Verified Document

Giftedness: Literature Review Giftedness The Term Paper

"One is gifted if one has a high level of this ability or if one has a high level of that ability, and so forth" (Borland, 1997, p. 14). In essence," Disjunctive definitions imply that there are different and distinct forms of giftedness and lead to the logical conclusion that programs must be multifaceted to address these various kinds of giftedness adequately" (Borland, 1997, p. 14). In the view of some educationists (Borland, 1997) this stance has some practical problems with regard to the development of curricula and identification issues; it is obviously more difficult to identify gifted children across a wide range of different types of intelligence, each with different criteria of giftedness. Conjunctive theories and perceptions of giftedness are more integraive and holistic in design. An example is the theory posited by Joseph Renzulli (1986) was discussed above. In this view,

All three of these qualities must be present to constitute creative-productive (as opposed to "school-house") giftedness, so a single profile, composed of multiple traits, emerges. This convergence makes identification and curriculum development much simpler than it is when disjunctive conceptions are used (Borland,1997, p. 14).

Another conjunctive view of giftedness is Sternberg's (1988) theory of giftedness. This is a "triarchic "theory, which is composed of"...three subtheories, a contextual subtheory, an experiential subtheory, and a componential subtheory. Each of these theoretical components presents an essential aspect of human intelligence. Sternberg suggest that "... we view intelligence theories in terms of the metaphors on which they are based: geographic, computational, biological, epistemological, anthropological, sociological, and systems" (Plucker J. 2001). This is in contrast to the more conventional approach suggested by Gardner and others who attempt "...to classify these theories based on their dominant perspective: psychometric, developmental, biological, cognitive..." (Plucker J. 2001). It is also suggested that the theory put forward by Sternberg, while theoretically challenging, is becoming more popular among educationists.

A the Triarchic Theory of Intelligence which has received...less attention from educators primarily due to its complexity, is well-known and may be gaining momentum..." (Plucker J. 2001).

An interesting book that aids in the understanding of the plethora of theories on giftedness and which provides a global perspective on giftedness is Talent in context: Historical and social perspectives on giftedness, by Friedman and Rogers (1998). The book deals with five central themes: namely the interaction between social and historical forces in the understanding and development of talent; the identification of talent from an interdisciplinary perspective; the expression of talent from multiple contexts; the influence of significant others on high-level production and talent; and the idea expertise of as a prototype within the conceptualization of giftedness and talent..." (Kendrick, 2001, p. 243)

In particular the third section of the book dealing with Conceptualizing and Reconceptualizing Giftedness should be noted. This section, identifies three perspectives in the development of gifts and talents from childhood, through maturity, and ending in adulthood; summarizes and integrates the nine views of expertise and relates each to giftedness; and provides a historical approach to the idea of talent development by debunking myths and providing models for its continued use (Kendrick, 2001, p. 243).

Qualities and attributes of the gifted child work which has value in the debate about giftedness is Barbara Clark's informative book, Growing up Gifted (1988) This work provides an extensive listing the various characteristics and attributes commonly associated with the gifted individual. The book also states that while no one individual will have all the attributes of giftedness it is important for the parent to be fully cognizant of these various attributes in order to recognize them in their child. These characteristics or attributes include intellect (thinking), affective (feeling), as well as physical, Intuitive, and societal aspects (Clark, 1988).

There is an increasing emphasis on the importance of the recognition of qualities and attributes of giftedness, especially in the younger child. In a report to Congress, Commissioner of Education Sydney P. Marland (1972) stated that "...the most neglected minority in American education was that group of youngsters identified as gifted "(Colangelo and Dettmann, 1983). This implies that the parents of gifted children may face the problematic situation of a child in an educational environment which does not provide adequately for the needs of the gifted. Another factor which complicates the issue is that there are no guidelines as to the effectiveness and appropriateness of special "gifted programs." This places the focus on the difficult decision that parents of gifted children may have to make.

In virtually every program for gifted children in the country, parents make the decision of letting a son or...

Further, educators are still debating the merits of special classes for those who are gifted. Considerable disagreement remains on the issue of whether special programs help gifted youngsters or if they actually cause harm to peer relationships. In the face of this confusion, parents are asked to make decisions (Colangelo and Dettmann, 1983).
In general the following are usually considered as central categories in identifying characteristics of giftedness.

A general intellectual ability specific academic aptitude creative or productive thinking leadership ability visual or performing arts psychomotor ability

Giftedness and the Gifted: What's it All About?)

Research indicates that using a broad range of parameters to identify giftedness, a school system "...could expect to identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented. "(Horn, 1999, p. 2) Statistics on the number of gifted students vary from area to area. For example, figures from Texas for 2005/2006 indicate that there were 342,353 gifted pupils identified (Texas). In Oregon there were according to a survey only 39,182 Students identified as gifted in 2005. (Oregon) Another research survey in Illinois produced the following table.

