Hon Trevor Mallard
Minister of Education
Part Two: Working Party Report
Vision for New Zealand's Gifted and Talented Children
All children have a right to an education that acknowledges and respects their individuality and that offers them maximum opportunities to develop their strengths and abilities. Gifted and talented children will flourish in a society that acknowledges and respects individual difference and recognises and celebrates the abilities of its most able.
Concept Statement: Giftedness and Talent
All individuals have strengths relative to their other capabilities; some individuals have exceptional abilities relative to most other people.
Individuals with exceptional abilities have certain cognitive, creative and affective characteristics which give them the potential to achieve outstanding performance in one or more domains.
Children with such characteristics have learning needs which are different from those of other children in some significant aspects. They therefore require differentiated learning opportunities and may require emotional and social support if they are to realise their potential.
The ways in which exceptional abilities are manifested may differ from culture to culture. There are also many different ways in which exceptional abilities can be described or defined. There is no one universally accepted definition. Schools and early childhood centres should develop a definition based on the above statement and Part 1 of Gifted and Talented Students: Meeting their Needs in New Zealand Schools (Ministry of Education, 2000). There are a number of different terms which are used to refer to this group of children. 'Gifted' and 'talented' are two terms commonly used internationally. They can be used separately or together as a collective term. In the principles and recommendations in this report, 'gifted and talented' is used as a collective term.
Core Principles for Gifted Education in New Zealand
?the education of the child shall be directed to the development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - Article 29
It is imperative that as a nation we recognise, value and nurture the diverse abilities and qualities of our children. This commitment must be motivated by a desire to see our young people achieve personal fulfilment through the pursuit and development of their special abilities. However, it would be a very short-sighted society that did not recognise the potential of its gifted and talented to contribute to the betterment of the nation as a whole.
The role early childhood centres and schools play in the realisation of this goal is vital. All schools and centres must provide an emotionally safe, non-discriminatory environment for gifted and talented learners, and promote a culture of success and achievement.
The following 'core principles' should characterise an educational environment that offers maximum opportunities for the identification and development of giftedness and talent, and is responsive to the social, emotional and cultural needs of gifted and talented children.
It is acknowledged that giftedness and talent will mean different things to different communities and cultures within New Zealand, and that its meaning will change over time. There is also a range of appropriate approaches to identifying exceptional abilities and meeting the needs of gifted and talented children. Much of the decision-making in these areas resides with individual early childhood centres and schools and their communities. However, it is important that there is a national commitment to a set of core principles from which these institutions can make informed and appropriate choices. The transition from one level of schooling to another should not see these principles compromised.
Gifted and talented children have the same right as all children to an education matched to their individual learning needs and to an equitable share of teacher time and support.
Gifted and talented children must be allowed to work at a level and pace commensurate with their ability, not with pre-determined age-based norms. They should have opportunities to develop their specific abilities, qualities and interests, regardless of socio-economic circumstances or geographical location. Consideration needs to be given to their intellectual, creative, physical, emotional, cultural, social, spiritual and ethical development. It is very important that opportunities are provided for gifted and talented children to spend significant time with others of like ability and interest.
Gifted and talented children are found in every group within society, including different ethnic, socio-economic, gender and disability groups.
Provisions for gifted and talented children should recognise the impact on a gifted child's behaviour and performance of differing cultural and social perceptions of giftedness, and of factors such as gender, disability, cultural needs, socio-economic circumstances, and learning and behaviour difficulties.
Individuals' abilities and qualities are taonga to be protected under Article Two of the Treaty of Waitangi. Therefore, M?ori values and perspectives must be embodied in all aspects of definition, identification, and provision for gifted and talented children.
M?ori children who are gifted and talented are entitled to culturally appropriate provisions. This involves recognising and providing for M?ori perspectives on giftedness, and consulting with M?ori. Identification procedures, content, resources, practices and teaching and assessment methods must be culturally relevant and empowering, and must take place in an environment that is supportive and valuing of M?oritanga.
