engleski

Gifted Students and Students with Disabilities: Teachers’ Competence for Differential Teaching

Inclusive educational policies require teaching that is adjusted to meet the diverse range of learners found in classrooms. Therefore, core teachers’ areas of competence should include curriculum adaptation and differential teaching to address the individualized educational needs of all students. Due to an insufficient number of available courses that cover these competencies during initial teacher education, the aim of this study was to examine: (1) the teachers’ perceptions of their competencies for providing differential teaching to meet the needs of students with disabilities and gifted students, (2) perceived professional workload and quality of cooperation with parent of students with disabilities and gifted students and (3) differences in perceived teachers’ competences, workload and quality of cooperation according to characteristics of students. The sample included 127 teachers from three Croatian counties, who completed the Perceived Competencies for Differential Teaching Scale, Disabilities and Gifted dimensions. One factor in each dimension was obtained using factorial analyses, with good reliability. Teachers perceived themselves moderately competent in the area of differential teaching for students with disabilities and gifted students, but their professional workload was lower for teaching gifted students than for students with disabilities. Similarly, they found that cooperation with parents of gifted students was better than with parents of students with disabilities. Required teaching skills for differential teaching are discussed in line with the complexity of inclusive settings and educational needs of gifted students.

Gifted ; Students ; Students with disabilities

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