‘Gifted’ children who get left behind driven to the brink of suicide
ALMOST 30,000 ‘gifted’ and ‘exceptional’ children are left languishing in mainstream classrooms across the country without proper supports, according to a damning new analysis presented to TDs.
A report by the Parent Advocates of Exceptional Children in Ireland (PAECI) group also claims the State’s incapacity to deal with children who are ‘different’ has driven some young pupils to the brink of suicide.
According to figures provided by the advocacy group, there are currently 4,500 gifted children whose talents have been recognised and whose families have the means to allow them to participate in the Centre for Talented Youth at Dublin City University (DCU).
But PAECI insists this is only a small proportion of the 33,000 children classed as ‘gifted’ or ‘exceptional’ who attend mainstream education, which they say is not capable of providing the type of supports they need.
In 2007, the National Council for Curriculum Assessment published a guide, ‘Exceptionally Able Students; Draft Guidelines for Teachers.’ But 16 years on, in its correspondence to TDs, PAECI
‘Standard teaching methods are unsuited’
said there is ‘no onus on schools or teachers to implement these guidelines’. Instead, the group states: ‘The fate of exceptional children’s education depends upon the experience, goodwill and special interest of the teacher to both recognise and appropriately support the gifted student.’
According to PAECI, research shows gifted children’s intellectual abilities ‘are far above the average’, and that ‘standard teaching methods are ill-suited to our children’. Consequently, their potential ‘is persistently squandered’ and the ‘resultant impact to their mental health is persistently overlooked’.
Responding to the analysis, Independent TD Carol Nolan said the State education system’s treatment of the vast majority of gifted young pupils is evolving into ‘a major failure impacting thousands of children’.
The Laois-Offaly TD said she is engaging with Education Minister Norma Foley to develop an updated set of national guidelines to help meet the needs of exceptionally able or gifted students. Deputy Nolan told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘There is a widespread misconception that gifted children will succeed even in the absence of supports within the classroom setting. ‘This is a damaging and corrosive myth, and it must be seen as such if we are to have any hope of effectively meeting the needs of these children.’
Ms Nolan said the perception that gifted children ‘are all from families with significant means is absolutely untrue’.
She said: ‘These kids are from all socio-economic backgrounds. Many of these children are autistic or have issues around sensory perception or other behavioural challenges. This can then result in children of exceptional ability being categorised in such a way that fails to meet their educational or emotional needs.’
Ms Nolan said there ‘appears to be is no real plan on how to manage or support gifted children in the Irish education system’.
A Department of Education spokesperson said: ‘Notwithstanding the potential of the curriculum to meet the needs of all learners, the Department recognises that additional support and guidance may be necessary in respect of students with exceptional abilities. To that end, the Department has recently established a Working Group to develop its policy on students who are exceptionally able or gifted.’
The spokesperson added that the working group has been ‘tasked with scoping out existing supports for students with exceptional abilities, examining how other education systems provide for students with exceptional abilities and addressing the issue of guidance for schools’.
They said the group will be ‘reviewing draft guidelines for teachers on meeting the needs of students with exceptional abilities published by the NCCA in 2007’.
‘Their children are effectively invisible’