Gifted and talented education: The English policy highway at a crossroads?

Copyright © 2013 by Sage Publications. This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below.In 1999, the British government launched an education program for gifted and talented pupils as part of its Excellence in Cities initiative (EiC) that was initially designed to raise the educational achievement of very able pupils in state-maintained secondary schools in inner-city areas. Although some activities targeting gifted children had already been initiated by various voluntary organizations over several previous decades, this was the first time that the topic of improved provision for these pupils had been placed firmly within the national agenda. This article provides the background to the English gifted and talented policy “highway” and an overview of what was expected of schools. How practitioners responded to the policy, their beliefs and attitudes toward identifying gifted and talented pupils, and the opportunities and challenges that arose along the way to the current crossroads are explored. The need to empower teachers to feel more confident in classroom provisions for gifted and talented pupils is identified along with the potentially pivotal role of action research and “pupil voice” in the process of continued professional development and support

The Nature and Development of Giftedness

Following a short discussion of conceptual and theoretical problems of giftedness, the methodological foundations and selected results of a (presently) four year longitudinal study are presented. This study is based on a multidimensional concept of giftedness: intelligence, creativity, social competence, musical ability, psychomotor ability (or practical intelligence). Both academic achievements and leisure activities, as well as cognitive and motivational personality factors and school and family socialisation conditions relevant to giftedness, were studied. During the second project phase developmental aspects and achievement analyses of gifted and normal students aged 6 to 18 years were the central aspects of the study. Finally, methodological problems in the identification of gifted children and adolescents as well as consequences for the nurturing of giftedness are discussed

Optimising the learning of gifted aboriginal students

[Abstract]: According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (2000) 'Education for All' goals, all students are entitled to opportunities to fulfil their potential. This implies that appropriate programs need to be in place for all children, especially gifted Aboriginal students. Accordingly, this means that all educational institutions in Australia have an obligation to provide involvement and commitment opportunities for all gifted and talented Aboriginal students in meeting their basic learning needs. This goal is not being achieved within Australia. Gifted and talented Aboriginal students have been identified as the most educationally disadvantaged group in the Australian education system (Sydney Morning Herald, 2004). Education for Aboriginal learners varies throughout the states of Australia. While New South Wales has provided excellent modelling of accommodating for inclusion of gifted Aboriginal students, in Queensland the lower representation of Indigenous students in gifted programs suggests inappropriate facilitation. This discussion paper compares and contrasts New South Wales and Queensland gifted Indigenous educational policy, exploring the issues of appropriate identification and programs for gifted Aboriginal students, Aboriginal learning styles and the role of the classroom teacher in accommodating these students