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Supporting the Development of Academic Talent: The Perspectives of Students, Parents and Teachers

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Giftedness and Talent

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Abstract

The thesis reported in this chapter explored the views of Western Australian high-achieving school leavers (n = 22), their parents (n = 20) and teachers (n = 19) on a number of themes, including academic talent development (Williams, 2010). The broad nature of the research and methodology generated well-grounded research findings and allowed for the synthesis of a number of models that can be practically deployed to support learning and teaching. This chapter presents a broad overview of these, while ensuring that the complexity of the processes described in the models and frameworks remain visible. The chapter concludes with a description of some practical steps that can be taken to implement the findings. These include critically reflecting on current practice in light of the research findings; using entry and exit interviews to serve students better; facilitating the tracking of personal bests; and wider use of acceleration options. Such changes would help to maximise the use of school resources and support all students to develop academically from a young age.

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  1. Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia

    Lesley Williams

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  1. Lesley Williams
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Correspondence to Lesley Williams .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Nadine Ballam

  2. Faculty of Education, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

    Roger Moltzen

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Williams, L. (2017). Supporting the Development of Academic Talent: The Perspectives of Students, Parents and Teachers. In: Ballam, N., Moltzen, R. (eds) Giftedness and Talent. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6701-3_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6701-3_13

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