Working Together to Meet the Needs of

Gifted & Talented Children

Discuss at Your Table: What are some methods you use to meet the needs of your gifted students?

Myth: All children are gifted.

Myth

All children are gifted.

Truth

All children are special, valuable, unique, & important.

Gifted children think & learn differently from their peers.

Definition of Gifted & Talented Children

Potential or Achievement in One or More of the Following:

General intellectual ability

Special ability aptitude

Visual or performing arts

Creative thinking

Leadership

“Those identified as possessing outstanding abilities who are capable of high performance. Gifted and talented children are children who require appropriate instruction and educational services commensurate with their abilities and needs beyond those provided by the regular school program.”

Myth: Gifted children are independent learners, and can develop to their potential with little support.

Myth Gifted students can be successful on

their own.

Truth Gifted children need learning

experiences that are challenging and according to their interests, abilities, and intelligence in order to develop their gifts and talents.

“The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT) found that many gifted elementary school students already know between 40 and 50% of the material to be covered in the class” (Common Gifted Education Myths, NAGC).

Myth: All gifted students are teacher pleasers and high-achievers.

Myth All gifted students are teacher

pleasers and high-achievers.

Truth

Gifted students can be high achievers, but they can also be the class clown.

Some gifted students underachieve because they do not want to stand out from their peers or because they have not been sufficiently challenged.

Twice-exceptional students are gifted students with a disability. The disability often masks their giftedness.

Myth: ELP is a privilege, not a right.

Myth ELP is a privilege,

not a right.

Truth These children have unique learning

needs that differ from their peers. ELP is one way to meet the needs of children who require instruction that has greater depth, breadth, and a quicker pace.

Myth: Gifted Students Make Everyone Else in the Class Smarter Myth

Gifted students make everyone else in the class smarter by their example.

Truth Average or below-

average students generally are not as motivated by their gifted classmates.

They are more motivated by watching classmates with similar abilities succeed because they feel they are just as able to succeed themselves.

High Achiever

Remembers the answers

Is interested

Is attentive

Generates advanced ideas

Answers questions in detail

Performs at the top of the group

Gifted Learner

Poses unforeseen questions

Is curious

Is selectively mentally engaged

Generates complex, abstract ideas

Ponders with depth and multiple perspectives

Is beyond the group

Creative Thinker

Sees exceptions

Wonders

Daydreams, may seem off-task

Overflows with ideas, many will never be developed

Injects new possibilities

Is in own group

General Characteristics: High Achiever, Gifted Learner, and Creative Thinker

Taken from http://www.bertiekingore.com/high-gt-create.htm

High Achiever Gifted Learner Creative Thinker

Needs 6 to 8 repetitions to master

Grasps the meaning

Completes assignments on time

Enjoys school often

Memorizes well

Needs 1 to 3 repetitions to master

Infers and connects concepts

Initiates projects and extensions of assignments *

Enjoys self-directed learning

Guesses and infers well

Questions the need for mastery (selectively)

Makes mental leaps: Aha!

Initiates more projects than will ever be completed

Enjoys creating

Creates and brainstorms well

General Characteristics: High Achiever, Gifted Learner, and Creative Thinker

Taken from http://www.bertiekingore.com/high-gt-create.htm

Characteristics of Advanced Learners Showing Potential or Achievement in One or More of the Following:

General Intellectual Ability

Very well informed about a specific topic of interest

Outstanding ability to solve problems or understand cause-effect relationships

Extraordinary memory

Specific Ability Aptitude:

Passionate about a particular topic

Puts exceptional effort into projects

Characteristics of Advanced Learners Showing Potential or Achievement in One or More of the Following:

Creativity Resists control and tests limits

Works on many projects at once, full of ideas

Asks unique questions

Leadership Relates well to others,

motivational

Able to see different perspectives

Good listener, respectful of others

Visual/Performing Arts Exceptional and unusual abilities

in performing, creativity, music, dance, or expressing feelings

Gifted Learners in Diverse or Low-SES Populations

Effectively communicates with words or symbols

Wants to understand how or why things work

Functions successfully in ones community

Artistic or creative talent

Desire to understand their culture

Strong Leadership capability Self-confident

May be more proficient at math than verbal tasks

Look for: Contradictions such as:

Extensive vocabulary yet struggles with spelling

Strong verbal communication skills yet illegible handwriting or resistance to written communication

Sophisticated sense of humor yet trouble fitting in with classmates

Low self esteem, resulting in

Underachievement, lack of motivation

Frustration, disruptive behavior

General Characteristics of Twice-Exceptional Students (Gifted students who have a disability)

General Characteristics of Twice-Exceptional Students (Gifted students who have a disability)

* energetic

* curious & questioning

* above-average reasoning & problem-solving * has a consuming interest

* highly sensitive to criticism

* disorganized, difficulty following directions

* easily frustrated, fear of failure

* difficulty expressing themselves

* creative in compensating for a disability

* auditory/visual processing challenges

resulting in slow responses or work

* memory problems

* distractible

General Characteristics of Twice-Exceptional Students (Gifted students who have a disability)

Possible Reasons Gifted Children May Not Be Identified

They do not want to stand out. Peer pressure to conform.

Lack of opportunity to demonstrate specific talent.

Past experiences that contributed to developing a habit of underachieving.

Identification of Talented & Gifted Students Kindergarten–2nd Grades

Teacher observation

District’s testing results

Student work examples to show specific abilities and talents

The ELP teacher can come into the classroom to teach KOI (Kingore Observation Inventory), lessons, then collaborate with the classroom teacher to identify students who demonstrate talent.

Identification of Talented & Gifted Students 3rd-5th Grades

• Teacher observation • District’s testing results (such as ITBS & Cognitive Abilities Test)

• Demonstrated classroom achievement • Recommendations by classroom teacher, ELP specialist, & parents

Discuss at Your Table: Think of Your Gifted & Talented Students Which Characteristics Do They Display?

• Curious

• High intellectual ability

• Special ability aptitude

• Leadership

• Self-critical

• Questions authority

• Unconventional

• High expectations & perfectionist

•Visual & Performing Arts

•Creativity

•Intense

•Sophisticated sense of humor

•Beyond the group

•Class clown

•Frustrated

"It is estimated that 20 to 25% of gifted children have social and emotional difficulties, about twice as many as in the general population of students."

(Common Gifted Education Myths, NAGC)

Emotional Needs

Compliment their effort frequently

rather than performance.

Opportunities to interact with other advanced learners and mentors.

Model risk-taking and emphasize that real

learning sometimes takes hard work and willingness

to try new challenges.

Affirmation Encouragement to Take Risks

Emotional Needs of Creative Learners

Opportunities to Use

Creativity

•Daydream •Imagine •Brainstorm •Discuss with other creative learners

Acceptance for who they are

•Curiosity •Unique quirks

Open-Ended Learning

Experiences •Tasks, questions, problems, and projects with many potential solutions

Emotional Needs of Twice-Exceptional Learners

•Counseling to improve self-concept

•Supportive adults in their lives •Opportunities to use their strengths

Discuss at Your Table: What is a practical step you can take to

support your students’ social or emotional needs this week?

• Affirmation, especially regarding their effort

• Opportunities to work with mentors or peers

with similar interests/abilities

• Acceptance for who they are

•Get more resources to learn about their needs

•Opportunities to use strengths (creativity, open-

ended experiences)

•Encouragement in risk-taking

ELP Services

Collaboration Teacher-ELP resource

teacher collaboration to develop challenging,

differentiated activities within the classroom

Talent Development Small group instruction for

some students who demonstrate talents or

special aptitudes

Expanded Learning Program for a few students identified as gifted learners

ELP Services ELP Pull-Out

for a few students who have identified as gifted learners

Thinking Skills Communication

Characteristics of Giftedness in Self & Others

Research Skills

Leadership

ELP Services Talent Development

Small group instruction for some students who demonstrate talents or special aptitudes

Teacher-Requested

Talent Development

Primary Education Thinking Skills: critical, creative, evaluative, visual

thinking skills

Junior Great Books

ELP Services Collaboration

•Developing differentiated instruction

•Identifying specific student needs

•Locating additional resources

•The ELP fund will pay for substitutes to provide time to collaborate during the school day.

