bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Developing the Potential of the Gifted Disadvantaged in South Africa
Authors: Xolo Surgeon
Published: January 2012

In dealing with this topic I will draw from my personal experience as a former disadvantaged gifted South African from the underdeveloped rural area in KwaZulu-Natal. I will commence my argument by stating that every child born in this world has some kind of gift which, if well developed, can benefit the community, the nation or even the world in general. However, I painfully but willingly accept that not everyone is mathematically gifted. Subsequently I will proceed to suggest things that can be done in order to help the gifted disadvantaged South Africans. This assistance will include motivation, career guidance, and different kinds of specialised intervention programs. Having pointed out all these factors, I will conclude by appealing to all concerned to help in the process of developing the potential of the gifted disadvantaged in South Africa.
Perfectionism: The Crucible of Giftedness
Authors: Silverman Linda Kreger
Published: January 2012

Perfectionism is the most misunderstood aspect of the personality of the gifted. The psychological field characterizes it in extremely negative ways, which may be counterproductive to the development of the gifted individual. There are positive as well as negative aspects of perfectionism, depending on how it is channeled. As one gains higher consciousness, perfectionism becomes a catalyst for self-actualization and humanitarian ideals. Dabrowski's theory allows us to see how perfectionism changes in form at different levels of development.
Perfectionism in Gifted Students: An Overview of Current Research
Authors: Speirs Neumeister Kristie
Published: January 2012

This article provides an overview of the current research on perfectionism in gifted students, including different typologies of perfectionism, influences on the development of perfectionism, and the incidence of perfectionism in gifted compared with general ability students. Implications for working with gifted, perfectionistic students are discussed, and avenues for future research in this area are proposed.
The Giftedness/Perfectionism Connection: Recent Research and Implications
Authors: Pyryt Michael C.
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this paper is to discuss resent research regarding the linkage between perfectionism and intellectual giftedness.
Resolving the Perfectionist's ‘catch-22’ Techniques for Fundamental Change
Authors: Ramsey Deborah C. , Ramsey Philip L.
Published: January 2012

This article builds on our previous work entitled “Reframing the Perfectionists' ‘Catch-22’ Dilemma: A systems thinking approach” (Ramsey & Ramsey, 2003) which explored the dynamic complexity of perfectionism using a systems thinking approach. Here we present anecdotal accounts of our attempts to provoke fundamental change among gifted adolescent females. These interventions use improvisation exercises to challenge the world view of perfectionist thinking. In addition, and counter to prevailing approaches, the perfectionists are encouraged to raise rather than lower their standards in an attempt to support a more balanced and sustainable life.
A Reflective Conversation with Joyce Van Tassel-Baska: Issues about the Curriculum
Authors: Shaughnessy Michael F. , Wells Robin
Published: January 2012

Dr. Joyce VanTassel-Baska is the jody and Layton Smith Professor of Education and Executive Director of the Center for Gifted Education at The College of William and Mary in Virginia. Formerly, she initiated and directed the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University and has also served as a state director of gifted programs, a district coordinator, and a teacher of high school students. Dr. VanTassel-Baska has published widely, including 15 books and over 275 refereed journal articles, book chapters, and scholarly reports. She has also served as the Editor of Gifted and Talented International, a publication of the World Council on Gifted and Talented. Currently, Dr. VanTassel-Baska is the President of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC).
All Must Have Prizes: Challenging the Gifted and Talented Paradigm
Authors: Dyson Janet
Published: January 2012

This paper tells how a professional dilemma about the appropriateness of an approach to gifted and talented education, which was perceived as elitist, was resolved by developing an enrichment and extension programme which was open to all pupils. An exploration of the literature relating to enrichment for gifted and talented pupils revealed support for this approach, although it runs counter to the currently accepted paradigm for gifted education. Impact has been difficult to assess quantitatively but questionnaire responses show that the participating schools saw the project as inclusive, promoting enjoyment of school, raising pupils' self-esteem, and effective in countering disadvantage.
Gifted and Talented: A Special Approach?
Authors: Evans Mark
Published: January 2012

I have been Gifted and Talented coordinator in my current school for the past three years, following the completion of the Oxford Brookes training (UK). In that time I have developed my own awareness and beliefs of this exciting area of teaching while experimenting with different ideas with my classes. I have come to view G+T not as the exclusive, elitist form of differentiation that was its initial image, but rather as an essential way of teaching that, at its best, offers challenge for all children while developing essential skills for the future.

