Whatdowemeanbyenrichment?

Whenconsideringtheplaceofenrichment inyourschool,firstensurethatcolleagues areagreedonadefinition.

WHAT IS ENRICHMENT?
Enrichmentisaformofdifferentiation,asisextension.Theycan,of course,overlap,thougheachhasitsownessentialcharacteristics. Enrichmentmightbesaidtoinvolve stayingwithatheme,subjectorskillanddevelopingitindepth roundingoutthebasiccurriculumsubjectswithawidercontext relatinglearningtonewareas and/orprovidingpupilswithexperiencesoutsidetheregularcurriculum (breadth). Extension,ontheotherhand,givesstudentsopportunitiesforaccelerated progressandaccesstonew,morechallengingconceptsorcontent,etc.Most evidencesubmittedtotheEducationandEmploymentCommitteeforits ReportontheHighlyAble(1999)supportedtheuseofbothenrichmentand extensiontoimproveprovisionforthemoreable.Indeed,manyactivitiesin schoolinvolvethetwoincombination.Whenthishappens,theresultisof particularvalueinthedevelopmentoftheablechild,aprocesswhichhas beendubbedatwowaystretch(EyreandMarjoram,1990). Enrichmenthasbeendefinedinanumberofways.OnesuchisthatofTeare (1997),whodescribeditas Ahigherqualityofworkthanthenormfortheagegroup Workcoveredinmoredepth Abroadeningofthelearningexperience Promotingahigherlevelofthinking Theinclusionofadditionalsubjectareasand/oractivities Theuseofsupplementarymaterialsbeyondthenormalrangeof resources.
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Enrichmentissometimesseenintermsofthedevelopmentofcertain qualitiesofmind.Theseincludeproblemsolving,creativethinking, initiativeandselfdirection,discovery,higherorderthinkingskills,profound personalinterests,selfacceptance,andthecouragetobedifferent. Opportunitiesforthesekindsofenrichmentshouldbecreatedthroughout thecurriculum,aswellasbeyondlessontimeandbothinschooland outsideit.Animportantfeatureofenrichmentisthatitmustenhancethe curriculumandthestudentsgenerallearningexperience.Thisapplies bothtoworkdoneintheclassroomandtoactivitiesoutsideschool.Itis certainlyimportantthatalllearnersshouldreceiveanenricheddietintheir everydayschoollife,butthewordenrichmentwhenappliedtomoreable learnersusuallyimpliessomethingmarkedlyextraorbeyondwhatis normallyonoffer.AsFreeman(1998)expressedit,enrichmentisnota supplementarydietwhichdependsonwhetherthereisenoughmoneyfor extramaterialandtuition.Itshouldalwaysbeintegratedwithwhole schoolprovision.

WHYISENRICHMENTANIMPORTANTFOCUSINTHEEDUCATIONOF GIFTEDANDTALENTEDPUPILS?
Ablechildrenneedasmuchmotivationandrecognitionasotherpupils, sometimesmore.Thereisalwaysneedtoguardagainsttheassumption, especiallyinmixedabilityclasses,thatthesechildrenwillmotivatethemselves andkeepthemselvesinterested.Thisbeliefisnotborneoutbytheresearch. ItisalsoevidentfromascrutinyofOfstedreports(Wallace2000)thatevenin agoodschoolthereisalltoooftennotenoughdifferentiationofclassroom activitiestoextendtheveryablechild.Enrichmentcanhaveanimportant contributiontomakehere. AprojectdevisedbytheNationalAssociationforGiftedChildreninitiated enrichmentactivitiesinsevenschools.Theviewsofstudents,parentsand teacherswerethensoughtonthebenefitsorotherwiseoftheactivities.Ten keypointsemergedfromthestudy: 1 Enrichmentactivitiescanbeofgreatbenefittoamoreablestudents experienceofschool. 2 Ablestudentsarehighlymotivatedbychallengingactivitieswhichare differentfromthosetheydoinclass. 3 Ablestudentswelcometheopportunitytodiscussanddebate,especially whengivenasuitablestimulusorframework. 4 Brainteasersandpuzzlesseemtobeparticularlyenjoyedbymoreable students,andcanmakesuitablestarterstoanyenrichmentactivity. 5 Enrichmentactivitiesareenjoyableandshouldformpartofaprogramme formoreablestudents,butwhathappensintheclassroomdailyisalsoof vitalimportancetoachildsoverallexperienceofschool. 6 Continuityisanextremelyimportantelementinanyproject,and planned activitiesmustberealisticandachievable.

