This document discusses understanding giftedness and identifying gifted students. It begins by outlining the goals of understanding unique gifted behaviors, providing resources for talent development, and identifying students using a 6-step strategy. It then provides examples of matching personality descriptions with famous individuals. The rest of the document discusses defining giftedness, characteristics of gifted individuals such as asynchronous development and underachievement, looking for advanced abilities, and differentiating gifted learners from high achievers. It aims to help understand giftedness in context and identify gifted students.

1. Understanding the World of Academically & Intellectually Gifted Angela Housand, Ph.D. housanda@uncw.edu Chicago Public Schools 2010

2. http://angelahousand.com

3. AND

4. Understand the unique behaviors that characterize giftedness Specific resources and examples for your use and adaptation An easy to follow 6-step strategy for identifying students for talent development Why This Session?

6. This person was told by an editor that she could never write anything that had popular appeal.

7. P Louisa May Alcott was told by an editor that she would never write anything popular. Little Women is considered one of the the best American children’s books of the past 200 years.

8. This person had a stormy and emotionally traumatic childhood. She was considered an odd-ball by many of her playmates. Even her family provided her with very little encouragement and support. For many years she lived in fantasy as the mistress of her alcoholic father’s household.

9. Eleanor Roosevelt

10. You must do the thing you think you cannot do. -Eleanor Roosevelt

11. This person was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read: He was considered dull by both his parents and his teachers.

12. Albert Einstein Above average intelligence (Cox, 1926; Reis, 1995; Walberg et. al., 1981; Walberg & Paik, 2005) Image: http://streams.gandhiserve.org/images/einstein.jpg

13. P This man was fired by a newspaper editor because he didn’t have enough good ideas.

14. P Walt Disney This man was fired by a newspaper editor because he didn’t have enough good ideas.

15. As a child this person was hyperactive, had a speech defect, was prone to constant colds, had poor peer relationships, and frequently failed in school. It took him three years to complete the first grade. His father soon decided the boy needed more discipline and suggested military school. Before being admitted, however, he failed the entrance examination three times. A teacher once called him the naughtiest small boy in England.

16. WinstonChurchill Superior capacity for communication Well-rounded Broad interests (Reis, 1995, 1998, 2005; Van-Tassel Baska 1989; Walberg et. al., 1981; Walberg & Paik, 2005) Image: http://worldroots.com/brigitte/gifs/churchill.jpg

17. Definition There is no universally accepted definition for gifted, talented, or giftedness

18. Article 14A. Sec 10. The General Assembly finds the following: (1) that gifted and talented children (i) exhibit high performance capabilities in intellectual, creative, and artistic areas, (ii) possess an exceptional leadership potential, (iii) excel in specific academic fields, and (iv) have the potential to be influential in business, government, health care, the arts, and other critical sectors of our economic and cultural environment; (2) that gifted and talented children require services and activities that are not ordinarily provided by schools; and (3) that outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor. (Source: P.A. 94-151, eff. 7-8-05; 94-410, eff. 8-2-05.)

19. Article 14A. Sec 20. “Gifted and talented children” means children and youth with outstanding talent who perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with other children and youth of their age, experience, and environment. A child shall be considered gifted and talented in any area of aptitude, and, specifically, in language arts and mathematics, by scoring in the top 5% locally in that area of aptitude. (Source: P.A. 94-151, eff. 7-8-05; 94-410, eff. 8-2-05.)

20. Giftedness in Context

21. Why discuss giftedness in context? No Universal Definition of Giftedness NC State Board of Education alignment of program delivery with student identification Student Success

24. What gifted program services does your school offer?

25. 3 Ring Conception of Giftedness

27. Characteristic of EminentAdults Ability to focus for long periods of time (Reis, 1995, 1998, 2005; Renzulli, 1978, 1986; Sternberg & Lubart 1993; Van-Tassel Baska 1989; Walberg et. al. 1981; Walberg & Paik, 2005) Image: http://mediatheek.thinkquest.nl/~ll160/contents/inventors/gordongould.htm

29. Characteristic of Eminent Adults Above Average Ability (Cox, 1926; Reis, 1995; Walberg et. al., 1981; Walberg & Paik, 2005) Image: http://streams.gandhiserve.org/images/einstein.jpg

30. Characteristic of Eminent Adults Motivated (Reis, 1995; Walberg et. al. 1981; Walberg & Paik, 2005)

31. Characteristics: Seeing Unusual alertness Joy in learning Keen observation Sees “Big Picture” Makes connections Intense focus Curious

32. Characteristics: Speed Early and rapid learning Rapid language development Metacognitively efficient

33. Superior ≠

34. Superior =

35. Characteristics: Differences Superior language Verbal fluency Large vocabulary Superior analytical and reasoning ability High-capacity memory Goes beyond what is sought Abstract, complex, and insightful thinking

36. Characteristics

37. Characteristics Behaviors

38. Gifted Artist Talented Mathematician Use “defining” terms as adjectives: Talented Musician Gifted Writer

39. T I C U C A P Gifted Behaviors NOT Gifted People!

40. School House Giftedness Creative Giftedness

41. Teacher Pleaser Evil Genius

42. Creatively Gifted Independent High energy Curious Sense of humor Open-minded Need for privacy and alone time

43. Characteristic ofEminent Adults Creative Imaginative Innovative A Sense of Destiny

44. Creatively Gifted Aware of their own creativeness Originality in thought and action Attracted to complexity and novelty Artistic tendencies Willing to take risks Perceptive

45. And the not so good… Impulsive Egotistical Argumentative Rebellious Uncooperative Stubborn Childish Absentminded Neurotic Temperamental Capricious Careless Disorganized Demanding Indifferent to Conventions

46. Characteristics: Negative Uneven mental development Interpersonal difficulties Underachievement

47. Asynchronous Development Uneven intellectual, physical, and emotional development.

48. Asynchronous Development Cognitively understand advanced concepts (like mortality) but lack emotional maturity to cope with knowledge Perceived as older due to cognitive ability, but lack behavioral maturity

49. Underachievers: Personality Low self-esteem or Low self-efficacy Feelings of Pessimism Anxious, impulsive, or inattentive Aggressive, hostile Depressed Socially immature

50. Internal Mediators Fear of failure Fear of success Negative attitude toward school Antisocial, rebellious Self-critical or perfectionistic

51. Maladaptive Strategies Lack goal-directed behavior Poor coping skills Poor self-regulation Defense mechanisms

53. Intense outside interests

55. Twice-Exceptional Gifted with Learning Disability May also demonstrate Learned helplessness Perfectionism Supersensitivity Low self-esteem Behaviors may hamper identification

56. Look For: Advanced vocabulary use Exceptional analytic abilities High levels of creativity Advanced problem-solving skills Divergent thinking Specific aptitude Good memory Spatial abilities

57. Under-Identified Populations African-American Latino / Latina Hispanic Native American

58. What differentiates gifted learners from high achievers?

59. Bright Knows the Answers Asks the Questions Gifted

60. Bright Is Attentive Is Intellectually Engaged Gifted

61. Bright Has Good Ideas Has Original Ideas Gifted

62. Bright Absorbs Information Manipulates Information Gifted

63. Bright Top Student Beyond Her Age Peers Gifted

64. Bright Repeats 6-8 Times for Mastery Repeats 1-2 Times for Mastery Gifted

65. Bright Understands Ideas Constructs Abstractions Gifted

66. Bright Grasps the Meaning Draws Inferences Gifted

67. Bright Is a Technician Is an Inventor Gifted

68. Thank You!