While many adolescents relish the opportunity to sleep in, socialise with their mates or keep busy with a part-time job over the summer, for 17-year-old Dylan O’Riordan his experience was quite distinct. He chose to delve into the realms of novel writing, theatre, and stage production through a summer scheme enacted by the Centre for Talented Youth Ireland (CTYI) located at DCU.
He shares, “I never perceive that I’m sacrificing anything because the knowledge and experience I’m gaining here is invaluable. In fact, the apprehension of missing out on worthy experiences would undoubtedly be greater if I were not here.”
Malachy Maag, aged 14, supports these feelings. He spent the summer absorbed in linguistic studies at the CTYI camp and professes, “Spending the entire summer here wouldn’t be objectionable to me. Truly, it feels as if it isn’t consuming any of my time.”
Both O’Riordan and Maag were a part of the three-week residential summer programmes organised by the establishment.
CTYI, acting as a beacon for over 2,900 prodigious students, aged between six and 17, provide a range of summer courses which are not catered to within the standard curriculum, but instead are tailored to inspire and extend the intellectual horizons of these highly capable students.
The diverse subjects on offer range from experimental physics to criminology, chemistry, novel writing, linguistics, medicine, law, and social psychology. Prospective students must pass an assessment or receive a referral from an educational psychologist to be admitted.
Since its foundation in 1992, CTYI has seen consistent expansion but according to Colm O’Reilly, CTYI’s director, a more recent noticeable shift has been seen: a rise in the number of “twice-exceptional” students – those with high abilities who also present with learning difficulties or additional diagnoses like autism or ADHD. Today, most of these twice-exceptional youth are referred to CTYI by educational psychologists post-evaluation.
Taking a trip down memory lane, O’Reilly recalls, “A decade ago, it would have been around 15 reports I received annually. As of now, I receive about the same number of reports per week.” The Department of Education now recognises giftedness as an extra educational requirement.
With an uptick in the number of twice-exceptional students enrolling in CTYI courses, modifications have been necessitated in the running of these programmes. As highlighted by O’Reilly, the logistical shift from managing 15 to 650 students has called for reliance on research led best practices for effective student interaction. The onus is currently on providing interventions that accentuate the pupils’ abilities.
Pupils benefit from the support of residential aides, who are integral in meeting the tangible as well as the emotional needs of the learners. According to former CTYI student and now residential aide, Eva Tuohy, their cardinal role lies in ensuring smooth operations, safeguarding everyone’s welfare and the seamless execution of all planned activities. Unstated, yet equally important is their responsibility to champion for their charges’ best interests.
This philosophy has been instrumental in creating a conducive learning environment for twice-exceptional learners like O’Riordan and Maag, allowing them to flourish on both academic and emotional fronts, contrary to their experiences in the regular school setup. O’Riordan notes that there, unlike the usual feeling of lacking something everyone else has, he instead feels like he doesn’t need it. He contrasts this to the ambience at CTYI where he feels safe and included.
He further notes that there is a pressure to conform in regular school settings. He regrets that upon return from CTYI, he has to morph back into society’s conventional mould. Dylan’s mother, Úna O’Riordan is of the opinion that education institutions ought to do more in accommodating autistic students. While she doesn’t entirely blame them, she believes lack of adequate resources and suitable frameworks to be a challenge.
Heading into his sixth year, she has crafted a strategy to assist him navigate through periods of elevated pressure, which includes approving him to reach out to her when he’s experiencing stress.
Una confirmed she’s not working this year and plans to spend time with Dylan at a coffee joint before he returns an hour later, a necessary step to ensure Dylan has a safe trip back. Her primary motivation for enrolling him in the CTYI program is the numerous benefits it provides to his overall wellbeing.
The term ‘twice-exceptional’ refers to gifted students who also tackle learning difficulties or face additional diagnoses such as autism or ADHD. She insists that her goal isn’t to solely ensure Dylan receives an education, but to ensure Dylan mixes with individuals who are similar to him, allowing him to feel rejuvenated and true to himself by the end of the program.
According to Tuohy, it is challenging for autistic students and twice-exceptional pupils to attain their potential if accommodations are not in place for them. She observes that many CTYI pupils are neglected socially and emotionally in their schools, facing struggles in these aspects.
Moreover, focusing on social skills might push academic responsibilities aside, which can be demotivating if the environment is not supportive. In fact, she believes the Department of Education should respond to why gifted students struggle academically.
In contrast, Maag commends his school for promoting inclusivity, particularly for neurodivergent students and appreciates the flexibility offered to him, such as leaving class at his convenience to read or assist librarians. Though he acknowledges having good teachers, Maag finds the school schedule exhausting, and he is not intellectually challenged. Despite this, he appreciates the academic superiority of the CTYI, criticising schools for burdening students with ample uninteresting study material. As per Maag, in CTYI, students can concentrate on a single, intellectually stimulating topic.
A former student and instructor at the Centre for Talented Youth, Ireland (CTYI), Niamh Kerslake, has acknowledged the significant improvement in the wellbeing of twice-exceptional students who frequented the centre. She pointed out that these children often felt out-of-place in normal school environments, as their unique interests aren’t shared by their peers. Kerslake believes that the sense of communal interest and support at CTYI is crucial.
Visiting CTYI isn’t just beneficial academically, according to Kerslake, it also provides an environment for the students to improve their social skills. Another participant, O’Riordan, concurs that the challenging curriculum at their school varies greatly from the one at CTYI.
Eva Tuohy, a CTYI student turned residential assistant, criticises the Department of Education for the unnecessary struggle faced by exceptionally gifted children within the regular education system.
O’Riordan further expounds on this point, lamenting the reliance on rote learning in schools which ruins the joy of acquiring knowledge. Despite having competent teachers, he feels that his six-year education journey is just a long buildup to a few tests.
Corroborating with Maag and O’Riordan, a study conducted for the CTYI confirms that schools are not adequately challenging gifted students. The study highlights the discrepancy between the beliefs of 85% teachers, who claim they modify their methods for gifted students, and the reality perceived by these students.
The Department of Education recognises giftedness as a distinct educational requirement. However, a recent inspection report underlines the necessity for schools to adopt strategies that cater to the needs of exceptionally gifted students and encourage them to achieve their full potential.
O’Riordan, distinctly unsatisfied with the current structure, would like to see a complete overhaul of the education system.