Information AboutGifted |
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Intellectual giftedness is an intellectual ability significantly higher than average. Gifted children develop asynchronously; their minds are often ahead of their physical growth, and specific cognitive and emotional functions often are at different stages of development within a single person. Gifted individuals form a heterogeneous group. Because gifted children are intellectually ahead of most of their age peers in at least one major subject area, they frequently require Gifted Education programs to reach their potential and avoid boredom. Gifted individuals experience the world differently and more intensely, resulting in unique social and emotional issues. The concept of giftedness has historically been rife with controversy, some even denying that this group exists. IDENTIFYING GIFTEDNESS Overview of Gifted Child Identification Identification of giftedness is an important issue for schools, as the Instruction Of Gifted Students often presents Special Challenges . During the 20th Century , gifted children were often classified by the use of IQ tests, but recent developments in theories of intelligence have raised serious questions about the appropriate uses and limits of such testing. The fact remains that there are children who are academically beyond their peers and may be unable to fulfill their academic potential within the standard schooling system. Many Schools in North America and Europe have attempted to identify these students and offer additional or specialized education for them in the hope of nurturing their talents. Definitions of Giftedness In Identifying Gifted Children: A Practical Guide, Susan K. Johnsen (2004) explains that gifted children all exhibit the potential for high performance in the areas included in the United States federal definition of gifted and talented students:
This definition has been adopted in part or completely by the majority of the states in the United States. Most have some definition similar to that used in the State of Texas, whose definition states:
The major characteristics of these definitions are (a) the diversity of areas in which performance may be exhibited (e.g., intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership, academic), (b) the comparison with other groups (e.g., those in general education classrooms or of the same age, experience, or environment), and (c) the use of terms that imply a need for development of the gift (e.g., capability and potential). Identification Methods Johnsen (2004) explains that many schools use a variety of measures of students capability and potential when identifying gifted children. These may include portfolios of student work, classroom observations, achievement measures, and Intelligence scores. Most educational professionals accept that no single measure can be used in isolation to accurately identify a gifted child. |
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