The document discusses giftedness and talent, providing definitions from the Department of Education. Gifted students are those in the top 10% of intellectual, creative, social or physical abilities, while talented students are in the top 10% in a particular field or performance area. Giftedness can translate to talent when students apply themselves through appropriate learning opportunities. The document also contrasts characteristics of bright versus gifted students and identifies gifted learners, noting characteristics that are rewarded and challenging in education. It discusses ability grouping and differentiation for gifted learners.

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2. Giftedness and Talent
DoE’s Definitions
Gifted students
are those whose potential is
distinctly above average in one
or more of the following
domains of human ability:
intellectual, creative, social and
physical to a degree that
places an individual at least
among the top 10% of age
peers.
Talented students
are those whose skills are
distinctly above average in one
or more areas of human
performance to a degree that
places an individual at least
among the top 10% of age
peers who are or have been
active in that field or fields.

3. Giftedness translates into talent
when the learner applies
themselves to appropriate
opportunities provided for
learning, training and practice.
The effectiveness of this
translation depends on a range
of different factors, some of
which can be controlled by
teachers - mentoring, working on
in-depth personal interest
projects, or the provision of
meaningful enrichment tasks

4. Bright Students vs Gifted Students
What are the differences?
Bright Students
• Know the answers
• Are interested
• Have good ideas
• Work hard
• Engaged and settled learner
• Require 6-8 repetitions to achieve
mastery
• Enjoy peers
• Copy accurately
• Enjoy sequential learning
Gifted Students
• Ask the questions
• Are highly curious
• May have wild ideas
• May play around in class
• May have strong feelings/opinions
• May require few repetitions to
achieve mastery
• Prefer adults
• Create new designs
• Thrive on complexity

5. Identifying Gifted Learners
The Characteristics We Reward
Exceptional reasoning ability
Intellectual curiosity
Rapid learning rate
Ability to deal with abstractions
Complex thought processes
Vivid imagination
Early moral concern
Passion for learning
Concentration
Analytical thinking
Divergent thinking/creativity
Sense of justice
Capacity for reflection
Large vocabulary
Enjoys problem-solving
Desire to create or make
Desire to organise people or things
using complex schemas
Sensitivity/Empathy
Insightful

6. Identifying Gifted Learners
The Characteristics That Challenge Us
Questions rules/authority
Need to understand
Noncomformity
Acute self-awareness
Need for precision/logic
Need for mental stimulation
Deep feelings and reactions
Preoccupation with own
thoughts (daydreaming)
Asks lots of probing questions, sometimes
inappropriate
Overexcitabilities
Social difficulties due to
asynchronous development
High sensitivity
Perfectionism
Distance from peers due to faster
development
Intensity

7. Grouping @
EHS
All identified gifted students
grouped in G classes in stage 4
Research across countries has
long supported the value of ability
grouping for gifted learners when
combined with appropriate
differentiation, especially
acceleration
Facilitated at EHS by identification
using a pathways model
I

8. We should• Personalise learning
• Accelerate students/classes using aligned skills further along
in the syllabus
• Use cross-curriculum priorities (sustainability, Asia and
Australia, Indigenous histories and culture) to modify the
content and create enrichment or extension tasks
• Use general capabilities to modify processes and create
enrichment or extension tasks (e.g. focus on ethical
understanding)

9. Differentiation
Gifted learners need content that is more complex,
abstract or varied.
They may need to progress through content more
quickly.
They may need tasks that use higher-order
thinking, more problem solving and a focus on
critical and creative thinking.
They may need more control over their own
learning.
They may benefit from producing more authentic
products, and from producing work that transforms
learning, rather than summarises learning.
They may need a learning environment that
encourages independence and intrinsic learning.

10. A Word on Labels
Be aware of using the label ‘gifted’
too much with identified students
Can interfere with a growth mindset
if students believe they are ‘gifted’
in some ways but not others
Can also minimise risk-taking in
their learning as students who tie
up identity with giftedness may fear
failure

11. Stanford students on being labelled ‘gifted’