Secondary School, Literature Curriculum

Novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky understood gifted adolescents as he wrote of the tremendous power given to those who are gifted. He did warn that the more power given, the greater the responsibility to use it wisely. Truly gifted adolescents at the secondary level seek, choose, and decide what to do and how to do it. If they are given appropriate choices in a constructivist classroom atmosphere, they can achieve great things, possibly reaching their potential. In English classes, these great accomplishments can occur in their writing, in their choice of reading material, and in their oral expressions—discussions, speeches, debates, and role-plays in class. Indeed, the power of the teacher in a secondary literature classroom, whether it is Advanced Placement or not, is a considerable power. The level of thought encouraged, the trust in the students to be more than passive recipients, and the choice of meaningful curriculum—all factor into the type of class the teacher decides to teach or organize. This entry focuses on secondary literature curriculum as a way to meet the needs of gifted adolescents.

In choosing a meaningful curriculum for gifted students, Judith Halsted suggested a list of activities designed to address the characteristics of high-ability students. To challenge verbal abilities, gifted students need to do the following:

• Use their full vocabulary and develop it further with intellectual peers.
• Read books at an appropriate intellectual and emotional level.
• Be introduced to books that represent a variety of literary conventions and styles and that use language gracefully.
• Express ideas verbally and in depth by writing or speaking with others who challenge and thus refine their views and concepts.

Gifted students must be challenged with rigorous content, process, and products designed to meet the students at their cognitive levels. Because classical literature focuses on the larger issues and themes of humanity, it provides good choices on [Page 779]which to base curriculum for gifted adolescents. However, other issues prevail as well in choosing appropriate literature. For example, multicultural themes, interdisciplinary themes, and challenging vocabulary are essential in choosing appropriate reading material. Gender balance—both in protagonist in the novel and author of the novel—is important to consider. If a curriculum is constructed from works of all “dead White males” in this era, there is a problem, and gifted students will be the first to note and voice the problem. Current events or local issues may make particular works of literature more attractive and meaningful for gifted students. Required material for students to read and process must be carefully examined for the ideas conveyed, the language used to convey these ideas, and the discussion and thought levels tapped by this content. The English teacher should not censor material for gifted students. They are able to see through artificial barriers themselves and often are insulted by school systems that do not think they can understand sophisticated issues and language well advanced of their age. However, the message must always provide the rationale for the use of a controversial piece in any educational setting. Gifted students will read literature both inside and outside of school, so an assignment must consider the value and worth in that context of each piece of literature assigned.

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