I am neither especially clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious.
-Albert Einstein
Gifted Girls:It Comes Naturally
What makes students gifted?
Students who are gifted have the ability to significantly perform way beyond their age. They may be artistically or intellectually gifted. A child may be physically gifted or gifted in some area of social and emotional development. To be gifted one must be way beyond the average. (Gross, n.d.)
The Education QLD Framework for Gifted Education (n.d.) states that ‘Students who are gifted excel, or are capable of excelling, in one or more areas such as general intelligence, specific academic studies, visual and performing arts, physical ability, creative thinking, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. Giftedness in a student is commonly characterised by an advanced pace of learning, quality of thinking or capability for remarkably high standards of performance compared to students of the same age.’ The Framework also discusses that students who are gifted can also be at risk of disengaging and underachieving from learning if they aren’t identified appropriately.
The Education QLD Framework for Gifted Education (n.d.) states that ‘Students who are gifted excel, or are capable of excelling, in one or more areas such as general intelligence, specific academic studies, visual and performing arts, physical ability, creative thinking, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills. Giftedness in a student is commonly characterised by an advanced pace of learning, quality of thinking or capability for remarkably high standards of performance compared to students of the same age.’ The Framework also discusses that students who are gifted can also be at risk of disengaging and underachieving from learning if they aren’t identified appropriately.
Gifted or Talented?
Gagne F (2003) believes that giftedness equates with high ability whilst talents equates with high achievements. He defines talent as achievement or performance a high level way above his/her age level.
Giftedness can turn into talent if the correct teaching and learning has taken place. Students who are gifted, and are never given the opportunity to turns these gifts into talents are severely disadvantaged. As teachers, it is imperative that these gifted students are provided with the opportunities and scaffolding to allow their giftedness to be realised, and their talents recognised.
Gagne F (2003) model below shows the importance of this theory.
Giftedness can turn into talent if the correct teaching and learning has taken place. Students who are gifted, and are never given the opportunity to turns these gifts into talents are severely disadvantaged. As teachers, it is imperative that these gifted students are provided with the opportunities and scaffolding to allow their giftedness to be realised, and their talents recognised.
Gagne F (2003) model below shows the importance of this theory.
Giftedness
Studying Beetles sourced from Flickr images under creative commons licence
Special Needs
According to Ashman and Elkins (2008) is diagnosis of giftedness can also imply special learning needs. This doesn't mean the child has a disability, it simply means that the child's learning needs are to be recognised by the learning support department. If necessary a special IEP( Individual Education Plan) will be put in place to ensure the child's learning is extended and to include their areas of giftedness.