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7 Itisparticularlyimportanttohonouranycommitmentstothestudents,as theyrememberwhattheywerepromisedandmaybelookingforwardtoit keenly. 8 Itispreferabletouselessontimeforenrichmentprojectsifpossible,asit eliminatesproblemswithattendanceandcompetingcommitments. 9 Monitoringandevaluationareimportant.Itisextremelyvaluabletocollect studentfeedbackeventhoughthisistineconsumingasthiscan enhanceandinformfutureprojects. 10 Parentshavemanyinsightstocontribute,andawayshouldbefoundto collecttheseeffectively. (Counsell2005)

WHATARETHEKEYISSUESTOCONSIDER?
Thefirststepindevisingenrichmentopportunitieswillbetoidentifywho shouldreceivethem.Todothismosteffectivelymeansestablishing consistentmethodsofassessmentinallcontexts,andatalllevels,andusing themflexiblyandimaginatively.(ThelaunchpadonExtensionsuggests methodswhicharerelativelyquickandeasytoadminister.)Ofcourse, studentsofallabilitiesshouldbegivenenrichmentopportunitiesfromtimeto time,assuggestedbelow.Apartfromtheobviousbenefits,thiswillencourage seeminglyaveragestudentstoshowunexpectedabilitiesandinterests. Someablechildren,despitetheirability,arenotusedto,orhappywith, encounteringriskortheunfamiliar.Theymayfearthattheywillbeunableto copeormaygrowoverdependentonroutines.Thebestwaytohelpthemis toletthemmeetfailureandnewexperiencesinaclimateofsupportand understanding. Itisimportanttoallowstudentsofhighabilitytoworktogetheronoccasion. Enrichmentsessions,outsidetheclassroom,allowagatheringoflikeminds (Teare,1997),eveniftheschoolsnormalgroupingpolicyistomixabilities. Suchsessionscanbeavaluablemeansofmeetingthesestudentsparticular needsandmightalsobeusedtocelebratehighachievementinasupportive environment.Itgoeswithoutsayingthatenrichmentsessionsofthiskindneed tobearrangedandtimetabledsensitively.Freeman(1998)highlightssome potentialdifficultieswithseparateenrichmentsessions.Childrenwhohave takenpartinthem havebeenknowntoexperienceproblemswiththeirpeer groupwhentheyreturntolessons.Thereisalsoariskthatexternalactivities maynotbetiedintoorfollowedupbyclassroomworkwhichwouldhelp embedandconsolidatetheextendedlearning.Thesearenot,ofcourse, factorswhichshoulddiscouragethepractice,buttheyneedtobetakeninto accountintheplanning. Ratherthanplanseparatelyforenrichment,itisbesttodesignthetasks, materialsandopportunitiesinthecourseofthenormalplanningoflessonsor schemesofwork.Thisisanaspectoftheprincipleofintegratingenrichment opportunitieswiththemainstreamcurriculum,andwithotherinschooland outofschoolactivities.Acriticismofenrichmentactivitieshasoftenbeenthat theyaresimplyaboltonextraratherthanensuringcontinuityandprogression
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aspartofacoherentstrategy.Staricoff(2005)pressedthecaseforathinking skillsapproachtoprovisionforthegiftedandtalented,seeingitasan essentialelementofthegeneralclassroomatmosphere.Anopenended, questioning,discussionfilled,andenrichmentbasedapproachtothe curriculumnotonlybenefitschildrenalreadyrecognisedasable,butallows childrentorevealhighabilitiesthatmightsometimesbeunexpected.Thismay resultfromtheirbeingexposedtoateaching approachbasedonthepremise ofenrichingprovisionforeverychildintheclassroom. Freeman(1998)warnsthatenrichmentactivitiesforthehighlyableoftenlack cleargoals.Thisproblemisparticularlynoticeableindecontextualised activitiesoutofclassoroutofschool.EyreandMarjoram(1990)advocate applyingamodelofenrichmentatwholeschoollevel,incorporatingintothe curriculumitselfafocusonhigherorderskillsandoutstandingqualities.This enablescleargoalstobesetforanyenrichmentopportunity,whateverthe context.EyreandMarjoramdescribetwomodelsBloomsTaxonomyof EducationalObjectives(1956)andRenzullisEnrichmentTriadModel(1977). TheBloomtaxonomyemphasisesthehigherorderthinkingskillsofanalysis, synthesisandevaluation.Renzullismodelpositsanotionofthreetypesof activity:generalexploration,grouptrainingandinvestigationsofgroup problems,betweenwhichpupilsshouldmovefreely.Bothmodelsallow teacherstoidentifyprocessesandqualitiesthattheywishtheirpupilsto develop.EyreandMarjoram(1990)describeandlisttheseindetail.Itgoes withoutsayingthattheopportunitiesmostlikelytohaverealandlongterm effectsarethosewithtwoessentialfeatures.Theywillbewideinrange,and theywillbeintegratedwithallplanningforprovision,assessmentand progressionatwholeschoollevel. Planningforenrichmentopportunitiesintheclassroomcanbeincorporated intoexistingplanningdocumentation.Columnsspecifictohighlyablepupils couldcontainadditionalconcepts,skills,attitudes,knowledgeorresources,or newapplicationsoftheseindifferentcontexts.Crossreferencescanbe madetoenrichmentopportunitiesbeingofferedoutoflessontime.Ofcourse, notallenrichmentopportunitiescanbeplannedfor.Teachersneedtobealert tothespecialinterestsofindividualsandgroupsinterestswhichmayemerge inlessonsbutnotbeappropriateforalltheclasstopursueindepth.Theyalso needtorecognisewherestudentsalreadyhaveskillsorknowledgeinwhatat anygivenmomentisbeingtaught.Teachersmightprovidefurtherresources, information,ortalkingpointsforsuchpupilsinsubsequentlessons,orthey couldencouragestudentstobroadentheirexistingknowledgeorpursue theseinterestsatanothertime.

