Gifted and Talented
By Victoria Starace
Definition
Gifted and talented is a term used to describe children that have outstanding abilities which surpass those of their normal peers.
These children are capable of high performance and outstanding achievement in many areas (academic, intellectual, cognitive, leadership, visual/performing arts, & psychomotor abilities).
- National Association for Gifted Children- “Gifted individuals are those who demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude (defined as an exceptional ability to reason and learn) or competence in one or more domains. Domains include any structured area of activity with its own symbol system and/or set of sensorimotor skills).”
- Maryland- “In this subtitle, "gifted and talented student" means an elementary or secondary student who isidentified by professionally qualified individuals as:(1) Having outstanding talent and performing, or showing the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with other students of a similar age, experience, or environment; (2) Exhibiting high performance capability in intellectual, creative, or artistic areas; (3) Possessing an unusual leadership capacity; or (4) Excelling in specific academic fields”
Prevalence
In the United States:
3.2 million students currently identified as gifted or talented in elementary and secondary schools
National Average: 6.7%
Maryland: 16.1%Characteristics: Intellectual/Academic
Intellectual/ Academic
reason abstractly
able to solve difficult problems
learn quickly
show intellectual curiosity
have exceptional memory
generalize learning
have strong verbal skills
motivated by academic tasks
can focus/ concentrate on a topic for long periods of time
Characteristics: Social/Emotional
criticizes self
empathizes
exhibits individualism
demonstrates leadership abilities
high sensitivity to others and self
nonconforming
experience stress from failure
have strength of character
take risks
different modes of expression
How This Can Affect Learning
- Teachers are not always capable of accommodating these students- Students that are not properly challenged can grow uninterested, lazy, and will not achieve as much as they can.
Accomodation
- Mentoring (one specific type)- Sometimes teachers are unable to offer a student as much information on an interest topic as they may want. Mentors can be professionals in the community who are experts in the student's field of interest. Through this form of mentoring, the student can further explore the area.
- Independent Projects- Gifted students can do a project on a topic that they have not already mastered and further research it. This allows the student to go deeper into a topic than they normally would in their classroom. They are able to make new discoveries on their own and further their interest in a topic while still being challenged.
- Distance Learning- A gifted child can be pulled out of their classroom during the day and taken to a different school that is able to provide the programs they need. If a school does not have a strong science department, the gifted child can go to another school to increase their learning and be challenged. Distance learning can also be replaced today by online learning. This allows the student to take a course online.
How To Help Gifted Students at Home
Pressure- While parents want their children to achieve all that they possibly can, they should not put too much pressure on them. This can lead to anxiety, frustration, aggression and depression. Give children their space to learn on their own!
Encourage them- Parents need to teach their children that school is not everything. If a gifted student is upset over a grade, parents need to show them that their value is not based off of their knowledge alone.
- Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted is an organization that wants to help ensure that gifted children are understood, accepted, nurtured, and supported by their families and schools.