GLOSSARY OF TERMS FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED
Ability – a student’s capacity or potential for intellectual reasoning and problem solving
Ability Grouping – the flexible regrouping of students based on individual instructional needs
Academic Challenge Honors Scholar Diploma - see Honors Scholar Diploma
Academic Letter - 3.6 overall grade point average in high school with additional requirements and awarding of letter dependent on
local high school
Acceleration – moving at a faster pace through academic content. Radical acceleration refers to skipping an entire grade level, e.g.,
a 2nd grade student may be permanently moved to 3rd grade. Subject acceleration refers to skipping the grade level in a
specific subject area, e.g., a 6th grade student may take 7th grade math. Acceleration also includes early entrance into
kindergarten, curriculum compacting, concurrent enrollment, advanced placement (college courses while in high school),
on-line/correspondence courses, and early entrance into middle/high school and college.
Achievement - evidence showing how a student’s learning of skills and knowledge related to specific courses and standards has
increased.
Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) – a formal, collaborative plan involving teachers, parents, and student who work together to keep the
student challenged and growing in his/her area(s) of strength. The ALP will focus on the child’s identified strength area(s)
and will include at least one academic goal for each area and additional goals concerning affective or social/emotional
needs. Includes information on how the child’s GT and classroom teachers will work together to encourage and challenge
the child’s unique talents at school. Parents will be asked to include a parent goal – one that can be worked on outside of
school to help the child develop his/her strengths.
Advanced Placement (AP) - College level courses for highly competent, highly motivated high school students. College credit may be
earned for qualifying scores on national tests. Classes vary at different high school locations.
Affective Needs – the social and emotional considerations of an individual
American College Test (ACT) - a national college admission examination that consists of subject area tests in English, mathematics,
reading, writing and science. It is typically taken in the junior or senior year, but people of all ages and grade levels are
eligible to take the ACT, including middle school students.
Aptitude - measurement of cognitive and scholastic skills with standardized tests
Assessment tools - instruments used to gather data on a student’s learning abilities
Asynchronous Growth - term developed by Dr. Linda Silverman, Gifted Development Center, to describe the characteristics of gifted
children. This indicates uneven development in emotional, physical and intellectual areas which may affect them with
feelings of being “different” and “out of sync.” For example, a five year-old child may be able to read at a 6th grade level
but still have difficulty tying his/her shoes.
Auditory-Sequential - the most common learning style (about 70%) among students. They are typically good listeners who do well
with step-by-step presentations, process what they hear quickly, and express themselves well orally. Because most schools
teach in an auditory-sequential style, these students usually do well in school.
Autonomous Learner Model (ALM) – promotes self-directed learning in gifted and talented students. The major goal of the model is
to facilitate the growth of students as independent, self-directed learners, with the development of skills, concepts and
positive attitudes within the cognitive, emotional a social domains.
Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain - hierarchy of human thinking which is written for educators to define
sequential, measurable learning behaviors. The hierarchy from low to high is: 1) remembering; 2) understanding; 3)
applying; 4) analyzing; 5) evaluating; and 6) creating.
Body of Evidence - collection of information about a student’s learning needs in areas, such as: intellectual ability, achievement,
behavior/characteristics, and demonstrated performance. This is used as a tool to identify students as gifted, talented,
and/or creative.
Brain Bowl - a competition for middle school students based on general knowledge that promotes teamwork and enthusiasm for
academics; provides a framework for students to expand their classroom learning by using analysis, application, knowledge,
and comprehension skills
Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented (CAGT) - a statewide advocacy group of educators and parents interested in promoting
understanding for gifted and talented children. CAGT publishes Kaleidoscope, an education and parent advocacy
newsletter which is published four times per year.
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) - a test often given by Gifted and Talented Specialists as a part of the identification process for
students. Test identifies verbal ability, non-verbal ability and quantitative (mathematical) ability. A composite score is
given if a child completes all three sections.
Cluster Grouping – the intentional placement of a group of similar ability students in an otherwise heterogeneous (mixed ability)
classroom for a particular learning activity.