Questions?

Full-Time Needs

Out of all the gifted and talented program designs, the pull-out program on its own is the least beneficial.

Gifted and talented students have full-time needs, therefore one to two hours per week is insufficient to meet their needs.

Yet ELP pull-out groups are useful for developing talents, extending the curriculum, and fostering a sense of belonging.

Providing both differentiated instruction in the regular classroom and specialized ELP services is one way to meet the full-time needs of students who flourish with opportunities for greater challenge, depth, and a quicker pace than what is needed by their classmates.

Interventions

Tier 3: Intensive Intervention for Exceptionally Gifted Students

Up to 8% of students need intensive intervention

Subject acceleration, whole grade skipping, early entrance to school, curriculum compacting, mentorship, extracurricular programs for talent development

Tier 2: Interventions for Gifted Students

5-10% of students need supplemental targeted intervention:

Classroom teachers and ELP teacher collaborate; enrichment groups in areas of strength, needs, or interest; additional challenges like differentiated lessons or units, tiered centers,

assignments, or products; independent study

Tier 1: Differentiation for All Students

80-90% of students have needs that are met through differentiating core classroom instruction

Interest centers, menu choices on assignments, choice books, flexible learning groups

Tier 1 – Differentiation for All Students Key Principle:

High-ability students need the opportunity to move through curriculum at their own pace. They grow the most when they engage in content that is deeper, more abstract, and more complex.

The best strategies to meet these needs are pre-assessment, differentiation, and higher-level thinking opportunities.

Differentiated Instruction Strategies Need to Progress at Own Pace

Flexible Grouping & Opportunities to Work Alone

Grouping based on:

Interest

Readiness

Learning style

When gifted children are placed in mixed-ability groups, they may spend more time tutoring classmates than engaging in learning tasks that stretch and challenge them. They may come to dislike group work.

Other students in these groups may rely too heavily on their gifted classmates, resulting in less effort and learning themselves.

New leaders often arise in other cooperative learning groups, and many teachers have reported that achievement improves for the entire class.

Differentiated Instruction Strategies Need for Choice

Opportunities to choose their own product (e.g. diorama, book, poster, PowerPoint) to demonstrate their understanding

Extensions such as Think-Tac-Toes, interest centers, independent studies

RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)

Open-ended assignments don’t have a single correct answer or outcome.

Anchor Activities

Anchor Activities Anchor activities are challenging, interest-driven or curriculum-related learning tasks students may work on when they complete

their classroom tasks. Examples: Puzzles Learning packets Interest centers Vocabulary work Listening stations Writing or solving riddles Resident expert research Logic puzzles Word puzzles Vocabulary research Research a famous person Current events Educational websites

Ways to Manage Anchor Activities:

Points

Rubric

Checklist

On task behavior (contract)

Portfolio

Teacher/Student Conference

Random Check

Differentiated Instruction Strategies Need for Varying Depth,

Complexity, or Abstraction

Higher-order thinking skills Provide activities or

questions that challenge students to analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and use critical or creative thinking.

Tiered assignments vary the depth, complexity, or abstraction of student tasks.

Open-ended assignments

Problem-based learning

Books & instructional materials at different levels

Tier 2 – Interventions for Gifted Students

Differentiated Instruction strategies used in core classroom instruction

Curriculum compacting

ELP pull-out groups with advanced differentiation

Differentiated Instruction Strategies Need to Opt Out of Content Already Mastered

Pre-assess students at the beginning of units to identify the content the students have already mastered.

Compact the curriculum so students only participate in learning new information or skills. Provide more advanced content, independent studies, or tiered assignments. You can let all of your students

know these options are available to them if they demonstrate mastery and choose to participate.

Contracts ensure that students need to meet your expectations to continue independent work.

According to research, compacting has a .83 effect size (Response to Intervention & Gifted & Talented Education by Denise Juneau).

A Few Tips For Pre-Assessments Don’t require all students to take them as they may

discourage students who struggle with the content.

Explain to students that this arrangement is fair because they all have the same opportunity to pre-test and they all deserve a chance to learn new information every day.

While some of your students take the pre-assessment, give the other students the time to work on alternate activities such as Think-Tac-Toes. Make these activities available to all students when they demonstrate an understanding of content.

