Tilpasset undervisning for elever med akademisk talent i dagens norske skole

Abstract

In this research paper, I will attempt to find out what sort of teaching methods teachers are applying in today’s Norwegian School to cater to the needs of pupils with Academic talent. There is an established idea of equality in the Norwegian school system; each pupil should have the same possibility to reach the set goals of the curriculum, and the school is expected to strive to ensure that everyone reaches these goals. While this ideology is in tune with the egalitarian values of Norway as a whole, it leads to resources being focused solely on those who have difficulties in reaching these goals satisfactorily, leaving few or none for children who learn at a faster rate. Meanwhile, studies indicate that the Norwegian school is a manufacturer of underachievers; one in every four does not feel sufficiently challenged. Some argue that spending resources on children with high capabilities could lead to elitism, but if it leads to underachieving it is even worse: Our children is not a resource we can afford to misspend, in any way. In my research, I have used three different methods to gather information in an attempt to answer my questions: Observation, interview and survey. I have chosen these three in an attempt to view the matter from different angles: Observation from the angle of a student of pedagogy, interviews with pupils to try to understand their points of view on the matter, and lastly the survey to gather information from teachers. The research is purely qualitative, as it is done in a single class. The survey has few informants and the validity is therefore questionable. I cannot make any conclusions based on my research, but there seems to be a trend for enrichment as a method to cater to pupils with academic talent. This enrichment usually consists of an extra amount of tasks.