Introduction

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Introduction

GiftedTN

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If we were TV sets, some of us would only get five channels. Others are wired for cable (the general population) and some of us (the gifted) are hooked up to a satellite dish. That makes these gifted children capable of making connections that others don't even know exist! Teaching those types of voracious minds in a regular classroom without enhancement is like feeding an elephant one blade of grass at time. You'll starve them. -- Elizabeth Meckstroth

Basic Information

If you are new to the topic of educating and parenting gifted children, read these articles first.

	"Gifted Education: A Primer"
	"Is Your Understanding of Gifted Education Based on Myth or Fact?"
	"The Do's and Don't of Raising Gifted Kids"
	"How Parents Can Support Gifted Children"

You should also read the Tennessee Department of Education Gifted Child Find Brochure (PDF) and a list of classic signs of early intellectual development in young children.

Background on Gifted Children in Schools: The Quiet Crisis

The U.S. Department of Education’s report, National Excellence: A Case for Developing America’s Talent (1993), describes a "quiet crisis" concerning the education of gifted youth in America. Gifted students across the country, including those in Tennessee, are not being sufficiently challenged to reach their full potential. Gifted children are at risk of failure in many school settings. Inadequate educational opportunities, untrained or under-trained staff, and the perception that the gifted will fare well on their own have created an atmosphere of indifference when it comes to gifted children.

In all classrooms a continuum of abilities will be represented. There will be children who operate at or close to what is expected for students in their grade level. There will be children who will perform above and below expected levels of achievement. There will be children who are far enough below grade level that they require educational interventions to assist them in achieving their potential. And there will be children who are far enough above grade level that they, too, require educational interventions to help them achieve their potential.

A national survey revealed that teachers gave the same assignment to all students regardless of abilities most of the time and that there was little to no differentiation of curriculum in the regular classroom (Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 16 2, 120-146). The point at which curriculum is challenging but achievable is called a child’s "instructional level." The point at which the material presented is too difficult for a child is referred to as the child’s "frustration level." It is not educationally sound to expect a child to complete work that is above his or her instructional level. However, gifted children have an additional frustration level which occurs when material presented is too easy for them. This happens frequently in classrooms where one lesson is presented to the entire class without regard for ability level. Gifted children in this situation often already know the information, or learn it quickly, and do not need the drill and repetition required of many classroom assignments.

It is generally agreed that gifted children learn faster, absorb more information, and process information differently than typical children of the same age (Handbook of gifted education). These children benefit from opportunities to interact with students of like ability without regard to age or grade levels. "The artificial lock-step of education (kindergarten through graduate school in discrete units and in pre-defined progression) should give way to a system in which a child’s progress is determined by differing levels of performance in the particular subject area" (Renewing Our Commitment).

One of the most frequent charges against special programs for gifted youth is that there is no research to support them. This is far from the truth. A group of researchers in the field of gifted education reviewed 100 textbooks and research articles on gifted education to identify 101 "recommended practices." These recommendations are specific pieces of advice in the form of "do," "don’t," and "should" statements, and are reflective of the considered advice of experts and persons actively involved in the field. They may be found in their entirety in the book Recommended practices in gifted education: A critical analysis.

Schools in Tennessee should be in the business of educating all students to reach their potential. Children of all levels of ability can learn, and it is the job of the schools to help them achieve. All educators want students to strive for excellence and should be prepared to lead them down the right path to lifelong learning. Society loses when any child is not able to live up to his or her potential. In order to help the gifted child achieve his or her potential, options must be chosen that "fit" the individual child’s needs and should be incorporated into that child’s school experiences.

(Adapted from GIFTED EDUCATION: Making a Positive Difference.)

Some Signs of Giftedness

A gifted child may have several, but usually not all, of these characteristics. Many times children learn to hide these traits to please teachers or parents, or to fit in with other children. Some characteristics may be masked by mild learning disabilities. That's why proper assessment is so important -- it can reveal hidden intellectual abilities and deficiencies that informal observation can miss.

Also see the lists by RISAC, ERIC, GDC, and the CEC (self-scoring).

In babies and young children
Unusual alertness.
Less need for sleep.
Smiling or recognizing parents early.
Intense reactions to noise, pain and frustration.
Early and extensive language development.
Fascination with books.
Curiosity.

Later
Extraordinary memory.
Excellent sense of humor.
Poor attention, boredom and daydreaming but long attention span when involved in something.
Wide range of interests.
Extended general knowledge.
Perfectionism.
Strong opinions.
Leadership ability.
Questioning rules, customs and traditions.
Abstract reasoning and problem-solving skills.
Vivid imagination.
Sensitivity and compassion - easily disturbed by news reports.