Source (http://www.isbe.state.il.us/research/pdfs/gifted_1998.pdf.)

There are also many States that do not have any figures for the past few years.

In dealing with statistics it must also be borne in mind that these statistics are dependent on various theoretical perspectives as well as the problematics of identifying giftedness and the concomitant assessment issues.

Common indicators of giftedness include the following aspects.

The early development of a good vocabulary, including the correct use of big words in their proper context.

Being able to concentrate on a single activity for longer periods of time than other children of the same age do.

Developing an early interest in time - clocks, calendars and the concepts of yesterday and tomorrow.

Learning to read, write and count and the names of colors at earlier ages than other children.

Loving to organize people and things and creating imaginary playmates.

Having a precocious interest in music and drawing (Horn, 1999, p. 2)

The attributes of giftedness are therefore guidelines to the identification of the gifted child. Identification is a problematic and often contentious area of the literature. The following is a brief overview of the dominant attributes and qualities associated with giftedness in a general context.

Genera intellectual ability is seen as one of the central facets in identifying giftedness. This is usually determined in terms of high intelligence test scores. This is commonly ascertained by two standard deviations above the mean both on individual or group measures. (Giftedness and the Gifted: What's it All About?) in most cases a general perception of this attribute it is often ascertained by means of close observation of the child by parents and teachers. "Parents and teachers often recognize students with general intellectual talent by their wide-ranging fund of general information and high levels of vocabulary, memory, abstract word knowledge, and abstract reasoning." (Giftedness and the Gifted: What's it All About?)

The literature has found gifted children usually show advanced cognitive skills from the very early years of development (Damiani 1997). A central defining characteristic of giftedness is that these children "...acquire developmental skills at least one-third earlier than their age mates." (Porter, 2005, p. 5) However, Porter (2005) and many others realize that this is not a fixed criterion and some students "... will acquire their first milestones at the same age as average learners, but thereafter will progress more quickly than usual and achieve each subsequent milestone sooner " (Porter, 2005, p. 5). There are obviously many factors that have to be taken into account and the literature is replete with views about the importance of environmental and other factors in the nurturing of gifted intelligence. Children who are gifted or show an exceptional aptitude in specific academic areas are usually identified through their academic performances and achievements.

As has been mentioned, the subject of intelligence and MI or "Multiple Intelligences" is dealt with by Gardner and others. Gardner's view of multiple intelligences has added another layer to the problematics and complexity of identifying and assessing giftedness. Howard Gardner is a Harvard psychologist whose MI theory has shaped modern discourse on intelligence. In a 1983 publication entitled Frames of Mind he posited the existence of seven different types of intelligence. These include: linguistic; logical-mathematical; spatial; interpersonal; intrapersonal; musical; and bodily-kinesthetic. Each individual has these types. However one type of intelligence may be more dominant than another. One of the critiques of conventional views of intelligence that this…

Sources used in this document:
References

http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=96242801

Borland, J.H. (1997). The Construct of Giftedness. PJE. Peabody Journal of Education, 72(3-4), 6-20. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=96242801

Clark, B. (1988). GROWING UP GIFTED (3rd ed.). Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill.

