A comparison between intellectually gifted and typical children in their coping responses to a school and a peer stressor

The present study investigated the coping responses to two childhood stressors of fifth and sixth grade, gifted (n=52) and typical (n=55) children. The subjects were administered the Self‐Report Coping Scale for school and peer stressors (i.e., getting a lower grade than usual and having a fight with a friend). Teachers’ ratings of children's social and academic adjustment and academic potential were also obtained. Results indicated that gifted children endorsed problem‐solving strategies to a greater degree than typical children. Otherwise, gifted and typical children's reported coping strategies did not differ. Teachers’ ratings indicated better academic and social adjustment for gifted children. Future directions for the study of coping with stressors among gifted populations are addressed.     

The Possession and Use of Toys in Elementary‐School Boys and Girls: does giftedness make a difference?

This study investigates whether gifted children differ from non‐gifted regarding the possession and use of toys and whether gifted are less affected by traditional gender roles in these two variables. The parents of 286 fourth‐grade elementary school students (151 intellectually gifteds [IQ >= 130] and 135 children of average intelligence) responded to a list of 30 toy groups. It was assessed (a) which toys are present in the household and (b) how often they are used by the child. The analysis revealed that only the use of toys typical for boys displayed a mildly significant effect for giftedness. Dramatic gender effects were found: with the exception of the use of athletic equipment and group games, both groups exhibited gender‐specific toy possession and toy use to an equal degree.     

The differentiated classroom observation scale

This article presents a new classroom observation scale that was developed to examine the differential learning activities and experiences of gifted children educated in regular classroom settings. The Differentiated Classroom Observation Scale (DCOS) is presented in total, with clarification of the coding practices and strategies. Although the DCOS was developed to examine the impact of differentiated classroom practices for gifted children, it is expected that the scale could be used for observing the educational experiences of any identifiable group of children. Reflections on the benefits offered by the DCOS that are not available with existing measures are provided, and include (a) the ability to contrast the educational experiences of two groups of learners; (b) documentation of a variety of educational factors including pedagogy, student engagement, and level of cognitive activity; and (c) preservation of contextual factors for deeper investigation through a database‐driven record keeping system that maintains disaggregated data from a series of short observational segments.     

Assessing giftedness with the WISC‐III and the SB‐IV

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Third Edition (WISC‐III) and the Stanford‐Binet Intelligence Scale–Fourth Edition (SB‐IV), were administered to 20 gifted children and 20 non‐gifted children to examine the extent of the difference in IQ scores obtained on the two tests and whether order effects were present. Results show that the SB‐IV Composite Score was significantly higher than the WISC‐III Full Scale IQ for both groups. However, for the gifted group, unlike the non‐gifted group, this difference achieved significance only when the SB‐IV was administered first. When either IQ test was administered to the gifted students for the first time, without the confound of a learning influence, there was no significant difference in mean scores. However, when both tests were administered, it was found that the SB‐IV influenced the WISC‐III Full Scale IQ in a downward direction whereas the WISC‐III influenced the SB‐IV Composite Score in an upward direction. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

超常儿童内部动机与创造力的关系:课堂同伴互动的中介作用

探究课堂环境中的同伴因素在超常儿童内部动机与创造力关系中的影响对培养超常儿童创造力的教育实践有重要意义.本研究选取277名3-6年级普通班中的超常儿童,采用《学习自我调节量表》、《创造性课堂环境问卷》以及改编的创造力测评工具对其内部动机、课堂同伴互动水平及创造力水平进行评估,分析三者的相关关系,并建立结构方程模型,验证...     