Definitions of "Giftedness"

Achievement-Oriented Definitions

A generally accepted achievement-oriented definition is contained in the federal DOE report entitled National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent (1993):

Children and youth with outstanding talent perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. These children and youth exhibit high performance capability in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity, or excel in specific academic fields. They require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the schools. Outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.

The Tennessee DOE defines giftedness in the Special Education Division's document "Eligibility Criteria" as follows:

Intellectually Gifted refers to having intellectual abilities and potential for achievement so outstanding that special provisions are required to meet the child's educational needs.

Achievement-oriented definitions are numerous, and they vary primarily by (a) how much importance they attach to achievement and motivation (as opposed to ability and potential) and (b) how broadly they define "intelligence." The purpose of achievement-oriented gifted programming (vertical enrichment, compacting, grade skipping, special classes, etc.) is to help students realize their academic potential. For more information about influential achievement-oriented definitions see Renzulli, Gardner, and Gagné.

Psychological Definitions

Critics of achievement-oriented definitions argue that the concepts of "potential" and "achievement" do not capture the essence of giftedness. They argue that giftedness permeates a child's life and is not limited to an educational environment. Giftedness is about experiencing the world differently than one's age-mates. A gifted child should not be viewed primarily as a potential (and possibly failed) achiever; he should be viewed as someone who is experiencing accelerated and uneven psychological development.

Schools that adopt a psychological definition do not necessarily downplay the importance of achievement, but they do attempt to understand and address a gifted child's needs in a broader psychological context. According to this view, the primary purpose of gifted programming and (most importantly) providing intellectual peers is to promote psychological health.

Here is a psychological definition from Martha Morelock’s article "Giftedness: The View from Within" (1992):

Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally.

For more information about psychological definitions see An Interview with Dr. James Delisle, Silverman (1) and Tolan. Also see SENG.

Who are the Twice-Exceptional?

Twice-exceptional students are gifted students with learning difficulties. These students are often overlooked for placement in programs for the gifted because their learning disabilities mask their giftedness. Few school districts in Tennessee have screening procedures to identify them and few, if any, districts have special classes or programs to meet their needs. According to a recent Education Week article: "... if such students pass through public schools with one or both qualities unaddressed—and in most cases it's the giftedness left unnoted—research studies say it's more than likely such students will fall well short of their considerable potential for achievement and enter adulthood without skills to compensate for their learning disabilities. The result, numerous studies say: emotional turmoil, low self-esteem, and, probably, an academic washout."

For more information see: Research: Diamonds in the Rough, Gifted but Learning Disabled: A Puzzling Paradox, GIFTED CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES, Twice Exceptional, Gifted and Learning Disabled: Twice Exceptional Students, Twice Exceptional and the Gifted, Twice Exceptional By Debra Viadero, Mining Maryland Diamonds

Who are the Highly Gifted?

Highly gifted children tend to be those who demonstrate severely asynchronous development. Due to their high cognitive abilities and high intensities they experience and relate to the world in unique ways. These children are often found as a result of extremely high scores on individually scored IQ tests, generally above the 140 IQ range. Others may be prodigies in areas such as math, science, language and/or the arts. Profoundly gifted children can score in excess of 170 IQ.

Highly gifted children demonstrate characteristics such as the extreme need to:

learn at a much faster pace
process material to a much greater depth
show incredible intensity in energy, imagination, intellectual prowess, sensitivity, and emotion which are not typical in the general population.

The child of 160+ is as different from the child of 130 IQ as that child is different from the child of average ability. Current research suggests that there may be higher incidence of children in this high range than previously thought. Due to their unique characteristics, these children are particularly vulnerable. Highly gifted children need a specialized advocacy because very little has been done to develop appropriate curriculum and non-traditional options for these children.

For more information see PG Cybersource, Hollingworth Center, Davidson Foundation, "Highly Gifted Children in Full Inclusion Classrooms", and "Stuck in Another Dimension".

Some Myths and Truths about Gifted Children

Being gifted isn’t always a bowl of cherries. Gifted kids are often misunderstood by their teachers, classmates and even their parents! To help you better understand your child’s talents, the Council for Exceptional Children has identified a few of the most common myths and surprising truths about giftedness (reprinted below). Also see the lists of myths about gifted children by Dr. Laura Croft, Ellen Winner, ERIC, and Kristen Stephens.

Myths about gifted kids

	Gifted kids can accomplish anything they put their minds to, they just have to apply themselves.
	Gifted kids have fewer problems than others; they do not need or deserve extra time and attention.
	Gifted kids are self-directed, they know where they are heading. Gifted underachievers just need to try harder and get organized.
	The primary value of the gifted child is in his or her brain power.
	A gifted child's family always prizes his or her abilities.
	Gifted kids need to serve as examples to others and they should always assume extra responsibility.
	All gifted kids are high achievers; they don't have to work for grades.
	Gifted kids don’t need help with study skills, they can manage on their own.

