Press Release

(Hong Kong – 12 October 2013) Parents of gifted learners have to take up many challenges when nurturing their children. Thus, they need to be well-equipped with relevant skills and knowledge to improve motivation and arouse the passion of their gifted children’s learning. With the aim of supporting parents, the third Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education Parent Conference 2013, with the theme “Learning Motivation of Gifted Children”, has been organised. The parents who attended this conference acquired the knowledge of the characteristics and needs of gifted children, they were introduced to the role of parenting, and also learned to use different specific strategies to strengthen the learning motivation of gifted students so as to stimulate their learning interest.

Mr. Frederick LAM Yun-fu, Chairman, The HKAGE, delivered the welcome address and introduced the guest speaker, Professor LEUNG Seung-ming, Alvin, Dean of Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He served as a faculty member at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Houston respectively. His research and publications focused on career development and assessment, cross-cultural and multicultural counselling, and counselling in education settings. He has been actively engaged in training counsellors, teachers and psychologists for over 20 years in Hong Kong.

Dr Stephen Tommis, Executive Director of the HKAGE, expressed his grateful thanks to all the speakers who had so willingly given up their time to share their expertise with parents. He also stressed the importance of the home and social environment in bringing up a child. Whilst it is true that gifted children inherit certain predispositions towards their intellectual development the nurturing role of parents is paramount. Parents and parenting really do matter, he said.

Professor Leung mentioned how to motivate gifted students and arouse their enthusiasm in challenging moments. Also, he analysed and discussed with parents the career and life planning of gifted and talented students during the concurrent sessions.

8 other speakers joined the concurrent sessions to share and exchange their insights with the parents. The speakers included Mr. DAI Wai-tong, Darren, Educational Psychologist, Tsung Tsin Mission of Hong Kong; Dr. WAN Wai-yan, Sally, Professional Consultant, Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Dr. FONG Wai-tsz, Ricci, Postdoctoral Fellow, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong; Mr. LAM Hak-Chung, Patrick, Associate Director, The HKAGE; Mr. CHING Wing-tak, Victor, Educational Psychologist, The HKAGE; and Ms. SIN Ho-lam, Tiffany, Education Advisor, The HKAGE.

The half-day conference ended successfully with a concluding forum on the theme “How to become a proactive learner” and a question-and-answer session for parents conducted by Mr. DAI Wai-tong, Darren, Dr. WAN Wai-yan, Sally, and Dr. FONG Wai-tsz, Ricci. The parents favourably commented that the conference was deeply inspiring.

Mr. Frederick LAM Yun-fu, Chairman, The HKAGE, presented the souvenirs to Professor LEUNG Seung-ming, Alvin