‘Top-down’ rather than ‘bottom-up’ teaching; high order thinking; quirky investigations; innovative and unexpected learning links; strategy and spatial awareness; creativity; philosophy; and awareness of learning styles - G+T represents the most crucial aspect of learning: fun.

Empowered learners and inspiring teachers should be the cornerstone of 21st Century education. I offer my thoughts about what this means in the classroom.
What Accounts for Chinese-American Children's High Academic Performance: A Literature Review Of Parental Influences And Home Environment
Authors: Yang Wenzhong (Eric) , Zhou Wenying
Published: January 2012

The Asian population is one of the largest linguistically and culturally diverse groups in the United States. The 2000 Census indicated a total population of 281.4 million. Of that total 11.9 million, or 4.2%, were reported to be Asian. The Chinese population (not including Taiwanese) represented 2,734,841, or 23% of the total Asian population, and can be classified as a minority group. It has been noteworthy that Chinese-American students excel in school in the United States (Huntsinger et al., 2000; Huntsinger, Larson, & Krieg, 1998; Stevenson et al., 1990; Tsai, 1992). Therefore, Chinese-Americans are often called the “model minority“ today in the United States (Huntsinger et al, 2000; Lee, 2002; Louie, 2001; Siu, 1992, 1996a; Stevenson et al, 1990; Tsai, 1992). The school success of Chinese-American gifted and talented children has been studied and explained. For example, Zhang and Carrascjuillo (1995) stated that immigrant Chinese parents are renowned for their willingness to sacrifice for the sake of their children's education. In return, these parents tend to demand and expect that their children will do well academically in school and be aware of the sacrifices their parents have made for them (Carrascjuillo & London, 1993; Mordkowitz & Ginsburg, 1986). Accordingly, most Chinese-American children work hard to meet their parents' expectations of excellent performance in school Parental influence and home environment have been considered significant factors in children's development and academic achievement. Some research (Becher, 1984) has provided convincing evidence regarding the crucial role parents play in the development and education of their children. Home environment plays a key role in children's development (Goodman & Goodman, 1990). From birth, children are engaged in various interactions with family members, and therefore parental involvement has an important impact on children's academic achievement (Baker & Stevenson, 1986; Becher, 1984; F ehrmann, Keith & Reimers, 1987; Grolnick, Benjet, Kurowski, & Apostoleris, 1997; Morrow, 1983; Seginer, 1986). The role of parents is very important and influential in children's continuing development and achievement (Zhang & Carrasquillo, 1995). Hence, this article focuses on reviewing research on parental influences and home environment.
The early seedbed of the growth of TASC: Thinking Actively in a Social Context
Authors: Wallace Belle
Published: January 2012

This paper reflects on a career through a personal narrative of how I, as an educator, together with my students, have tried to walk in the steps of Paolo Freire. My journey has been an international one, but this particular reflection highlights the development of a Project called TASC: Thinking Actively in a Social Context. The Project was developed in KwaZulu/Natal, literally meaning ‘the place of the Zulus’, an enforced ‘homeland’ under apartheid rule in South Africa. The case study highlights the resilience and determination of a group of students who were committed to rise above the denial and repression of opportunities for Black students. It is a story of love, joy and success — a pedagogy of hope.(1)(1)The first section of this paper is a summarised extract from A tribute to Paulo Freire. 2008. (Working title) (With permission)
Evaluation of TASC in Schools in the UK
Authors: Wallace Belle
Published: January 2012

During the academic year from September 2005 to July 2006, several follow-up studies were carried out in a wide range of UK primary schools in the local education regions of: Barnsley, Berkshire, Hampshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. The primary schools included Nursery pupils (3 – 5 yrs), Reception and Key Stage 1 pupils (5 to 7 years) and Key Stage 2 pupils (8 – 11 years). In all, 350 schools supplied their evaluations of the impact of their TASC work: this number of schools contained more than 4,000 teachers with some of the evaluations reflecting on the whole school development, and some of the evaluations reflecting on the work of individual teachers in single classrooms. The evaluations were derived from qualitative teacher and pupil responses to TASC projects carried out by the pupils centring on and developing topics taken from the UK National Curriculum. In addition, a range of quantitative evaluations were carried out based on the assessment levels outlined by the UK National Curriculum guidelines.
Problem Solving in a Complex World: Integrating DISCOVER, TASC, and PBL in a Teacher Education Project
Authors: Maker C. June , Zimmerman Robert
Published: January 2012

In the 21st century, one of the most important responsibilities for educators is development of students' ability to solve the multifaceted problems they will face in our increasingly complex world. Perhaps equally critical is that students develop a true understanding of the interactions among people, development, and the natural environment; and how the resulting interdependence can shape present and future conditions for all living beings.

