internet-connected 1:1 technology permits students to research those interests, find and communicate with others who have those interests, and then present their findings powerfully through the use of multimedia. (No more fifth-grade biography reports where students can only research one of the 40 or so individuals about which there is a book in the school library.) This benefits all students, of course, but it is particularly important for those gifted students with interests that wander far off the beaten path.

Communication tools

Finally, gifted students are often starved for relationships with academic peers. In smaller schools, gifted students may be genuinely unable to find even one true academic peer with similar interests. In contrast, 1:1 technology provides students like these with opportunities to connect and communicate with others (from anywhere around the globe) who share their interests and abilities.

Technology has the potential to revolutionize education for all students. If used wisely, it can do particularly remarkable things for the gifted students who so often are not given the freedom and opportunity to maximize their potential.

About the author

Neven Jurkovic's interest in teaching mathematics with technology developed while pursuing a Master of Science degree at Southwest Texas State University. Apart from publishing a number of papers on the application of artificial intelligence in elementary mathematics problem solving, Neven is the CEO of Softmath and creator of Algebrator, a widely used math tutoring software.

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Using Tech With Gifted Students | Education World

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EducationWorld is pleased to present this article contributed by Neven Jurkovic, CEO of Softmath and creator of Algebrator, a widely used math tutoring software. The one student population whose needs have been most ignored throughout the No Child Left Behind testing era of the past decade is undeniably gifted students.

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Gifted Students and Educational Technology - ETEC 510

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Gifted students are generally considered to be highly talented in one or more intelligence domains and often require academic enrichment and differentiation through choice of content, pace, learning environment and product. Educational technology provides gifted students with the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity, access instant information, utilize their preferential learning style and pursue interest areas.

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Journal of Information Technology in Education article: Using Technology in Gifted and TalentedEducation Classrooms: The Teachers’ PerspectiveSusan L. Zimlich

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Journal of Information Technology in Education article: Using Technology in Gifted and TalentedEducation Classrooms: The Teachers’ PerspectiveSusan L. Zimlich

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ResearchGate article: USING TECHNOLOGY IN GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION CLASSROOMS

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ResearchGate article: USING TECHNOLOGY IN GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION CLASSROOMS