PUBLICATIONS

• "STRESS AND THE GIFTED CHILD" Gifted,July, 2006
• "THE CASE FOR A STRENGTH BASED EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM" Every Child, Volume 12, Number 4, 2006

The topic of how to manage challenging behaviours in childcare services has been visited often during the past decade, because professionals have to deal, on a daily basis, with ever-escalating behaviour issues among children in their care.

• "WHERE ARE THE GIFTED UNDER FIVES? Inclusion and support programs for gifted children." Every Child, Volume 12, No.3, 2006

In 2001, the Government conducted a Senate Inquiry into gifted education but, unfortunately, its recommendation strategies passed the early childhood field unnoticed. I believe we may have missed the action on gifted children because of six commonly-held myths.

• "WILD children in childcare." Rattler 78, Winter 2006

American children are being expelled from children's services more frequently than from schools. While there is no research to verify this trend in Australia, aggression and conduct problems in young children seem to be on the rise. Mimi Wellisch explains that although there are relatively few children who behave violently in childcare services, their impact can cause trauma to children, parents and staff when a service finds itself unprepared.

• "MANAGING CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR: IS THE ENVIRONMENT A FACTOR." Every Child, Volume 11, No.1, Summer 2005

Children, who spend a considerable part of their waking day in unchallenging, alienating environments - dominated by artificial lights and human-created materials - often react by acting out with what adults perceive as challenging behaviours. In contrast, more natural environments are stimulating and at the same time have a calming effect.

• "When should we consider EARLY ENTRY?" Gifted - October 2004
• "HELPING GIFTED CHILDREN: Access and Equity in Early Childhood Services for Young Gifted Children." Every Child, Volume 9, No 3, Winter 2003

In this article I will examine young gifted children's opportunities in early childhood settings and will be guided in this endeavour by the NSW Government's Early Childhood Services Policy (2000) and the Anti-Discrimination Act, 1997.

• "SHOULD WE TEACH YOUNG CHILDREN TO READ?" Every Child, Volume 6, No.4, Summer 2000
• "YOUNG GIFTED AND TALENTED CHILDREN: Early Childhood Teacher Attitudes and Practices on the North Coast of N.S.W." Journal of Australian Research in Early Childhood Education, Volume 1, 1999

There is a dearth of Australian research on rural gifted and talented education in early childhood settings. This study, carried out on the North Coast of N.S.W. used a mixed methodology of surveys and semi structured interviews to find out how the attitudes and practices of teachers who had attended in-service sessions on gifted and talented children differ from teachers with no such training. The results of the study indicate that consultancy services and a compulsory unit on gifted and talented children during pre-service education are needed.

• "A NEW WAY TO SAY GOODBYE. Effects of TV violence on play, behaviour, and interaction." Every Child, Volume 4, No.3, Spring 1998
• "INFLUENCES ON GIFTED EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA." Gifted - June/July 1998
• "A PILOT STUDY: Teacher views on the concept of giftedness in the early childhood setting." Volume 22-November 2 June 1997
• "A CASE STUDY: Early Identification of a Gifted and Talented Child: One child's journey from preschool to school." Gifted, April 1996

Billy's gifted and talented nature did not shine out. Only training on the part of the researcher helped to identify him at preschool. At school he was not so lucky. None of his teachers had trained in the area of Gifted and Talented education, and thus overlooked his identifying characteristics. As acceleration was the only system available for young gifted and talented children at his school, it was imperative that he be identified in order for his educational and emotional needs to be met. Due to various circumstances, assessment was never carried out. This is a case study of an exemplary gifted and talented child's journey from preschool to school in a town in N.S.W. We can only hope that his is the only case.

• "INTRODUCING GIFTED EDUCATION INTO A PRESCHOOL." Introducing gifted education into preschool, Rattler, 1994, No 32.

A child may spend no more than two years at preschool, but during this time they are developing at a breathtaking, though highly individual, rate. The staff at Nambucca Heads Preschool have always prided themselves on identifying and helping any child whose development was unusually slow. In 1993, however, they set out to identify and help children at the centre whose abilities were outstanding. Mimi Wellisch describes how they went about this.

More reading

• Games children play: Facing the effects of TV violence
• Political and Social Influences on the Development of Gifted and Talented Education in Australia
• Risk Taking Behaviours

Also see Books page