How to run school-based
gifted education effectively in
QMSS
Principal Jasmine C.H. Yeung
Mr. Richard H.F. Tong
H.K.M.L.C. Queen Maud Secondary School
HK-UK GE Conference
“From Gifted to Great”
7 March 2008
Organized by EDB ,The HK Academy for GE, British Consulate-General HK
Misconceptions towards gifted
education (GE) in HK school
context
Gifted students :
-- only a very small and limited number;
-- do not exist in my school ;
-- can perform their giftedness naturally ;
-- are expected to perform their best on
every aspect of their studies;
Teachers :
-- not “gifted” => teaching “gifted students”?
GE is usually
neglected !
However, the situation of running
school-based GE in a school
is ….
The school factors on schoolbased GE that work
How to
1. define the rationale on GE
2. start GE
3. deliver effective curriculum leadership
4. carry out effective pedagogy on GE
5. determine a school–based model of GE
6. ensure the success of GE
7. sustain the GE development
QMSS => Multiple Intelligence in
definition of GE
• “Gifted” = > 130 points in the IQ test
run by a qualified education
psychologist
• Multiple Intelligence initiated by Professor Howard
Gardner (1983 )
Individuals can be defined as gifted in certain
areas if they show talents in linguistic, spatial,
logical-mathematical, naturalistic, musical, bodilykinesthetic, intrapersonal and interpersonal
aspects.
The rationale towards Gifted
Education in QMSS
It’s the responsibility of a school to
provide appropriate and well-designed
curriculum and other learning experience
specific to their special educational needs,
with regard to their multiple intelligences
development of those gifted students.
Overcoming resistances
Resistances from teachers:
• Fear of increased workload
• Different definitions on “Giftedness”
• Lack of professional training on GE
• Lack of appropriate resources available for
use
Incoherent views from teachers towards a
school-based GE.
Crucial GE development in
QMSS
• Finding an anchor point to start GE
• Providing a platform for discussions across
different levels inside school
• Reaching a consensus among staff :
Policy on delivering School-based GE &
GE Community Service ever since 2003
• Forming an effective GE working team
• Providing appropriate GE trainings for
teachers
Establishing GE policy
A GE policy established in a whole-school
approach to cater
the high learning abilities among
students
Streaming junior form students into
stratified levels
according to different learning abilities
in
Languages, Science & Mathematics.
GE Community Service :
East Kowloon District
Training Program for
Gifted & Talented since 2003
(inc. Parent Education)
Contents
Part I: Foundation Training
1. Creative Training 2. Critical Thinking 3. Creative Leadership
Part II: Different Areas of Thinking Skills Training
1. Chinese Creative Writing
2. English Creative Performing Arts
3. Creative Problem-solving in Mathematics
4. Creative Exploration in Science
Part III: Social Service
Part IV: Learning celebration & presentation of certificates
An effective working group on
GE
The principal – create vision and mission on
GE development / formulate GE policy;
Head of curriculum development – to direct
the overall design on school-based GE
curriculum
GE Coordinator – to assist head of curriculum
development to co-ordinate and implement
GE policies
Panel Chairpersons of key learning areas –
to implement GE policies and curriculum
designs at panel level
Subject Teachers in delivering GE – to
implement GE at class level and/or to lead
School-based Teacher development
for delivering school-based GE in
QMSS
1. Share the vision of school on GE;
2. Deliver well-planned school-based
staff development programs
coherent and tailor-made to the
school GE development plan;
Workshop inside school –
for developing curriculum
teaching with creativity
3. GE Training Outside
School
4. GE Teaching
Demonstration
5. Establish GE Resources
Centre
Effective pedagogies for GE
teaching
• Teaching
strategies:
deepened and accelerated;
enriched,
• Tailored made teaching materials;
• Adding teaching elements: creativity
and critical thinking skills;
• Design
students’
assignments:
stratification of learning abilities.
To determine model that can work
out
• Core elements of GE teaching ?
• Domains of GE covered ?
• Levels of curriculum differentiation ?
In QMSS , A 3-tier School-based Gifted
Education Model was adopted since
year 2003
According to Prof. Renzulli
of American Gifted Education Resources Center
3 Conditions for Gifted Behaviours:
High
Intelligence
I.Q.
High
Creativity
Gifted
C.Q.
E.Q.
