What is “gifted”?
- Gifted students/people can also be referred to as “high ability”
- There is no single accurate definition of giftedness, but there are many definitions that we can use to better understand and identify these individuals
- Giftedness is a dynamic characteristic, and presents itself in many different ways, which often change throughout a student’s development
- According to the National Association of Gifted Children, “gifted individuals are those who demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude (defined as exceptional ability to reason and learn) or competence (documented performance or achievement in top 10% or rarer) in one or more domains.” See article: http://www.nagc.org/sites/default/files/Position%20Statement/Redefining%20Giftedness%20for%20a%20New%20Century.pdf
- Contrary to the views of many, gifted is not simply a measure of intelligence, nor should it be treated as such. The potential of gifted or high ability students frequently does not match their demonstrated achievement. Additionally, asynchronous development is common amongst these students, in which their socio-emotional abilities or physical abilities often develop more slowly than cognitive ability.
Why is this important?
- Approximately six to ten percent of students (three to five million students) in the United States are gifted.
- Just like underperforming students, gifted students often need extra support. Sometimes, this can be accomplished through accelerated programs, but gifted students typically cannot be satisfied by a single way of learning. Often, they are in need of a greater depth of learning from a multitude of sources, styles, and methods.
- Some districts do not have gifted programs or extra support for these students (example: New Rochelle does not have any gifted programs after elementary school level)
- Importance of teachers/awareness
The Twice-Exceptional Student
- Twice-exceptional identification in the classroom:
- Seems to be at average or below average level
- Occasionally disruptive or off-task
- Thinks conceptually
- Good problem-solvers
- May be disorganized or slow to process
- Inconsistent work
- May be slower in social development
How to Identify a Gifted Student in the classroom?
- Common characteristics include
- Extremely talented in a specific category (artistic, mathematic, musically, etc.)
- High-level reading skills
