Contact Details
Adviser Jeremy Reynolds Tel:01582 830212 Jeremy.reynolds@ hertscc.gov.uk
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Hertfordshire Gifted and Talented Conference 2008

‘Releasing and Realising Potential in All’

120 delegates attended the second Hertfordshire Gifted and Talented Conference at the Hertfordshire Development Centre on February 21st 2008 and experienced a rich programme of keynote addresses and workshops.  Two of the most high profile and internationally renowned names in the field of Gifted and Talented education, who had addressed the World Conference in the summer, began and ended the day.

Professor Francoys Gagne, from the University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada, launched the day with an outline of the world famous Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (the DMGT).  Based on many years of study in the field, this is an all encompassing model which shows how innate gifts can be developed into realised talents through the interaction of a series of different factors and is in widespread use across the world.  An alternative to the view of Gifted and Talented education in this country,  Professor Gagne’s address encouraged delegates to think differently about the field of Gifted education and it was a real coup for Hertfordshire to have someone of his reputation and standing addressing our conference.

Professsor John Geake, founder of the Oxford Cognitive Neuroscience Education Forum at Oxford Brookes University, closed the conference with a fascinating address on ‘The Gifted Brain’.  This gave insight into current research into brain activity and it was particularly useful for delegates to receive information regarding classroom implications of this research.

Comments from delegates:

“Superb presentations, very impressive”

“Blew apart old theories, made sense and was recognisable in my experiences”

“Refreshingly new perspectives”

“Inspirational”

“An amazing opportunity to hear someone so knowledgeable in this field give a presentation”

Delegates also had the opportunity to choose two from twelve different workshops and visit twenty displays/exhibitors. 

You are able to access the presentations from most of these workshops by clicking on the attachments below:

From Gifts to Talented - the DMGT as a Theory of Talent Development - Francoys Gagne

• Adobe pdf, 1.99MB/10 pages, 12/02/2008, dmgt.pdf

Making Good Writing Even Better - Geoff Dean 

• Powerpoint 2003, 40kb/13 pages, 12/03/2008, really_good_writing.ppt

The Gifted Brain - John Geake

• Powerpoint 2003, 100kb/8 pages, 12/03/2008, gifted_brain.ppt

The Mantle of the Expert

• Powerpoint 2003, 316kb/17 pages, 12/03/2008, mantle_expert.ppt

Engaging Parents - Denise Yates, Chief Executive, NAGC

• Powerpoint 2003, 868kb/28 pages, 12/03/2008, engaging_parents.pdf

Supporting Giftedness in Early Years - Galina Dolya, Russian Academy of Education

• Adobe pdf, 513kb/13 pages, 12/03/2008, early_years.pdf

Teaching Giftedness - Vygotskian Developmental Cognitive Curriculum for Early Years “Key to Learning"

• Word 2003,25kb/1 page, 12/03/2008, early_years2.doc

New Technologies - Chris Carter

• Adobe pdf, 677kb/13 pages, 12/03/2008, new_technologies.pdf

Mentoring Under Able Achievers Intervention - Stopsley High School

• Powerpoint 2003, 233kb/19 pages, 12/03/2008, mentoring_underachievers.ppt

Gifted and Talented - Science

• Powerpoint 2003, 114kb/8 pages, 12/03/2008, science.ppt

Developing Metacognition through Philosophy for Chidlren - Philosophy in Education

• Adobe pdf, 476kb/20 pages, 12/03/2008, p4c.pdf

Provision Mapping for Gifted and Talented - SEN Team

• Powerpoint 2003, 611kb/19 pages, 12/03/2008, provision_mapping.pp

Using Neuro Linguistic Programming to Motivate and Engage Gifted and Talented - Anne Worsley, 14-19 Adviser

• Powerpoint 2003, 435kb/10 pages, 18/03/2008, neurolinguistic_programming.ppt

The 2008 conference was a great success, very well received by delegates and is now a firmly established event in the CPD calendar, with plans already underway for 2009.

It is part of the high profile and continued moving forward of Gifted and Talented education within Hertfordshire, which is also reflected in a wide variety of different initiatives and developments, including the Leading Teacher Training, Challenge Award attaining schools and Oxford Brookes Primary Gifted and Talented Co-ordinator’s training programme.

Jeremy Reynolds
County Adviser – Gifted and Talented