Colorado’s Definition of Giftedness – Gifted children mean those persons between the ages of five and twenty-one whose abilities,
talents, and potential for accomplishment are so outstanding that they require special provisions to meet their educational
needs. Children under five who qualify may also be served. Gifted students are capable of high performance in any or a
combination of these areas:
a) general intellectual ability
b) specific academic aptitude
c) creative, productive thinking
d) leadership and human relations skills
e) visual and performing arts
Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) - a test designed to measure student achievement in relationship to the Colorado
Model Content Standards. These standards are expectations specifying what students should know at particular points in
their education. The CSAP is given in grades 3-10 for reading, writing, and math; additionally, grades 5, 8, and 10 take the
CSAP for science.
Colorado Virtual Academy (COVA) - an on-line learning opportunity affiliated with a Colorado public charter school which is currently
available for students in grades K – 11. It offers a curriculum based on the Core Knowledge sequence which is individualized
according to each child’s unique learning needs.
Common Core State Standards - is a rigorous set of standards for the English Language Arts and mathematics curriculum that has
been developed based on the best practices of schools and organizations around the country and the world.
Compacting – streamlining the regular curriculum to “buy time” for enrichment, accelerated content, and independent study.
Compacting usually involves pre-assessment of what students have already mastered. This differentiation strategy enables
gifted students to learn at a rapid pace, avoid unnecessary drill, explore complex questions, and engage in in-depth study.
Complex Tasks – providing multiple-step projects for advanced knowledge and skill acquisition
Conceptual Discussions – high level discussions of themes, conceptual, generalizations, issues, and problems, rather than review of
facts, terms, details
Concurrent Enrollment – a high school acceleration option in which students enroll for courses at different levels. For example, a
high school student can obtain high school credit and college credit by taking a college level computer class. The class may
be an option at the high school site or may be a course taken at a college site. This should be coordinated with the
student’s counselor to ensure transcript credit.
Cooperative Learning Groups- providing grouped activities for the purpose of developing peer interaction skills and cooperation;
may be like or mixed-ability groups.
Creative Problem Solving (CPS) – training in the 6-step Parnes process for identifying a problem, generating possible solutions,
selecting the “best” solution and implementing that solution; CPS is the basis for the Future Problem Solving Program.
Creative Skills Training – training and practice in various creative thinking skills, such as fluency, flexibility, elaboration, risk-taking,
SCAMPER, synectics, morphologies, analogies, and imagination
Creative Thinking Skills - encourages more creative thought patterns, which include: 1) fluency; 2) flexibility; 3) originality; and 4)
elaboration.
Critical Thinking Skills - higher order thinking skills (e.g. persuasion, analysis, reasoning, problems solving, and evaluation) that brings
logical order and meaning to ideas which helps in understanding complex problems.
Destination ImagiNation (DI) - a district-wide enrichment opportunity for students in grades K - 12 to encourage creative thinking
and problem-solving. Students are placed on teams and engage in long-term creative problem solving scenarios as well as
spontaneous problem solving. Annual DI competitions are held for regional, state, and world.
Developmental Reading Assessment 2 (DRA2) – assesses student reading performance with a literature-based reading program
incorporating both fiction and non-fiction; given to all students at the beginning of the year in kindergarten and at the end
of the year in kindergarten, first, second and third grades.
Differentiation - the modification of programming and instruction based on a student’s academic need and intellectual ability.
Content, process and product may be differentiated.
Dilemmas/Conflict Resolution Tasks – providing hypothetical and real ethical dilemmas and conflicts in behavior/intent for
discussion, solution, etc.
Double Masking Effect - phenomenon which may exist with twice-exceptional students in which the giftedness and the
exceptionality mask each other so that neither the giftedness nor the disability is immediately evident
Early Content Mastery – giving students access to knowledge, concepts in a content area considerably before expected grade or age
level expectations.
Early Entry to College Option - students attend community college or university before high school graduation earning dual credit for
courses selected. May occur because the public school district does not have the next course in the sequence available,
such as with math, or may occur due to student interest and need, such as musical instruction.
Enrichment – the enhancement of the curricular program with additional opportunities for learning.