Early childhood centre and school environments are powerful catalysts for the demonstration and development of talent. Each one of these institutions has a responsibility to identify and provide for gifted and talented children. This should be an integral part of their culture and function.
Identification of giftedness and talent should start as early as possible, with input from a range of people using a variety of methods. It must also be a continuous process as the development of gifted and talented children is frequently asynchronous and abilities will emerge at different times and in different contexts. The various types of giftedness and talent should be taken into account. Identification strategies should not overlook children who are gifted in only one area and care must also be taken to ensure equitable representation amongst the gifted and talented of children from minority cultures and/or non-English speaking backgrounds, and of those with disabilities or learning and/or behaviour difficulties. However, identification is never an end in itself and must be linked to programmes and provisions designed to meet the needs of these children.
Schools and centres must provide opportunities for parents, caregivers and whanau to be involved in decision-making affecting the learning of individual children, including the identification process. The children themselves should be involved in these processes wherever possible.
The needs of the gifted and talented are most effectively provided for when parents, caregivers, whanau and children operate in partnerships with early childhood centre or school staff.
Programmes for gifted and talented children should be based on sound practice, take cognisance of the research and literature in this field and be regularly evaluated to assess their effectiveness.
It is important that programmes for gifted and talented children are consistent with statements in the National Education Guidelines (NEGs), the National Administration Guidelines (NAGs), and the Desirable Objectives and Practices (DOPs) for early childhood education. They should also reflect the principles contained within Te Wh?riki and/or the New Zealand Curriculum Framework, and the relevant literature and research. Systematic and comprehensive evaluation is essential to judge programme effectiveness, respond to change and to inform subsequent planning
Gifted and talented children should be offered a curriculum expanded in breadth, depth and pace to match their learning needs.
Programmes for gifted children must be learner-centred, flexible, continuous and co-ordinated, and encourage creative and complex thinking, and the desire to search for greater understanding. Frequently this will require a 'differentiated' curriculum. It is important to acknowledge the diversity of this group of learners and the need to draw on a wide range of approaches and strategies in planning and implementing programmes. This should also support children in developing compassionate and ethical approaches to the use of their talents and abilities.
Schools and early childhood centres must meet the specific social and emotional needs of gifted and talented children.
The social and emotional development of many gifted and talented children is quite different from their same-age peers. These children need the support of knowledgeable, understanding and empathetic adults to assist them to understand their uniqueness and to meet the challenges associated with it.
Provision for gifted and talented children in our schools and early childhood centres should be supported by ongoing high quality teacher education, both pre-service and in-service.
In New Zealand, the majority of our gifted and talented children receive most of their education in regular classrooms. It is therefore essential that all teachers are seen as teachers of the gifted and talented, and that all receive education in this area at the pre-service level. Professional development must also be provided to equip practising teachers to cater appropriately for gifted and talented children. Appropriate professional development should also be available to other professionals who have a significant role in the education and support of this group of children.
Recommendations of the Working Party on Gifted Education
In the time available to consult and produce this report the Working Party was able to identify many areas of specific need and to make recommendations to address these with confidence. These are listed for Phase 1 implementation and could be acted on as soon as is practical. However, a number of areas of need emerged where the Working Party felt the information available to them was insufficient to make appropriate specific recommendations. These areas have been tabled for Phase 2 implementation. It is envisaged that the additional information required will come from further consultation and the 'review' process (see Recommendation Three) which would be undertaken during 2002 and 2003. This would lead to the development of a set of specific recommendations for introduction in 2004. The Working Party believes its task is ongoing in this regard and urges a continued role for Working Party members in completing the process through to the development of these second phase recommendations (see Recommendation Two).
The recommendations have not been listed in order of priority. However, Recommendation One is considered the 'foundational' recommendation and, for the other recommendations to be fully effective, it is imperative that this one is implemented. The other recommendations should be viewed as complementary to each other.
