A focus on gifted children to take spotlight in Montego Bay
Published:Monday | October 9, 2023 | 12:05 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
In Jamaica this month, a conference titled, ‘Gifted Children: Moving Toward Inclusion’, will take place at Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College (SSTC) in Granville, St James.
The college’s Special Education Department will be hosting the conference on gifted and talented education and talent development on October 12. Dr Lynette Breedlove, of Kentucky in the United States, will be the keynote speaker inside the Dr Simon Clarke Hall.
Udana Morgan, conference organiser and head of SSTC’s Special Education Department, said it will help fill a gap in knowledge regarding gifted students.
“Most times when we talk about special education, persons think about individuals with disabilities who are limited. However, a gifted child seems to be left out, ignored, because their potential is limitless. They already know; they learn very quickly,” Morgan said.
She argued that gifted children make up a hidden and dispersed population within schools, “so it’s very likely that gifted students are in classrooms and if they are not catered to, they become disruptive”.
The teacher might have trouble understanding why such a student isn’t making positive use of his or her abilities, she added. Also, Morgan stated that special education can equip children with the tools they need to develop their unique gifts.
“We aim to help students, through differentiated instruction, because each individual is different, unique and has their own talents and capabilities,” she explained.
Accordingly, she said an individual’s disability might be hampered by a lack of access to the necessary resources.
“What special education does is provide those skills to the students so they are able to act and to reach their potential,” the special education specialist said.
Raise awareness
The purpose of the ‘Gifted Children: Moving Towards Inclusion’ conference is to raise awareness among educators, parents, paraprofessionals, psychologists, and others about the needs of gifted students and how to effectively support them so that they can reach their full potential.
“If we don’t do that, we find that the population gets curious about other things and finds themselves in situations that could have been avoided,” Morgan said.
Morgan used Usain Bolt, the Olympic sprinting legend, as an example of the potential of brilliant children. Bolt had difficulty in school as a child, but his talent in track and field is renowned.
She argued that gifted children can do amazing things if only they are encouraged to use their natural gifts.
Morgan remarked that, “We have many persons who are gifted, but who are not identified; this conference can help you see whether or not your child or students in your class needs help or require individualised attention to help them.”
She emphasised that the conference is free and accessible to anyone interested in learning more about how to better support students who display exceptional abilities in the classroom.