17 - 18 MARCH 2023

Registration

Registration (on Plaza level). Delegates collect name badge and lanyard.

8:30 – Welcome by Anthony Stevens

Acknowledgement of Country

Session 1

9.15 – 10.45

Dr Gemma Scarparolo

What can we learn from gifted students and their parents? Implications for practice.

Intellectually gifted students have specific educational needs. Therefore, it is valuable to learn about the experiences of these students and their parents to enhance teachers’ knowledge and understanding to inform practice and provide the most appropriate educational experience for gifted students. In this keynote, Gemma will present an overview of relevant literature and prompt attendees to consider the implications for practice.

Bio: Gemma is a Senior Lecturer and the Master of Teaching Primary Course Coordinator in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Western Australia.  Her research focuses on diversity, inclusive teaching (specifically differentiation and the universal design for learning) and teacher education. She is passionate about preparing pre-service teachers to be inclusive, responsive and empathetic teachers who know effective inclusive teaching approaches and understand how aspects of diversity, such as intellectual giftedness, can impact students and their parents.

Morning Tea

Morning tea and networking

Session 2

11.15 – 12.45

Susan Prior

Twice-Exceptionality and inclusive education. What do we know, what can we do?

Students with twice-exceptionality (2e) are an embodiment of paradox and possibility in our schools. 2e is an umbrella term used to describe students who are both gifted and have some kind of disability. However, this is a small heterogeneous population of students in special, gifted and mainstream education who may also be indigenous, learning English as another language, LGBTQI or experiencing a combination of other differences. As such 2e presents a unique opportunity to blend best practices through a systems approach across our fields, particularly as we transition to more inclusive and collaborative school communities valuing diversity. What does the inclusive education literature recommend for students experiencing twice-exceptionality? Have other interests hijacked inclusive education? Does inclusion really mean whole school approaches must include “each and every student”? Multi-tiered systems of support, dual differentiation and other approaches will be offered in this keynote including a call to action.

Bio:  Sue is an international inclusive education consultant currently living in Brisbane. She has worked as a teacher in schools across three countries, including three states of Australia and as a system gifted education consultant in Brisbane, during 30+ years in education. Sue is a serial Doctoral student, and international presenter with a Master of Education degree in gifted education and leadership and a Bachelor of Education degree in Special Needs. She is also trained as a SENG model parent group facilitator. Her evidence-based research has grown from creative, collaborative, and inclusive education projects to designing and delivering personalised and strategic support for diverse learners and schools.

Lunch

Lunch and networking

Session 3

Dr Genevieve Thraves

Aboriginal Perspectives of Giftedness: What we need to learn from these

School-based understandings of ‘giftedness’ are often crafted from a particular cultural view of what constitutes intelligence and achievement. Additionally, common views of giftedness often associate intelligence with particular traits, aptitudes, and behaviours. This leads to a situation where gifted Aboriginal students are often overlooked in terms of their intellectual giftedness, but also in terms of their cultural gifts. This presentation will explore how the concept of giftedness is viewed and understood, and importantly expressed, for some of Australia’s Aboriginal peoples. The presentation will also present some practical approaches that have been successful in identifying and supporting gifted Aboriginal students; both those that are intellectually gifted and those that might be considered culturally gifted by their community. Finally, the question will be posed: ‘What do we need to learn from Aboriginal perspectives of giftedness?’

Bio: Dr Genevieve Thraves (PhD) is a Lecturer in Learning and teaching, and Inclusive Education, in the School of Education, University of New England. Her research is focused on gifted and talented education.  Genevieve’s work has informed policy and improvement agendas at a national level. As the recipient of over $1,400,000 in funding, she has had the opportunity to work closely with industry. Genevieve was the 2022 recipient of the John Geake Outstanding thesis award which is presented bi-annually by the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented.  She currently coordinates the Bachelor of Special and Inclusive Education (Primary at UNE, and has a strong teaching record, at both the school and tertiary level, in gifted education.