GiftedTLSE 240

Does the student… Have a curiosity about the world? Have many interests or hobbies? Use advanced vocabulary? Catch on quickly? Think abstractly?

Then… Perhaps he/she

may be gifted or talented

There are and have been different definitions referring to this population

1972 Definition of Gifted and Talented Children Capable of high performance Require differentiated services/programs Have demonstrated achievement and potential

ability in theses areas

continued General intellectual ability Specific academic aptitude Creative or productive thinking Leadership ability Visual or performing arts Psychomotor ability

1978 definition dropped psychomotor ability 1988 definition: high performance capability in

areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity or in specific academic fields.

Requires special services

1994 Definition Does not use term “gifted” Recognized presence of talent among children

across all cultural and socio-economic groups Potential for remarkably high levels Require specialized services

Definitions continued Some differentiate between gifted

(extraordinary ability and creativity) and talented (exceptional skills in a specific area such as art, music, science, or language)

States use different definition Not covered under IDEA or 504 Largely up to states and school districts No requirement for states to develop

programs

Recent Views Include a reference to commitment to task

(i.e., motivation and task completion) View that gifted behavior is an interaction

among ability, creativity, and task commitment

Some Characteristics Outstanding memory Many interests, hobbies, and collections Passionate interest Intense Strongly motivated in area of interest May be unwilling to work on other activities

Characteristics continued Track two or more things simultaneously Comes up with better ways to do things Sensitive Advanced sense of justice and fairness Aware of global issues May work in sloppy or careless manner

Invisible Gifted Minorities

Disabled

Females

Misconceptions Advanced

intellectually but behind physically, socially, and emotionally

Superhuman and exceptional in every way

Identification Uni dimensional approaches

OR

Multidimensional approaches

Identification continued IQ tests (IQ of 130; 2 SD’s above mean) Academic assessments Tasks of creativity Teacher nomination Parent suggestion Observations, rating scales, etc.

Identification continued Gardner’s Model of Multiple Intelligence

Linguistic Logical-mathematical Spatial Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalistic

May have a screening and/or referral and evaluation team

If district criteria are met, the student is recommended for placement, and a plan is developed

Some Programs/Approaches Resource programs

Self-contained programs

Inclusion programs

Definitions Student acceleration – rapid movement of

student through school (i.e., 16 yr old in med school)

Content acceleration – rapid movement through the curriculum (i.e., 5th grader doing algebra in 5th grade math class)

continued Enrichment – provide supplemental learning

opportunities to branch off the general curriculum

Independent learning Authentic learning Higher order thinking projects Community based projects

continued Curriculum compacting – opportunity to

demonstrate what is known about a subject (i.e., can pretest/test out of something)

Magnet Schools Advanced placement classes College credit for high school classes Honors sections Ability/cluster groupings

Groupings Need to be with “like-minded” peers for at

least part of the day Find cooperative learning (mixed ability

groups) too slow and repetitive Summer camps or programs

Remember the Need to be challenged

DO NOT Just give them more work Just let them be peer tutors

These Students Need Different opportunities

Scenarios Student “aces” quizzes and tests but never

hands in daily homework which largely influences grade

Student only performs well on topics of interest

Student complains to others that the work is too easy or babyish

May need grading adjustments May need support to work in areas

of dislike May need to test out of subjects May need to learn about individual learning

styles/abilities

Remember These children are

still children first…with all of the needs that all children have