Gifted Education Programme

Mission

To provide leadership in the education of the intellectually gifted.

We are committed to nurturing gifted individuals to their fullest potential for the fulfilment of self and for the betterment of society.

Organisation Chart

Goals of GEP

The aim of GEP is to develop intellectual rigour, humane values and creativity in gifted youths to prepare them for responsible leadership and service to country and society.

The GEP Enrichment Model

The Gifted Education Programme (GEP) curriculum is designed to meet the needs of intellectually gifted students through an enriched curriculum. The GEP curriculum focuses on enrichment and not acceleration.

The enriched curriculum is built on the regular curriculum and differentiated in these 4 areas:

1. Content enrichment

• Extends beyond the basic syllabus in depth and breadth

• Covers more advanced topics where appropriate

• Makes interdisciplinary connections

• Encourages the investigation of real-life problems

• Promotes the examination of affective issues in the various subject areas

2. Process enrichment

• Develops higher level thinking skills

• Provides opportunities for discovery and experiential learning

• Provides for open-ended problem solving

• Teaches research skills for independent study

• Uses varied teaching strategies to cater to different learning styles

• Provides for small group activities

3. Product enrichment

• Encourages other forms of products beyond traditional assignments

• Provides for creative expression

• Reflects real-world variety

• Promotes authentic learning

4. Learning environment

• Provides a stimulating, supportive and learner-centred environment

• Supports risk-taking

• Provides out-of-school learning experiences, for example, math trails and visits to parks and museums

• Provides out-of-school extensions, for example, mentorship attachments in collaboration with tertiary institutions

Distinctive Gifted Education Programmes at RGPS

1. Individualised Study Options (ISO)

ISO refers to the wide range of project work options available to GEP students. Each ISO emphasises a slightly different set of skills, ranging from research, information technology, inventive thinking to problem-solving skills.

Students will be taught core research skills during the Inquiry Skills lessons in Primary 4 to prepare them for the various ISOs in Primary 5. These skills include:

• Research scoping

• Information sourcing

• Data gathering

• Data analysis

• Presentation of findings

In Primary 5, students will choose from a range of project options including:

• Individualised Research Study (IRS)

• Innovation Programme (IvP)

• Future-Problem Solving Programme (FPSP)

a) Individualised Research Study (IRS)

The IRS has been a cornerstone of the GEP enriched curriculum for many years. It aims to prepare GEP students to become independent learners and to give them opportunities to explore specific areas of talent and interest in greater depth. The research and presentation skills GEP students acquire as they work on their IRS are invaluable in preparing them for more advanced research work at secondary and tertiary levels. Students who choose IRS as an ISO in P5 will work on a research project based on their personal interests.

In the implementation of ISO, a teacher-mentor supervises a small number of students and provides monitoring and feedback to encourage and guide the students as they complete their projects. Parents can also help by providing support, encouragement and practical assistance such as discussing the project with their child, and helping her get appropriate resources.

ISO projects will not be graded in the report book. Various platforms are available for students to share their findings and project work. Outstanding IRS projects will be showcased in the annual IRS Exhibition.

IRS nurtures students to set individual research goals, plan strategies and self-critique the progress and quality of their work. They learn competencies and dispositions to be independent learners. They also learn to be effective communicators to facilitate their quest for knowledge through exploring ideas with others and communicating their findings and perspectives.

b) Innovation Programme (IvP)

IvP exposes students to critical thinking, ideas generation, development of prototypes, problem-solving and knowledge and experiences beyond the classroom through interaction with innovation mentors from tertiary institutions and other organisations.

c) Future Problem Solving Programme (FPSP)

FPSP exposes students to critical and creative thinking skills, problem-solving strategies, team work and leadership skills. It encourages students to develop a vision for the future. They conduct research on a series of global topics and learn a six-step creative problem-solving process, culminating in an Action Plan presentation.

2. Values-In-Action (VIA) Programme

Our 3-year VIA Programme covers the building of content knowledge, developing affective depth and contributing to society and personal growth.

