In March, 1988, the following report was laid before the Senate of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. This report was the culmination of an inquiry lasting two and a half years conducted by, in the first instance, the Senate Standing Committee on Education and the Arts, and ultimately by the specially convened Senate Select Committee on The Education of Gifted and Talented Children.
The inquiry and this report that followed represented one of the most exhaustive surveys of the educational needs and provision made to meet those needs, ever undertaken within the Commonwealth of Australia. The Committee made a series of recommendations based on its findings which, I believe, would have made a real difference to the plight of intellectually gifted children within Australia.
Unfortunately, in the final analysis, very little was ever done to enact the Committee's recommendations.
This internet version of the report is provided in the interests of information. Every effort has been made to present the report faithfully and accurately. However, there is a possibility that in producing such a large document, some typographical errors may have been made. If you discover any errors, please e-mail me and I will endeavour to correct them as soon as possible.
This internet version of the report is not intended to make any challenge, explicit or otherwise, to the Copyright of the Senate Select Committee's Report. It is provided simply as a resource as obtaining copies of the published report is quite difficult.
This page created 1st September 1999 and last updated 8th September 1999.
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Secretary:
Mr T. Magi
The Senate
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
| 1.1 to 1.5 | Giftedness |
| 1.6 | 'Gifted or Talented' |
| 1.7 to 1.11 | Attitudes |
| 1.12 | Need for Special Educational Provisions for Gifted Children |
| 1.13 to 1.16 | Justification for Special Educational Provision |
| 1.17 | The National Interest |
| Endnotes |
CHAPTER 2
Developments in Gifted Education - Australia, the United States
and Britain
| 2.1 to 1.5 | Introduction |
| 2.6 to 2.11 | Australia |
| 2.12 to 2.26 | Policy Development by State Education Departments |
| 2.27 | Commonwealth Government Involvement |
| 2.28 and 2.29 | Associations for Gifted Children |
| 2.30 to 2.33 | Non-Government Schools |
| 2.34 to 2.39 | United States of America |
| 2.40 to 2.44 | Britain |
| Endnotes |
CHAPTER 3
Definition and Identification
| 3.1 and 3.2 | Definitions |
| 3.3 to 3.8 | Unitary Definitions |
| 3.9 to 3.18 | Multi-Faceted Definitions |
| 3.19 to 3.23 | An Influential Model of Giftedness |
| 3.24 and 3.25 | Identification |
| 3.26 to 3.35 | Objective Procedures |
| 3.36 to 3.45 | Subjective Procedures |
| 3.46 | Conclusion |
| Endnotes |
CHAPTER 4
Educational Provisions for Gifted Children
| 4.1 to 4.3 | Introduction |
| 4.4 | School-Based Organisational Settings |
| 4.4 to 4.11 | In-Class Provision |
| 4.12 to 4.19 | Withdrawal |
| 4.20 to 4.24 | Cluster Groups |
| 4.25 to 4.43 | Selective Classes or Schools |
| 4.44 to 4.52 | Special Interest Centres |
| 4.53 to 4.56 | Mentors |
| 4.57 | Other Extra-Curricular Activities |
| 4.57 | Lunchtime Clubs |
| 4.58 and 4.59 | Weekend and Vacation Classes |
| 4.60 to 4.64 | Summer Schools |
| 4.65 to 4.67 | Competitions |
| 4.68 to 4.71 | Pre-School Provisions |
| 4.72 | Types of Provisions |
| 4.72 to 4.76 | Enrichment |
| 4.77 to 4.85 | Acceleration |
| 4.86 to 4.89 | Overseas Provisions |
| 4.90 | Conclusion |
| Endnotes |
CHAPTER 5
Gifted Children, Their Parents and Teachers - Characteristics and
Concerns
| 5.1 to 5.5 | The Gifted Child |
| 5.6 to 5.9 | Social Needs |
| 5.10 to 5.12 | Peer Pressure |
| 5.13 to 5.19 | Under-Achievement |
| 5.20 to 5.30 | The Parents |
| 5.31 to 5.33 | Gifted Children's Associations |
| 5.34 | The Teachers |
| 5.35 to 5.40 | Attitudes |
| 5.41 to 5.45 | Skills |
| Endnotes |
CHAPTER 6
Special Populations
| 6.1 to 6.6 | Introduction |
| 6.7 to 6.13 | Girls |
| 6.14 to 6.22 | New Settlers |
| 6.23 to 6.30 | Economically and Socially Deprived Children |
| 6.31 to 6.39 | Aborginal Children |
| 6.40 to 6.45 | Children with Disabilities |
| 6.46 to 6.57 | Isolated Children |
| Endnotes |
CHAPTER 7
The Role of the Commonwealth in Gifted Education
| 7.1 and 7.2 | Introduction |
| 7.3 to 7.17 | Commonwealth Schools Commission Activities' |
| 7.18 | Teacher Development |
| 7.18 to 7.27 | Pre-Service Training |
| 7.28 to 7.36 | In-Service Training |
| 7.37 to 7.44 | Quality of Teaching |
| 7.45 to 7.51 | Research |
| 7.52 to 7.56 | Curriculum Development |
| Endnotes |
CHAPTER 8
The Pursuit of Excellence
| 8.1 to 8.3 | Introduction |
| 8.4 to 8.9 | Do Australian Schools Aim to Achieve Excellence? |
| 8.10 to 8.15 | The Pursuit of Excellence and the Educational Needs of All Children |
| Endnotes |
CHAPTER 9
Overview and Summary of Recommendations
APPENDICES
| Appendix 1 | List of Organisations and Individuals who mades submissions |
| Appendix 2 | List of Witnesses who appeared before the Committee |
| Appendix 3 | Definitions of Giftedness and Talents proposed by State and Territory Education Departments |
