Page 2242 - Week 07 - Thursday, 7 August 2014
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4)
a. The Directorate does not collect specific data on the number of gifted and talented students in ACT public schools.
b. All teachers in ACT public schools engage in differentiating the curriculum to cater for the learning needs of all students.
5) The Gifted and Talented Education Professional Development Package for teachers, published by the UNSW Gifted Education Research Resource and Information Centre (GERRIC) was distributed to all schools in January 2014.
Since February 2014, to support implementation of the Policy, specialist professional learning to meet the needs of gifted and talented students has been provided to ACT teachers through sessions at the Hedley Beare Centre for Teaching and Learning.
Through the Teacher Scholarship program 15 teachers have completed the Certificate of Gifted Education since 2009.
The Directorate is currently finalising procurement of a three year professional development package to support implementation of the Gifted and Talented Students Policy which will deliver a series of 12 professional learning sessions from 2014/15 – 2016/17.
6) Schools monitor the achievement and progress of all students through the collection and analysis of school and system data including internal assessment and external testing such as NAPLAN. The Directorate does not undertake assessment of school based gifted and talented programs. Where required Individual Learning Plans (ILP) are put in place to further support the development of gifted and talented students. These plans are subject to regular review.
7) The Gifted and Talented Students Policy requires that schools in conjunction with their school boards determine agreed processes for the nomination and identification of gifted and talented students and the provision of developmentally appropriate educational strategies to meet the needs of their students. Specialised approaches may be considered in the identification process where students may be potentially disadvantaged due to individual circumstances. Schools collect evidence to accurately identify the gifts and talents of students using measures that may include:
• Teacher or parent/carer checklists
• Parent nomination
• Psychological assessments
• Self-identification
• Interviews
• Student work
• Curriculum-based assessment and reporting
• Educational history
8) School principals are responsible for ensuring there are established, effective and equitable processes and measures in place for the identification of gifted and talented students. In conjunction with the school board, principals incorporate specialised approaches, overseen by a school counsellor, in identification process where students may be potentially disadvantaged due to individual, cultural or special circumstances. The Directorate also encourages parents and carers to take an active role in the identification of gifted and talented children. Students can be nominated for consideration as gifted and talented at any time.
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