Exceptional Children’s Education Act - Colorado law defining gifted and special education students, their exceptional abilities, and
their need for specialized instructional services to meet their learning needs.
Extra Learning Opportunity (ELO) - help to keep students engaged in their school and education by promoting additional academic
assistance and enrichment.
Flexible Grouping - see performance grouping
Flexible Project Deadlines – Occasional recognition of when projects or assignments will be due, especially when high quality work
has already been shown.
Flexible Project Details – Allowing students to structure their own projects and investigations according to their strengths and
interests.
Focus School - school drawing from various areas of a district to fill specific needs, e.g., for gifted and talented or arts/music
students. Focus schools at Truscott Elementary and Bill Reed Middle School for Core Knowledge; at Garfield Elementary,
Bill Reed Middle School, and Mountain View High School for the arts; at Berthoud High School for STEM; at Lucille Erwin
Middle School and Loveland High School for the International Baccalaureate Programme; at Big Thompson Elementary for
School of Nature and Science; and at BF Kitchen Elementary for health and wellness.
Future Problem Solving Program (FPSP) - national team competition to solve problems in a creative manner
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences - a theory developed from examining the qualitative differences in intelligence. Gardner
believes that there are several ways to show intelligence which cannot be measured by a single IQ test. They include:
linguistic (a sensitivity to words), logical-mathematical (an ability in math and complex logic), musical (an ability to create
and understand music), visual-spatial (ability to think in pictures), bodily-kinesthetic (an ability to use the body in a skilled
manner), interpersonal (the ability to understand others), intrapersonal (the ability to understand self), and naturalist (an
ability to connect to the natural world.)
Gifted and Talented Advisory Council (GTAC) - a council comprised of parents, teachers, administrators, and community members
who work to gather input and concerns regarding programming for gifted and talented and academic challenge. The
council helps with long-range planning, program evaluation, recommendations to the school board, and public information.
For information, contact the District Gifted and Talented Coordinator.
Gifted Characteristics - some common behaviors and traits associated with giftedness
include: a) superior ability to reason, generalize, and problem solve; b) persistent intellectual curiosity; c) wide range of
interests or interest(s) developed in depth; d) superior written work and/or large vocabulary; e) avid reader; f) ability to
learn quickly and remember what is learned; g) easy grasp of math and scientific concepts; h) creative ability and
imaginative expression in the arts; i) sustained concentration on topics of interest; j) keen observation skills; k) enjoys
intellectual challenge; l) alert and subtle sense of humor; m) exceptional leadership and social skills.
Heterogeneous Grouping – students are taught in mixed ability groups; the opposite of homogeneous grouping
Higher Thinking Skills – thinking skills based on the upper end of Bloom’s Taxonomy such as processing requiring analysis, synthesis,
evaluation or other critical thinking skills
Homogeneous Grouping – students are taught in similar ability groups; the opposite of heterogeneous grouping
Honor Diploma - high school students who fulfill specific requirements receive the designation of “High School Honors Scholar” on
diplomas and transcripts and are recognized during commencement ceremonies. Some requirements include completing
at least 27 credits, achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.7, fulfilling 30 hours of volunteer service and 30 hours of school
sponsored sports/activities.
House Bill 1244-07 - Created the mandated gifted education program in Colorado, in May 2006. Although previously many districts
chose to provide gifted education services, House Bill 1244-07 requires that each district provide gifted education services
under the following language: "Each administrative unit (meaning Thompson School District) shall adopt and implement a
program plan to identify and serve gifted children." The essential change in language moved the language of gifted
education programming from "may" to "shall."
Identification – the result of the formal process of testing, observing, and evaluating students to determine giftedness in Thompson
School District
Independent Study Projects – structured projects agreed upon by student and supervising teacher that allow a student to
individually investigate an area of high interest or to advance knowledge in that area
Individualized “Benchmark” Setting – working with an individual student to set longer-term performance goals through agreed upon
student product and performance
Interest Grouping – grouping students of like interest on a regular basis during the school day for pursuit of advanced knowledge in a
specific content area
International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) – a rigorous educational program which leads to a high school diploma. IB was
developed on an international level and is motivated by a mission to create a better world through education. Graduates,
after passing IB exams, are generally accepted at a sophomore level in most colleges and universities. The IB Programme is
currently available at Coyote Ridge Elementary (Primary Years Programme (PYP) - currently in applicant status), Lucille
Erwin Middle School (Middle Years Programme – currently in candidate status) and Loveland High School (Diploma
Programme and MYP).