Understanding Gender Differences in Thinking Styles of Gifted Children

The accuracy of the Brigance K&1 screen in the early detection of Head Start children with possible cognitive/academic giftedness, was explored in this study. Data were collected from a sample of 134 children, 13 of whom were identified as potentially gifted on the basis of performance on the K‐ABC. Potentially gifted children performed significantly better on the Brigance than nongifted children. Group differences were large and exceeded one standard deviation on the K&1 total score. Classification analyses indicated that use of the technical manual criteria underreferred potentially gifted children. However, use of local criteria established that the K&1 screen has good sensitivity (>80%) and acceptable specificity (>70%) in relation to concurrent and predictive cognitive/academic outcomes. Teacher ratings were ineffective in detecting potentially gifted children. The K&1 screen may be helpful in the early detection of low‐income children who may be cognitively/academically gifted.     

Boys’ and girls’ conversational participation across four grade levels in Norwegian classrooms: taking the floor or being given the floor?

The participation of girls and boys in teacher‐led classroom conversations in Norway was examined across four grade levels (first, third, sixth and ninth). Boys participated more across all grade levels. The difference in girls’ and boys’ participation was least in the first grade and greatest in the ninth grade. A greater proportion of the girls’ utterances was initiated by the teacher allocating turns. The boys had more overlapping utterances with the teacher and contributed more comments that were not invited by the teacher. The difference in girls’ and boys’ participation was less in a classroom with a female rather than a male teacher. Boys made many uninvited comments in classrooms with male teachers. The discussion draws attention to relationships between conversation participation and learning, between participation and influence, and between participation and developing skills to take the floor in public.     

About Creativity,Giftedness, and Teaching the Creatively Gifted in the Classroom

In this case study the author explored a teacher's beliefs about creativity and gifted‐ness and investigated the classroom practices of this teacher of gifted students for 20 years. Seven semi‐structured and 2 open observations were carried out in her classroom, and 2 prefigured interviews were conducted with her. She believed that creative children are those who are “free thinkers” and have “imaginative intelligence.” The thin line between an academically gifted child and a creatively gifted child is built by “imagination,” “emotional intensity,” and “curiosity.” In creative writing, she tried to implement activities such as learning to write poetry, personal narratives, research reports and essays posing solutions to real world problems, and mystery stories decorated with similes, metaphors and imaginative expressions. In reading, students analyzed characters, problems, places and times in stories and novels, and then rewrote stories.     

Student Perceptions of Chemistry Laboratory Learning Environments, Student–Teacher Interactions and Attitudes in Secondary School Gifted Education Classes in Singapore

This study investigated the chemistry laboratory classroom environment, teacher–student interactions and student attitudes towards chemistry among 497 gifted and non-gifted secondary-school students in Singapore. The data were collected using the 35-item Chemistry Laboratory Environment Inventory (CLEI), the 48-item Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI) and the 30-item Questionnaire on Chemistry-Related Attitudes (QOCRA). Results supported the validity and reliability of the CLEI and QTI for this sample. Stream (gifted versus non-gifted) and gender differences were found in actual and preferred chemistry laboratory classroom environments and teacher–student interactions. Some statistically significant associations of modest magnitude were found between students' attitudes towards chemistry and both the laboratory classroom environment and the interpersonal behaviour of chemistry teachers. Suggestions for improving chemistry laboratory classroom environments and the teacher–student interactions for gifted students are provided.     

Speed bumps,roadblocks and tollbooths: how culturally and linguistically diverse parents navigate the highways and byways of giftedness in Ontario

In reviewing literature on culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) parental inclusion and disproportionality, Cam Cobb, assistant professor at the University of Windsor, Ontario, illustrates how CLD giftedness – and especially CLD giftedness in Canadian settings – represents an area in need of further research. In part, this article begins to address that need. Drawing from a larger critical qualitative inquiry, he details the stories of two CLD Canadian mothers as they sought to become involved in gifted identification and decision‐making processes. Knowledge and language arose in the data as two core themes of robust parental inclusion. These core themes, along with associated recommendations for policy, practice and research, are outlined in a discussion of the findings. While this article focuses on the gifted domain of special education in Ontario, the findings have wider implications for robust CLD parental inclusion in special education in general.     