3. Computing Enrichment Programme (CEP)

To equip our students with the competencies to navigate and thrive in an increasing complex, digital world, CEP aims to nurture students to use technology in safe, responsible and ethical ways. CEP is compulsory for all P4 and P5 students. These are the modules covered:

• Module 1: Introduction to Foundations of Coding

• Module 2: Basic Coding

• Module 3: Physical Computing

• Module 4: Digital Rights and Responsibilities

• Module 5: Advanced Coding and Physical Computing

• Module 6: Robotics and Automation

• Module 7: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

• Module 8: Online Safety and Cybersecurity

4. Pupil Development Programme

The programmes provide students with enriching experiences in the areas of nature, music and art appreciation and the opportunities to learn about teamwork, more about themselves and others through engaging activities beyond the classroom.

GEP Enriched Subjects

English Language

1. The Approach

The curriculum is enriched with the adoption of a concept and literature-based approach of teaching. Through this, students will be encouraged to discuss, interpret and evaluate ideas, issues and values. The concepts allow scope for more intellectual activity and creative work. Through exploring fiction and non-fiction, students will pick up critical, creative thinking and literary skills. Emphasis is also placed on the formal teaching of grammar, its usage and vocabulary. Students will also be formally taught reading, listening comprehension and writing skills. The enriched EL curriculum is differentiated in the following aspects/areas:

a) Concept units
b) Study of a novel
c) Extensive Reading Programme (ERP)
d) Reading and Writing
e) Oral Communication
f) Poetry Appreciation

2. Daily Work

Materials and worksheets are designed to match students' abilities and interests as well as to encourage critical and creative thinking. Students are encouraged to participate actively in class discussions and activities as well as to work consistently through the course of the programme.

3. Assessment

Weighted Assessments

• No more than 1 weighted assessment per subject per school term, on top of any mid-year or year-end exam

• May be conducted over a period in the term

Non-Weighted Assessments

• Scores are not counted towards overall result in a subject but are important components in the GEP curriculum

• Conducted to check for understanding and support pupils in achieving intended learning outcomes

Detailed breakdown and weightings of assessments throughout the course of the year for individual subjects will be provided during Parents’ Briefing as well as by subject teachers.

4. Extensive Reading Programme (ERP)

Books offer students ideas and possibilities to ignite their imagination and a chance to escape into a different world and enter the lives of people different from them. The ERP seeks to expose students to a variety of fiction, biographies and autobiographies to complement class work. A reading list will be provided and pupils complete an ERP assignment each to develop their confidence in responding to books.

In P4, the list includes the genre of animal fantasy that shares elements of make-believe that are essential to fairy tales. Many of the books also feature characters who embark on experiences that help them to discover who they are and how they relate to others in coming-of-age tales similar to the P4 literature text, A Single Shard.

In P5, the list corresponds to the concept unit of mysteries in Term 1 as well as titles that relate to the genre of science fiction and fantasy, including titles that involve time travel.

In P6, the list consists of titles based on actual historical events around the world. Students will learn about the characters, their responses and choices in the context of their times, how they are shaped by their societies as well as how they make an impact on others.

5. Files

Pupils will learn to systematically categorise and file their worksheets and notes. These files and notes will be checked periodically.

Mathematics

1. Approach

The enriched Math curriculum is differentiated in terms of: 

• Level of complexity and connectivity

• Depth of concepts

• Pacing

• Mathematical communication

Students are encouraged to communicate in mathematical language and appreciate the beauty of mathematics. They will spend more time in exploring mathematical concepts. They will be expected to have deeper understanding of mathematical definitions. 

Students are taught skills and heuristics to promote mathematical thinking and to help them in mathematical investigations.  There will be more complex and challenging mathematical problems that will require more time and persistence. They are expected to engage actively in sharing their mathematical ideas, asking questions and offering solutions.

2. Work / Files

Work is done on worksheets and they consist of various heuristic approaches to mastering concepts. Files are checked regularly.

