Challenging students with high abilities in inclusive math and science classrooms

Abstract

The overall purpose of this study was to better understand how US math and science teachers perceived and supported the learning of high-ability students in inclusive, urban general education classrooms. Specifically, drawing on the literature on self-regulated learning (SRL), this study explored to what extent teachers (N = 58): (1) perceived high-ability learners as self-regulated learners, and (2) encouraged these students to engage in strategies aligned with the research on SRL. Both quantitative and qualitative data confirmed that teachers’ perceptions of high-ability students were mixed. For example, high-ability learners were largely described as mastery-oriented and self-regulated, but teachers also noted that these students do not always: (1) set goals; (2) have accurate self-perceptions; or (3) monitor their understanding. Findings also suggest that teachers struggled to meet the needs of high-ability students in inclusive classrooms, often leaving high-ability students to work independently so that they could attend to their less-abled peers. Overall, these findings point to the need for further professional development opportunities focused on differentiating instruction for high-ability learners.