An integral part of learning is to be challenged. Learning is faster if the mind is regularly given opportunities to be exercised by thinking cognitively or innovatively. It builds resilience in the learner knowing he can overcome obstacles that may come his way and learn from his struggles to emerge stronger next time. LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Prime Set recognizes this need and has come up with a STEAM learning tool to engage students through playful learning activities. It’s text-based coding with Python encourages learners to solve problems by thinking critically. It is a widely used learning tool in the GCC areas. Many schools in Dubai offer this kind of learning with splendid results and high enrolments.
Educational institutes in the Middle East have realized the importance of keeping their high-achieving learners cerebrally engaged and challenged. It not only consolidates their learning but invokes a need to do more and raise the bar at school. It is a must to also keep these achievers stimulated and not allow them to plateau, to further hone their skills. Listed below are some of the ways that such children can be engaged in, along with the rest of the class.
In relation to the topics being done at school, the class can be given additional options to work on. By allowing them to choose from these topics, they will learn independently by delving deeper into a subject of their choice and taking control of their learning. For instance, when a class is given a book review to write, the high-achieving students could be suggested titles that are slightly advanced for their age or even given an extra set of challenges related to the titles given to the rest of the class. These children must also be encouraged to do a self-assessment of their tasks and identify areas of improvement which are then submitted to and analyzed by the teacher. This is an insightful way for them to reflect upon their learning.
Group projects give everyone an opportunity to take on roles of leadership and can teach them to work amicably in assemblage. They can refine their abilities to draft and execute as well as of time and resource management. It gives everyone a chance to explore public speaking, presentation, summarizing and answering questions. Allowing the children to collaborate and work on a given task together proves to be yet another valuable tool as it gives them a chance to do peer assessment. The higher achieving students would most likely jump at the opportunity to have a look at their classmate’s work and discuss how they could improve upon it. Being fair and encouraging positive skills is as important as pointing out areas of improvement, and these also extend to self-evaluation tasks assigned.
Schools in the UAE, have found that using technology is proving to be beneficial when working with high achievers as it gives them opportunities to work independently within the classroom. There is a wide range of websites that have online, interactive games for many subjects taught at school that challenge high-ability pupils with their exciting games. Some even have augmented reality where a more in-depth study can be done for students who finish given tasks early and easily.
Many online platforms explore understanding on a deeper level with open-ended problems in subjects like maths. They can also be integrated into any class level or subject. These kinds of tasks challenge high-achieving students to examine and deeply explore the topic at hand. A challenge is life’s way of ensuring that you truly desire the things you manage to achieve and is an important life skill.