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Three challenges of being an exceptionally gifted child - cyberbullying, underachieving and money

“If we were talking about ensuring that children with learning difficulties were getting the best education they possibly could – this wouldn’t even be questioned.”

WHAT ARE THE challenges facing young, exceptionally-talented children in Ireland?

That is one of the questions that will be asked at the Centre for Talented Youth Ireland’s annual conference in DCU today. The conference will address teachers and parents on how to maximise gifted children’s potential – as the system doesn’t quite encourage that approach.

Among the issues that will be discussed at the conference are cyberbullying, and how gifted children are more reluctant to report it; talented children’s underachievement in our schools, and how to provide support for gifted children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Cyberbullying

One of the most puzzling findings of research into exceptionally gifted children is that although they are just as likely to be the victims of cyberbullying, they are also less likely to report incidences of it.

This is mainly because they were afraid that their claims would be exaggerated by their parents or teachers, and because they feared that their privileges, such as internet access, would be taken away from them.

Colm O’Reilly, the Director of the Centre for Talented Youth Ireland (CTYI) said:

Another big challenge that needs to be addressed is that children really struggle to pinpoint exactly what is social interaction online, and what is bullying. We need to help them understand the difference.

Underachieving

Colm O’Reilly also says that the education system has to change. He says that the system is geared towards ensuring everyone reaches a basic minimum – instead of getting everyone to reach their maximum potential.

“Teachers must ensure that the child is challenged.”

If we were talking about ensuring that children with learning difficulties were getting the best education they possibly could – this wouldn’t even be questioned.

“But because we’re talking about bright kids it seems to be not as accepted and people seem more reluctant to push them ahead.”

There are approximately 40,000 children who are classed as being ‘exceptionally-gifted’ or reaching the top 5% of the most intelligent young people.

Money and programmes

shutterstock_363137819 Shutterstock / Brian A Jackson Shutterstock / Brian A Jackson / Brian A Jackson

Children from disadvantaged are particularly challenged in their attempt to reach their full potential.

Eamonn Caroll is currently researching how best to support gifted children from disadvantaged backgrounds with a pilot programme LEAP. It will offer extra supports to 26 chidlren in their education between 4th class and 6th year, in an effort to show them the advantages of learning, and ensure they know of the opportunities open to them.

This includes courses over the summer, and hosted once a month during the school year, such as a mathematical skills course, a correspondence course in August, a game-based learning course, and a personality test to see what language suits you best.

They also run a Primary School Programme in conjunction with DCU Access. This involved running extra courses on DCU’s campus for 38 primary schools in the Coolock/Finglas area.

We have classes such as Horrid Histories to show the kids how much fun learning can be. It also introduces them to the university atmosphere which they may not have experienced before – and it does very well.

There are newly-launched programmes in Dublin Cork and Limerick, where the CTYI work with teachers and universities to identify gifted children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and to suggest that they are enrolled in further activities to help open up opportunities for them.

Around 300 primary school children and 100 adolescents are selected by teachers on the basis of interest, potential and other guidelines set out by the CTYI.

The biggest understatement, according to Caroll who will be speaking at the conference today, is that financial support isn’t the only support needed by children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Often, they need additional emotional support and guidance to pursue further education options.

The conference, which will be held in the Nursing Building on DCU’s campus today, aims to raise awareness that gifted youths need their own personalised approach to ensure they get the best education possible.

Read: Over 500 parents and children protest at the Dáil over delayed school build

Read: Here’s a look at the world’s 5 big health findings – and how Ireland compares

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22 Comments
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    Mute Alan Currie
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    Aug 7th 2018, 7:56 PM

    Hope I don’t get arrested when I post my letters into one of those.

    57
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    Mute Ultan Rooney
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    Aug 8th 2018, 12:10 PM

    I hope Leo is also okay with sharia law, polygamy and child marriage. After all these are the laws of Islam too. You can’t have your cake and eat it too Leo. Ban the burqa people!!!

