The Big Read in Short: What does it mean to be a gifted child?

SINGAPORE — At work, Ms Neha Dharma is like any of her other colleagues. The 24-year-old Singaporean human resource consultant based in Sydney, Australia does not have all the answers, sometimes makes mistakes and even gets chided by her boss. 

This was perhaps not what her 10-year-old self would have imagined when she was part of a small group of pupils specially selected from Singapore schools to attend the Gifted Education Programme (GEP). 

“We were told (by our teachers) that we’re all gifted…that we should be doing better. I started putting pressure on myself because I slowly started believing this idea that I should be gifted,” said Ms Dharma, noting how the “gifted” label came with unrealistic expectations set not only by teachers and parents, but also herself. 

Nevertheless, she enjoyed the stimulating classes and group projects under the GEP at St Hilda's Primary School — though she didn't do as well as she expected in her Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), getting 253 out of a possible 300 points under the old scoring system. 

Recalling how she was "devastated" at her results, Ms Dharma said: “At that moment, I felt like I had messed up my entire life... I came to the conclusion that I was not gifted like I was told, and I wasted everyone's time and resources.” 

She went on to study at Raffles Girls' School and later graduated from Australia's University of New South Wales in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in commerce.

Now, at the workplace, her "giftedness" is not something she would bring up "because it's weird talking about something that happened so long ago, and I don't think I'm special or gifted".

Ms Dharma's experience is not unique: Many GEPers — as students who have gone through the programme call themselves — have contributed to society in their own ways, even if some of them are quick to downplay their achievements or "giftedness". 

Ms Neha Dharma was part of a small group of pupils specially selected from Singapore schools to attend the Gifted Education Programme when she was 10 years old.

In response to TODAY's queries, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said GEP alumni have made significant contributions to both private and public service, in diverse fields including academia, arts, law, medicine, research, entrepreneurship and technology. It added that some have gained international recognition for their areas of specialisation and many are also active leaders in the community and social sectors.

But what exactly is "giftedness"? How is it measured? Can it be trained or nurtured? What is its relevance in today's educational systems and the workplace? 

WHY IT MATTERS

The GEP — with all its pros and cons — is once again being dissected after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced at his inaugural National Day Rally this year that the programme would be discontinued in its current form to benefit more students.

Starting with the 2024 Pri 1 cohort, the revamped GEP will cut across all 180 primary schools, and students will be able to join the programme for the particular subjects that they are strong in.

With the revamp, MOE estimates that about 10 per cent of students will be able to benefit across 180 schools. Currently, just 1 per cent — around 370 to 400 students — of each cohort participates in the GEP, while school-based higher-ability programmes benefit 7 per cent of the cohort.

Instead of two rounds of selection tests involving English language, mathematics and general ability papers at Pri 3, students will take only English language and mathematics papers in the new GEP.

Teachers’ day-to-day observations and students’ work will also be taken into account in assessing their suitability. Students can join the programme from Pri 4 to 6, instead of just one time at Pri 4.

The changes represent a shift in how MOE defines and characterises gifted children. But as some experts pointed out, academic performance still remains central in defining a child’s potential to be stretched further through the GEP.

THE BIG PICTURE

The MOE told TODAY that higher-ability learners tend to demonstrate a high level of curiosity and creativity and can learn faster than their peers. 

"They find, solve and act on problems more readily and can grasp abstract ideas and make connections between different concepts," it said, adding that these traits are supported by international literature. 

If solely based on Intelligence Quotient (IQ), gifted children are often considered to have an IQ of 130 or higher. The average IQ is 100.

However, education experts noted that giftedness is defined differently around the world and there are other characteristics beyond IQ to be considered.

The MOE told TODAY that higher-ability learners tend to demonstrate a high level of curiosity and creativity and can learn faster than their peers.

Associate Professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education (NIE), who does research in comparative education and education reform, said that while Singapore has tended to adopt a more academic approach in its definition, some countries take into account different talents such as excellence in the arts and sports.

