Enlight
Gifted Education Program
The Enlight Gifted Education Program at Kildare College aims to facilitate an educational environment that caters to the unique potential of highly abled learners.
Kildare College believes that all children have the right and the ability to learn. We believe that all children should be provided with access to a rigorous, standards-based curriculum, research-based instruction, engaging learning opportunities, and differentiated learning tasks relevant to the real world. Individual learning needs, strengths, goals, and interests should form a basis for the sorts of learning opportunities that are drawn from the Australian Curriculum for our students (Student Diversity, Australian Curriculum).
The Framework emphasises four key areas for student provisions and adjustments: Differentiation, Enrichment, Extension, and Acceleration. Each area underscores the importance of granting all students access to a robust, standards-based curriculum, employing research-based instruction methods, offering engaging learning opportunities, and providing differentiated learning tasks that resonate with real-world contexts.
Differentiation
Differentiation at Kildare College is ‘an approach to curriculum and instruction that systematically takes student differences into account in designing opportunities for each student to engage with information and ideas and to develop essential skills’ (Jarvis and Tomlinson, 2009).
Differentiation refers to deliberate adjustments to meet the specific learning needs of high potential and gifted students and is to be used in all classroom settings.
Enrichment
Enrichment at Kildare College for gifted students includes three interrelated components: excursions and incursions, interest groups, and participation in pilot programs.
Interest and needs-based enrichment approaches will be based on the interests of the student and will be identified through the student conferencing process.
Extension
Extension at Kildare refers to activities that extend thinking and skills within the classroom.
Extension activities are leveled to fit the student. For gifted students these are challenging, meaning it is not more or busy work, but are instead activities that deepen understanding and generate challenge.
These materials can either be utilised instead of content or when key content is completed.
Students can receive feedback on these materials to assist their learning and skills.
Acceleration
Acceleration at Kildare involves the individual subject acceleration that may be used with students in areas of strength or passion if students exhibit the ability to undertake tasks one or more years beyond their current enrolled year level.
Acceleration is currently offered in Dance, Music and Mathematics. Other opportunities may be offered if aligned with the Kildare College Gifted and Talented Procedure 2022.
To read more about the Enlight Gifted Education Program at Kildare College, please click here.
Patrick Johnson, English Curriculum Coordinator, Gifted Education Key Teacher and creator of Enlight at Kildare College, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Rising Star’ title by The Educator.
Patrick's outstanding leadership and innovative teaching and learning initiatives have garnered commendation from the community. His latest achievement marks the official launch of Enlight, a Gifted Education Framework at Kildare College.
During 2023, Patrick internally launched Enlight with the College community, successfully leading professional development sessions on how to implement the program.
Now, in 2024, Patrick is proud to officially launch the Enlight Gifted Education Program to the community expressing that ‘researchers estimate that 10% of the student population is gifted. This program will empower highly abled students to achieve their full potential in their domains of giftedness by tailoring teaching and learning to their specialised needs, talents, and aspirations.’
‘The Educator’s Rising Stars list recognises professionals working in the K-12 education space aged under 35 who are able to demonstrate effective leadership, innovation, and achievement in their career to date.’ (The Educator, 2024)
