Action Research and Practical Inquiry Teaching Gifted English Learners

Teachers of the gifted in a highly diverse urban district frequently request information on methods for working with English learners. To meet this need, 12 teachers of the gifted who serve English learners participated in focus groups designed to glean practitioner knowledge concerning effective approaches. Participating teachers characterized gifted English learners as enthusiastic, high-level thinkers who have difficulty expressing their ideas in English. They recommended strategies consistent with identified needs and with the literature on best practices for the general population of English learners. Their examples show deft synthesis of challenge appropriate for gifted learners and research-based strategies for English learners.