WHATKINDSOFENRICHMENTCANWEPROVIDE?
Thereisnowacopiousamountofmaterialavailableinbooksandonlineto supportmanykindsofenrichmentactivity,bothinandoutoftheclassroom. TheG&TWisewebsiteiscurrentlybeingdevelopedasaportalsitewithlinks, reviewsandinformationaboutvariousresources. EyreandMarjoram(1990) andTeare(1997and1999)have muchpracticaladviceondevising
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enrichmentactivitiesandwritingmaterials,andtheygivenumerouscase studiesofeffectivepractice.Teare(1999)includesmanyfullexamplesof activities,andinhis1999publicationhesuppliestitlesofcommercially producedresourcesandlistsorganisationswhichprovideenrichment opportunities.Battersby(1996)andSempalaNtege(1997)givetwodetailed accountsofapproachestoenrichment,theonebyaDevonshirecommunity college,theotherbyaresidentialcentre.Theseareallvaluablesourcesof advice,butwhenitcomestodevisingenrichmentprogrammes,activitiesand materialsitisbestalwaystostartwithdiscussionswithinschool.The foundationforallsuccessfulenrichmentactivitiesisasharingofenthusiasms andideasamongthestaff,andclosecooperationateverypoint.The commongroundwillbethattheactivitiesshouldinclude: challenge enjoyment exposuretonewknowledgeandideas thinkingindifferentorunusualways risktaking. Amongthemanykindsofopportunitiestoconsiderare: separatesessions,asdiscussedabove supportwithinclass selfdirectedprojects homeworkenrichment accesstoenrichmentmaterials opportunitiestoworkwithtalentedadultsorolderpeers workexperience clubsandsocieties targetedvisits schoolnewspapers,magazinesandradiostations suspensionofthenormaltimetable. Someofthesespeakforthemselves,andinvitetheimaginativeinterpretation oftheteacherswhoorganisethem.Oneortwoareworthexpandingupon here.Supportwithinclass,forexample,mightinvolveexpertsormentorsfrom outsidetheschoolworkingalongsidepupilsduringlessons.Mentorscould providepupilswithextraintellectualstimulus,introduceunusualelementsthat arenotnormallycovered,ormediateintheuseofalternativeornew resources. Workwithtalentedadultsorolderpeerscanincludeshadowing, specialworkshops,coaching,andmasterclasses,forinstanceatthelocal university.Suspensionofthenormaltimetablewouldentailreplacingnormal lessons,foranythingfromadaytoaweek,withaprogrammeofenrichment opportunitiesinvolvingallpupils.