In this article, we describe a project in which teachers in the role of learners solved a real-life problem, experiencing the interaction of factors and ideologies, and while learning the content of science also learned new ways of teaching. First, we provide a brief introduction to the integration of Thinking Actively in a Social Context (TASC) and Discovering Intellectual Strengths and Capabilities While Observing Varied Ethnic Responses (DISCOVER), then we discuss Problem Based Learning (PBL) and its relationship to both DISCOVER and TASC, and following this discussion, we describe the teacher education project. The description of the teacher education project includes the goals of each of three phases, introduction of TASC, the PBL activity (including content, field experiences, and development of problem-solving skills), use of TASC to structure group work, and integration of the DISCOVER problem types into the PBL experience.
How Can We Use TASC To Develop Out Talents In The Gifts We Create? How Can Tasc Help Us As We Account For Our Lives In Our Living Educational Theories?
Authors: Whitehead Jack
Published: January 2012

The enquiry process of Thinking Actively in a Social Context (TASC) is influencing the creation of new forms of educational theory that can explain an individual's educational influence in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of social formations. Evidence of this influence is provided from self-studies of practitioner-researchers who are seeking to live their values as fully as they can, in enquiries of the kind, ‘How do I improve what I am doing? The action reflection cycles of TASC are used to develop talents in the creation of gifts. They are used to make explicit the meanings of the values that are being used by individuals to account to themselves and others for the lives they are living in making the world a better place to be.
Living Theory and TASC: A Multidimensional, Inter and Intra-Relational, Flowing Knot of Enquiry
Authors: Huxtable Marie
Published: January 2012

I believe that I have a responsibility as a professional educator to theorise my practice, that is, to create explanations for what I am doing and judge the efficacy of what I do against standards that arise from recognising my own living educational values as they emerge through my practice. I am part of my world so I appreciate I have to take account of the constraints, opportunities and demands emanating from my employers, the communities in which I live and work and government agencies. I hope that teachers and other educators reading this paper will hear the words of the children and adults who are seeking to improve and explain their own learning as they hold themselves to account by living their values as best they can and be inspired to try to do the same.
A Case Study of the use of TASC at Ollerton Community Primary School, UK
Authors: Fitton Sally , Gilderdale Carol
Published: January 2012

The following article is a case study of how one school adopted the TASC Approach (Thinking Actively in a Social Context) and, consequently, raised the pupils' motivation, enthusiasm and love of learning; whilst raising the morale, commitment and dedication of the teachers. As well as the qualitative assessment of the well-being of both learners and teachers, a formal government inspection revealed that the quantitative assessment of the pupils' standards of achievement rose significantly.
Promoting Achievement and Attainment of More Able Pupils in Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre Arts College, UK
Authors: Winstanley Carrie , McAllister William
Published: January 2012

This report is based on a site visit by Carrie Winstanley in March 2007 and email correspondence involving interviews with several staff holding managerial responsibilities, four pupils, one parent, two class observations, a school tour, and reading a range of support documentation including a government report (Office for Standards in Education, (OfSTED), February 2003):‘Homewood School and Sixth Form College is a friendly school which provides a good quality education for its pupils. The school has raised standards for all students, whatever their academic ability.’

What follows are highlights of the rich offer the school has for pupils. The focus is on Key Stage 3 pupils (aged 11+−14).
Beginning at the End
Authors: Philpott Joanne
Published: January 2012

This case study describes how the TASC Framework was used to successfully raise the achievement of pupils who had previously been regarded as ‘disaffected and underachieving’. Joanne Philpot describes the interactive teaching and learning process in vivid detail, exploring both her growth as a teacher and her students' growth as motivated, independent learners.
Real Science using TASC
Authors: Willmoth Andrew
Published: January 2012

This paper argues for a process based science curriculum, and illustrates how the TASC Framework provides a flexible problem-solving framework that learners can effectively use for the carrying out the independent science investigations that are required by the National Curriculum (UK).
Using the TASC Wheel to Challenge More Able Children in an Inclusive Environment
Authors: Ball Sue , Henderson Karen
Published: January 2012