Even the way gifted students are classified can be different. In Taiwan, its Education Ministry views giftedness as a form of special needs, he said.

“In other words, these children are quite different from the bulk of other children, and need some kind of special services and special activities to suit their giftedness,” said Assoc Prof Tan.

He added that growing research on gifted children has also found that giftedness is not universal across various domains.

A child might be, for example, gifted in languages but average in mathematics.

However, identifying gifted children can be challenging.

For one, they are more likely to have neurodevelopmental conditions compared to their peers. This phenomenon arises because profoundly high levels of intelligence stems from atypical neurological patterns and development.

Gifted children might also have asynchronous development, which is when a child's intellectual abilities exceed their emotional or social maturity, said experts.

Dr Chee Ai Lian, master specialist in gifted education at MOE’s Gifted Education Branch, added that some children might be “late-bloomers” when it comes to displaying their potential. With the current GEP having a single national standardised test at Pri 3, these students might be left out.

“These learners differ in their readiness for advanced learning in different areas. So, even though a child could be precocious, they may not yet be ready to commit to more advanced learning,” she said.

But as these children mature and grow, they might eventually show signs that they enjoy the intellectual challenge.

“That’s why the refreshed GEP hopes to be able to pick up students at different junctures when they are ready, ensuring they are not left behind,” she said. 

THE BOTTOM LINE

Dr Ho Boon Tiong, principal consultant educationist at training and consulting firm ClassPoint Consulting, said: “From an education standpoint, it is worth the investment to ensure no wasted talent. Also, in terms of access and equity, we need to ensure that those with special needs and learning needs on both ends of the spectrum are supported.” 

Two child psychologists also told TODAY that it is a common misconception that gifted children need less support. Without support, gifted children risk underachieving or burning out as they grow older.

While the upcoming revamp will benefit more youngsters, some education experts have reservations about relying on teachers’ observations to identify potential students for the revamped GEP.

Dr Ho said that gifted children might showcase disruptive behaviour in school as they lack the intellectual stimulation they need, making them seem inattentive rather than gifted.

Thus, Dr Ho questioned if a teacher’s day-to-day observations would be accurate as a tool in determining a child’s suitability for the programme.

"Gifted children are very different from one another. So there needs to be a holistic approach through multiple observations in varying contexts, not just in the classroom," he said.

He added that teachers could keep a keen eye on their students in other settings as well, such as during recess or even at home.

However, Dr Chee said students will still go through a national standardised test, which will be used with "other sources of information such as teacher observations and student work" to determine a student's suitability for the revamped GEP.

She added that the Gifted Education Branch has been training teachers to spot talent by observing a child’s traits, which cannot be assessed by tests alone. Such traits include persistence, curiosity, reasoning and the ability to seek, find and solve problems.

Assoc Prof Tan is also concerned that students who are considered gifted and might have additional intellectual, psychological and emotional needs might be sidelined when the GEP is expanded to more students. This refers to students who might be neurodivergent, or have asynchronous development.

“In this regard, MOE has been actively promoting this idea of differentiated instruction, that a teacher should be able to try and customise their teaching and learning approaches,” he said.

“So, the hope is that even as the boundaries are being blurred, teachers of these high-ability programmes will be able to differentiate their instructional and assessment strategies to reach out to the genuine needs of these intellectually gifted students.”

As for several GEP alumni, the hope is that the revamp will address their concern about the pressures children face when they are labelled as gifted.

Mr Edric Sng, a pastor who was part of the GEP from 1989 to 1995, said that the revamped system should allow more children access to gifted education, regardless of their family background and ability to afford enrichment classes.

However, he added it is important that parents and teachers ensure children do not feel their self-worth is defined by their academic performance, or by being part of the GEP.

“The programme should be to build a generation of forward and progressive thinkers... Not to determine a child’s worth based on whether they are gifted," he said.

Read the original article here. 

Source: TODAYOnline © Mediacorp Pte Ltd. All rights reserved.