CHAPTER 5

TRENDS AND ISSUES IN

TEACHING GIFTED AND
TALENTED LEARNERS
 Can a learner be both
gifted and coupled with a
learning disability?
Giftedness comes in the different variations. There are some gifted with
extraordinary IQ scores coupled with remarkable skills while others have
high IQ scores combined with disabilities. With the latter described
condition , the disability of these learners turn to overpower their cognitive
abilities most especially when they are already labeled to having
disabilities. Commonly, the priority is given to the disabling condition, which
often delimits the intellectually gifted children due to their disabling
condition.
 THE GIFTED LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES

 Are individuals with exceptional potentials who have the

capabilities of performing high ability skills even with the
presence of impairments and/or disabilities .

These individuals are often called as twice exceptional, double
labeled or those with dual exceptionalities .
GIFTED WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES
 These prevalence of twice exceptional learners is difficult to
identify, mainly because they are clustered with groups of learners
with disabilities. Current research suggest that intellectually gifted
learners often have learning disabilities, which is often hard to
recognize.
 The most common and significant feature of GLD (gifted with
learning disabilities) is having an inconsistent, unpredictable and
inexplicable academic performance. This means that they achieve
outstanding results in one subject area, yet the same achievement is
not reflected in other subjects or vice-versa. Other may excel in
written task but may perform poorly on verbal activities.
 Many of them tend to be inattentive in class, have difficulties in
spelling or reading skills, have poor relationships with peers, and
even have low self-esteem.
 THOMAS ALVA EDISON

Thomas Alva Edison was unable to read until he was twelve years old. His writing
skills were poor throughout his life but these difficulties did not stop him to
become one of the greatest inventors throughout history. Some others who were
said to have the same condition are Walt Disney, Leonardo Da Vinci, and George
Washington, who were famous for their contributions and not for their disabling
conditions.
 GIFTED WITH AUTISM

Some characteristic of these learners include extreme ability to

concentrate, poor social skills, and extraordinary visual talents.
Some learners with this condition exhibit repetitive motor
mannerisms, have an unusual but passionate interest in one topic,
and often lack empathy for others and may tend to disengage in
social activities that result to having trouble forming friendships.
 DR. TEMPLE GRANDIN

 Dr.Temple Grandin has autism and was diagnosed as def and brain-damaged at age
2, but was tested with an IQ of 137 at age of 8. Dr.Grandin become a prominent
author and speaker on both autism and animal behavior and is recently a professor of
Animal science at Colorado State University.
 Includein the celebrated list of eminence with autistic characteristics are Albert
Einstein, Bill Gates, Bobby Fischer, Howard Hughes, Sir Isaac Newton and Vincent Van
Gogh (Davis,Rimm & Siegle,2014) who were known for their gifted contributions and
not for their autism spectrum disorder.
 GIFTED WITH ADHD

 Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD), Impulsive-Hyperactive, and inattentive

types, are the new catch-all diagnoses for children, gifted or otherwise(Rimm 2008).
These conditions are characterized by difficulty with concentration, distractibility,
impulsivity , and hyperactivity.
 learners with this condition tend to appear disorganized and forgetful for they usually
pay little or no attention to details. They also have difficulty in listening ,following
instructions or simply staying in their seats.
 GIFTED WITH ADHD
 Rimm(2008) claims gave importance on two things: (1)that the double
exceptionality of giftedness and ADHD is common and (2)that
giftedness does not provide protection from the difficult symptoms of
ADHD.
 Just like typical learners with ADHD , gifted with ADHD lag two to
three years behind their age peers in social and emotional maturity.
This mismatch in their cognitive and socio-emotional development is a
challenging consideration in guiding them learn across the curriculum.
 The combination of giftedness and disability can deliver a
double disadvantage that can make learners hide their giftedness, or
become unable to know their talents, causing them not to be
identified for gifted programs. On the contrary Moon(2004) claimed
that their high intellectual abilities might mask their disabilities,
causing them to be overlooked for special education programs. In the
case of gifted learners with learning disabilities ,Robinson(1999)
argued that students are doubly at risk because the characteristics of
the two categories influence one another, talents must be nurtured
and learning strategies must be taught.
 The following guidelines are critical when
creating effective educational programs for
gifted\LD students(Baum,1990;Robinson,(1999)

 Give focused attention to developing the gift or talent in its own

right Enrichment does not equate to remediation.
 Provide a supportive environment that values and appreciates
individual abilities.
 Teach students strategies to compensate for their learning problems
as well as provide direct instruction in basic skills.
 It is important to recognize that not all strategies will work with all twice
exceptional students. Proper diagnosis will help develop education plans for
those gifted and talented learners, but educators should be flexible to try
different strategies among different learners. One of the strategies given to
gifted learners with learning disabilities is RTI or the Response to Intervention.

Response to Invention is an early invention strategy that implemented within the

general education classroom. It is the process used by educators in helping
learners who are struggling with either a lesson or a skill. This strategy is not
only made for gifted learners but to any learner that struggle in some way. The
general framework of RTI revolves around a collaborative , problem solving and
intervention process with multitiered support on varying degrees as seen on the
figure below.
 The first tier usually consist of quality or core instruction in the general education classroom where
learners who have not met expected grade level benchmarks are considered for mor intensive support
and interventions. The second tier, still part of the general education system of supports, consists of
providing students with smaller group, more focused instruction in their area of need, and similar types
of educational support. Students who continue to be unresponsive to treatment, determined by ongoing
progress monitoring, are then provided with a third tier of interventions and further assessment. In
some models of RTI, Tier 3 is considered to be special education (Mellard & Johnson,2007).