The Weekly Update #4
February 11th, 2024
Springdale Gifted and Talented 101
What is Gifted and Talented Education?
According to the Arkansas Department of Education, "Gifted and Talented children and youth are those of high potential or ability, whose learning characteristics and educational needs require qualitatively differentiated educational experiences and/or services."
Gifted and Talented (GT) is a needs-based service designed to meet the educational profile of students who demonstrate exceptional abilities in one or more areas. These areas can include intellectual capacity, creativity, and specific academic fields.
Children who are identified for Gifted and Talented services are not "better" or "worse" than students in any way. Learners identified for Gifted Services have educational needs that we, as an institution, are committed to meeting, just as we are committed to meeting the needs of Special Education students, English Language Learners, and students with Dyslexia.
What Gifted and Talented Education is NOT
Gifted and Talented services are not a one-size-fits-all program or a club. Services are not designed to give an unfair advantage to certain students but rather to meet the unique needs of those who demonstrate exceptional abilities. They are not a measure of a child's worth or potential but a way to provide appropriate educational challenges. They are not meant to segregate gifted students from their peers but to allow them to learn at their own pace and depth. Lastly, these services are not a luxury but a necessity for gifted students to reach their full potential.
Can a Sudent Qualify for Special Education AND Be Gifted? YES!!!
Identifying a special education student as also being gifted, often referred to as "twice-exceptional" or "2e", can be a complex process. It involves looking beyond the student's disability to see their potential abilities. Some signs might include a high level of curiosity, an extensive vocabulary, a strong memory, or advanced problem-solving skills. However, these traits can sometimes be masked by the student's disability. Therefore, it's important to use a combination of assessments, including both formal and informal methods, and to consider input from teachers, parents, and the students themselves.
A Misunderstanding: Creative vs Artistic
"Creative" or "innovative" generally refers to the ability to generate new ideas, solutions, or concepts. This can apply to any field, not just the arts. For example, a person might be creative or innovative in their approach to solving mathematical problems, designing a business strategy, or inventing a new technology.
On the other hand, "artistic" specifically refers to skills and talents in the arts. This could include visual arts like painting and sculpture, performing arts like music and dance, or literary arts like poetry and fiction. An artistic person has a strong sense of aesthetics and often has the ability to express themselves through their chosen art form.
So while an artistic person is often creative, a creative person is not necessarily artistic. They might instead apply their creativity to other fields.
⭐What Characteristics Might You See?⭐
If a Student Doesn't Speak English Fluently, How Do I Know if They Are Gifted?
- Acquire the new language at a faster than typical rate,
- Demonstrate an ability to code switch or translate at an advanced level,
- Show aptitude for negotiating between cultures,
- Display inventive leadership and/or imaginative qualities,
- Read significantly beyond grade level in the heritage language,
- Effectively assume adult responsibilities at a young age,
- Exhibit notable street smarts and/or rapid integration into American culture, or
- Problem-solving in creative, nonconforming ways.
How Does GT Fit Into the PLC Model?
Gifted students' needs should not be addressed just during pull-out GT services. In order for gifted students to grow holistically, they must be exposed to differentiated, flexible, or ability grouping, problem-based or inquiry-based learning, tiered lessons, curriculum compacting, and/or content acceleration.
Tier 1: Universal Supports and Enrichment
A tier 1 setting includes instruction given to all students in the classroom. The majority of students' needs are met within this tier. Differentiation for GT students in the Tier I setting includes utilizing pre-assessment data, offering opportunities for independent study, modified instruction for depth and complexity, coaching on higher-order thinking, and mobilizing flexible grouping with access to advanced-level texts and concepts. Enrichment may also be given to all students through a GT facilitator, classroom teacher, music class, PE class, art class, and language acquisition.
Tier 2: Targeted Acceleration and Extension
A tier 2 setting includes additional academic supports designed to help high-achieving students extend their learning goals when they have achieved their learning goals in the tier 1 setting and require further opportunity to accelerate and/or extend their learning. Tier 2 supports may be provided by qualified staff, including group and/or individualized work that entails increased intensity and rigor in essential standards and/or nice-to-know standards.
Tier 3: Pull Out Services/Push In Intensive Acceleration
In some cases, a student will require tier 3 interventions. This level of intervention involves significant changes to student learning experiences and is addressed on a case-by-case basis aligned with student academic, executive function skills, and behavioral needs. These services are based on comprehensive testing and trend data showing the need for this kind of programming.
Gifted facilitators are available in every elementary and middle school setting to support gifted education by assisting teams in using appropriate DOK levels in assessments, planning for enrichment and extensions, and vertical discussions to frequently monitor rigor.
Gifted Underachievers:
There is a phenomenon known as gifted underachieving students. Most often, these students are economically disadvantaged or minority students. Studies suggest that 10%–20% of gifted students are classified as academic underachievement. Some characteristics of the gifted underachiever are low self-esteem, low self-concept, low self-efficacy, self-alienation or withdrawal, distrust, or pessimistic.
Gifted underachievement often stems from emotional causes, such as pressure to conform, fear of failure, and imposter syndrome.
Here are four key interventions shown to be highly effective in addressing underachievement and catering to the needs of gifted students.
- Knowing the students and their needs.
- Providing daily challenges through a differentiated curriculum.
- Creating safe environments, a sense of belonging, and a culturally responsive curriculum and space.
- Supporting socio-affective needs.
What is Asynchronous Development in Gifted Children?
"Gifted children develop in an uneven manner, ... they are more complex and intense than their agemates, ... they feel out-of-sync with age peers and 'age appropriate curriculum,' ... the internal and external discrepancies increase with IQ, and ... these differences make them extremely vulnerable.”
Example: Researching Greek Mythology and then fighting over who gets to sit in the front seat.
Gifted Education in Springdale
2,198 3rd-12th Grade Gifted and Talented Students
21 Gifted Facilitators
Springdale K-12 Gifted and Talented Services
Every Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade (face-to-face and virtual) student receives weekly G/T enrichment lessons
3rd-7th grade identified students (face-to-face and virtual) receive at least 150 weekly minutes of G/T resource class
8th-12th grade identified students (face-to-face and virtual) are served through these options:
Honor’s Challenge Math Class
Advanced Classes
Accelerated Classes
IB/AP/Concurrent Classes
Advanced Placement (AP) provides opportunities to participate in college-level courses in high school and earn college credit(s).
Springdale administered 2,202 AP Exams (1469 students) in 2022-2023 (An increase of 246 exams from the prior year!)
141 students received a score of 5
320 students received a score of 4
529 students received a score of 3
54% of total exams received a score of 3 or better