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24/10/2011 21:08
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Gifted and Talented Students
The Department of Education and Communities have implemented the Gifted and Talented Policy to cater for the needs of students who are gifted and talented.
The DEC classifies ‘gifted’ students as students who have the potential to achieve a high level of success intellectually, creatively, socially and physically. The DEC classifies ‘talented’ students as those students who have demonstrated a high level of performance intellectually, creatively, socially and physically.
Caitlin, Sally’s mother has indicated that Sally may be gifted, so as a teacher you need to assess Sally’s performance and potential in order to determine if she is gifted and/or talented.
To begin this process, you must talk to the Principal to begin the identification process. The Principal will then work with the student, parents and/or caregivers, executive staff, counsellors and DEC to identify if the student is gifted and talented.
Once the identification process has begun, you must consider your program and look at ways to differentiate the curriculum to cater for Sally’s academic, emotional and social needs. Your program for Sally should “incorporate acceleration, enrichment, grouping and counselling options that best meet the needs of gifted and talented students” (NSW DET 2004 b, p10).
Further Reading:
Curriculum Support for Gifted and Talented Students
NSW Association of Gifted and Talented Students
Policy and Implementation Strategies for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students
Teacher Tools for Gifted and Talented Students
Vialle, W & Rogers, K 2009, Educating the Gifted Learner, David Barlow Publishing, Terrigal, NSW.