Gifted Education for the School Counselling Service

There are approximately 380,000 gifted children in Australian schools. Research indicates that without appropriate identification and supportive educational opportunities, gifted children are likely to underachieve, dropout, and experience emotional disturbance and impaired wellbeing. Academic underachievement is prevalent amongst gifted students, with estimates of approximately 40% of high ability 9-14 year old students underachieving amongst their peers in the areas of literacy and numeracy.

There is no known mandatory pre-registration psychologist training in intellectual giftedness, despite all psychologists being required to demonstrate competence in cognitive and achievement assessment administration, scoring, and reporting. Thus, psychologists working as school counsellors are left with gaps in their capacity to effectively interpret assessments and design supports for teachers and parents. 

What will I learn?

In this course, you will consider the challenges gifted children face at school, strategies for advocating effectively for gifted students within your school setting, working with parents to support gifted students and discover what is twice/multi-exceptionality.

Learners will gain knowledge and skills relating to:

1. Understand key concepts and issues in gifted education;
2. Refute common myths and misconceptions about giftedness;
3. Strengthen your knowledge and skills to identify, support, and advocate for gifted students; 
4. Identify social and emotional characteristics of gifted students and;
5. Consider the impacts of gifted underachievement. 

How will I learn?

The lite course will be delivered online during school terms and will comprise of two one-hour webinars, with four hours of self-paced learning in between. The full course extends this learning into GERRIC's Mini-COGE, adapted for school counsellors. 

Who should take this course?

School counsellors, School psychologists, Senior psychologists in education or leaders in psychology practices.

Who is leading this course?

Kate Caldecott-Davis

Kate is a dedicated child and adolescent psychologist with experience and postgraduate qualifications in mental health, research, and education.

With over 17 years' experience, Kate is a NESA-accredited teacher and completed a Master of Gifted Education (with Excellence) at UNSW in 2020. Kate continues to maintain active participation within the Gerric research community and associated professional Gifted Education networks.

Kate is also an experienced PsyBa-Approved Supervisor for provisionally registered psychologists, early-career psychologists, and school counsellors.