Case Study

Last week a little boy named Toby arrived at your setting for his first visit. He is just 2 years old and his mum tells you he is quite independent and seems to be doing really well for his age. Your initial reaction is that you have a proud mum on your hands. After leaving Toby and his mum to settle for an hour you notice he is quite confident and plays for quite a long time with the same things. You then see he is ‘reading’ his mum a story. When he has finished you approach him and ask if he would read you a story too. Toby is happy to, brings the book to you and proceeds to read it, with a few small mistakes. You are amazed but wonder if he knows it by heart so you get another short story book and he reads that too. You realise this is a child who is intellectually gifted.

1. What do you do now?
2. Is this the right setting for him?
3. Do you need to move him to an older classroom?
4. How will you keep him interested in what everyone else is doing?
5. Should you keep him interested in what others are doing?
6. Has he got an additional need?

It is rare that there is just one way to respond to a scenario or situation, so do not consider that the responses you have to the above scenario will be judged as right or wrong. Share your scenario with a work colleague or friend and ask them to tell you whether they think you have responded appropriately. Ask them to challenge your response if necessary. You do not need to submit this task for assessment unless asked to do so by your assessor.