Gifted& Talented program POLICY

History challenge

Giftedness is defined as innate, dynamic potential in a specific domain or domains, while talent is the actualisation of a gift within a specific domain

Definition

Following the Gange Model of Giftedness and Talent (1985, 1991, 1997, 2002), giftedness is defined as innate, dynamic potential in a specific domain or domains, while talent is the actualisation of a gift within a specific domain. Giftedness refers to above average aptitude, talent to above average performance and achievement.

Rationale for the Gifted and Talented Policy at Newington College

Assumptions underlying the provision for gifted students at Newington College.

a) Gifted students learn at a different rate from other children and accommodation of that rate is crucial to their intellectual and emotional development. Differences in rate and pace can vary, necessitating differences in kind and degree of instruction.

b) Many Gifted students are passionate about depth, range and complexity of knowledge. Many Gifted students easily and quickly seek out and master the core concepts and skills of disciplines, and desire to pursue them further. Gifted students need to be extended beyond core content, to work at higher levels demanding greater complexity of thought. Gifted students need the challenge and freedom to explore, research and express.

c) Ability grouping. Gifted students need the challenge and stimulation of being together, with high levels of academic expectation set for products, processes and content.

d) Provision needs to be made in each faculty for giftedness from K to 12.

e) Tutoring and mentoring by peers and students in higher Year groups is to be approached cautiously. The Gifted/Talented student and his parents must reach agreement with the school.

Procedures Within Faculties

Each faculty will implement a system to deal with the needs of Gifted and Talented students. It is recognised that each faculty has different needs and there may be variations between faculties. However, the basis of this system is as follows:

a) A Pre-Test that determines a student’s level of achievement with a curriculum.

This is to identify students who not only have innate ability in a subject area but also have developed their ability sufficiently to qualify as Talented. Unless it has been established that a student is already familiar with the regular curriculum and core work they should not be permitted to be withdrawn from regular class work and the regular curriculum to work with a differentiated curriculum.

b) A differentiated curriculum that extends students laterally within a subject or topic. This does not mean acceleration.

Once a student has been identified as Gifted and Talented in an area of study, differentiated work or extension work needs to be provided for the student in order to enrich their education. This may be in the form of work within the classroom or withdrawal from the classroom for the student/s to work on individual research tasks or group work. The differentiated curriculum and extension work should be of a sufficiently demanding level and of interest to the student.

c) An assessment procedure for work done as part of the differentiated curriculum.

Extension work should not mean more work. It means more demanding and more rigorous work. Students who have qualified for the Gifted and Talented program should not have to catch up on class work that they have missed while they were participating in the Gifted and Talented program. Work that has been done as part of the differentiated curriculum within the Gifted and Talented program should be used as the basis for assessment marks using the band descriptors to compare different tasks. As far as possible the work should develop the student’s abilities in a lateral fashion.

d) Above level testing for students who excel in a subject or topic.

Students who have qualified for the Gifted and Talented program need to have Above Level Testing in order to confirm that they are continuing to operate at a significantly high standard. It is recommended that an Above Level Test could be used to assess the work of capable students at least two chronological years above the gifted student.

e) Formal reporting of work done as part of the differentiated curriculum.

Work that has been done by the student that is part of the Differentiated Curriculum should be formally reported on to the parents.

f) A member of the faculty will be nominated to be advisor and mentor to students who are operating within the program.

A staff member from a faculty should be nominated to be the liaison contact and mentor for students who are working within the Gifted and Talented program and with the Gifted and Talented Coordinator. This staff member should have formal training in Gifted and Talented Education and should be renumerated for his/her time with a period allowance.

Publication of Student Work

Work that has been done by students as part of the Gifted and Talented Program should be published. This may occur in the following ways:

a) Publication on the Gifted and Talented website

b) An evening of presentations to parents and staff

c) Presentation of work to the wider community

Identification of Underachieving Gifted Students

Students who have innate ability but are not yet Talented can be identified using the following strategies:

Formal tests at school entry and school exams
Above Level testing
Scholarship exams
IQ testing
Reports and teacher records of past performance
Portfolios of student work
Teacher, peer, parent or self nomination
A mentoring program that aims to nurture confidence and ability.

These strategies may be used to target students who may be candidates for the Pre-Test or for extension work that is designed to encourage the student to perform at a higher standard.

The Gifted and Talented Coordinator

Has specific training in meeting the needs of gifted children
Assists with the identification of gifted students
Advises staff on policy and practices
Liaises with parents as needed
Monitors the academic progress of gifted students
Monitors the social and emotional needs of gifted students
Assists with the development of academic programs for gifted students
Assists with the continuing up grading of the professional expertise of the staff

Subject Acceleration

At Newington College the happiness and wellbeing of all students, including Gifted students, is the most important aspect of school life. It is the policy of the school not to year skip Gifted students. Instead we offer our Gifted students the opportunity to subject accelerate. Our Gifted students remain with their age peers for many areas of their academic career. However, in the areas where their strengths lie, the students may accelerate as radically as necessary.

At Newington College we believe that academic success is not the sole measure of a successful school career. Nor is academic success alone sufficient to ensure a successful tertiary education.

Subject Acceleration Policy