Junior Great Books - an enriched reading program outside of school hours in which high ability students, grades 5 - 12, critique and
discuss ideas in advanced and/or classic books. Meetings are led by volunteers trained in the Socratic questioning
technique.
Knowledge Bowl – interdisciplinary academic contest in which high school teams compete in a series of written and oral rounds
Learning Contracts – student and teacher jointly develop a contract for accomplishment of learning goal(s), which both sign and
adhere to. Often involves a streamlining of regular class work.
Lego Robotics - a district-wide enrichment opportunity for students, grades 4 - 8, to engage in hands-on activities integrating math,
science, and technology through exciting robotic challenges. Interested teams can also compete in regional robotic
challenges which are usually held in November.
Math Counts - a national math enrichment, coaching & competition program that promotes middle school mathematics
achievement. State finalists may receive partial college scholarships.
Mentoring – establishment of a one-to-one relationship between student and outside-of-school expert in a specific topic area
Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) - is considered a culturally fair measure of school ability. Students rely on reasoning and
problem-solving skills, not on verbal, reading, or writing skills. The NNAT measures general ability through pattern
completion, reasoning by analogy, serial reasoning, and spatial visualization.
National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) - a non-profit organization of those who advocate for quality services for gifted
learners. http://nagc.org
Nonverbal Ability – also known as spatial ability which is an important measure in assessments, such as the CogAT or the Naglieri
Nonverbal Ability Test. These tests measure a student’s ability to reason and solve problems using pictures and relates to
Gardner’s visual-spatial intelligence.
On-Line Courses – classes available through Thompson Online, a TSD virtual school. Classes are taught by licensed Colorado
teachers. Students must apply through their school counselors and have access to a computer and the Internet. Courses
from all academic areas are available as well as some foreign languages and computer technology.
Open-Ended Assignments – providing students with the tasks and work that do not have a single, convergent outcome or answer.
The task may have timelines and a sequence of activities to be accomplished, but outcomes will vary with each student.
Perfectionism - seen in gifted people of all ages, and when channeled into the pursuit of excellence, can be positive as it encourages
risk taking, trying new things, and persisting despite failure. Perfectionism can be negative when students feel that they can
never fail, always need approval, and any failure no matter how slight means loss and disappointment.,
Performance Grouping - regrouping students in classes for specific subject instruction which is geared for faster pacing and
complexity according to current level of performance. Research indicates that performance grouping results in positive
achievement for all students by ensuring daily instruction in a subject at the appropriate level for the student. This is also
known as flexible grouping
Personal Goal Setting – teaching students to identify their personal goals and how to prioritize their time and activities to reach
those goals; can be used with ALP development.
Planning Techniques – training students in “backwards planning,” task analysis, flowcharting, etc., to breakdown projects and goals
into manageable sequences of time-related steps
Portfolio - a collection of student work, usually selected by the student, which provides information and can be used to garner
student attitudes and motivation. Educators may use the portfolio process to teach students to critique their work, help
with self-evaluation as well as document student abilities and talents. Portfolios can be useful in home-to-school
communication, show developmental gains, patterns of development and growth and student interest and strength areas.
Postsecondary Options - the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act offers students, grades 11 and 12, the opportunity to enroll in
postsecondary schools and colleges with the tuition being paid by the school district. Students may take a maximum of two
courses per academic term if the courses count toward high school graduation and students meet age and part time
enrollment requirements, all of which may vary according to districts.
Problem-Based Learning (PBL) - is student-centered instruction in which students learn about a subject through the experience of
problem solving. Students learn both thinking strategies and domain knowledge.
