What is “Gifted?

”
 Traditional Definition
– IQ > 130
 Top 2.2% of Population
– Superior mental ability requiring differentiated
instruction/curriculum
 Problems
– IQ testing culturally biased, difficult/costly to
administer
– More expansive definition needed to provide services
for children who may not fit into traditional idea of
giftedness
 What is “Gifted?”
 Contemporary Definitions
– Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
 Verbal-linguistic
 Logical-mathematical
 Naturalistic
 Visual-spatial
 Body-kinesthetic
 Auditory-musical
 Interpersonal
 Intrapersonal
 Proposed – Spiritual, Sexual, Existential
 What is “Gifted?”
 Contemporary Definitions
– Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory
 Analytic Giftedness
– Intellectual Abilities/Problem Solving
 Synthetic Giftedness
– Creativity/Insightfulness/Intuition
 Practical Giftedness
– Applying above to everyday situations

 Currently no national standard, definitions

vary from state to state
 Some Characteristics of Young
Gifted Children
 Language development
 Reading ability
 Subtle/mature sense of humor
 Sense of justice/fairness
– Difficulty understanding responses of age
peers
 Intense immersion in one subject of
interest
 Some Characteristics of Young
Gifted Children
 Highly creative fantasies
– Imaginary friends, worlds described in detail
 Independent, prefers individual work
 Transfers concepts learned to new situations
 Interest in abstract concepts (time, space)
 Interest in cause and effect relationships
 Quick-developing, wide knowledge base
 Strong memory, cognitive strategies
Other Characteristics of the Gifted
 First-borns and only children more likely to be
identified as gifted, as are children of gifted
parents
 Visual-spatial learners more prevalent among
gifted population than auditory-sequential
 Approx. 1/6 of gifted children have some sort of
co-morbid learning disability
– ie. Dyslexia, ADHD, Central Auditory Processing
Disorder
– Giftedness can mask these disorders and depress IQ
scores, making identification difficult
Other Characteristics of the Gifted
 More likely to be introverted than general
population
 Asynchronous development
– May be advanced in one or more areas and behind in
another
 Often seen in social situations, for example
 Exacerbated by heightened emotional intensity often found
in gifted children
 Csikszentmihalyi’s “Flow” Theory
 Synesthesia
Other Characteristics of the Gifted
 Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive
Disintegration
– “Overexcitabilites”
 Psychomotor
– Often diagnosed as ADHD
 Sensory
 Imaginational
 Emotional
 Intellectual
– “Too creative” for IQ tests
 “Too Creative” for IQ Tests
 What do the numbers 37 and 127 have in
common?
– 1 point answers
 Both contain/end in 7
 Both odd numbers
 Both greater than ##
– 2 point answer
 Both prime numbers
– Gifted child’s answer
 Both have digits that add to 10
 Difficulties for Gifted
Children/Adolescents
 Perfectionism
 Isolation
 Underachievement
– vs. Selective Achievement
 Impostor Syndrome
 Masking Abilities
 Delinquency
 Depression
 Anxiety
 Suicide
 Specific Populations of Gifted
Children
 Gifted Females
– Pressure to pursue traditionally female
occupations
 Nursing, teaching, etc.
– Discouraged from interest in math and
science
– Receive less feedback and called on less often
in classroom settings
– More likely to conceal intelligence to attract
attention of boys
 Specific Populations of Gifted
Children
 Gifted Males
– Pressure to participate in traditionally male
activities
– Discouraged from being emotional, sensitive
– Must reconcile their own identity with societal
norms concerning gender
 Specific Populations of Gifted
Children
 Gifted African-American Students
– “Acting White”
– Nigrescence Theory
 Pre-encounter
 Encounter
 Immersion
 Internalization
 Commitment
– Different Learning Styles
– Lack of role models
– Lack of peers from similar backgrounds
– External pressure
 Specific Populations of Gifted
Children
 Gifted Hispanic Students
– Underrepresented in gifted programs
– Assessment tools often culturally biased
– Teachers less likely to refer for gifted testing
– Mismatch in learning/teaching styles
– “Acting White”
– Stereotype threat
 Any minority group
 Specific Populations of Gifted
Children
 Highly creative individuals
– Psychologically vulnerable
– Difficult for schools to meet creative needs
– Strong feelings of isolation
– Susceptible to mood disorders
– More likely to attempt suicide
 Specific Populations of Gifted
Children
 Gifted/LD Children
– “Twice Exceptional”
– Giftedness masking LD
– Biggest problem is assessment
– Success found in programs that emphasize
talents and development of compensatory
skills; students tend to behave more like
gifted students and focus less on disability
 Specific Populations of Gifted
Children
 Gifted/ADHD Children
– Strong overlap with “high creativity”
– Misidentification/Lack of identification
 Both as gifted and as ADHD
– ADHD medication may temper creativity
– Peer Rejection
– Family/School Stress
 Specific Populations of Gifted
Children
 Specific Talents
– Musician, athlete, actor, science, math, etc.
– Parental/guardian support is crucial
– Extracurricular involvement to permit talents
to develop
 Summer programs, speech/debate, model gov’t,
etc.
– Offer role models
 Interventions/Strategies
 Classroom
– Curriculum Compacting
– Enrichment
– Acceleration
– Grade Skipping
– Teacher Education
 Referrals & Recognition
 Curriculum Modifications
– Strategies
 Guided Reading/Viewing
 Alternative Assessments/Projects
 Example Role Models
 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
– First successful open heart surgery
 Example Role Models
 Amalie Noether
– Called by Einstein "the most significant creative mathematical
genius thus far produced since the higher education of women
began.”
 Example Role Models
 Dr. Ellen Ochoa
– NASA’s first Hispanic female astronaut
 Example Role Models
 Hermione Granger
– Highly successful wizard; muggle parents
 Interventions/Strategies
 Gifted Programs
– Enrichment vs. IEP
 Extracurricular Programs
– Governor’s School Model
– Summer/Saturday Programs
– Talent Search
– Mentoring
– Schools for the Gifted
– Early Entrance College
– Distance Learning
 Any program that places students with peers of
similar ability and interests will be extremely
beneficial for social development
– GHP
 Interventions/Strategies
 Parents
– Advocacy
 School and government level
 No Child Left Behind
 No Child Left Behind
The Football Version
 All teams must make the state playoffs, and all will win the championship. If
a team does not win the championship, they will be on probation until they
are the champions, and coaches will be held accountable.
 
 All kids will be expected to have the same football skills at the same time and
in the same conditions. No exceptions will be made for interest in football, a
desire to perform athletically, or genetic abilities or disabilities. ALL KIDS
WILL PLAY FOOTBALL AT A PROFICIENT LEVEL.
 
 Talented players will be asked to work out on their own without instruction.
Coaches will use all their instructional time with the athletes who aren't
interested in football, have limited athletic ability or whose parents don't like
football.
 
 All coaches will be proficient in all aspects of football, or they will be released.
 
 Games will be played year round, but statistics will only be kept in the 4th,
8th and 11th games.
 
 This will create a New Age of sports where every school is expected to have
the same level of talent and all teams will reach the same minimal goals.
 Interventions/Strategies
 Parents
– Advocacy
 School and government level
 No Child Left Behind
– Active involvement with teachers, coaches,
counselors
 Support school lessons/curriculum at home
– Books, movies, discussion
– Participation in extracurriculars
– Homeschooling?
– Internet support
 Questions?
 E-Mail Me:
 Danny Hammond
– [email protected]