Why should schools offer Gifted Education?
Inclusion is embedded within high-quality education, and diversity should be embraced in our society. The UAE follows the rights-based inclusion model with the expectation that all educational institutions offer equitable practices catering to the individual needs of each learner within their communities. The last decade has witnessed tremendous growth in the field of Special Education and set an encouraging precedent in the local scenario.
While the educational journey for students with determination seems to have progressed by leaps and bounds, the same does not hold true for our students with gifts and talents. An estimation of unidentified and underserved students with gifts and talents within the UAE may be impossible. This disheartening situation is reinforced by the severe dearth of relevant research within the local context.
Gifted education is paramount to serving the unique needs of our students with gifts and talents. It entails the holistic alignment of the school curriculum, learning environment, instructional strategies, assessments, socio-emotional support, career counselling, professional development of educators, and raising general awareness among all stakeholders. Schools and other educational institutions can offer countless educational opportunities to empower our deserving learners with gifts and talents to develop into proficient leaders and entrepreneurs capable of reshaping the future.
With clarity of the purpose of gifted education, its discourse and accountability, let us rethink how we serve students with gifts and talents. The right pathway is to follow the Gifted Education Programming Standards for K-12 by the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC 2019), which are comprehensive and can be easily adapted to suit the UAE situation.
About the Author
Dr Neha Sharma
Head of Quest (Inclusion) and Student Achievement, Senior Leader, Dwight School Dubai
Dr Sharma has been living in the UAE for 25 years and has witnessed inclusion evolve tremendously during this period. Before joining Dwight School, she has previously held the senior leadership position as Head of Inclusion at an International IB Curriculum School and the position of Head of Inclusion at one of the most prestigious government schools following the UK curriculum in Dubai.
Dr Sharma graduated from the University of Bombay with a B.E (hons) in Engineering before obtaining a Masters in Inclusive and Special Education from the University of Birmingham (British University in Dubai campus). This unusual journey was inspired by her daughter, a person of determination. Following her passion for inclusion, she will be completing her PhD in Gifted Education from British University in Dubai soon. Her passion includes setting up an exemplary Gifted Education Program at Dwight School.
Dr Sharma was rated as an ‘Exceptional’ Head of Inclusion by KHDA during their inspections in 2018. Under her leadership, the inclusion department won the 2nd best SEND team in the UAE award by Education Journal Middle East Awards in 2017. She is the recipient of the prestigious Prof. Indira Parikh Award for Women in Education Leaders organized by the World Education Congress in India in 2018. Dr Sharma presented her research proposal at the UAE Graduate Students Research Conference in 2019. She has also completed the CPT3A qualification and is a licensed assessor with the British Psychological Society
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