Colangelo N. Dettmann F. (1983) a review of research on parents and families of gifted children. The Council for Exceptional Children, 50(1), pp. 20-27. Retrieved April 6, 2007, at http://www.geniusdenied.com/articles/Record.aspx?NavID=13_0&rid=11455 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000393271
Cooper, C.R. (1995, April). INTEGRATING Gifted Education into the Total School Curriculum. School Administrator, 52, 9. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000393271
Educational Psychology. Retrieved April 7, 2007, at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2602/is_0002/ai_2602000219/pg_2
Giftedness and the Gifted: What's it All About? Retrieved April 6, 2006, at http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/giftedness_and_gifted.html http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001788356
Horn, W.F. (1999, May 18). Recognize and Nurture Child's Gifted Abilities. The Washington Times, p. 2. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001788356
Individual Differences. Retrieved April 7, 2007, at (http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:2tI7PBWqiUIJ:people.ucsc.edu/~tedw/Publications_files/2002_Old%2520and%2520New%2520Models.pdf+Sternberg,+R.,+%27+Wagner,+R.+(1982).+a+revolutionary+look+at+intelligence&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=za http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001036657
Kendrick, C. (2001). Talent in Context: Historical and Social Perspectives on Giftedness. Roeper Review, 23(4), 243. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001036657
Learning Styles Reflections on Your Child's Giftedness. (2004, April 18). Manila Bulletin, p. NA. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5008101617
Li, R. (1996). A Theory of Conceptual Intelligence: Thinking, Learning, Creativity, and Giftedness. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=15255635
Marland, S. (1972). EDUCATION of the GIFTED and TALENTED. REPORT to CONGRESS. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=10758717
Margolin, L. (1994). Goodness Personified: The Emergence of Gifted Children. New York: Aldine De Gruyter. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=10758717
Neihart, M. (1999). The Impact of Giftedness on Psychological Well-Being: What Does the Empirical Literature Say?. Roeper Review, 22(1), 10. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001829699
Oregon. Retrieved April 7, 2007, at http://www.gt-cybersource.org/StatePolicyDetails.aspx?StateCode=10038&NavID=4_0
Plucker J. (2001) Intelligence Theory and Gifted Education. Retrieved April 7, 2007, at http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/gifted.shtml http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=108839651
Porter, L. (2005). Gifted Young Children: A Guide for Teachers and Parents. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=108839653
Renzulli's Enrichment Triad. Retrieved April 7, 2007, at http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/Gifttal/provision/provtris.htm
Renzulli, J, Sand, J and Reis SS (1986). Systems and models for developing programs for the gifted and talented. JS Renzulli (Ed). Mansfield Centre, Connecticut: Creative Learning Press. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002584991
Sandel, M.J. (2004, April). The Case against Perfection: What's Wrong with Designer Children, Bionic Athletes, and Genetic Engineering. The Atlantic Monthly, 293, 50+. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002584991
Texas. Retrieved April 7, 2007, at http://www.gt- cybersource.org/StatePolicyDetails.aspx?StateCode=10044&NavID=4_0
http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001871316
Zeidner, M., & Schleyer, E.J. (1999). The Effects of Educational Context on Individual Difference Variables, Self-Perceptions of Giftedness and School Attitudes in Gifted Adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 28(6), 687. Retrieved April 7, 2007, from Questia database: http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5001871316
A graphic display of various data related to giftedness is available at http://www.gt-cybersource.org/StatePolicy.aspx?NavID=4_0
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Giftedness Is an Intellectual Ability
Words: 651 Length: 2 Document Type: Article Review

Previous research shows that giftedness shows up in all populations, but the fact is that well over three-quarters of the American teaching force are of European descent. A study by Elhoweris, Mutua, Alsheikh and Holloway (2005), used stratified cluster sampling to ascertain just that question. The sample was drawn from 16 elementary schools from three distinct geographical quadrants of a large Midwestern city school district. The sample included 207 elementary

Developing the Review of the Literature
Words: 1678 Length: 5 Document Type: Dissertation or Thesis complete

gifted middle school students and the efficacy of the instruction provided by their teachers is entitled A synthesis of research on psychological types of gifted adolescents, which was written by Ugur Sak. One of the particular benefits of this article was the many recommendations directly related to instruction of gifted students which was offered based upon the findings of the studies conducted, which were synthesized results of 14 studies

MA or Phd Level Is Designed to
Words: 1054 Length: 3 Document Type: Dissertation

MA or PHD level is designed to develop and new argument on a particular subject. Within the overall presentation, a literature review is a section in which previously published information in a particular subject area, time period, or focus level, is discussed. Rather than a summation of sources, a literature review should have an organizational pattern that combines both summary and analysis -- summary to recap the information from

Second Language Learning Motivations of
Words: 9074 Length: 24 Document Type: Research Proposal

The acculturation model developed by Schumann (1978) consists of a taxonomy of variables that were developed based on the concept that both social (group) and affective (individual) variables are the primary causative variables as shown in Table __ below. In this regard, the term "acculturation" is used to refer to the learner's positive identification with, and hence social and psychological integration with, the target language group. For instance, Schumann

Response to Intervention RTI
Words: 6803 Length: 16 Document Type: Term Paper

RTI Response to Intervention Response to Intervention (RTI) Over the past decade, rapid changes have occurred in general educational practice to increase the focus on early identification of and intervention for students considered at risk. The aptly named response-to-intervention (RTI) model of service delivery is generally described as a multi-tiered model whereby students receive interventions of increasing intensity, with movement from one level to another based on demonstrated performance and rate of progress

Framework of Implementing the Z. Mathematical Model to a Sixth Grade...
Words: 18348 Length: 67 Document Type: Thesis

Nature of the ProblemPurpose of the ProjectBackground and Significance of the Problem Brain Development Specific Activities to engage students Data-Driven Instruction Community Component of Education Research QuestionsDefinition of TermsMethodology and Procedures Discussion & ImplicationsConclusions & Application ntroduction The goal of present-day educational reformers is to produce students with "higher-order skills" who are able to think independently about the unfamiliar problems they will encounter in the information age, who have become "problem solvers" and have "learned how to learn,

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now