Transcript Giftedness and Talents

Giftedness and Talents
Prepared by: Cicilia Evi GradDiplSc., M. Psi
Definition
• Lewis Terman’s narrow view  exclusively
based on cognition, reasoning, and IQ test
score of over 140  a fixed characteristic
• Multidimensional view  intelligence,
aptitudes, abilities, creativity and talents
• Mary Fraiser  giftedness as the potential to
excel at the upper end of any talent
continuum (cited in Grantham, 2002)
Definition (2)
• Gifted or talented  terms described
individuals with high levels of intelligence,
creativity, outstanding abilities, and capacity
for high performance
• They have high potential to succeed at school
and later in life as leaders who make unique
contributions to society
Meet Dr Baramurali Ambati
Dr Heenal Raichula
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence
• A broader view
• Not merely connected to academic
achievements
• May excel in one or more areas, but not
necessarily in all of them (8 areas)  p. 467
• The 9th  existential intelligence is inclusive
Challenges
• Overcoming the assumption that they do not
need special attention or unique education
program
• Gifted individuals often do not reach their
potential because their educational programs
did not meet their needs (Benbow & Stanley,
1996)
Characteristics
• Five areas of focus to consider giftedness and
talents among individuals (Reis & Housand,
2008):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Intellectual ability
Specific academic aptitude
Creative or productive thinking
Leadership ability
Visual and performing arts
Characteristics (2)
• Females
– Bias, stereotype, reduced opportunities
– Single-sex school can excel their potential
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse students
– Poor school systems
– African-American students refuse to join the program
 don’t want to be different
• Students with Disabilities
– Which issue to address first ….
– Twice exceptional students
Cause
• Both environment and heredity
• Scores above 160  are like their parents’ and
grandparents’ scores!
• IQ is not a fixed characteristic
• Attitudes, motivation, expectations, and
values expressed in different cultures,
societies, socioeconomic level and families 
influence the development of talent (Ford &
Whiting, 2007)
Prevention
• Important  prevent them from as many
situations that negatively affect talent
development  attitudes & opinion expressed by
family, friends, TV and print media  influence
behavior and teach role expectation
• Prepare programs that foster academic
excellence and creativity
• Teachers may favor them academically, but do
not encourage divergent, independent or
imaginative behaviors
Assessments
• Gatekeepers  put them to the right place
• Early Identification
– Almost from birth
– Master developmental milestones early (p. 477)
– Obvious to family members
• Prereferral
– Educators should be aware of signs  verbal and
nonverbal reasoning, leadership, academics, art,
creative writing or poetry, and oral language
Assessments (2)
• Identification
– Formal assessments
– Informal (p. 478)
• Evaluation
– Look at the underachievers  boost motivation
and self-esteem
Early Intervention
• Early intervention  leads to early entrance to
preschool or the selection of an enriched or
special preschool for gifted young children, also
signaled the parents that their children need
unique educational opportunities across the
school years (Rimm, 2008)
• No respond  diminished accomplishments
during later school years, especially in poor family
(Johnsen, 2008)
• Teachers  provide flexible & individualized
curriculum; prevent from being ridiculed
Teaching Gifted Students
• No single option or answer  so, an array of
programs, including separate programs for
students by ability or interest may be part of
the answer
• Variety of placement options: general
classroom, resource rooms or pullout
programs, self-contained classes, magnet
school and any other of special schools
Contd.
• Key features of the programs:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Problem-based learning
Abstract thinking
Reasoning activities
Creative problem solving
Content mastery
Breadth and depth of topic
Independent study
Talent development
Acceleration
• Gifted students must access the curriculum at
their own level  because they must be
intellectually and academically challenged by
providing opportunities beyond general
classroom
• Acceleration is an option that allows students
to move through the curriculum more rapidly
than their peers who learn in more typical
ways (NAGC, 2004)
Contd.
• Different acceleration programs:
1. Grade skipping
2. Advanced placement course  allows student to
study course content in more depth and they
don’t have to take it again in college
3. Ability groups, such as: honors sections  carry
college credit
• Benefit of acceleration  p. 481 - 482
Instructional Accommodations
• Differentiated instructions  students receive
different learning experiences that are above
and beyond those provided to typical learners
through the general education curriculum
(Callahan, 2008)  by modifying the standard
curriculum’s content, learning environment or
instruction provided (Tomlinson & Hockett,
2008)
Contd.
• Enrichment  adding topics or skills to the
traditional curriculum or presenting a
particular topic in more depth 
transdisciplinary approach where they each
focus on a different aspect of the topic
– Curriculum compacting  saving instructional
time for enrichment activities by reducing or
eliminating topics that has been mastered
– Time can be reallocated to mentoring,
independent study, internships, advanced study
Contd.
– Enrichment triad/ revolving-door model  an
inclusive model for gifted education where 15% 20% of a school’s students participate in activities
to develop thinking skills, problem solving and
creativity  read the type on p. 483-484
Technology
• Distance education technology  using
telecommunications tech to deliver
instruction to many different sites  to
compensate lack of programs and resources,
often the case at poor, urban schools
• Students can work in pairs or teams as they
master course content  online discussions
with classmates
Collaboration
• Collaborative practices  p. 489
• Partnerships with Families and Communities
– Families  parental involvement, expectations,
learn about failures, rich home environment
– Community  mentorships, internships