.:Gifted:.

"Equal treatment of unequals is the most unequal treatment of all." Education of gifted ESL and Bilingual students is an extension of the doctrine of individual differences. Since gifted and talented students are able to comprehend the greater complexity and higher levels of abstraction, the Gifted Programs focus is to develop these characteristics to the highest degree possible. Our educational program employs an open-ended curriculum that provides pupils with learning situations where they can develop cognitive, creative, and affective learning processes. Further, the curriculum addresses the individual needs of students, and at the same time, provides for group and class needs. Moreover, out curriculum provides students opportunities that will enable them to be creators of knowledge as well as receivers of knowledge. Finally, the program for the gifted Programs is designed to develop each student’s desire for excellence and sense of responsibility to themselves, their school, community and ever-changing world.

Project GOTCHA has significantly aimed to increase the representation of linguistically and culturally diverse students in Gifted and Talented Programs. Project GOTCHA offers an opportunity for students to participate in a

pre-gifted program. It offers specialized instruction combined with meaningful integration of a language instructional environment.

Project GOTCHA has impacted linguistically diverse students that because of ethnicity, low socio-economic status and/or dialect speakers of English have not been able to access categorical programs.

Teachers are trained to use gifted strategies combined with second language learning techniques. Curriculum is enriched with many aspects of the Heritage Language (Spanish) and the new language (English).

Oral Language Assessment (LAS) should be administered for determining level of proficiency and measure gains in one year.

IEC provides teachers with training and materials to implement Project GOTCHA, Academic Excellence Program that identifies and serves potentially gifted ESL and Bilingual students.

Materials are provided with training to ensure quality and reliability of implementation.

Project GOTCHA is based on Bloom’s Taxonomy; Parne’s Creativity Model; Kaplan’s Currriculum Differentiation Model; Garden’s Multiple Intelligence Theory; Krashen’s Natural Approach; Suggestiopedia (Dr. Lozanov’s work which focuses on the role suggestion plays in learning); oral language development, active learning; and teaching language through content areas. The program is adequately implemented through a prescribed series of steps for each child as well as focusing on the whole child development. It stands the test of being evaluated on its effectiveness in meeting the needs of the students. Language Arts component aligns with the best reading practices for reading instruction and embraces the Balance Literacy Classroom Model

The program serves identified ELL students for five hours a week at the elementary level. At the middle school level, instruction is provided through daily program ESL classes. Emphasis is placed on developing language skills using the unique creative abilities of each child, and also, the use of curriculum and materials, which have been designed, and field tested to integrate higher level cognitive skills, oral and cultural awareness. The lessons are designed to include the following: (a) language proficiency levels, (b) variety of learning styles, (c) multiple levels of achievement, (d) degree of cognitive challenge, (e) creative strands, (f) process and product based, (g) alternative assessment, (h) critical thinking (Bloom’s Taxonomy), and (i) self-evaluation.

The delivery is a priority for the success of the program. Teachers are trained in the delivery as well as the content of the curriculum. The focus is to empower teachers to extend the curriculum by training them to apply the techniques used in the GOTCHA Curriculum. The teachers are trained to view the curriculum as a springboard from where they can expand, create and elaborate.