Chapter Fifteen

Individuals Who are

Gifted and Talented
• https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoN2iBDKZxE
• https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD4azls3Jdc
 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 own definition of children who
are gifted and talented; there is no federal definition.

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 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

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 Differences Among Children
Who are Gifted and Talented
• Intellectual ability
• Talent category
• Learning opportunities

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 Brief History of the Field
• Brief History of the Field
– First Half of the Twentieth-Century: Pioneering the field
• Development of intelligence tests (IQ or intelligence quotient)
• Nature v. nurture theory of intellectual development
– The 1950s - 1970s: Establishing foundations
• Nature of Human Intelligence (Guilford, 1967) describes 120 different
kinds of intelligences
• The National Association for Gifted Children began in 1954
• American reaction to the Soviet launch of Sputnik leads to mathematics
and science education reforms
• PL 94-142 does not include services for children who are gifted and
talented. Mandates for education services are the result of state
legislation.

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 – The 1980s - 1990s: The field matures and provides focus for school reform
• Gardner (1983) advances the theory of multiple intelligences
– Gardener’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
» Linguistic
» Logical-mathematical
» Spatial
» Bodily-kinesthetic
» Musical
» Interpersonal
» Intrapersonal
» Naturalist
» Existentialist
• The Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act (PL 100-297) was passed in 1988
and created the Office of Gifted and Talented Education to focus on research and education.
– The Twenty-First Century: Challenges and promise present
• The No Child Left Behind Act (PL 107-110) mandates that students will reach proficiency and
these criteria may be limiting for students who are gifted or talented as they often exceed these
standards and achieve at higher levels.
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• 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 a greater degree or 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 show
advanced abilities in all areas or at all times 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 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
 Etiology of Giftedness and Talent
• 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

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• 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 methods of demonstrating mastery of
learning.

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• 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
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 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

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 Adolescents and Adults
Who are Gifted and Talented
• Adolescent need to “fit in”
• Personality attributes: desire to achieve, persistence,
curiosity and openness to new experiences
• Educational opportunities
• MENSA

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 Issues of Diversity
• Twice exceptional learners
• Girls who are gifted
• Identifying and serving children from diverse
backgrounds
• Cultural characteristics associated with giftedness

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 Students with Gifts and Talents
and Disabilities
• Twice exceptional: a child who is identified as gifted
and has an another disability
• Students with gifts and 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

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 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

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– Twice exceptional learners
• Stereotypes often assume that people with disabilities cannot
also be gifted or talented. Many students who are gifted or
talented may also have a disability. Stephen Hawking, a
theoretical physicist, is a famous example. A combination of
learning factors may make correct diagnosis difficult.
– Twice exceptional: a child who is identified as gifted and has an another
disability
– Students with gifts and 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
– 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 variable 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, reasoning.
 Trends, Issues, and Controversies
• Striving for world-class standards
• Equity and excellence
• Full inclusion
• Services focus on the gifted students instead of the
gifted program
• Talent development

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