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.     

Using teacher ratings of social behavior to differentiate gifted from non‐gifted students

This study investigated the effectiveness of teacher ratings of student social behavior in differentiating a group of 81 elementary‐age gifted students from a control group of 81 age and gender matched non‐gifted students. The School Social Behavior Scales, a recently developed set of rating scales that assesses both social competence and antisocial behavior, was used for the ratings. Gifted students were rated as having significantly higher levels of social competence and lower levels of antisocial behavior than the comparison group, and the individual scores of the gifted students were significantly skewed in the direction of better social‐behavioral adjustment. The findings also indicated the presence of a small subset of gifted students who appeared to have extremely poor social competence and high levels of problem behaviors. The results are compared to previous research on the psychosocial development of gifted children, and important areas for future research on this topic are recommended.     

Exploring the motivational trajectories of gifted university students

Through qualitative interviews, the authors examined the experiences of six gifted high‐achieving university students to understand the factors that allowed the students to continue on their paths to success. The participants in this study revealed a number of issues that were central to their motivation upon arriving at the university. These issues included independence from family, fitting into a social network, the desire to overcome challenges in their lives, internal will, and a need to earn recognition. Our findings should help direct the development of special programs by university educators who are dedicated to meeting the needs of gifted college students.     

Sensitivity: A double‐edged sword for the pre‐adolescent and adolescent gifted child

This article addresses the often‐observed sensitive nature displayed by gifted children and the effects this sensitivity can have on the child, particularly during the pre‐adolescent and the adolescent periods. This issue is explored through an analysis of the works and life experiences of Geoffrey, aged 9, a prolific writer since the age of 5 years. His exceptional sensitivity is clearly evident through his writings, and the effects this awareness and emotionality have on his life are manifested in accounts of his home and school experiences. Implications for the education of individuals like Geoffrey are discussed, placing emphasis on support of the child's heightened sensitivity rather than on curricula learned or talents exhibited. Special consideration is given to the middle school years when pre‐adolescent and adolescent behavior can significantly affect gifted individuals.     

Conceptualizing the use of online technologies for gifted secondary students

In an era where technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and where information is readily accessible on the World Wide Web, educators should be capitalizing on these resources for gifted students. This paper proposes a conceptual framework to support individualized and independent learning within a network of peers that will provide challenging interactions through extensive use of online learning. Online resources and technologies promote the exploration of new concepts and sharing of new learning with a group of motivated and “like‐minded” peers.     

Case studies of gifted kindergarten children: Profiles of promise

Early life experiences can powerfully impact attitudes toward learning and later achievements in education. The chances for optimal development of children with special needs, including the gifted and talented, can be enhanced with identification and intervention at an early age. Current research on the young gifted has overlooked the delineation of developmental characteristics and specific educational experiences applicable to this population. In an effort to bridge this gap in the literature, this paper will report on investigations into the lives of five gifted kindergarten students utilizing a case study methodology, which yielded themes relating to intellectual, achievement, social, affective, physical, aesthetic and creative domains.     

Test reviews

The WISC‐III and WPPSI‐R are both recent additions to the assessment scene. Each revised battery is technically excellent, and has several features that enhance its usefulness for gifted children: a very representative standardization sample; successful efforts to provide adequate “top” on all subtests, except at the oldest ages for which each battery is intended; and elimination of biased items. However, both revised tests place an unusually high premium on speed of responding, which may substantially affect gifted children's IQs. In addition, subtest stability tends to be low for both tests, hindering profile interpretation. Overall, both tests should make useful contributions to gifted assessment.     

A legacy of promise: Reflections,suggestions, and directions from contemporary leaders in the field of gifted education

Abstract

Six contemporary leaders from the field of gifted education responded to questions concerning past, present, and future issues surrounding the education of gifted and talented youth. This report was designed to provide expert perspectives on (a) the accomplishments of gifted education, (b) core non‐negotiables about educating gifted children that all teachers should know, and (c) future challenges and directions for this field of study and practice. Qualitative analysis of the responses yielded core themes in each of the major areas, which are reported with summaries of responses and quotes from each respondent.     

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.     

Recent doctoral dissertation research on gifted

The objective of this study was to determine whether electrophysiologic techniques can be used to identify central auditory processing difficulties in low‐achieving gifted adolescents. The electrophysiologic measures utilized included the middle latency response and the P300 response. These measures were obtained from four groups: achieving‐gifted, low‐achieving gifted, learning disabled, and non‐gifted non‐disabled. It was found that P300 wave morphology was significantly poorer for the low‐achieving gifted group compared to the achieving gifted and the non‐gifted non‐disabled groups. There was no significant difference between the low‐achieving gifted group and the learning disabled group.     

Determinants of underachievement as perceived by gifted,above‐average,and average black students 1

This study examined determinants of underachievement as perceived by 148 Black fifth‐and sixth‐grade students in an urban school district. Explored were the respective influences of social, psychological, and cultural determinants of underachievement as perceived by Black students in three different academic programs (gifted, above‐average, and average). Students were placed into groups based on profiles of achievement behavior (Types I through V) and compared relative to their perceptions and attitudes. Findings from the statistical analyses (frequency analyses, t‐tests, analyses of variance, and multiple regression) suggest that psychological factors played the greatest role in underachievement or poor achievement motivation, and that underachievement behaviors were noted among all students, irrespective of their academic program. Implications and recommendations are suggested for educators working with gifted, above‐average, and average Black students in urban areas.     

