Certification and specialized competencies for teachers in gifted education programs

This article describes the value of Piaget's equilibration theory for understanding characteristics of the young gifted child. Key elements of equilibration theory are discussed. Differences in the equilibration patterns in gifted children are described and application of equilibration to other than cognitive systems is considered. The article concludes with some ideas for teachers and parents to help gifted young children search for equilibrium.     

Teaching gifted children with learning difficulties in writing

Abstract

This study investigated the teaching of gifted children in a Montessori school, with particular reference to gifted students with learning difficulties in writing. Within an action research context, the teachers participated in professional development in the education of gifted children and were provided with ongoing curriculum and resources support. The teachers made modifications to their gifted students’ programs after this professional development. Positive outcomes in aspects of writing, such as punctuation, spelling, sentence control and text organisation, as well as improved social outcomes, were achieved by the gifted students with writing difficulties.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

The gifted migrant child: An introduction

This article discusses the need for educators of the gifted to work with educators of the migrant child in order to identify those students who are both migrant and gifted. The Federal definition of migrant, migrant streams, and typical factors that handicap the migrant student are explained. The Migrant Student Record Transfer System is described as a vehicle for nominating and identifying potentially gifted students.     

Cultural concepts of giftedness

Different cultures have different conceptions of what it means to be gifted. But in identifying children as gifted, we often use only our own conception, ignoring the cultural context in which the children grew up. Such identification is inadequate and fails to do justice to the richness of the world's cultures. It also misses children who are gifted and may identify as gifted children those who are not.     

Labels of giftedness and gender-typicality: Effects on adults' judgments of children's traits

The study examines the impressions adults form of children as a function of labels of giftedness and gender-typicality. Participants read about a child described as male/female, “gifted”/“average,” and gender-typical/gender-atypical in academic interests; they then responded on 30 adjective scales. Compared with children labeled “average,” children labeled “gifted” are seen as closer to odd than to fits in well. Gender-atypical boys were considered more odd and gender-atypical girls were rated less odd than were gender-typical children, regardless of giftedness. There was no additive negative effect of being both gifted and gender-atypical. Basically, participants described gifted and gender-atypical children differently; some overlap exists between adjectives used to describe these children (e.g., odd). Giftedness and gender-atypicality are related but separate concepts, each with many facets. The interrelationships and diversity of the two concepts must be assessed when individuals consider the impression that gifted or gender-atypical children make on others.     

Parent's views on education for the gifted

A survey was sent to parents of children enrolled in two public and three private school programs for the gifted to ascertain their educational philosophical positions and conceptions of giftedness. In general, the results showed that the parents preferred an eclectic, child‐centered instructional approach. Their conception of gifted intelligence was broad and complex, integrating many aspects of creativity, motivation, and mental power (IQ).     

Reducing anxiety in gifted children by inducing relaxation

Sixty-four parents of Chinese gifted children who reported themselves to be traditional or Westernized parents were compared on their endorsement of Chinese traditional and Western parenting values and beliefs as well as their parenting style dimensions in terms of dominating control, guan, and warmth. Regardless of their degrees of Westernization, these parents seemed to be more characterized by collectivistic than individualistic thinking approaches based on Nisbett's conceptualization. More Westernized parents valued nonconformity significantly more than conformity, whereas less-Westernized parents placed more emphasis on the importance of unconditional respect for elders and interdependence than on conditional respect and child independence. Regarding parenting styles and practices, though all parents endorsed the practice of warmth significantly more, followed by guan, and significantly less dominating control, there was suggestive evidence that less-Westernized parents practiced guan more than more-Westernized parents. Implications of the findings for parenting gifted children are discussed.     

Developing young children's multidigit number sense

Enrichment for mathematically gifted students in the elementary school needs to extend beyond puzzles or busywork and support the development of mathematical power through a differentiated curriculum. This article describes a series of enrichment experiences that were designed to develop young gifted children's understanding of large numbers, which was central to their investigation of space travel. Although large numbers are not traditionally included in the mathematics curriculum for young children, the children in this group responded enthusiastically to the enrichment experiences. These experiences provided the children with an opportunity to understand the large numbers they encountered in science resource material and to develop their mathematical power.     

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.     

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.     

Ain’t nobody got time for dad? Racial-ethnic disproportionalities in child welfare casework practice with nonresident fathers

BackgroundGiven fathers’ potential role in bringing about desired child welfare case outcomes, researchers have begun to identify factors that impact agency efforts to identify and involve fathers. Racial-ethnic inequality and bias are not among factors studied, despite longstanding evidence that racial-ethnic minority children make up a disproportionate share of the child welfare population.ObjectiveWe set out to identify racial-ethnic patterns in initial casework activity with nonresident fathers and explore whether select factors explain racial-ethnic differentials.Participants and SettingCaseworkers of 1,754 children in foster care in four U.S. states were surveyed.MethodsBivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with whether agencies identified, located, and contacted nonresident fathers.ResultsAgencies were less likely to identify nonresident fathers of Black, Latinx, and Multiracial children, relative to those of White children. Among fathers whom agencies identified, Black and Latinx fathers were less likely to be located. Among fathers whom agencies located, Black and Latinx fathers were less likely to be contacted. Whereas greater rates of international mobility among Latinx fathers explained agencies’ disproportionately low rates of contact, no other factor explained racial-ethnic differentials.ConclusionWe find evidence of historical racial-ethnic disproportionalities across the three initial stages of casework practice with nonresident fathers in U.S. child welfare systems. Though more recent data are needed, this research suggests that racial-ethnic minority foster children are more likely than White foster children to be denied the benefits of agency-father contact, whether due to societal or systemic racial inequalities.     

The discussion examination: Making assessment match instructional strategy

This article focuses on a personal classroom experience that led to the development of a discussion examination as a strategy for making assessment match classroom practice in a class for secondary verbally gifted students. The literature read in the courses and the levels of thought emphasized in class discussion inspired the author to use an assessment format that more closely mirrored what went on in the classroom experience. An example of the grid used to assess the process as well as a point system for evaluation are provided. Encouragement for the process and cautions for precision in using it are included.     

Competition and the adjustment of gifted children: A matter of motivation

Although there are several reasons to predict that intellectually gifted children have different attitudes toward, experiences with, and opportunities for competition, the research literature on this topic is extremely limited. In this article, we review the literature and discuss an important distinction between task‐oriented competitive behavior, which is motivated by a desire to improve performance, and other‐referenced competitive behavior, which is motivated primarily by a desire to outdo an opponent. The implications of these competitive styles with regard to the academic achievement and social adjustment of gifted youngsters is explored and some suggestions for educators and parents are provided.     

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.     

Fitting the school to the child: The mission of Leta Stetter Hollingworth,founder of gifted education

We are fond of stating that “what is valued and viewed as gifted in one culture may not be considered gifted in another culture.” This assertion appears in gifted education textbooks and in the writings of several scholars. However, beyond stating this assertion and providing a few examples to support it, scholars in gifted education, ourselves included, have not provided a substantive treatment of the concept of “culture” in their works. This void is addressed in this article where we share definitions and functions of culture, along with a theoretical model for understanding culture. The article ends with implications for gifted education.     

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.     

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.