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Examplesofpossibleenrichmentactivitieswhichhavebeensuggestedinclude thefollowing: Inclass InthecourseofaliteracyoranICTlesson,wherestudentsareworking onanewsstory,theteachercanemailcertainstudentswitha controversialnewsflashtowhichtheyhavetorespondquicklywithan article,mimickingthepressuresofabusynewsroom. Enrichmentoffersablepupilsachancetoenhancetheirmetacognitive skills,i.e.tobecomeawareof,anddiscuss,theirownlearning.Theycan, forexample,keeplogsinwhichtheyreflectupontheirlearning,andcreate questionnairesandsurveystoevaluatethelearningexperiencesoftheir fellowstudents. Ablepupilscanbehelpedtodeveloptheabilitytoassessthecomplexityof ataskandcompleteitinaprescribedtime.Realtimesimulationsofferan enjoyablechallengeandasenseoffulfilment. ChallengeBoxescontainingenjoyableanddemandingactivitiescanbe keptineveryclassroomforstudentstousewhentheyhavefinishedtheir work.Thechallengescanbedevelopedfordifferentsubjectsandtopics andcanbeexchangedbetweenteacherstoprovideacontinuingsupplyof activities. Aregularfeatureofalessonmightbeathinkingslot,or,inthewordsof CoatesandWilson(2003),aBrightideastime.Studentsarethus stimulatedtothinkoutsidethebox,aprocessforwhich,infact,thereisa website:http://www.thinkingoutofabox.co.uk,offeringathinkingactivityfor eachdayoftheschoolyear.Otherexamplesarebrainteasers,cognitive cartoonactivities,PMIchallenges(Plus,Minus,Interesting),andproblems inthestyleofCountdown.

Inschool Lunchtimeorafterschoolclubsshould,ofcourse,befreelymixedactivities opentoallstudents,butwithinthisframeworkcertainonescouldbeaimedat moreablestudents.Theymight,forexample,focusonsubjectsnotnormally experiencedintheclassroom,suchasphilosophyorLatin.Ortheymighttake adifferentangleorofferadifferenttypeofactivityincurriculumsubjects,for examplemathematicsorscience.Itisoftenagoodideatomixtheagegroups inthiskindofexperience,asstudentsbenefitfromworkingwiththosethey maynotnormallymetbutwhoshareaparticularinterest.

COLLABORATION
Thenotionofcollaborationbetweenschoolsrunsthroughallthesignificant educationalprogrammesintroducedbythegovernmentinrecentyearsand thenumberofpartnershipsofvariouskindsissteadilygrowing.Withthis developmentisassociatedthenotionofpersonalisedlearningorindividual learningpathways,throughwhichastudentsneedsandaspirationscanbe
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metbydrawinguponawiderangeofexpertiseandspecialismsinoneor moreschools(Arnold,2006).Theimportantcontributionthatthiscanmaketo provisionforablestudentsiscleartosee,andArnoldgivesanumberof examplesofhowtheresourcesofanygivenschoolcanbegreatlyextended, totheadvantageofallstudents. Verticalpartnerships,involvingoneormoresecondaryschoolsandtheir associatedprimaryschools,areinastrongpositiontoprovideforthehighly ablethroughouttheagerange,bringingcollectiveresourcestobear.The followingexampleillustratesthepossibilities.

