WHAT do gifted learners need to reach their full potential? While Malaysia had for a very long time been serious in providing education for students from the lower (children with learning disabilities, dyslexia and Down’s syndrome, and the hearing- and visual-impaired) and middle (students at normal day schools) groups of learning ability, this question has not been addressed in a comprehensive manner, resulting — in many cases — in students, who are extremely gifted and talented or who are highly able, to be forgotten or left behind in the education system.
The International Conference on Gifted and Talented Education (IC-GATE 2014), which will be held from Dec 8-10 in Bangi, Selangor hopes to offer some answers and share solutions in this area.
Organised by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Pusat PERMATA pintar Negara (the Malaysian National Gifted Centre), the aims of this symposium are threefold — provide information on the need for special educational provisions for gifted learners; build a network among parents, teachers, educators, and gifted education specialists; and share best practices and interventions to help promote educational support for gifted learners.
Speakers at the conference include PERMATA pintar patron and Yayasan PERMATA chair Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Professor Dr Joyce Van Tassle Baska who introduced the Integrated Curriculum Model; Professor Dr Francois Gagne who introduced the Differentiated Model on Gifted and Talented; Professor Dr Joseph S.
Renzulli who proposed the Three Ring Model of Giftedness Concept; Dr Linda Broady who has done extensive research on support for gifted learners; UKM vice chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali, who will address the issue of gifted individuals and their impact on global economy; and former UKM vice chancellor Professor Tan Sri Dr Sharifah Hapsah, who has shown tremendous support since the inception of the Malaysian gifted programme.
Pusat PERMATApintar Negara director Professor Datuk Dr Noriah Ishak said: “These speakers have knowledge, wisdom, experiences, great views on gifted education, gifted learners and gifted programmes around the world.
She added: “Aside from the keynote address and forum discussion with experts, there will be meetings with the experts (one-toone discussions on helping gifted children/students), a round-table discussion with members from different countries, a dinner talk on how gifted individuals impacted the global economy, and an array of parallel sessions papers by the researchers.” For details, visit http://www.ukm.my/icgate/