Students who pass the pre-assessment (score 85% or higher) may opt out of the unit altogether, or they may join the class for instruction of the concepts they have yet to master.

Students Need Teacher Encouragement to Take Advantage of Advanced Learning Opportunities

They may not want to try more challenging work for fear they will fail or they will be shown to be less smart than they thought.

Gifted students sometimes associate “smartness” with learning coming easily. On the contrary, a better indicator of intelligence is willingness to try challenging work and perseverance when it takes hard work to succeed.

An opportunity to work with a partner or group may greatly contribute to motivation, a feeling of belonging, and a willingness to risk standing out.

Tier 3 – Intensive Intervention for Exceptionally Gifted Students

Some Intervention Options

Subject acceleration or whole grade skipping

Early entrance to school

Curriculum compacting

Mentorship

Extracurricular programs for talent development such as Camp Invention, ALEKS, Future Problem Solving

Which strategy would your team like to try this week?

Pre-assessments

Curriculum Compacting

Tiered assignments

Independent studies

RAFT

Open-ended questions

Flexible grouping

Choices such as Think-Tac-Toes, Interest Centers, or Anchor Activities

Higher level thinking questions and tasks

Questions?

Works Cited Berger, S. & Winebrenner, S. (1994). Providing Curriculum Alternatives to Motivate Gifted Students [Online]. Available:

http://www.kidsource.com/education/motivate.gifted.html

Clark, B. (2008). Growing Up Gifted. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Devlin, B. & Winebrenner, S. Cluster Grouping of Gifted Students: How to Provide Full-Time Services On a Part-Time Budget [Online]. Available: http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/cluster_grouping.html

Fisher, T. (2008, July 21). Unwrapping the Gifted: GT Is Not… [Online]. Available: http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/unwrapping_the_gifted/2008/07/that_mythological_place_of_is.html

Johnson, D. (2000). Teaching Mathematics to Gifted Students in a Mixed-Ability Classroom [Online]. Available: http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=2502&CAT=none&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm

Juneau, D. (2009) Response to Intervention and Gifted and Talented Education [Online]. Available: http://opi.mt.gov/pub/RTI/Resources/RTI_Gifted_Talented.pdf

Kingore, B. (2005). Voice from the Field: Recognizing and Nurturing Gifted Potential [Online]. Available: http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=2502&CAT=none&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm http://www.bertiekingore.com/voice.htm

Levande, D. (1999). Gifted Readers and Reading Instruction [Online]. Available: http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/levande.htm

Lockwood, A. (2007). An Agenda for the Future: Closing the Achievement Gap for Underrepresented Groups in Gifted and Talented Education [Online]. Available: http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/nrcgt/reports/lockwood/lockwood.pdf

Manning, S. (2006). Recognizing Gifted Students: A Practical Guide for Teachers. Kappa Delta Pi Record [Online]. Available: http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=47_0LLPFMf8%3D&tabid=4278

Silverman, L. (2011). Characteristicsof Giftedness [Online]. Denver, CO: Gifted Development Center. Available: http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/What_is_Gifted/characgt.htm

Slocumb, P. & Payne, R. (2000). Identifying and Nurturing the Gifted Poor [Online]. Available: http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=656

Tomlinson, C. (1997). Meeting the Needs of Gifted Learners in the Regular Classroom: Vision or Delusion? [Online]. Available: http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=658

Winebrenner, S. (1997). Teaching Gifted Kids in Today’s Regular Classroom [Online]. Available: http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=660

Winebrenner, S. (2001). Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.

Further Resources National Association for Gifted Children: Resources for Educators.

This site includes lesson plans and interesting websites for all grade levels and subjects, current research, & more. Available: http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=652

Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page – A website with an incredible amount of resources, articles, information, and websites about/for gifted students. Available: http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/gifted_101.htm

Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted – Includes articles and advice on caring for the social and emotional needs of gifted people. Available: http://www.sengifted.org/articles_index.shtml

Cunningham ELP Website – This includes excellent educational sites for kids, this PowerPoint, and the Socio-Emotional Needs Brochure. Available: http://www.cunninghamelp.wordpress.com