Truths about gifted kids

	Gifted kids are often perfectionistic and idealistic and may equate achievement and grades with self-esteem and self-worth. This can lead to fear of failure and can interfere with their achievement in and out of school.
	The social and emotional development of a gifted child may not be at the same level as their intellectual development.
	Gifted kids may experience heightened sensitivity to their own expectations and those of others, producing constant guilt over achievements or grades perceived to be low.
	Some gifted kids are “mappers” (sequential learners), while others are “leapers” (spatial learners). Leapers often can’t say how they got a “right answer.” Mappers may get lost in the steps leading to the right answer.
	Gifted kids may be so far ahead of their chronological age mates that they know more than half the curriculum before the school year begins! Their boredom can result in low achievement and grades.
	In school, gifted kids may need real problems to work on in order to achieve at high levels. Gifted students often refuse to work for grades alone.
	Gifted kids often think abstractly and with such complexity that they may need help with study and test taking skills. They can justify all the answers in a multiple choice question, or skip reading test instructions because they are impatient.
	Gifted kids who do well in school may define success as getting an "A" and failure as any grade less than an "A." By early adolescence they may be unwilling to try anything where they are not certain of guaranteed success.

Services for Gifted Students

Students who are gifted are found in full-time self-contained classrooms, magnet schools, pull-out programs, resource rooms, regular classrooms, and every combination of these settings. No matter where they obtain their education, they need an appropriately differentiated curriculum designed to address their individual characteristics, needs, abilities, and interests.

Once a child has been identified as having superior abilities such that his or her educational needs cannot be met through the regular grade level curriculum, all service options should be considered and the most appropriate placement decisions made for that child. Each placement decision should be made in the best interest of the child. Some students will require only one option to meet their needs while other students may require a combination of two or more services.

Pull-out programs/Resource rooms

Resource rooms are used when students are "pulled out" of the regular classroom for some time daily or weekly for the purpose of interacting with other gifted students and working on differentiated curriculum. The classes are usually smaller than the regular classroom and are staffed by a certified teacher of the gifted. The curriculum offered in these classes is differentiated from the regular classroom curriculum in a way that fits the unique needs of the students. The location of the resource room could be in the child’s home school, several schools could transport their identified students to another school building, or the district could have one center in which all gifted students are served.

Special classes

Special classes are used to provide services to gifted students on a daily basis. Students may be placed in the classroom for one or more periods per day or, in the case of block scheduling, every other day. A certified teacher of the gifted staffs the class, allowing the students to pursue curriculum that is differentiated from the regular grade level at their own ability level and pace. Special classes are similar to a resource room program except that the students are not missing, or "pulled-out" of another class or program to participate.

Cluster grouping

Cluster grouping is the practice of placing four to six identified gifted students in the same regular classroom with a teacher having had special training on how to teach gifted students. Cluster grouping is receiving more attention as a programming option for gifted youth. The other students in the class are of mixed ability. This method is different from ability grouping in that the other students are heterogeneously grouped. The "cluster" of gifted students allows them to learn together while avoiding permanent grouping arrangements for their classmates.

Cluster grouping should not be the only service provided to students identified as gifted. This should be provided in conjunction with other services which allow the gifted students time to interact with their intellectual peers.

Full-time gifted services

Full-time service for gifted students is another option in providing comprehensive gifted education programming. Identified gifted students are grouped together all day with the possible exception of specialty classes, such as art and physical education, lunch, and recess.

Class sizes are generally smaller than in the regular classroom and services can be targeted to meet the needs of the gifted in every area. All curriculum can be differentiated to be appropriate for the students’ level of abilities. Acceleration and curriculum compacting (see Curriculum compacting below) can be used in each content area. The instructional processes used and products created can be differentiated from what may be experienced in the regular classroom.

This option is most often reserved for the highly gifted child, generally incorporating a range extending from IQ 150 to IQ 180 and over, although all gifted students will benefit from prolonged exposure to other students of similar interests and abilities. For optimal learning for the highly gifted, they should be placed in "full-day programs, conducted by specially trained teachers using a specially tailored curriculum" (Excellence in educating the gifted).

Mentoring

One of the most valuable experiences a gifted student can have is exposure to a mentor who is willing to share personal values, a particular interest, and their time, talents, and skills. Mentoring does not imply an internship or apprenticeship and it is not merely for the acquisition of knowledge or skills, although the student does learn these things from a mentor. A mentorship is a dynamic shared relationship in which values, attitudes, passions, and traditions are passed from one person to another.

