Gifted and Talented Students (Fall 2024) PDF

Chapter - 7 Gifted and Talented Students Dr. Esam AL Lawati – Fall 2024 1  Defining Giftedness and Talent Children capable of high performance include those with demonstrated achievement and/or potential ability in any of the...

Chapter - 7 Gifted and Talented Students Dr. Esam AL Lawati – Fall 2024 1  Defining Giftedness and Talent Children capable of high performance include those with demonstrated achievement and/or potential ability in any of the following areas: general intellectual ability specific academic aptitude creative or productive thinking leadership ability visual and performing arts psychomotor ability Each state establishes its definition of children who are gifted and talented; there is no federal definition. 2 Assessing Giftedness and Talent Multiple areas of assessment: Formal assessment of intellectual and academic ability ‒ Off-level testing Tests of creative thinking and products Assessment of leadership potential  Characteristics of Individuals Who are Gifted and Talented Academic and Learning Characteristics Any of these characteristics may resemble all children, but children who are gifted and talented will display greater intensity than their peers. Understanding of their unique strengths and needs is essential for a challenging academic curriculum. Social and emotional characteristics Students who are gifted and talented often experience social and emotional difficulties related to their talents, for example, a student who has excellent verbal skills may dominate classroom conversations. Children who are gifted and talented may not always show advanced abilities in all areas or and educational opportunities must be tailored to meet their unique needs  Prevalence and Etiology of Giftedness and Talent Prevalence of Giftedness and Talent Prevalence varies across states due to variations in state definitions Approximately 3 to 5 percent of school-aged children; some professionals believe that 10 to 15 percent is more accurate 3 million American children are gifted and talented (National Association for Gifted Children, 2013) Etiology of Giftedness and Talent It is likely that the exact etiology of a child’s giftedness or talents and abilities cannot be identified. Nature vs. nurture argument (environment vs. heredity) Intelligence is no longer believed to be fixed at birth Physical and chemical changes when the brain is stimulated or challenged 7  Educational Considerations Suggestions for the Classroom Differentiation: Providing multiple levels for academic tasks that meet the needs of all learners. Tasks can be differentiated to include critical thinking, higher-order thinking skills, independent learning, and student choice in demonstrating mastery of learning.  Instructional strategies Curriculum compacting: Reduced time spent on basic concepts to allow for expanded learning Higher-level thinking and problem-solving: Provide opportunities for students who are gifted and talented to develop their higher-level thinking and problem-solving skills. Flexible grouping: Grouping designed to match ability rather than age level. Cluster grouping: Grouping several students who are gifted and talented together for instructional purposes Tiered assignments: Lesson variations based on students’ ability levels Problem-based learning: Students are asked to solve real-world problems Accelerated pacing of instruction: Students who are gifted and talented may become bored or disruptive if they are not challenged in the classroom. Faster pacing allows them to move at a pace that fosters their learning and educational progress.  Service Delivery Options Gifted Resource Services Acceleration Independent study Honors and advanced placement courses Mentorships Self-contained classes and special schools Summer and Saturday programs Competitions 12 13 14 Services for Young Children Who are Gifted and Talented Educational needs of young children with gifts and talents have often been overlooked due to the lack of federal legislation Early identification is crucial Importance of early learning opportunities Adolescents and Adults Who are Gifted and Talented Adolescents need to “fit in” Personality attributes: desire to achieve, persistence, curiosity and openness to new experiences Educational opportunities MENSA ((The largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardized, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test - MENSA office in Wolverhampton - UK)) 17  Issues of Diversity Twice exceptional learners Girls who are gifted Identifying and serving children from diverse backgrounds Cultural characteristics associated with giftedness  Students with Gifts and Talents and Disabilities Twice exceptional: a child who is identified as gifted and has another disability Students with gifts talents and disabilities may be overlooked due to cultural biases or stereotypes Giftedness may mask learning disabilities, and the student will perform at average levels Giftedness may be misidentified as ADHD Require special educational considerations Insert Table 15.8 from page 575 20 Insert Table 15. 9 from page 576 21 Insert Table 15.10 from page 579 22 Technology and Individuals Who are Gifted and Talented Access to the internet provides: Knowledge Resources Access to mentors Distance learning Social interaction with other gifted individuals Learning experiences  Twice exceptional learners Students with gifts and talents and Stereotypes often assume that people disabilities may be overlooked due to with disabilities cannot also be gifted or cultural biases or stereotypes talented. Many students who are gifted or Giftedness may mask learning disabilities, talented may also have a disability. and the student will perform at average Stephen Hawking, a theoretical physicist, levels is a famous example. A combination of Giftedness may be misidentified as ADHD learning factors may make correct Require special educational diagnosis difficult. considerations Twice exceptional: a child who is identified as gifted and has another disability  Girls who are gifted learners It may seem odd to include girls in the section devoted to diversity but there is ample evidence to suggest that girls are often underrepresented in programs for students who are gifted and talented. These statistics may be due to gender-role cultural stereotypes, unequal educational opportunities, and expectations of the school, family, and the girl. Identifying and serving children from diverse backgrounds There are challenges involved in locating, identifying, and serving young children who are gifted and talented and come from diverse backgrounds or low socioeconomic groups. The underrepresentation of these children in programs for the gifted and talented may be due to variables such as poverty, test bias, faulty identification policies, conflicting cultural values, teacher attitudes and expectations, and rigid definitions of giftedness. Cultural characteristics associated with giftedness Ten attributes of giftedness were identified in African American, Native American, and Hispanic children: communication skills, imagination/ creativity, humor, inquiry, insight, interests, memory, motivation, problem- solving, and reasoning. References Kelvin Seifert and Rosemary Sutton(2009). Educational Psychology. Zurich, Switzerland. Fuhrman, S. H. (2004). Introduction, In S. H. Fuhrman & R. F. Elmore (Eds). Redesigning accountability systems for education. New York: Teachers College Press. Renzulli, J. S.(1979). What Makes Giftedness? Reexamining a Definition. University of Connecticut, Bureau of Educational Research