It is important for teachers to have high expectations of pupils who are gifted in design and technology and for classroom activities to provide opportunities for gifted pupils to develop and apply their particular capabilities. Teachers should try to provide experiences that encourage all pupils to think creatively, explore and develop ideas, and try different approaches. All pupils should be encouraged to set their own questions, offer ideas, suggest solutions or explanations, and reflect on what they have heard, seen or done in order to clarify their thoughts.

The interventionist role of the teacher in developing this type of approach is critical. Teachers should:

• ensure classroom activities and resources provide opportunities for pupils to express and develop their special abilities. Activities should encourage all pupils to think creatively, explore and develop ideas, and try different approaches. This will help to minimise the social pressures to conform that might be felt by very able pupils
• ensure classroom activities and resources provide opportunities for pupils to make comparisons and provide evaluative and critical comments. Activities should encourage pupils to set their own questions, offer opinions, views, explanations and justifications, and interpret information and reflect on design and technological issues
• ensure that provision caters for pupils with different learning styles and different gifts
• set higher targets for gifted pupils and respond to their needs by offering them opportunities to pursue topics in greater depth, tackle a wider range of tasks, or work through activities at a faster pace
• monitor the progress of pupils regularly to ensure that the provision is effective in enhancing performance in design and technology
• include a range of factors in procedures for assessing progress, including performance in assessment tests or tasks, approaches to tackling problems and investigations, responses to questions and holistic assessment of larger DMAs
• encourage pupils to use their gifts in ways that they find exciting and interesting by providing differentiated tasks with extension work, or by seeking opportunities for enrichment work within or outside of design and technology lessons.

It is important for DMAs to be pupil directed. Without pupil ownership, a DMA becomes merely an activity or exercise. Teachers should allow pupils to take the lead and then choose when to intervene, for example to suggest redirection or to negotiate more demanding work. Intervention can happen informally in classroom conversations or can be formal through tutorials. However, while the nature of enrichment or extension work might be open ended, teachers need to be clear about the processes involved and the outcomes that are expected. It is important that targets are negotiated, not imposed. Activities should have clear goals, aim to increase pupils' ability to analyse and solve problems, and stimulate originality, initiative and self-direction.

Matching teaching to pupils' needs in the general guidance

Transfer and transition in the general guidance