I am a pre-service teacher seeking advice on how a classroom teacher can encourage and promote academic giftedness while teaching at a level with at level and LD students? As a future teacher, I am concerned that I won’t meet the needs of my different learning level students.
Given the politics of today’s special education my only advice is PRAY. It appears most of those preaching the mixing of all-potentials in a social studies class for example - do not know the chaos which will ensue. Children with IQ’s in the 70’s only become frustrated and even angered on let’s say a fifth grade discussion on the economic causes of the American Revolution. Gifted students (LD included) become frustrated when day-in and day-out the discussions and lectures only deal with the obvious. In many classrooms, poor behavior make efficient grouping within the class difficult.
Note: Many (if not all) of the major theorists of multi-ability/potential groupings have had their children educated in private settings - thereby not suffering the consequences of their politics.