Differentiating instruction for mathematically gifted and talented K--5 students in a suburban Georgia school district: An exploratory case study with implications for staff development.

摘要

Currently, the needs of mathematically gifted and talented students are not always met in the regular education classroom but why the needs of these students are unmet are not clear. The purpose of this exploratory multiple case study is to explore what instructional strategies are currently utilized by regular education classroom teachers with identified mathematically gifted and talented students in a small, suburban Georgia school district. This study will also examine the reasons teachers cite for being able or unable to meet the needs of these students. The conceptual framework for this case study is grounded in the work of Gardner, Renzulli, Tomlinson, and Winebrenner. A qualitative method was used and the research design included the use of multiple sources of evidence to collect and analyze data, including surveys, interviews, and documents. Surveys were conducted about mathematics instruction with kindergarten through fifth grade teachers, and those results were analyzed for each case utilizing descriptive statistics. The interview data was analyzed for each case utilizing open coding. The documents analyzed included the Georgia state math standards, the Criterion Referenced Competency Test, and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills as well as teacher lesson plans. A single case analysis was followed by a cross-case syntheses, based on the research questions of the study. To ensure quality of the data, a member check, an audit trail, and a peer review were utilized. In relation to issues of social change, this researcher believes that the findings of this case study will inform classroom teachers about the unique needs of mathematically gifted and talented students and will provide them with appropriate instructional strategies to improve mathematics learning for all students in the regular classroom.