A developmental model for identifying and serving young gifted children

Recent literature on the nature of intelligence, young children's learning, affective characteristics of the gifted, and the needs of diverse learners has implications for identifications and instruction of young gifted children. A Developmental Model is proposed that integrates this knowledge with the Developmental Curriculum approach supported by The National Report on Identification #opRichert, Alvino, & McDonnel, 1982#cp. The model serves as both an approach to identification and appropriate practice for preschool and primary-age gifted children. Suggestions are offered for implementation.     

Moving beyond conflict and confusion in literacy instruction

This paper focuses on four areas related to serving young gifted children: 1#cp the status of gifted education for the young, 2#cp rationale for early identification and programming, 3#cp barriers that inhibit our identifying and programming for young children, and 4#cp examples of exemplary gifted programs. The article concludes that a great deal more needs to be done for young gifted children.     

A structure for affective education for young gifted children

Providing affective education for young gifted children is an issue that has been much debated in the literature. Controversy centers around the nature of affective education, the effectiveness of the approach used and characteristics and needs of the gifted child that may make affective education uniquely beneficial to this group. The purpose of this article is to provide a selected review of the literature related to these issues and to suggest an organizational structure for designing affective education programs in the schools.     

Challenging the early reader

This article focuses on the young gifted reader. The dominant characteristics of the young gifted reader are presented, as well as the unique needs of this child. Activities and experiences are overviewed which may enhance the early reader's intellectual growth and development.     

Why Some Parent Education Programs for Parents of Gifted Children Succeed and Others Do Not?

The effectiveness of parent education programs for parents of gifted children varies. There are many interactive variables that influence this effectiveness. The variables can be grouped into four categories: content relevancy, teaching techniques, teacher characteristics, and practical consideration. Parent education program planning should carefully address each of the variables to improve the program effectiveness. The article includes specific suggestions to improve the effectiveness of parent education programs for parents of gifted children.     

Gifted preschoolers within the classroom

This paper analyzes the importance of preschool gifted programs. It is emphasized that gifted programs for preschoolers must include well trained and well paid professionals. Activities useful for stimulating the growth and development of preschool gifted children are presented.     

The effects of labeling children gifted: A review of the literature

This paper overviews the negative and positive effects on children being labeled gifted. The research suggests that most children view being labeled gifted in positive fashion. Future areas for research on the effects of labeling children gifted are presented.     

Treasures of children: Collections then and now or Treasures of children revisited

This paper reports on a comparative study of children's collections and reflects on the role of collections in nurturing talents and interests of children. In 1900, eminent psychologist, G. Stanley Hall and his colleagues surveyed childrens' collections in selected schools in California. Recently, the author and her graduate students embarked on a similar investigation of present-day childrens' collections. Results indicate that nine and ten continue to be the ages when children make the largest number of collections. Also, fewer items are collected today that relate to nature. Results are discussed in relation to curriculum for the gifted.     

An exploration of gifted programs

This article presents findings on an exploration of gifted programs in the state of Missouri. Over 60 percent of the state supported public school gifted programs participated in the study. The study concludes that the guidelines for gifted education in Missouri create extreme variability in the standards of the programs. Strong national policy for gifted education is needed to insure gifted children are properly served and protected by law.     

Young gifted children: Identification, programming, and socio-psychological issues

This paper is the introduction to the special issue. The core themes of the volume are presented — these are identification of the gifted, research on gifted children and programs, programming for young gifted children, and the socio-psychological implications of giftedness.     

A practical system for identifying gifted and talented students

This article presents the three-ring conception of giftedness. A detailed process is presented illustrating how students can be effectively screened for gifted and talented programs through the three-ring conception approach.     

Supporting gifted students' acquisition of relevant knowledge for solving math problems

Studies conducted in cognitive laboratories as well as in other settings suggest ways to facilitate people's abilities to use relevant knowledge in problem-solving and decision making. Such activities help students understand the nature of the problems that various concepts and procedures were designed to solve, and hence enable them to understand the functional significance of new information. This study presented gifted 4th grade students with “real life” problem-solving content, via videodisc technology, and then asked them to make valid suggestions about how to solve problems posed. Results illustrated that when children are instructed in problem-solving strategies and then presented story information, they are more successful in solving posed problems than children who did not receive training.     

Gifted ness as a limited episteme: A postmodern exposition

In this paper, a postmodern exposition of giftedness is offered. Given this critique, giftedness cannot be viewed to be a natural condition, but is the product of a specific language game. The use of this designation, therefore may not be helpful to identify promising students. In fact, a child may be easily symbolically violated a consequence of coming to be classified as gifted. This outcome is exactly opposite of what might be expected. After all, coming to be known as gifted is supposed to assist students to develop their full potential.     

