Enrichment
Gifted & Talented
At St Joseph’s we approach Gifted and Talented as a service model rather than a labelling model and so we hesitate to label students as gifted and talented. For our own planning and structures we identify all children’s God-given gifts and help them develop them into talents. We acknowledge that some children have a particular mix of talents that requires them to receive more than the usual classroom challenge. Our goal is to consider how best to serve these children. We use a checklist for gifted and talented that is used to decide which children should be recorded on our register (see Appendix A). We can say whether a child is probably or possibly gifted and talented. These are recorded by the class teacher in mid term 2 and analysed by the SENCO who produces a G&T register for teachers.
Probably Gifted and Talented
This means they have at least three areas where (academic or otherwise) they have exceptional ability.
Possibly GIfted and Talented
They are possibly gifted and talented if they have either a) exceptional academic ability, or b) something a little out of the ordinary plus at least one area of outstanding ability.
Class planning shows what enrichment/extension adaptations are made for gifted and talented students. The use of SOLO throughout learning supports extension.
Our primary approach to enrichment is within the classroom. Our secondary approach is to use external opportunities when they come up. Secondary (out of class) opportunities are always optional and we realise they may not reach the targeted students hence our primary focus is always in class.
Further opportunities are always considered in terms of best practice.
Enrichment opportunities offered at St Joseph’s include:
- FOREMOST: thinking taxonomies and enrichment practices for in-class extension
- Individual student goals.
- Differentiated practice for maths, reading, writing
- Regional, national and international competitions from time to time
- Leadership through House Captains, Cultural Leaders, Peer Mediators, Health team and School Council responsibilities
- Languages – Mandarin
- Performing Arts – choir, production, singing cup, speech and dance
- Physical Education and Sport - these are factored into our school calendar to give children opportunities to excel in these areas.
We acknowledge all 8 areas of the New Zealand curriculum in our enrichment practices. All children have individual goals and areas for development.