Anexampleofanenrichmentprojectinagroupofschoolswithin HastingsandSt.LeonardsExcellenceCluster TheMuseprojectwasbasedonanoriginalprojectcalledChineseWhispers.The conceptisasimpleonethefirstgroupworkstocreateaproductoroutcomefroman initialstimulusanditsworkinturnispassedtothenextgrouptoinspireanewpiece ofworkwhichagainispassedon. IntheoriginalMuseprojectinHastingsfour primaryschoolstookpartinandprofessionalfacilitatorsworkedwithstudentsin years4to6.TheinitialstimuluswasGuernicabyPicassoandthiswasusedwitha groupofstudentsinthefirstschooltocreateadance.Stillphotographsfromthe dancewerethentakentothenextschoolandwereusedtoproducepoetry.One poemfromthisgroupwaspassedontobethebasisforartworkinthenextschool. Thisinturninspiredcreativewritingatthefinalschoolinthegroup.Inthelast sessionallthegroupscametogethertoseetheoutcomesoftheproject,acreative journeyofwhichtheyhadbeenapart. Thisideaisflexibleandcanbeusedinmanyways.Forexample,oneofthe participatingschoolsuseditinthreeparallelYear4classeswithgreatsuccess.A secondaryschoolplanstocarryoutasimilarprojectwithitsassociatedschools, concentratingonanactivityforYears6and7(thisalsoprovidesatransitionbridge betweenprimaryandsecondaryschool).AsecondMuseprojecthassincebeen providedintheExcellenceCluster,thistimeincludinganinfantschool.

Summerschoolsandresidentialcoursescanalsocreatevaluable opportunitiesforsuchenrichmentactivitiesasfilmmakingorlargescaleart anddramaprojects.

EVALUATION
Thesuccessofenrichmentactivitiescanbegaugedbytheenthusiasmthey generate,butofcoursethemembersofstaffdevisingthemwillwantto assesshowwelltheyarefulfillingtheireducationalpurpose.Thefollowinglist, partlydrawnfromTeare(1999),maybeusedasalistofcriteriaagainstwhich tomeasuretheeffectivenessofanyenrichmentactivity,programme,or resource.

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Enrichmentchecklist Isitaccessibletoeveryoneatthestart? Aretheskills/knowledgeitteachestransferabletootherareas,orcross curricular? Doesitallowfurtherchallenges,i.e.canitbeextended? Doesitpromoteindividualityofresponse? Doesitallowpupilstosearchinavarietyofdirections? Doesitencourageoriginalityandinvention? Doesitinvolve: informationprocessing analysing speculating evaluating reflecting hypothesismakingandtesting problem solving,provingorexplaining synthesising decisionmaking? Doesitpromotediscussionandcommunication? Doesitaddressablepupilsfrontiersofknowledge,understandingor skill? Doesitmaintainagoodbalancebetweenclosedandopenended elements? Doesitinvolvevariedinputsandaskforvariedoutcomes? Doesitmaintainagoodbalanceofpace/urgencyandreflection? Willitgiveasenseofsatisfaction,fulfilmentandenjoyment? Doesitsuggestopportunitiesforfurtherdevelopmentorresearch? Aretheactivitiesofferedonlytothehighlyable,ortothosewitha particularprofile,forexamplethosestudentswhoareconsideredwell behaved? Areonlycertainkindsofenrichmentopportunitiesmadeavailable,e.g. clubsorgroupactivities,andneveractivitiesforindividuals? Aretheonlyenrichmentactivitiesthosewhichtakeplaceoutofclass,or evenoutofschool? Arethosethathappenfollowedupwithpupilsandintegratedasfaras possibleintonormalclassroomprovision?

