Learners with Special
Gifts and Talents
Presentation by: Casey Loshe
Katherine Pea
Abby Schwendeman
Myths and Misconceptions
• People who are gifted are in a sense “superhuman.”
• People with special gifts or talents tend to be
mentally unstable and somehow “weird.”
• People who have special gifts do EVERYTHING well.
Definition
There is no clear and equally agreed on
definition of “gifted and talented.”
Other Terms to Know
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Precocity
Insight
Genius
Creativity
Talent
Giftedness
3 Types of Giftedness
• Analytic giftedness
• Synthetic giftedness
• Practical giftedness
Prevalence
• 3-5% of the United States school age children
could be considered “gifted and talented.”
• These are very rough estimates.
Causes and Origins
– Genetic and
biological factors
– Social factors
Identification
 IQ
 Standardized Test
 Teacher Nomination
 Parent Nomination
 Peer Nomination
 Self Nomination
 Evaluation of students works
or performances
Psychological and
Behavioral Characteristics
• Far ahead of age group in specific areas of
performance
• Learn to read easily or before starting school
• Can be advanced in one area but not in
another
• Can become bored if not challenged
Negligence of Special Gifts
and Talents
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Underachievers
Low in Socioeconomic Status
Cultural and Ethnic Minority Groups
Students with Disabilities
Females
Underachievers…
• Negative attitudes toward school
• Shouldn’t be expected to be constantly
producing something remarkable
Low Socioeconomic Status…
• Lack of basic needs and opportunities can
mask intelligence
• Not have learning resources available at
home
Cultural and Ethnic
Minority Groups…
• Asians are over
represented while
Hispanics and African
Americans are under
represented
– Decimated against or
lack of resources
Students with Disabilities…
• Students with physical
characteristics associated
with mental retardation
–
Ex. Cerebral Palsy
• Hearing impaired
overlooked because of lack
of communication
• Boys with LD because they
have similar behavioral
problems
Females…
• Largest neglected group
• Chemistry, physics,
medicine, and dentistry –
dominated by males and
decimate against women
• Women have been
portrayed as housewives,
mothers, and “weaker”
sisters needing male
assistance
Early Intervention
• Problems defining and
identifying
• Lack of parental advocacy
• Lack of teacher training
• Financial constraints
• Laws preventing early
admission to school
• Policies against advancing
students to higher grade
levels
Cultural Values
• Other cultures see the
exceptionality as divine or
an inherited gift
• America’s “ambivalence”
• Allocating resources for
children who already have
an educational advantage
Educational Considerations
• No federal requirement for special education of
gifted and talented students
• Students with this exceptionality need three
things:
1. A curriculum designed for the student’s cognitive skills
2. Instruction that is consistent with the learning styles
of extraordinary students in the specific area(s) of the
curriculum
3. Arrangements aiding the appropriate grouping of
similar students for instruction
Educational
Considerations Cont’d.
• Enrichment- Additional learning experiences
provided for a student while remaining in the grade
level appropriate to age
• Acceleration- Placing students with talents ahead
of their age-appropriate grade level
• Students at all ages and grade levels are entitled to
challenging and appropriate instruction if they are
to develop their talents fully
Teaching Strategies
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Create independent project activities
Create academic competitions at school
Plan “enrichment” activities
Do not be an “expert” be a “facilitator”
Create learning centers in the classroom so students can work at
their own pace
• Incorporate multiple intelligences (linguistic, visual, bodily,
musical, etc.)
The Downsides to Being
Gifted and Talented
• Pressure from parents and
friends
• Mean labels and being
“different”
• Hard to become wellrounded
• Internal struggles of own
desires and expectations for
oneself
References
• Hallahan, D. P. and Kauffman, J. M. (2006).
Exceptional Learners: An Introduction to
Special Education 10th Ed. Boston: Pearson.
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