The Gifted and Talented Students Policy 2021 reflects the ACT Government's continued interest in pursuing the very best provisions to meet the learning needs of gifted and talented students. This Policy provides consistent advice to principals regarding the best approaches in identifying and supporting gifted and talented students in ACT government schools.
The aim of the Policy is to ensure that every child has the opportunity to receive developmentally appropriate programs regardless of their socio-economic or cultural background, based on their level of giftedness and those other factors which are individual to each student.
Currently in Australia the definition most used by education departments is Francoys Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (2.0) (DMGT). The DMGT acknowledges “that giftedness is a broad concept that encompasses a range of abilities: it also recognises that giftedness is only potential and must go through a transformative process in order to become a talent” (ACARA, 2013).
GIFTEDNESS designates the possession and use of outstanding natural ability in at least one domain (intellectual, creative, socio affective, sensorimotor), to a degree that places an individual in the top 10% of age peers.
TALENT designates the outstanding performance or competency in at least one field of human activity (academics, arts, business, leisure, social action, sport, technology) to a degree that places an individual in the top 10% of age peers in that field (Gagné, 2009).
The Gifted and Talented Students Policy aligns with contemporary research in many fields regarding the development of talent.
Once a student has been identified as gifted, schools can use appropriate educational interventions and strategies to cater for their individual needs. Developmentally appropriate programs for gifted and talented students include a combination of provisions to allow students access to meaningful learning opportunities through a differentiated curriculum, and including approaches such as:
- enrichment experiences;
- counselling interventions;
- acceleration options; and
- grouping.
These provisions are dependent on each other and strongly supported by research as central to increasing learning outcomes for gifted individuals.
Please contact your school’s Gifted and Talented Liaison Officer (GaTLO) or the school principal for additional information on the Gifted and Talented Students Policy 2021.
The Gifted and Talented Students Policy is available on the Directorate’s Policies page.
Additional information for parents and carers is available through a series of Gifted and Talented Fact Sheets:
- Acceleration Parent Factsheet
(123.0 KB) - Communicating Effectively with Schools (91.7 KB)
- Differentiation (117.5 KB)
- Early Entry Procedure - Parent Factsheet (260.5 KB)
- Gifted Underachievers (137.0 KB)
- Giftedness and Talent (341.0 KB)
- Grouping (120.5 KB)
- Identification (149.5 KB)
- Myths and Facts about Giftedness (128.5 KB)
- Overview and Frequently Asked Questions (103.6 KB)
- Programs and Provisions Parent Factsheet (124.0 KB)
- Social Emotional Needs (139.0 KB)
- Twice Exceptionality (131.5 KB)