Gifted Education
Aim and Mission
Setting out 'enjoying and achieving' as one of the key goals, our school aims to support every student to achieve success. This includes identifying gifted and talented students and maximizing their learning outcomes.
We support students to develop their own abilities, realize their potential for outstanding achievement in their talented fields and interested areas, and encourage them to explore new opportunities.
Gifted and talented students in our school are identified for, and nominated to be involved in, a variety of gifted programs. We offer students opportunities to access excellence in one or more areas such as general intelligence, specific academic studies, visual and performing arts, physical ability, creative thinking, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills.
Definition of Giftedness
Referring to the definition of giftedness by the U.S. Department of Education, the Education Bureau of the HKSAR affirmed in the Education Commission Report No.4 that a broad definition of giftedness using multiple criteria should be adopted.
Generally gifted children have exceptional achievements or potential in one or more of the following domains:
1. a high level of measured intelligence;
2. specific academic aptitude in a subject area;
3. creative thinking;
4. superior talent in visual and performing arts;
5. natural leadership of peers; and
6. psychomotor ability - outstanding performance or ingenuity in athletics, mechanical skills or other areas requiring gross or fine motor coordination;
Dr Howard Gardner, professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, introduced his Theory of Multiple Intelligences. There are eight intelligences embedded in human mind, namely linguistic, logical/mathematical, visual/spatial, musical, bodily kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, naturalist intelligences.
The above-mentioned intelligences exist in every individual's mind only with a degree of capacity difference in respective domains. Intelligences can be nurtured in particular educational settings using strategic pedagogical or facilitating teaching techniques. Gifted students may have exceptionally outstanding performance in more than one domain.
Currently local and international trends adopt a broad definition of giftedness using multiple criteria to formulate gifted education policy.
General Characteristics of the Gifted
• possess high abilities in acquiring knowledge than the children of their age;
• are prominent in collecting and processing an extensive amount of information in specific areas, for instance, poetry and astronomy;
• are discerning observers;
• persevere in efforts to find out the causal-relationship and carry out investigations;
• are able to generate many alternative means to solve complicated problems;
• have a delicate sense of humour;
• have potential in leading activities;
• are eloquent;
• sustain their interest in a specific topic or subject.
Operation Mode
A three-tier operation mode (by Renzulli) is adopted in implementing gifted education in our school:
Level One:
A : To immerse the core elements advocated in gifted education i.e. high-order thinking skills, creativity and personal-social competence in the curriculum for ALL students;
B : To differentiate teaching through appropriate grouping of students to meet the different needs of the groups with enrichment and extension of curriculum across ALL subjects in regular classrooms.
Level Two:
C : To conduct pull-out programmes of generic nature outside the regular classroom to allow systematic training for a homogeneous group of students (e.g. leadership training, etc.);
D : To conduct pull-out programmes in specific areas (e.g. Maths, Arts, etc.) outside the regular classroom to allow systematic training for students with outstanding performance in specific domains.
Level Three:
E : The Education Bureau liaises with tertiary institutes and other educational organizations/bodies to form expert groups to initiate and develop external resource support for the exceptionally gifted (e.g. counselling, mentorship, early entry to advanced class, etc.).
School Policy of Gifted Education
School-based Gifted Programmes
1. S.1 English Programme for the gifted students – Dramatic English
2. S.2 English Programme for the gifted students – Joint functions with international school students
3. S.2 Learning Circles of the core subjects (Chinese, English, Maths and Liberal Studies)
4. S.3 English Writing Groups
5. S.3-S.4 Chinese elite training program
6. S.3 Mathematics Programme for the gifted students
7. IT Leadership Training
*Selection method:Academic results
External Resources
Gifted students are nominated by teachers to enroll gifted programmes/courses offered by universities or other educational organizations.
Hong Kong Academy of Gifted Education:
All HKAGE members can enrol for courses offered by the institution.
*Nomination criteria:Academic results, and/or competition achievements, and/or records of joining other gifted programmes.
*Assessment required (by HKAGE)
Website:http://www.hkage.org.hk/en/students
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology:
Seasonal gifted programmes: subjects include Mathematics and Sciences.
Dual programmes: subjects include Mathematics, Physics, Life Science and Chemistry.
*Nomination criteria:Academic results, and/or competition achievements, and/or records of joining other gifted programmes.
Website:http://www.cdgt.ust.hk/eng/
The Chinese University of Hong Kong:
Seasonal gifted programmes: a variety of subjects
*Nomination criteria:Academic results, and/or competition achievements, and/or records of joining other gifted programmes.
*Assessment required (by CUHK)
Website:http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/pgt/Home/index_e.php
The University of Hong Kong:
Seasonal gifted programmes: a variety of subjects
*Nomination criteria:Academic results, and/or competition achievements, and/or records of joining other gifted programmes.
*An interview may be required.
Website:http://www.aal.hku.hk/summerinstitute/
EDB Web-based Learning Courses for Gifted Students:
Subjects:Earth Science, Palaeontology, Mathematics, Astronomy, and 轉變中的香港經濟(Chinese only)
* Nomination criteria:Academic results and S.1-3 students
Others
Nominating capable students to join various enrichment programmes or competitions.
Academic:Languages, mathematics, sciences, business, etc.
Non-academic:Music, sports, art, etc.
Coordinator: Ms. Lai Ka Wai, Janice
Member:Ms. Leung Wan Chi, Ms Nei Ying, Ms Pau Wai Kei