High Task
Commitment
Core Elements of GE
teaching
Infused in various disciplines
• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Leadership Training
The Domains of GE covered in
QMSS
Academic (inc. Aesthetic)
Affective
Other Learning Experiences
Whole Person Development of a
gifted student
3rd level:
Outside School
III
2nd level:
Extracted
II C
II D
1st level:
Grouped
IA
IB
Nature
General Areas
(Regular
Curriculum)
Specific Areas
(Differentiated
Curriculum)
Level I 1A
Dealing gifted students at regular
curriculum in General Areas
Period of implementation : Whole Academic year
Target group : JS1-JS3 Students
A. Basic Thinking Skills Training
JS1 Thinking Education Curriculum (1 period/cycle)
Aims: To cultivate students’ thinking skills for all
S1students
B . Basic Research Skills Training
JS2 Project Learning Curriculum (1 period/cycle)
Aims : To raise students’ ability in conducting research
regarding cross curriculum learning areas
Level I IA
Regular Teaching
C. JS2 Leadership Training & Social Service
program
(6 periods/year)
D. JS1-3 Affective education provided for gifted
students
(6 periods/year)
(a) JS1-3 Life Education Curriculum (1
period/cycle)
Aims: To enhance human relationship skills
among
gifted students
Level I : 1B
Dealing of gifted education by Differentiated
curriculum in regular teaching in specific
areas
Period of implementation : whole academic year
Target group : JS1-JS3 students
Identification : Streaming according to academic
results
Language Elite classes (+ Public speaking program)
Maths. & Science Elite Classes
1B Seed Projects
Worked with EDB to develop the school-based
GE curriculum
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Science research & exploratory project
Program on remarkable project-based learning
Problem solving strategies in Maths. teaching
Independent Learning Program in Chinese
Game Therapy in Affective Education Program
Integrated Humanities Curriculum
Mathematics school-based curriculum
Outstanding leadership training program…etc.
Teaching Strategies on 1B :
GE Curriculum will be tailor-made,
trimmed and compacted
(1) To accelerate: complete the
standard
teaching schedule faster in order to
create rooms for students to learn
more
and deeper,
(2)
To widen : teach beyond the
syllabus
Level II: 2C
Dealing gifted education by offering
differentiated curriculum by differentiated
streaming of students in general areas
through pullout programs
Pullout program training for generic skills for more
able students :
Year-round Leadership Training Pullout Program
1. Advanced English Public Speaking Program for
outstanding students – “How to speak like a
leader ?
2. Social Service Program
3. Organization Skills
Level III : GE Outside School
– participating GE courses run by the EDB
& other tertiary institutions
Nomination of participants is based on
(1) Students’ performance on both academic
and non-academic aspects
(2) Recommended by Subject Panel Heads /
Class Teachers / Subject Teachers / Parents /Self….
Establishing a pool of outstanding students
Thinking Education Curriculum in QMSS
(Level 1A)
For JS1 students
Purposes: To enhance high order thinking skills
To prepare for NSS Liberal studies
Basic Topics
1. Understanding and
Nurturing Multiple
Intelligences
2. Six Thinking Hats
3. Use of Graphic
Organizers
Advanced Topics
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Creative Thinking
Linguistic Analysis
Fallacy Analysis
Basic Logical Thinking
Reliability of Information
Practice on High-order Thinking
To ensure the
Success
of
GE Teaching
Collecting feedback from
teachers on GE teaching
1. Log book - record how they teach
and the process of students’
learning
2. Written
report
noting
the
success/failure in GE teaching;
3. Teachers’
oral
feedback
and
reflection
4. Interviews by GE coordinator
Collecting feedback from
students on GE teaching
• Students’ Performance of
examinations &
assignments
• Study Journal filled in by
students
• Action Research
=>
to
reflect
the
effectiveness of their
Teachers’ Feedback on GE in
QMSS
Teachers basically agree that the GE
policy
and
the
differentiated
teaching
1. => gifted students’ learning with
high motivation
2. => learn more, learn faster, learn
better.
Students’ Feedback on GE in
QMSS
Welcome:
1. greater learning opportunity,
2. they could handle the accelerated,
extended and deepened part of GE
learning
Effective ways in gaining success
of GE in school
1. Does not depend on a single system,
but rather, it depends on the learning
process.
2. Learning style is more important than
teaching style.
3. Pay more attention on the nonintelligent factors of developing gifted
education.
Important ways of helping
Gifted Students to grow
• Offering learning opportunities ;
• Making challenging curriculum ;
• Providing encouraging learning
environment ;
• Encouraging appropriate
competitions ;
• Cultivating independent learning ;
• Reinforcing reading habits &
How to sustain the
development
of GE in school (1)
--Continue to emphasize the importance of
helping elites learn better;
-- Keep obtaining the consensus from
different school stakeholders ;
-- Delegate appropriate personnel to achieve
task performance ;
--Ensure the GE policy have been
implemented, even with slight adjustment ;
How to sustain the
development
of GE in school (2)
--Make use of various opportunities to
share the GE achievement ;
--Keep a strong connection with GE
bodies outside school.
Future plans on GE in
QMSS
• Develop more schoolbased GE curricula;
• Further develop teacher’s
knowledge & skills on GE ;
• Publish a GE guidebook
REWARDING !!!
Teachers grow :
• Polish their skills on
cultivating students’
creativity & critical
thinking;
• Widen experience on GE ;
Students grow :
•
Learn better !
•
From gifted to great
Let’s join hands in developing School-based GE !!!
Video Show (1)
An English Lesson for F.6 students
By Ms Louise Lo
“ The Best Place for Retirement”
Example of Infusing elements of
creativity & critical thinking during
teaching process
Video Show (2)
East Kowloon District Training Program
for Gifted and Talented
Organized by
QMSS
&
Hong Kong Association for Parents of Gifted
Children
Example of Infusing elements of creativity,
critical thinking & leadership training
during teaching process
Thank You !