Behind the walls of poverty: Economically disadvantaged gifted and talented children

Almost fifty percent of our most able youth do not develop to their fullest potential. The lower socio-economic groups represent the greatest areas of wasted talent. Due to the stigma of poverty, the economically disadvantaged child is under represented in gifted and talented programs. Children reared in poverty not only face a challenge when entering the educational system but create a challenge for educators as well. The economically disadvantaged student can no longer be ignored or dismissed as uneducable.

Social workers can bring to the educational system the means through which to intervene in society's subculture of the economically disadvantaged. They can serve as catalysts in bridging the gap between the educational system, the community and individual families. Educators should call upon the social workers to work in concert to address the problems of identifying and educating the economically disadvantaged gifted and talented child.     

Promotion of very Able Children of Preschool Age

The reform ideas in kindergarten education in Germany more than twenty years ago did not change the insufficient recognition and promotion of gifted children in pre-school age substantially. The stronger consideration of socialising environments though improved the equality of chances for children from disadvantaging socio-economic and -cultural backgrounds. The cognitive and behavioural characteristics of gifted pre-school children mean remarkable challenges for their parents and educators. A more-dimensional, holistic, child- and action-oriented educational-psychological approach for the work with gifted children in pre-school age is proposed.     

Dialogic teaching: developing thinking and metacognition through philosophical discussion

This paper explores the important relationship between dialogue and cognitive and metacognitive development in young children. The characteristics of dialogue are identified and a case is presented for involving young children in talking to think through philosophical discussion. The paper provides a theoretical context for kinds of metacognitive development that it defines as 'me-cognition'. It draws on classroom research, including the Philosophy in Primary Schools research project, to describe how the theory and practice of dialogue can be used to develop cognition and 'me-cognition' in young children. It concludes that dialogic enquiry is a primary thinking skill from which other skills follow, that Philosophy for Children approaches provide effective methods for dialogic teaching that can support and develop children's capacities for cognition and metacognition.     

The concurrent and predictive validity of a new screening test for young gifted children

There is a paucity of screening tests specifically designed to identify young gifted children. Due to this lack, a new screening test was developed and piloted in Rockford, Illinois and New York City. It considers two levels of thinking production #opconvergent and divergent#cp and four pathways of input and output #opvisual-motor; auditory-motor; visual-verbal; auditory-verbal#cp. There are explicit directions for administration and specific two and three dimensional materials which make the tasks gamelike. Given on an individual basis, the test takes approximately one half hour. Findings from the study in Rockford are presented and implications for future research are discussed.     

Victims and Perpetrators, Racism and Young People in Northern Ireland

This paper looks at the relationship between racist harassment and children and young people in Northern Ireland. It reviews the evidence from police records of cases where children and young people have been subjected to and victimised by such harassment, abuse and violence, and uses the same data to reveal the role of young people as perpetrators of racist harassment--both to young people and also towards adults from the minority ethnic communities. The material is drawn from a larger study on racist, homophobic and sectarian harassment, funded by the Office of Minister and Deputy First Minister, but this paper focuses on 152 of the 881 cases reported to the police between 1996 and 2001 in which children and young people were the victims of some form of violence or abuse. Worryingly, the research reveals that young people report a higher proportion of cases involving physical abuse than adults. The paper also looks at the prominent role that young people play in the racist harassment of members of minority ethnic communities. The police data suggest that young people are involved in more than 50% of cases reported to them. Having provided a basic analysis of the issues, the paper also reviews the main policy responses in relation to racism and children and young people, primarily through the education system, and concludes by offering some suggestions as to what is needed to develop an effective strategy to respond to this emergent problem for the immediate future.     

Developmental characteristics of gifted children aged 0–6 years: parental observations

The objective of this study was to examine the different development characteristics of gifted children during the preschool period in comparison with normal developing children according to family observation. For this purpose, face-to-face interviews were carried out with the parents of 112 children identified as gifted and data regarding the differences of these children in comparison with their peer groups of 0–2, 2–4, 4–6 age intervals were acquired via semi-structured questionnaire form. The data were analysed according to content analysis rules. The data obtained as a result of this analysis were interpreted and classified with an inductive approach. It was determined as a result of the study that gifted children display different characteristics in cognitive, linguistic, affective and psychomotor skills in comparison with other children at dimensions which can be recognized by the families.     

The development of specialist skills in the assessment, investigation and treatment of children and young people with disabilities who may have experienced abuse

This article outlines a study which took place in South & East Belfast in relation to work with children and young people with disabilities. It examines the incidence of abuse among these children and looks at the response from the professional network and concludes that there needs to be greater recognition of the phenomenon of abuse of disabled children, an increased level of co-operation between child protection and other specialists working with disabled children and increased opportunity for training.