The Professional Writing group three (3), only wrote the survey form focusing on primary school teachers throughout the Western Region of Sydney.

This was submitted to the principals of the schools with a request that staff be asked to complete the survey form concerning gifted children and their education. Predominately teaching staff and the auxiliary or support staff within their school.

The number of respondents to the survey was calculated at question one, YES (57) fifty seven and NO (26) twenty six this giving a total of (83) people completed a part or all of the survey forms delivered to the schools. Then in the survey (45) forty five people indicated that they have worked with gifted children. This being just over half of all the respondents. See appendix "D" The Qualifications of the teachers who completed the surveys at William Dean PS, Dean Park. Hassell Grove PS, Hassell Grove and then Plumpton PS at Plumpton.

The decision making process for the questions to be used was a collaborative decision and our first draft became the final questionnaire or survey form. The survey had two scale type questions, these being questions four and five. In Paul Anderson book Technical Writing: A reader's centered approach, he does suggest only one of this style of questions. After reviewing the University of Western Sydney's subject surveys which is one hundred percent (100%) scale questions the group agreed to use two of this type of questions. (Anderson, P 1995 p. 164-165)

Researchers perspective of these scales can be broken up to quantify the responses receive allowing the answer to be examined.

Very low 1 . 2 . 3 low

Improving 4 . 5 . 6 better

Better plus 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 excellent.

The range 4.5.6 (Improving to better) in the scales proved they were most popular with the readers and their answers reflected this to be the case. Q.5 4.5.6 = 47 and Q.6 4.5.6 = 42 both over 50% of all surveys completed and returned. These scaling type of answers allows the reader to have a broader scope in providing they answer. Rather then selecting yes, no or sometimes the scaling method allows them to be more precise and target their answer accordingly.

One could work at great length to qualify or to quantify these answers and being subjective without bias or personal opinion. By the process of empirical research using the survey forms received back completed as the device for information gathering or a communication instrument between the readers and the professional writer.

The only failing to our group (3) three reader's survey was that the recipients still went outside of the line of questioning and added they own small or unqualified information. This does appear to be the failing of written surveys forms in general. Face to face interviews allows the surveyor to qualify the extra information and then slot it into the generalisation of the original question or survey form.

Gifted Children Program in Western Region of Sydney.

OC Classes. - Infant and Primary age children.

Schools

Selected School Unit. Phone Number 9886 7480.

Mr. Bob Wingrave gave some departmental information.

The department only considered the academic gifted children, not these who are musically gifted because this could be a talent and not a gift.

He also gave a name of a professor in the States Professor Gagne.

Gagne defined the difference between gifted and talent.

Then for the local educational environment Dr. Mirica Gross at the University of NSW was our own expert in the education of children.

Dr. Gross lectures and clearly supports Professor Gagne's view and opinions.

Anderson, Paul. 1995. Technical Writing: A reader centered approach. Miami University, Ohio. Harcourt Brace College Publishers.

 Copyright Ó Kevin Wayne Luke