BEYOND ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL: INDIAN APPROACH TO NURTURE GIFTED BRILLIANCE THROUGH DIFFERENTIATION

Abstract

Differentiation is a process that involves adapting instruction and curriculum to meet the diverse needs of students that arise from individual differences, such as gifted, talented, typical, and atypical learners. The aim of this chapter is to present the current status of classroom differentiation practices in India vis a vis western practices concerning gifted and talented learners, highlight teachers’ perception of such learners, and outline future directions. The National Education Policy proposed several reforms leading to advancements in research on differentiation practices in classroom in India. Whereas research indicates a positive trend of differentiation practices so as their benefits to gifted learners in urban schools, there is a paucity of research investigating the extent to which culturally relevant tools are used in rural schools and how teachers’ perception towards gifted learners shape up the differentiation practices. Another issue is the way giftedness is defined in India which is perceived as a skill that can be developed instead of something that is inherently present (Wu et al., 2000).