HERE are examples of two schools' programmes for such pupils:

Rulang Primary

• High-ability pupils, who are picked out from Primary 3, learn to write autobiographies. At Primary 4, they are taught the different genres of writing and design board games. In 'media literacy' at Primary 5, they learn about the reliability of media sources.

West Grove Primary

• An investigative studies programme puts pupils on research projects. They learn research techniques by designing surveys.

• The programme is for pupils identified as high achievers by the Education Ministry's Gifted Education Branch or have been picked for the Gifted Education Programme but opted to stay on in the school.

• There are also 'cluster-based' programmes, run by schools which band together to conduct programmes for their brighter pupils at one venue:

At Canberra Primary

• Pupils from schools in the cluster meet for two hours once weekly at the school.

• Literature is taught to raise their appreciation of prose. So too, current affairs, for a better grasp of global issues, and public speaking.

At Princess Elizabeth Primary

• High-ability pupils in the cluster are exposed to higher-order thinking skills and problem solving.

• They also take part in the Language Arts Festival and mathematics carnival.

• The maths programme homes in on, for example, solving puzzles. No homework is given.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on July 26, 2008.