A Longitudinal Study of Intellectual and Creative Development in Gifted Primary School Children

This research was carried out as part of the Moscow‐Munich Longitudinal Study of Giftedness, and is based on a multidimensional giftedness concept. A total of 73 gifted students in the first grade (7‐8 years old) were selected from 650 students with the help of a two stage procedure, using teachers' checklists and the Russian version of the KFT, a test of intellectual abilities, and a test of creativity. A control group of the same age consisted of 76 unselected pupils. The groups were tested using the same methods in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Intellectual abilities, creativity, motivation, and other personal characteristics were observed. Significant differences between gifted and nongifted students were found in intellectual domains; there were no sex differences in the cognitive sphere, but teachers considered the girls more gifted than the boys; a relationship between cognitive and personal factors was revealed but this was not very stable. The results demonstrated that gifted students need special support and education.     

A NEGLECTED COMPONENT OF NURTURING GIFTEDNESS: AFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT

Research on giftedness and programs for fostering its development often neglect the affective component: the social, emotional and personal components which release (or block) a person's abilities. One problem of gifted children is that their accelerated intellectual development may outstrip affective development. Nonetheless, available research findings paint a positive picture of the social‐emotional characteristics of such children. Among other things they tend to be highly motivated, have a positive self‐concept and be particularly sensitive to social and ethical issues. This suggests that designers of learning experiences should pay greater attention to the affective aspects of instruction. All subject areas offer opportunities for stressing the affective dimension, science as much as literature. This involves creating a classroom climate which offers an “invitational” environment. The highly developed social values of gifted children suggest that they can be encouraged to apply their talents to the solution of the myriad problems with which contemporary society is afflicted.     

The effect of different types of nomination forms on teachers' identification of gifted children

The present study sought to determine the effect of three different types of teacher nomination forms on a group of teachers' effectiveness and efficiency in identifying gifted children; to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of the three forms with each other, with that of the Renzulli-Hartman Scale for Rating Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students, and with that of a form that requested teachers to identify their gifted students; and to examine the relationship between the scores on the intelligence test, on the various nomination forms, and on the California Achievement Test (CAT). The subjects of the investigation were 183 children in grades K-5 and their teachers. Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were reached. First, the use of a behavior rating scale teacher nomination form will result in the greatest number of gifted children being correctly identified. Secondly, it is possible to increase the effectiveness, without overly affecting the efficiency, of any teacher nomination form by making the criterion standard for giftedness sensitive to the specific population it is screening. Thirdly, while the relationship between the scores was relatively low, because of its high effectiveness, its acceptable completion time, and its scores having the highest positive relationship with the intelligence test scores of any of the forms used, Form C is recommended as the teacher nomination form to be considered to assist teachers in the identification of gifted children. Fourthly, in schools where a large majority of the children score very high on a standardized achievement test, some other measure of academic success must be found if academic achievement is to be a component in the screening process. Finally, while, as a group, teachers in a school all may appear to be very good identifiers of gifted children, careful examination across grade levels, and within grade levels if the teacher sample size per grade is large enough, may assist in the identification of groups of teachers for in-service training.     

A comparative study of the learning style preferences among gifted African‐American,Mexican‐American,and American‐born Chinese middle grade students

The purpose of this study was to determine whether significant group, gender, and grade differences existed in the preferred learning styles of gifted minority students. The Learning Style Inventory (Dunn, Dunn, & Price, 1987) was administered to 54 African‐American (20 males, 34 females), 61 third‐generation Mexican‐American (26 males, 35 females), and 40 third‐generation American‐born Chinese (25 males, 15 females) students. A three‐way analysis of variance on the LSI raw scores of gifted African‐American, Mexican‐American, and American‐born Chinese students indicated significant group differences in preferences for noise, light, visual modality, studying in the afternoon, and persistence. Significant gender differences were found in preferences for the tactile modality and intake. Finally, significant grade differences were found in preferences for temperature (warm/cool environment) and mobility. Findings support and extend past research regarding the learning styles of gifted students.     

Dynamic testing of gifted and average‐ability children's analogy problem solving: Does executive functioning play a role?