The pursuit of excellence or the search for intimacy? The forced‐choice dilemma of gifted youth

Educators often fail to recognize that the intellectually gifted differ from their age peers in their social and emotional development as much as in their intellectual and academic characteristics. A dilemma peculiar to gifted youth arises through the interaction of the psychosocial drives towards intimacy and achievement, which complement each other in students of average ability, but which place the gifted student in a forced‐choice situation. If the gifted child chooses to satisfy the drive for excellence he or she must risk forfeiting the attainment of intimacy with age peers; if the choice is intimacy, the gifted may be forced into a pattern of systematic and deliberate underachievement to retain membership in the social group. Homogeneous grouping of gifted students is suggested as a partial solution to this dilemma.     

Distance education for the gifted and talented: An interactive design model

In 1994, the New South Wales Board of Studies, Australia, introduced three high level Distinction Courses for gifted and talented students: comparative literature, cosmology, and philosophy. All are offered by distance education but the cosmology course employs an interactive design model and an extensive communication system that differentiates it from the other two. This article explains the model and the way it is used in practice to organize, sequence and deliver the course. Discussion addresses ways in which the model might be used to design a wider range of courses for gifted and talented students.     

Focusing attention on the individual in identification of gifted black students

Despite efforts to desegregate and promote equal opportunity, Black students have a minimal role in gifted programs. Efforts to improve this situation must begin with a focus on the individual student. Classroom teachers need assistance from gifted and talented coordinators with nomination procedures. Information regarding standardized tests, perceptions of low achievement, and the characteristics of Black achievers is essential for improving nomination. The second step to increasing minority participation in gifted programs is to implement a multi‐criteria assessment profile. Compiled by the gifted and talented coordinator with the continued assistance of the classroom teacher, this profile should include a case study documenting gifted characteristics, family background information, and peer evaluations. Standardized test scores may play a minor role. Successful identification of gifted Black students depends on a thorough examination of the individual.     

A five year follow‐up study of the Nebraska project: Still a long way to go...

Numerous projects funded by the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act in 1989 contributed to answering important questions in the field of gifted education. However, little evaluation has examined how their findings are used or linked to current educational practices. This pilot‐study followed up on 18 students, identified as potentially gifted during the 1992 Javits‐sponsored Nebraska Project which used a teacher observation protocol. This follow‐up study examined the students' current status in gifted education programs, academic performance, and social/behavioral attributes, and the stability of the attributes associated with able/creative students over the past five‐year period. Results indicate a continued use of traditional identification practices in the school districts studied, and a presence of underachieving behaviors in students believed to be gifted during the Nebraska Project but not recognized as such currently by their school districts. The attributes associated with able/creative students in 1992, however, were found to be stable over the five year period. Results are discussed in light of the paradigm shift in gifted education practices and possible suggestions for reducing perpetual research‐practice gaps.     

Development of a student perception inventory

Students learn new or difficult information most effectively when the classroom environment is compatible with their learning style preferences. Determining learning style preferences can be accomplished by administering the Learning Style Inventory (LSI). However, to understand compatibility with the classroom, an instrument that quantifies student perceptions of elements within the environment is essential. This paper describes development and field‐testing of such an instrument‐the Student Perception Inventory (SPI). The SPI was administered to 80 gifted middle school students and was found to provide useful student perception data. Information needed to improve learning environments for gifted learners, especially underachieving gifted students, was found when using the LSI in conjunction with the SPI.     

The classroom as laboratory: An exploration of teacher research

The field of education, including gifted education, suffers from a communication breakdown between classroom‐based practitioners and university‐based researchers. Research results often do not make it to the classroom where they can improve practice. This article reviews the literature regarding teacher‐performed research and argues that equipping teachers to perform their own research either individually or in collaboration with university researchers is one way to enrich teachers’ knowledge and improve classroom practice.     

The development of mentorship programs at the Chinese university of Hong Kong

Mentoring as a time‐honored and effective mode of training and teaching is briefly reviewed, highlighting the valuing of the mentoring relationship in educating gifted and talented youths in Chinese history. The current development of mentorship programs for gifted students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong is explained with examples from the search for potential mentors within the university community, and the development and operation of the mentorship program of Chinese creative writings for Hong Kong students. Future directions in the development of mentorship programs for gifted students using information technology and peer mentors in double mentoring are discussed, and a model of three levels of mentoring encompassing telementoring, double mentoring, and one‐to‐one mentoring is suggested.     

The role of the health care provider with the gifted child

The health care provider functioning in an organized pre‐school setting can play a vital role in the early identification of the gifted child. Early recognition and intervention with the child and family is important in meeting the special needs as well as challenges the gifted child presents. The health professional can make a unique contribution in this area as well as being alert for the potential health problems the child may have.     

Books in brief

This investigation examines the use of the MPAA television advisory ratings in the decision‐making of parents of intellectually gifted children and explores the manner by which ratings information is incorporated into rules and regulations about television in the home. It comes on the heels of published reports suggesting the general inadequacy and counter productivity of the age‐based ratings. In comparison to parents of non‐gifted children, parents of gifted children were more likely to utilize TV ratings information in the mediation of their children's televiewing. They tended to employ a highly inductive (communication‐oriented) style of child rearing and a highly evaluative (discussion‐based) method of TV mediation, tended to believe that television can have significant positive and/or negative effects on children, and were more concerned with cognitive‐ and affective‐level effects. The possible ramifications of these findings with regard to the new content‐driven ratings campaign and forthcoming V‐chip technology are discussed.