WHAT IS GIFTED?
Students, children who show evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellect, creativity, artistic ability, leadership capacity, or in specific fields of study, and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by schools in order to fully develop these capabilities.
(Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act of 1988 (Title IV-H.R. 5)
WHAT IS TALENTED?
Students, children who show evidence of outstanding mastery of systematically developed abilities (or skills) and knowledge in at least one field of human activity, to a degree that places the individual amongst the top 10 percent of his/her peers who are or have been active in that field or fields.
(The (Gagne, 2005, p. 99))
Source: Gagne, F. (2005). From Gifts to talents: The DMGT as a developmental model.
R.J. Sternberg & J.E. Davidson (Eds).
Conception of Giftedness (2nd ed.) (pp.98-119).New York: Cambridge University Press.
PROBLEM
Gifted students in regular schools are at risk because their emotional, academic, and physical needs are not met, thus putting them in danger of underachieving or dropping out.
Many gifted students, especially highly gifted, have asynchronous development in their intellectual, emotional, and physical development that require differentiation in learning.
Misconception and misdiagnoses of giftedness as disorders such as ADHD, Autism, Bipolar, ODD, OCD, LD prevent gifted students from achieving their optimum capacities.
COMMON CHARACTERISTIC
- Unusual alertness, even in infancy
Rapid learner; puts thoughts together quickly
Excellent memory
Unusually large vocabulary and complex sentence structure
Advanced comprehension of word nuances, metaphors, and abstract ideas
Enjoys solving problems, especially with numbers and puzzles
Often self-taught reading and writing skills as preschooler
Deep, intense feelings and reactions
Highly sensitive
Thinking is abstract, complex, logical, and insightful
Idealism and sense of justice at early ages
Concerned with social and political issues and injustices
Longer attention span and intense concentration
Preoccupied with own thoughts—daydreamer
Learn basic skills quickly and with little practice
Asks probing questions
Wide range of interests (or extreme focus in one area)
Highly developed curiosity
Interested in experimenting and doing things differently
Puts idea or things together that are not typical
Keen and/or unusual sense of humor
Desire to organize people/things through games or complex schemas
Vivid imaginations (and imaginary playmates when in preschool)