Challenging highly able learners in the mainstream primary school: a digital approach

Abstract

In Scotland, under an inclusive approach to education, highly able learners are entitled to additional support to help them to achieve. How this translates into classroom practice can vary across education authorities (Stack and Sutherland, 2014). The use of ICT has the potential to connect highly able learners who benefit from interaction with other like-minded individuals who may be out with their same age peer group (Winstanley, 2010). Informed by literature pertaining to inclusion, highly able learners, challenge and digital learning, the researcher established a digital approach to enrichment for a small group of highly able primary school pupils, using iPads to promote communication and collaboration between children from different classes and stages. This paper presents the findings from the investigation into pupil and teacher perceptions of ability, challenge and the value of digital technologies in facilitating challenge for highly able learners in a Scottish mainstream primary school. Data was collected by means of pupil focus groups (10 children), teacher and senior management interviews (4 class teachers and 1 head teacher), and document analysis of both pupil work products and a reflective journal kept by the researcher over the course of the study. Themes that emerged naturally from the data were used to code the results. The results and implications for practice are discussed from a school perspective. Issues relating to continuing lifelong professional learning are also discussed.