Resources

The VAGTC is committed to providing our members and our greater community with relevant resources to assist in the support, education and development of students and children. This page contain links to valuable resources – all of which are external sites and ones that come recommended by us to you. If you come across a link that no longer works or if you would like to recommend a resource, please feel free to drop us an email on info@vagtc.org.au

In addition to these resources, all VAGTC members receive a copy of the VAGTC Resource Book. Now in its Seventh edition (due this year!), the Resource Book is jam-packed full of activities, clubs, ed-psych recommendations and websites and is a resource that has proven invaluable to schools, families and communities across Australia. Non-members can order the VAGTC Resource Book though our website.

We are also developing more resources for our members and followers. Please watch this space! In the meantime, check our New News, Calendar page, Facebook and Twitter feeds for the latest updates in activities, research and commentaries.

VISION Magazine Resources

We work with a range of experts who generously volunteer their time, energy and resources to contribute to VISION magazine. We are slowly collating a library of knowledge, to the benefit of all VAGTC members (log in and watch this space!). In the meantime, here are some of our faves:

VISION v29 n1 2018: Models of Talent Development
The Renzulli Wizard Project Maker: Template and Instructions, by Renzulli Learning

VISION v28 n1 2017: Neuro-Diverse Learners
Individual Learning Plans for Twice Exceptional Students, by Kate Jacobs and Hayley Anthony
Visual Note Taking, by Dyan Burgess

VISION v.28 n2 2017: Beyond School
Making an Equation, by Stephen Teasdale

Resourceful research 

Educational research in the field of gifted education is vast, and it is often a task to sift through tabs of websites and reams of literature to figure out for yourself the good from the not-so-good. We have done a bit of work for you, and include resources, materials, handbooks and articles that are primarily evidence-based or from the ‘horses-sources-mouths’.

The VAGTC strives to provide links to resources that are meaningful to both educators and parents, and in the spirit of bringing both educators and parents together on the ‘same page’ these resources are here for you to download and share. These are freely available on the internet, but we’ve done some of the boring work for you by collating them in one convenient location.

Conference materials

March 22, 2018: Models of Talent Development was a wonderful collaboration of minds, ideas and models of support. The VAGTC were proud to welcome Prof Françoys Gagné, Prof John Munro and Prof Wilma Vialle to discuss three differing models of talent development from a theoretical perspective to a lively panel discussion and in-practice workshop.

The VAGTC was fortunate to source the presentations from our conferences and provide links to all members and delegates. The video from the morning session can be streamed below, while presentation materials are available via membership. Access is via member login. Delegates may email for a copy to be sent directly to them via info@vagtc.org.au.

This content is for registered users only. Please login.

VAGTC Presents: Models of Talent Development. March 22 2018 at the Arts Centre Melbourne. Watch. Listen. Learn.

Centers to connect: For Educators, Parents and Students

Much research has been conducted on the education of gifted and talented, with many centers dedicated to the research and support in the USA. Other entities exist across the globe, many of which will make their way to this page in due course.

USA

The NAGC has a plethora of materials for educators and families and is a great site to link to on Facebook. 

The Gifted Resource Center is curated by the Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA) and serves as a free public database of learning resources for students from K-12.

Although simple in design (think 1990!) Hoagies is a resource that has stood the test of time. We love Hoagies.

The group set up at the University of Connecticut provides support for the needs of gifted and talented youth through Renzulli’s Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development.

It is somewhat refreshing to know that there are some parts of the world that are doing great work for gifted education. Take, for example, the US state of Ohio. Relish in the plethora of information that has been painstakingly written and made publicly available for all to review, be inspired by and share. Updated regularly, this is a trove of information unto its own.

Europe

The European Council for High Ability (ECHA) has NGO and Charity status that acts as a network for research and communication on high ability and excellence.

Asia

The Asia Pacific Federation on Giftedness (APFG) was established to develop gifted and talented individuals to develop their potential “to the benefit of humankind.” The group runs conferences every two years and collaborates with nations globally, including key researchers in Australia.

Australia and New Zealand

Back home, the Department of Education and Training (DETVic), having consulted yours truly a few years back, ensure that their message on identification and support is regularly updated. All educators and parents should be well informed of the Department’s guidelines, especially for those residing in Victoria.

New Zealand has a few organizations that, like Australia, work together to build strong communities of knowledge and support, drawing from a rigorous and much appreciated localized research base. The AAEGT, NZAGC, the NZCGE and GiftedNZ are chock-full of resources from Australian and New Zealand perspectives.

Online support

The VAGTC is active on both Facebook and Twitter, and we encourage our members and members of the community to connect with Facebook groups that are dedicated to the support and development of gifted and talented children and students.

Many groups are closed to ensure the highest quality of support. Some Facebook groups we recommend include:

Parents of gifted children- Australia is a supportive wonderful group if you are trying to get your head around aspects of parenting a child who learns and thinks outside the ‘norm’. They have three ‘subgroups’ dedicated to Twice Exceptionality, Professional networks, and a group dedicated to ‘confirmed >.95%’ via formal assessment.

Australian schools for gifted children provides parents of gifted children to “share with each other positive experiences they have had in particular schools or tertiary institutions.”

CHIP Centre Geelong is a Melbourne-based group that exists both online and offline for the support and development of “Children of High Intellectual Potential”.

The Gifted Support Network is a Melbourne-based group for members and friends and a space “a place for us share stories and provide support for each other on our journey with our gifted children.”

Mentoring and Tutoring Gifted Children – Australia “is designed to assist parents of gifted children in Australia to find and access mentors and tutors who specialise in assisting gifted children in Australia.”

Parents of Gifted Children Australia – 2E and Gifted 2E Support – Australia are groups for parents, educators, and advocates of 2e children.

The I CAN Network and The I CAN Network (Australia) is run by a wonderful group of amazing individuals that “deliver mentoring, training, and consultancy programs in schools, universities, communities and workplace” for ASD people of all ages.

And Australian Parents of children with High Functioning Autism/Aspergers exists to support parents of children diagnosed with High Functioning Autism/ASD Level 1 in Australia.

Similarly, Parents of Twice Exceptional Children (2E) is an international version of the above (and like all online communities – there are no borders) as is Gifted Unschooling, a forum “dedicated to families interested in unschooling gifted children”.

Hoagies’ Gifted Discussion Group, Parents of Gifted & Talented Children, and Parenting Gifted Children are global groups for “for support and questions pertaining to gifted youth” and a place where “discussing the parenting, growth, development, education, and advocacy of gifted children” is encouraged.

Poppies: Navigating the Teen Years is a place “…to ask questions, share your hard-earned wisdom, celebrate the victories with others who ‘get it’, and together we can make the journey just a bit easier!”

International Gifted Education “…is a place for sharing news, infos and research all around gifted education topics.”

SENG – Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted provides insights and learning resources to support the holistic development of individuals “to build gratifying, meaningful lives and contribute to the wellbeing of others.”

Of course this list is not exhaustive; check out the VAGTC Resource Book for a comprehensive range of recommendations, activities and programs, as well as offline support groups.