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    Mute JR Robinson
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    Aug 8th 2018, 3:36 PM

    Let’s hit motorists with silly fines, they are the easy ones, let’s not try and possibly save the lives of our country men and women by protecting ourselves and having people reveal their identity every where they go in public, this in turn also promotes sharia law and the law that is imposed on these women by their husbands etc, a country who is trying to be so modern and trying to shake off the Catholic church yet accepting a society that has killed more innocent people over their religious beliefs more than any other religion.
    Ban the Burka

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    Mute Shane Kennedy
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    Aug 8th 2018, 11:43 PM

    @JR Robinson: Islam killed more innocents ? How about the Crusades, the Inquisition, colonisation, particularly in Africa and by Leopold (of Belgium) in the Congo, 10 MILLION people killed under his regime of region-wide slavery ?

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    Mute James Doyle
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    Aug 11th 2018, 11:28 AM

    @Shane Kennedy: All religions are evil and dangerous nonsense. The wearing of the dark ages hideous looking and dare i say scary burka and other clothes worn by Muslim women should be banned If they want to join Western society they should assimilate not intimidate

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    Mute Ryan D. MagickQuail
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    Aug 14th 2018, 10:01 AM

    @Shane Kennedy: Ever heard of the Mughals? and the 100,000 Hindus a year they massacred. for 800 years of invasion and war.
    Here take a look, everyones guilty. we should all leave this nonsense in the apst where it belongs and stop pointing uninformed fingers.
    Its not fair to be saying things about race and religion when all the facts and historical evidence is not present. are we ever going to learn how to talk and accept our differences.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Hindus

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    Mute Yusuf Chowdhury
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    Aug 8th 2018, 5:19 AM

    Well said Leo, appreciate your fairness to religion and freedom of wearing cloths

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    Mute Michael O Connell
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    Aug 10th 2018, 3:01 PM

    Will it also be acceptable to wear a BALACLAVA ?

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    Mute John Blessing
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    Aug 10th 2018, 4:35 PM

    Great I can now wear my Balaclava at work!

    11
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    Mute Randian Mallu
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    Aug 8th 2018, 3:42 PM

    Finally no to Religious discrimination” and good “religious tolerance” in IRELAND, haters in comments appreciate this freedom if you call yourself IRISH

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    Mute oppenheimersghost
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    Aug 8th 2018, 6:52 PM

    How is this not considered an egregious insult to women? Where is Simon Harris on this?

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    Mute David O'Connor
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    Aug 11th 2018, 6:29 AM

    It should be banned, you wouldn’t want people walking around in ski masks or balaclava now would you so why should this be any different. Well done to France, Belgium and Denmark for banning the disgrace that is the burqa. I have no issues with muslims or headscarfs but the burqa is just so wrong, no one should be hiding their face in public, you have no way to tell who is underneath it, if they commit crimes no way to tell who they are etc

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    Mute Shane Kennedy
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    Aug 8th 2018, 11:38 PM

    Religious tolerance shouldn’t allow you to hide your identity/face. Nor should it facilitate men’s imposition of a dress code on women who would otherwise go without. However, a Burqa DOESN’T cover the face, that is a Hijab ! In the 60s and 70s, Iranian and Afghani women would often wear western attire, and wouldn’t be chatised for it, so to say that all Mulim women consentually wear even a Burqa, is bollocks

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    Mute Randian Mallu
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    Aug 9th 2018, 3:21 PM

    @Shane Kennedy: how do you know that the women are doing it with there own happiness and are comfortable in what they are wearing ?

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    Mute Randian Mallu
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    Aug 8th 2018, 3:45 PM

    Anti-Muslim haters in this comments you all don’t deserve to be called irish, you should appreciate the freedom given by Ireland to religions

    19
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    Mute oppenheimersghost
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    Aug 8th 2018, 6:52 PM

    Back in the boat @Randian Mallu:

    We understand you are here to subvert our nation and use our own laws to that end. That shit might fly in england but not here

    21
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    Mute Niall O Byrne
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    Aug 8th 2018, 1:29 PM

    moronic twaddle from the master of such. Lets see him fight to have Women imams in Ireland and bring in Law to force it as he is trying to do with the easy one to bully

    13
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    Mute Shane Kennedy
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    Aug 8th 2018, 11:44 PM

    As for Harris, he is Varadker’s pet poodle. I wonder what else passes between them !

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    Mute Christine Paulette Roche
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    Aug 8th 2018, 3:55 AM

    Right,so men/women can be paedophiles on streets/beaches/toilets/parks as long as a burka wearing thing in just happens along and kills a child/woman/man,that’s grand so Leo u disgusting piece of f_ING shit.

    23
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