Therearenumerouswaysinwhichenrichmentactivitiescanbeevaluated, includingthefollowing: Feedbackfromstudents,andtheirengagementinevaluativeresearch. Traininginresearchmethodscanitselfformpartofanenrichmentactivity. Questionnairestoparentsbeforeandaftertheprovisionofenrichment. Thisistimeconsumingbutcanrevealsomeinterestingperspectiveson thewaythestudentsperceivedtheactivity.

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Questionnairestoteachers,togaugethesuccessoftheenrichmentand suggestareaswherefurtherlearningmighttakeplace,includinginthe ordinaryclassroom. Independentobservationsfromthoseinvolvedindevisingorsupervising theactivity,includingprofessionalproviders,teachers,teachingassistants, andgovernors. Wholeschool,departmentand/orcohortaudit.

Whenablestudentsaregivenenrichmentopportunities,itisrewardingto involvetheminsettingtheirownachievementtargetsandinevaluatingthe opportunitiesofferedtothem.Theycouldevenhelpinthedesignand planningofsuchopportunitiesinthefirstplace.

REFERENCESANDRECOMMENDEDREADING

Arnold,R.(2006).Schoolsincollaboration:federations,collegiatesand partnerships.Slough:NFER/EMIE. AshleyMcCabeMowat(2003).BrilliantActivitiesforGiftedandTalented ChildrenthatOtherChildrenWillLoveToo.Dunstable:BrilliantPublications Battersby,D.(1996).EnrichingDevoncreamatIvybridge.InFlyingHigh, Spring1996,Issue3.Northampton:NACE. Coates,DandWilson,H.(2003).ChallengesinPrimaryScience.London: NACE/Fulton. Counsell,J.(2005).ReportontheEsmeeFairbairnFoundation/National AssociationforGiftedChildren(NAGC)Project,Bletchley,NAGC Eyre,DandLowe,H(eds)(2002).CurriculumProvisionfortheGiftedand TalentedintheSecondarySchool Eyre,D.andMarjoram,T.,1990.EnrichingandExtendingtheNational Curriculum.London:KoganPage. Freeman,J.1998.EducatingtheVeryAble:Currentinternationalresearch. London:Ofsted/HerMajestysStationeryOffice. Henshaw,C.(n.d.)ThinkingoutoftheBox: http://www.thinkingoutofabox.co.uk SempalaNtege,B.,(1997).Thepowerofthepen:Aweekendenrichment courseforableyear9and10writers.In:EducatingAbleChildren,Spring 1997,Issue1.Oxford:NACE. Staricoff,M.(2005).G&TProvisioninthePrimaryClassroomthrougha ThinkingSkillsApproach.Availableonlineat: http://www.nagty.ac.uk//expertise/documents/westburypark marcellostaricoff.doc
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Teare,J.B.(1999).EffectiveProvisionforAble&TalentedChildren.Stafford: NetworkEducationalPress. Teare,J.B.(2003)MoreEffectiveResourcesforAbleandTalentedChildren. Stafford:NetworkEducationalPress. Teare,J.B.(2004) EnrichmentActivitiesforAbleandTalentedChildren. Stafford:NetworkEducationalPress. Wallace,B(2000).TeachingtheVeryAbleChildDevelopingaPolicyand AdoptingStrategiesforProvision.NACE/Fulton.

RESOURCESANDLINKS
LondonGiftedandTalented:http://www.londongt.org NationalAcademyforGiftedandTalentedYouth:http://www.nagty.ac.uk G&TWise:http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/gtwise NrichMathsresources:http://www.maths.org Onlinepuzzlesandbrainteasers:http://www.puzzling.caret.cam.ac.uk NAGCYoungDigitals(Memberssite):http://www.nagcbritain.org.uk CreativeGeneration:http://www.creativegeneration.org.uk/home/index.php

SEEALSOLAUNCHPADSON
ExtensionandDifferentiation Acceleration PupilGrouping

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