Student context:

Finn, a 6-year-old Foundation year student, has been identified as an autonomous gifted
learner who is self-confident, motivated to learn, seeks challenge and is willing to make
mistakes. He is currently reading and appreciating novels that are appropriate for Year 4 level
students, and able to fluently explain and problem solve Year 1 level mathematical concepts.
Finn is socially and emotionally more mature than his age-peers as he experienced over-
excitement on his first few weeks of school, sympathises with his peer’s feelings, and has a
well-developed sense of justice. Because of this, he tends to prefer socialising with older
children, teachers or school services officer, or by himself. Additionally, his parents have
noticed his potential and have been supporting his needs at home while feeling uncertain
whether he should remain in the Foundation year or to be moved up a year level or more.

Accommodating potential critical issues that Finn may experience in his schooling year:

Underachievement and Acceleration approach:

As Finn is an autonomous gifted learner, he may be at risk of underachievement if his

academic needs are not supported appropriately. The approach of acceleration in certain
curriculum areas, particularly in literacy and numeracy seems appropriate for his current
competence level. However, he should be encouraged to remain in Foundation year level as
other curriculum areas are not as significantly advanced compared to his age-peers. To reduce
the possibility of underachievement in his schooling journey and support his academic needs,
these are the adjustments which will be implemented:

1. Never have unrealistic expectations for Finn to engage in repetition of information

that he has already mastered. Instead, maximise his potential by allowing him to
assume ownership of his own learning through curriculum acceleration. An example
will be to enable him to work ahead of problems of skills in Mathematics that he has
not known yet.

2. Establish a student-centred curriculum and enable Finn to learn at his own pace
through engaging him in the curriculum decision-making process. An example will be
to allow him to decide which Mathematics area of the appropriate year level, that is
just a little a level beyond his current competence level, he would like to explore first.

Social and emotional development:

As Finn is more mature socially and emotionally than his age-peers and prefers to be
associating with children of older age, teachers or by himself, he is prone to feel rejected or
isolated from his age-peers. To support his relationships with age-peers, provide ample
opportunities for him to engage with his age-peers in social activities. An example will be
through extension which often happens when students finish their activity early and have
extra time before the next period. Finn and his age-peers who finish earlier could engage in
an extension activity through playing a mathematics board game.