In this study, dynamic testing principles were applied to examine progression of analogy problem solving, the roles that cognitive flexibility and metacognition play in children's progression as well as training benefits, and instructional needs of 7‐ to 8‐year‐old gifted and average‐ability children. Utilizing a pretest training posttest control group design, participants were split in four subgroups: gifted dynamic testing (n = 22), gifted unguided practice (n = 23), average‐ability dynamic testing (n = 31), and average‐ability unguided practice (n = 37). Results revealed that dynamic testing led to more advanced progression than unguided practice, and that gifted and average‐ability children showed equivalent progression lines and instructional needs. For children in both ability categories, cognitive flexibility was not found to be related to progression in analogy problem solving or training benefits. In addition, metacognition was revealed to be associated with training benefits. Implications for educational practice were provided in the discussion.     

Kindergarten retention and transition classrooms: Their relationship to achievement

This study examined the relationship between extra-year programs and later school achievement. Ninety-five children were identified as being either retained in kindergarten, placed in a transition classroom, recommended for an extra-year program but went into first grade, or as being in a control group of children who went from kindergarten to first grade without reservation. Results indicated that children retained in kindergarten performed significantly lower on a standardized achievement test than did children in the other three groups. Despite an extra year of schooling, children placed in transition classrooms did not differ significantly in their performance from children who were recommended for an extra year but went onto first grade and children in the control group.     

Gifted American and German adolescent women: a longitudinal examination of attachment,separation, gender roles,and career aspirations

This study assessed 43 gifted adolescent females in the United States and Germany over a 4‐year period. Initially the girls were assessed during their 7th or 8th grade and again for this current study during their 11th or 12th grade. Factors that were examined included the daughters' attachment to and psychological separation from their mothers, while the study also focused on their gender roles, instrumental (masculine) characteristics, and career aspirations. Results showed that within 4 years, these gifted girls had grown less attached, but at the same time had become psychologically closer to their mothers. Additionally, the German girls became more masculine in their characteristics while the Americans became more feminine. All of the girls developed more traditional gender roles and their desires of attaining leadership or expert roles within their future careers diminished.     

Recognizing and nurturing intrinsic motivation: A cautionary tale

Intrinsic motivation has multiple definitions. Introductory teacher education courses must alert prospective teachers to the exceptional qualities of non‐conforming students who lack the benefit of being teacher pleasers. Teacher trainers must ensure that pre‐teachers are aware of the multiple definitions of intrinsic motivation prior to a request that they observe, listen, and analyze intrinsically motivated students. Without a complete understanding of the characteristics of gifted students and the types of behaviors they sometimes exhibit within the classroom, many gifted students will be unrecognized and underserved. With services to gifted students tied to their identification, it becomes important for classroom teachers to be able to recognize that the potential for gifted behavior often extends far beyond the ability to contribute efficiently and effectively. Pre‐service teachers must also recognize that intrinsically motivated students sometimes view their initial attempts as work in progress and remain skeptical and critical of their accomplishments.     

A survey of practices of teachers of the gifted

The purpose of this study was to examine the self‐concepts, locus of control, and machi‐avellianism of 169 ethnically diverse middle grade students identified as gifted. Subjects consisted of 90 African‐American (31 boys, 18 girls). Self‐concept, locus of control, and machiavellianism were assessed by Me: A Self‐Concept Scale for Gifted Children (Feldhusen &; Kolloff, 1981), the Nowicki‐Strickland Locus of Control Scale (Nowicki &; Strickland, 1973), and Mach IV Scale (Christie &; Geis, 1970) respectively. A three‐way analysis of variance (group × Gender × Grade) on subjects’ scores revealed significant group differences in self‐concept. No significant gender or grade differences were found in self‐concept. No significant group, gender, or grade differences were found in locus of control and machiavellianism. Self‐concept was significantly and positively correlated with internal locus of control and with low machiavellianism. Mean scores indicated that ethnically diverse students who are gifted had positive self‐concepts, internal locus of control, and were low machiavellians.