The role of the internal school counselling service in implementation of The Concept of Recognising and Working with Gifted and Talented Students in SloveniaPaper
<p style="text-align: justify;">The law and other normative acts related to Slovenian primary and secondary education system (Basic School Act, Vocational and Technical Education Act, Gimnazije Act) pay a great attention to the importance of the optimal development of each and every student. All the adjusted, the additional and the support activities for gifted and talented students, founded on the inclusive paradigm, have to take into account The National Concept of Recognising and Working with Gifted and Talented Students (The Concept), approved by The Council of Experts of the Republic of Slovenia for General Education (primary schools, 1999; secondary schools, 2007). </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By The Organisation and Financing of Education Act, 1996 (ZOFVI-NPB20), each school has an internal school counselling service that provides services of the professional school counsellors - psychologists, pedagogues, social workers, social pedagogues or special pedagogues (one counsellor per 20 classes). According to the Concept they have the responsibility for coordination of the school’s G/T educational program and identification process. They should participate in the development, realization and evaluation of the Individualized education programs for G/T students. Furthermore, they should provide professional counselling and consulting for G/T students, parents, teachers and school management staff. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We are going to present the importance of the role of school counsellors in the implementation and formative evaluation of the Concept. Their constructive comments and suggestions have always been taken into account, as well in 2016 when the Expert group for G/T Education, positioned at The National Education Institute, made a draft paper for upgrading of The Concept.</p>