00skyblue00, from your description, your boy do exhibite some traits of giftedness. Expose him with more out of curriculum books like those for Mensa, Maths olympiad or get him to read more may help further develop his interest. He might get bored with the school works as they are deem easy for him.

Hi 00skyblue00,


Yes, GEP program is trying further to screen out those with special talent and nurther them accordingly, thus more competitions and/or out of school activities.

There are some kids who have mild ADHD/autism but parents didn’t send them for checks prior to GEP screening, and they got in.

Hi 00skyblue00,


My DS is still within the top10% just not top10/20 in position when he was in P3.
GEP round 1 screened out top10%, meaning high ability. Round 2 focus on certain traits and in specific Language and maths talent and ‘out of academic’ creativity thinking. I noticed kids maybe good in one but not the other can be selected as well. Yes GEP program in Singapore is not an indication of the giftness of all kids as they don’t screen on other abilities like music, art, athletic etc.
Since you started researching on the giftedness and GEP related topics, you may also have read that some kids who have ADHD or similar are actually deem as gifted as well.

In the aspect of entrepreneurship, actually I won’t rate this group as lacking the ability. In fact, many are quite creative in their mind thinking that they are definitely suitable to get into business world and be able to contribute to the society. Of course there are many who are being screened out by the ministry and led them to persue specific interest, thus leaving them to specialize only certain area.
Noted above are just some of my own feels and throughts.

cutepandabear, simply sharing.


Some kids already exert that trait of ‘GEPper’ behavior while some don’t. GEP is really not just academic, though those who are academically smart often one of those selected. That’s why there is round 1 and 2 selection . As GEP program focus more out of school activities, kids have to generally be able to handle academic themselves, thus they need to be in the top10%. As for GEP, it’s this ‘out of academic’ thinking that screened them out from those academically capable kids. So one who is academically smart may not necessarily be able to get through round 2.

Back to my case. I was not ‘bothered’ and never thought about my DS getting through. Even when he called me (I was overseas then) to inform. I thought he got the facts wrong. Reason maybe because I didn’t look into the GEP program and didn’t know what it was all about, except that it is a special program for special ‘gifted’ kids. Another could be my DS was not one of the top10/20 academic students in the school. I supposed even the school was surprised with his admission into GEP.

Some traits I thought through maybe
1) he loves to read
2) he is a dreamer
3) his analysizing skill is quite unique

However, I also believed there are many kids out here who possess such traits too. So I have to say GEP round 2 selection will
be able to screen out the key differences…

Another to note is, whether the kids get passed round 2 to be in GEP, they are very gifted in their own way.

IMeme,


Since above two replies gave u v detailed difference, I will just summarizes the difference.

GEP - project oriented. Time management and proper filing needed to catchup with routine. Stress and joy comes from doing and managing projects. No textbooks reference except for social studies and Chinese. Many out of school activities.

MS - academic focus, just like p1-3.

GEP branch will monitor the kids via the school GEP trained teachers. Kids result less than 70 overall will be monitored. 2 subjects less than 70 maybe asked to move back to MS. However, before any of these decisions, teachers will discuss with parents. They also look into kids emotional needs.

I do not see much different in kids family mix, be it well to do or not. Only can say their parents are definitely concerned about kids academic development.

Kids offered GEP place but not taking up. Studies showed abt 5% or so will not take up, due to varies reason, stress, didn’t want to change school etc.

Here’s my own story - my DS didn’t want to take up as he didn’t want to change school. I ‘persuaded’ him to . He agreed and signed on the form, them he went to a corner to weep. One month into the program, he happily told me this : "I am glad I made this decision to join GEP program. Though it is more challenging and I have less play time, but I learned more varieties of things. Things I will likely not have the chance to do if I am in MS. Also, with the likeminded in GE, I will not be the seen as different."
You will ask what different, some GE kids do have interesting thinking.

My take - whether prep or no prep, unless for those who send for yearlong training type, those few days training won’t make
much different in kids ability in GEP.
If kids selected into GEP, good to let them try. I did heard of many cases where kids and parents regretting their decision, especially after they entered into secondary.

No penalty.

Anyone knows GAT I is for English GA or maths GA and GAT II for English GA or maths GA? Thanks.[/quote]


18th oct
English paper and
English GA1

19th oct
Maths paper and
Maths GA2

http://mylilbookworm.blogspot.sg/2016/10/the-gifted-education-programme-gep-in.html?m=1


Someone posted this earlier, reattaching

One for English GA , one for maths GA

DC just received letter today .