The Wii Gaay Project

Abstract

Historically, the identification of gifted children coming from a background of disadvantage, including socio-economic disadvantage and cultural minority status, has proven to be quite difficult. The Wii Gaay Project has adopted the Chaffey (2002) Coolabah Dynamic Assessment tool in order to identify gifted Indigenous students, who include gifted underachieving students (students previously identified to have high learning potential) and 'invisible' gifted underachieving students (students not previously identified to have high learning potential). These students are then provided with an intervention that addresses the perceived underlying causes of the underachievement, enabling them to attain their potential within the education system. This paper outlines the findings of the project and the implications for educators.