GATE: Extension and Enrichment Programme
Extending and Enriching Our Students At Sumner School we believe that the individual needs of children are best catered for within the classroom, through a varied programme which includes engaging activities, the multiple intelligences and ability based grouping. We also provide enrichment opportunities in the following areas:
GATE Programme There are times however when withdrawing children from class to work specifically on their talents can be an advantage. We call these withdrawal groups, our GATE programme. Our GATE programme is structured around Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. |
Click on the links below to keep up to date with what is happening in each class.
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So What Are The Multiple Intelligences?
First let’s look at the traditional view of intelligence. It was believed that: · People were born with a fixed amount of intelligence. · Intelligence level did not change over a lifetime. · Intelligence consisted of ability in logic and language. · Intelligence could only be measured by short-answer tests: eg.Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISCIV) Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences In 1985 Howard Gardner, proposed the theory of multiple intelligences based on several years of research investigating how we come to know what we know about our world. How do we learn, process, and understand information? What is the process by which we acquire knowledge? In a nutshell, “What makes us smart? What makes us intelligent?” In his research, Gardner discovered that each of us possesses at least eight distinct areas of intelligence, eight ways we acquire knowledge, process information, learn and understand – way beyond the traditional IQ, which gives credit for only two. |
A Closer Look At Each Intelligence
Word Smart (Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence) strong in reading, writing, telling stories, memorising dates and thinking words.
Number Smart (Logic-Mathematical Intelligence) strong inmath, reasoning, logic, problem-solving and patterns.
Picture Smart (Spatial Intelligence) strong in reading, maps, charts, drawing, mazes, puzzles, making images and visualization.
Music Smart (Musical Intelligence) strong insinging, picking up sounds, remembering melodies and rhythms.
People Smart (Interpersonal Intelligence) strong in understanding people, leading, organizing, communicating, resolving conflicts and selling.
Self Smart (Intrapersonal Intelligence) strong inunderstanding self, recognizing strengths and weaknesses and setting goals.
Nature Smart (Naturalist Intelligence) is strong in understanding nature, making distinctions, identifying flora and fauna.
Body Smart (Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence) is strong in athletics, dancing, acting, crafts and using tools.
Word Smart (Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence) strong in reading, writing, telling stories, memorising dates and thinking words.
Number Smart (Logic-Mathematical Intelligence) strong inmath, reasoning, logic, problem-solving and patterns.
Picture Smart (Spatial Intelligence) strong in reading, maps, charts, drawing, mazes, puzzles, making images and visualization.
Music Smart (Musical Intelligence) strong insinging, picking up sounds, remembering melodies and rhythms.
People Smart (Interpersonal Intelligence) strong in understanding people, leading, organizing, communicating, resolving conflicts and selling.
Self Smart (Intrapersonal Intelligence) strong inunderstanding self, recognizing strengths and weaknesses and setting goals.
Nature Smart (Naturalist Intelligence) is strong in understanding nature, making distinctions, identifying flora and fauna.
Body Smart (Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence) is strong in athletics, dancing, acting, crafts and using tools.
We all have our own unique blend of these intelligences.
We believe our GATE programme gives the children who are extremely strong in one of the intelligences the opportunity to work, learn, support and grow together in their area of strength. It allows them to be with others who are passionate about their particular intelligence.
How are children selected?
The Thinking Smarter group of children are identified through a range of Literacy and Numeracy assessments, overall teacher judgements, information provided by parents (pyschologist reports), teacher recommendations etc.
For the other areas of intelligence teachers recommend children where strong evidence of their ability in that particular intelligence is shown. The students are then assessed during their first session by the GATE co-ordinator.
Currently there are four GATE classes. Thinking Smarter Years 6-8; Thinking Smarter Years 3-5; Nature Smart and Picture Smart. Each class session is 90 minutes long and occurs once a week.
We believe our GATE programme gives the children who are extremely strong in one of the intelligences the opportunity to work, learn, support and grow together in their area of strength. It allows them to be with others who are passionate about their particular intelligence.
How are children selected?
The Thinking Smarter group of children are identified through a range of Literacy and Numeracy assessments, overall teacher judgements, information provided by parents (pyschologist reports), teacher recommendations etc.
For the other areas of intelligence teachers recommend children where strong evidence of their ability in that particular intelligence is shown. The students are then assessed during their first session by the GATE co-ordinator.
Currently there are four GATE classes. Thinking Smarter Years 6-8; Thinking Smarter Years 3-5; Nature Smart and Picture Smart. Each class session is 90 minutes long and occurs once a week.