3. Out-of-class activities

Out-of-class activities are conducted so as to reinforce the application of mathematical concepts in real-life situations (eg. a supermarket trip for the topic of decimals, a survey on traffic statistics for the topic of graphical representations etc)

GEP students with strong aptitude in Mathematics will be invited to join classes like Advanced Mathematics Enrichment Class (AMEC). AMEC aims to impart process and visual thinking skills that are required to solve Math Olympiad-like problems to the participants.

The Gifted Education Branch organises Primary Mathematics Masterclass (PM2) for selected Primary 4 and 5 students identified based on their performance in the PM2 selection test.  PM2 aims to challenge students who are talented in Mathematics beyond the Primary Mathematics curriculum.  Participants will be exposed to advanced Mathematical concepts.

4. Assessment

Detailed breakdown and weightings of assessments throughout the course of the year for individual subjects will be provided during Parents’ Briefing as well as by subject teachers.

Science

1. Approach

The Science curriculum is mainly enriched in the process dimension: 

• P4 – inquiry activity

• P5 – inductive thinking and reference to concept

• P6 – question or problem driven activity

A variety of teaching strategies is adopted in science instruction. To encourage students to discover things for themselves, a hands-on and activity-based approach is often used. Experiments are conducted to enable students to practise observational and inferential skill and to be familiar with the use of scientific methods in solving problems. Opportunities for students to apply their critical thinking skills and to express their creativity are provided.

2. Materials

Worksheets and activities are specially designed for students. Worksheets and reading materials given to the pupils are to be filed. Parents can help by ensuring that pupils do their filing and complete their corrections.

3. Worksheets / Assessment

Pupils are assessed through written tests and examinations. An additional practical test is given to pupils at P4 and P5 to assess their acquisition of the practical skills in Science.

Detailed breakdown and weightings of assessments throughout the course of the year for individual subjects will be provided during Parents’ Briefing as well as by subject teachers.

4. Field Trips

Field trips are conducted about twice a year. These trips expose students to different learning environments and allow them to acquire first-hand information.

Social Studies

"Social Studies is learning about people and the various ways in which they interact with each other and with the various environments in which they find themselves." - Arthur Ellis (1991)

Social Studies draws its content primarily from the Social Sciences [History Geography, basic Economics and Sociology]. The syllabus covers these aspects with regard to Singapore and our Southeast Asian neighbours.

Social Studies is non-examinable. However, it is an enriched subject and based on the mainstream syllabus but appropriately differentiated for gifted and high-ability learners. For example, in P6, students will learn about Southeast Asia and ASEAN, allowing them to find out more about the region we live in.

1. Materials/Syllabus

The basic syllabus of the mainstream is enriched with materials from various sources. The resource materials, notes and worksheets provided will be sufficient to meet the needs of students.

2. The Approach

Pupils will be exposed to concepts such as Causes and Consequences, and Change and Continuity. They will also appreciate the importance of Diversity and Interdependence.

Pupils will also have opportunities to develop critical thinking and exercise creativity. They will learn to make inferences, compare and contrast evidence, and develop well-reasoned explanations.

Social Studies will require students to consider varying points of view, thus learning to respect perspectives different from their own and developing important values such as empathy. 

Students will also be required to work collaboratively with others, in pairs or in groups.   
Learning activities emphasise four basic categories:

• knowledge and information based on current affairs and the social sciences

• Skills

  • higher level thinking skills such as reflective reasoning, analytical thinking and critical judgement, study skills and

  • work habits such as note-taking, note-making, observation and independent learning as well as interpersonal and group process skills

• Attitudes and values

  • topics on affective education are included to raise students' awareness of ethical and moral issues

• Social participation

  • to mould students into citizens who are civic-conscious and able to contribute to society

3. Field Trips

Field trips are of immense educational value to Social Studies as they provide students with first-hand experiences on what they have heard, read and learnt.

4. Files

Worksheets and resource materials given by the teacher as well as collected by students are kept in files that will be checked periodically.

5. Assessment

There will be graded tasks as well as quizzes, spread throughout the year to find out how well students have acquired the knowledge and skills and to identify learning gaps.

Graded tasks allow students to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways, carried out individually, in pairs or groups. Examples of graded tasks include map-work, creative assignments and skits.