Acceleration

Acceleration is the practice of allowing a student to move through learning material in a content area class or a grade level prior to the prescribed timeframe, based on early mastery. This can be achieved by pre- and post-testing and allowing students who demonstrate mastery at an accepted level to progress at their own pace to other material. Students can be accelerated in one or more content areas or be grade accelerated, more commonly known as "grade skipping." This strategy has been found to be successful in preventing or reversing underachievement in gifted students.

In elementary school, acceleration can take the form of early entrance to or exit from a grade level. In secondary schools, acceleration can take the form of honors or Advanced Placement courses, subject acceleration (i.e., a 9th grade student enrolling in 11th grade courses), dual enrollment with a postsecondary institution, the International Baccalaureate program, and/or early graduation.

Some critics have argued that acceleration hinders students’ social and emotional development because they are placed in classes with other students much older. While each student will progress through levels of social and emotional development at different speeds, research has shown that acceleration results in higher levels of social development and participant satisfaction, as well as academic achievement.

Curriculum compacting

Curriculum compacting is a teaching method used to complete a prescribed amount of content in a shorter period of time than usual. This entails pre- and post-testing students to determine current knowledge; enriching students coursework through independent study, alternative assignments, and higher level material; and/or pairing them with a tutor or mentor.

All children benefit greatly from curriculum paced according to their individual needs. The gifted child is no different. The low to moderately gifted child, who spends a majority of his or her instructional time in the regular classroom should be targeted for this service option. In addition to other service options which provide gifted students opportunities to interact with their intellectual peers, such as a pull-out program or a special class, curriculum compacting should be part of a comprehensive plan of service to gifted students.

Flexible ability grouping

Flexible ability grouping is the grouping of students for instruction according to their ability level. This is different from tracking in that students are not in the same group for every subject and they can move in and out of groups as their skills increase. This is different from cooperative learning in that the grouping is for instructional purposes and the goal is not solely to improve social skills. The students are placed in a group of children with like abilities, the content is modified to be appropriate for the abilities of the group, and the students may or may not complete their assignments individually.

Flexible ability grouping also allows school districts to provide additional services on a daily basis in the regular classroom. Similar to curriculum compacting, this option is a good partner to other service options which allow gifted students interaction with other gifted children. The content taught to the group with the highest abilities in a given content area may be compacted, as well.

Independent study

Independent study allows students to pursue a topic of interest at their own level and pace. This may be done within the context of some of the other service options or separately. A student may independently study a topic in a resource room, in a special class, or in the regular classroom. This option provides a maximum amount of flexibility because the student and the teacher establish the parameters of the assignment, the topic, process, product, and completion date in advance. Then the student is on his or her way, independent of the rest of the class.

Cooperative learning

Cooperative learning is a set of instructional strategies which employ small teams of pupils to promote peer interaction and cooperation for studying academic subjects. These "teams" can be determined based on age or ability or they may be heterogeneously mixed. Cooperative learning is based on the beliefs that all students are capable of understanding, learning, and performing leadership tasks; the most effective student groups are heterogeneous; students need to learn to recognize and value their dependence upon each other; the ability to work effectively in a group is determined by the acquisition of specific social skills; and student groups are more likely to attempt resolution of their problems if they are not "rescued" by their teacher.

Cooperative learning is a controversial method to use with gifted children because of a lack of evidence showing any positive effects on gifted students’ achievement. In addition, the material used is limited to grade level in content and pace and not differentiated for gifted students’ level of ability. There are also concerns that gifted students are used as junior teachers instead of being challenged to excel, and that cooperative learning will be mistaken with and/or used instead of curriculum compacting and other service options for the gifted.

Academic competition

Recently, there has been an increase in the popularity of academic competitions which focus on inventiveness, creativity, ingenuity, and problem solving (e.g., Destination Imagination, ThinkQuest, Future Problem Solvers). Gifted students enjoy the challenge of these competitions and may work harder and be more resourceful than they have in past projects. The chance for students to work on a common goal with other students of like interests and abilities, and to be recognized for their efforts, is appealing to the students, and to their teachers and parents.

While it is true that gifted students enjoy a little friendly competition, it is important to understand that the potential dangers lurking in this option (over competitiveness, loss of perspective, and the adult pressure inherent in organized competitions) are twofold. First, many schools will limit participation in these competitions to only identified gifted students. The cleverness required to do well in academic competitions is not the sole possession of gifted students. Secondly, it is possible that the school district will view the "team" as the gifted program or expect the teacher of the gifted to devote class time to practicing for the competition.