Pull-out Program – classes and activities that are held during the school day but outside the regular classroom
Resource Enrichment Center - located within the Thompson Gifted Education Office, a center which offers a variety of resources to
parents, students, and teachers on numerous subjects, such as: primary gifted; social emotional needs of gifted; enrichment
at school/home; twice-exceptional students; underachievement, students who have ADHD; etc. For information, contact
the District Gifted and Talented Parent Liaison.
Response to Intervention (RtI) model – RtI is a three-tiered approach that promotes a well-integrated system connecting general,
gifted, and special education in providing high quality, language-focused, standards-based instruction with intervention that
is matched to students’ academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs. Levels of intensity in programming allow for the
diversity of individual needs of students who are gifted and talented. Gifted and talented students require special
provisions because of their strengths and above grade instructional level or potential. In gifted education, strength-based
interventions or strength-based programming, are used to describe tiered instruction. Interventions used with gifted and
talented students must be high quality, research-based and proven to be effective for gifted and talented students. In
addition, data collected should be compared to other gifted and talented students and with expected growth patterns for
these students. The overarching purpose of Response to Intervention (RtI) implementation is to improve educational
outcomes for every student.
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) - college entrance examination which measures the critical thinking skills needed for academic success
in college; typically taken by high school juniors and seniors.
Shadows in the Arts (SITA) – Thompson School District enrichment opportunity that matches specially selected students in grades 5 12 with artists for a short period of shadowing experience. Elementary students spend a half day and secondary students
spend a full day with artists who teach them artistic creation techniques, how to work with specific media, and offer artistic
advice and support.
Spelling Bee - a Thompson School District enrichment opportunity for students in grades K- 5 and 6 - 8 to participate in a district
spelling bee, usually held in late January. Students qualify for the district bee by competing at their schools’ spelling bees
held at various times in late fall/early winter. Middle school students who place in the top six at the district bee then
advance to the state competition sponsored by the Denver Post which is usually held in March.
Talented - considered to be two grade levels above the norm in arts, music, creativity, other than academics; this term has been
used to describe academic strengths.
Twice-Exceptional Students - students who are both gifted and/or talented in one or more areas, including intellectual ability,
specific academic ability (such as reading, math, science, etc.), visual or performing arts, leadership, creativity, or
psychomotor ability, and who also have a learning, emotional, communication or physical disability. See also Double
Masking Effect.
Underachievement - a discrepancy between a student’s potential and actual school performance which may be attributed to
numerous causes. As academic excellence is not valued by many students, peer pressure may result in underachievement this is especially noticeable with gifted girls. Twice exceptional students usually struggle with school performance because
of their disabilities. Family issues, lack of challenging curriculum, negative teacher feedback, student self-efficacy and
cultural norms may also lead to underachievement.
Virtual High School - on-line fully accredited charter school in which students in Colorado can earn a high school diploma, take
additional courses, opt for more challenging courses, and select classes to flex with their schedules. Students can complete
coursework 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from any location with internet access. Enrollment deadlines and fees vary.
Visual Spatial - a learning style found in approximately 30% of learners. It is characterized by having excellent observation skills,
thinking in images, and seeing things as a whole. Visual spatial students may take a while to express themselves orally
because they have to translate their images and thoughts into words. Their thoughts and emotions are entwined. Their
different learning style often makes them feel out-of-sync in traditional classrooms. In general, visual spatial learners are
attracted to professions which include artists, scientists, mechanics, technologists, computer experts, mathematicians, and
those who understand human relationships.
Weighted Grades - changing the value of grades to help motivate students to take harder classes without decreasing their overall
grade point average; for example, the traditional four-point scale, in which an “A” equals four points becomes a five-point
scale in AP and/or IB courses, in which an “A” equals five points
Western Academic Talent Search (WATS) – an academic talent search program based on above-level testing and optimal match.
Since many bright young students achieve above grade level, the talent search may more accurately measure their abilities
than traditional in-grade achievement tests. The SAT, ACT, and EXPLORE tests provide a higher ceiling and valuable
assessment information for young academically talented students. Taking these tests also provides students with early
experience in taking college entrance-type tests.