Our Able Children Co-ordinator has audited provision for able children and has used the information gathered to identify an area for improvement in the school. The audit highlighted the fact that there was sufficient evidence for whole school challenge but little was known about in-lesson challenge for able pupils. The focus of intervention has been on providing challenging lessons for all children by selecting a model for teaching and learning which emphasises the use of thinking skills and allows children to ask and answer their own questions. The TASC Wheel Model was selected for this reason and after training given by Belle Wallace to our small school network, it was decided to dedicate a whole day to implementing the model with teachers, children and their parents. This article describes how our school implemented the use of the TASC Wheel.
TASC: Thinking Actively in a Social Context in Cowall, Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Authors: Johnstone Fiona
Published: January 2012

The following is a summary of the main points taken from the report of work undertaken in 2006 in the Cowal area in Scotland (UK) on supporting the more able pupil through the development of the TASC Problem-solving and Thinking Skills Framework.
Fred: A Child Who is Different
Authors: Cave Diana
Published: January 2012

Fred burst into our school in September 2003, aged 7, demanding to know why he was ‘in a class with backward children’ and where the ‘advanced textbooks’ were kept.

His admission notes from the private international school he had previously attended in Germany included a WISC-III test report placing him in the very superior range at the 99.7th percentile. His cognitive abilities, at 6:00 years, were considered equivalent to children of 12:06 years.

His first few weeks were traumatic for everyone. He shouted out; he showed contempt for everything and everyone; he offended his peers with unkind words and injured them with clumsy, boisterous play; his writing was indecipherable; and he regularly disrupted lessons with his antics. We clearly had a child with complex needs in our midst.
School in Focus - Celebrating Success
Authors: Goddard Hilary
Published: January 2012

We wanted to put ownership of learning experiences back into children's hands while addressing the development of their thinking skills, so we made the decision to introduce TASC (Thinking Actively in a Social Context) 20 months ago. The following account describes our progress and success in adopting the TASC Framework.
A Study of the Impact of Using the TASC Wheel on Children's Involvement in their Own Learning
Authors: West Hazel
Published: January 2012

This study aims to investigate use of the TASC Wheel (Thinking Actively in a Social Context) in developing children's thinking skills and its' relationship to motivating learning. The topic work guided by the TASC Framework was aligned with real-life visits to theatres, living museums and exhibitions. The research examines improvements in writing, particularly of boys, who are regularly reported as under-achieving in national tests. This research involved three primary schools and included children across a range of abilities and gender. The methodology involved using both quantitative and qualitative data which was partly gained through the use of questionnaires and discussions with teachers and children. Quantitative evidence was also obtained from samples of children's writing from Year 2 to Year 6 (pupils aged 7 to 11) throughout the year 2006–2007. This data was used for comparison with national tests and optional SATs (Statutory Assessment Tests). A more in-depth study was carried out in Year 3 (pupils aged 8) using qualitative data gained from observations of children's level of involvement in the classroom, based on research previously carried out by the Effective Early Learning Project (EEL). Further qualitative evidence was gained from a sample of Year 3 parents keeping diaries of their children's enthusiasm and motivation for learning outside of school Evidence from teachers suggests that use of the TASC Wheel does have the potential to improve children's motivation to learn through personalised learning driven by experiential out-of-school visits.
A Pilot Project of 8 lessons across Social Studies: Thinking Actively in a Social Context: (TASC)
Authors: Cartwright Sally
Published: January 2012

The members of the Social Studies Team were concerned about the high level of student dependency on staff for their learning, and many students seemed to lack the ability to take the initiative. This seemed to be particularly the case when teaching at A level (studies undertaken post 16 years).

Through the support of the Farmington Institute, I was able to begin an enquiry into how other schools in both the primary and secondary sector were addressing this issue, and was introduced to the TASC Framework by Marie Huxtable, the Senior Educational Psychologist for Bath & North East Somerset, UK. The team within which I worked decided to introduce the TASC Framework into our teaching in the hope that this would contribute to developing the skills of learning independently and interdependently. This paper describes the learning journey made by staff and students.
DISCOVER and TASC in a summer program for gifted students
Authors: Maker C. June , Pease Randal
Published: January 2012

At White Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona, gifted children had an exciting opportunity to participate in a summer program in which Discovering Intellectual Strengths and Capabilities while Observing Varied Ethnic Responses (DISCOVER) was combined with Thinking Actively in a Social Context (TASC). DISCOVER provided the framework for defining open-ended and structured problems and exploration of multiple ability areas while TASC provided the framework for guiding the problem solving process.
The Nkosinathi literacy project: Kwazulu Natal, South Africa
Authors: Evans Iain
Published: January 2012

The Nkosinathi literacy project is an adult literacy programme currently conducted in the rural community of Cramond in the KwaZulu Natal Midland, South Africa. The aims of the project are to improve literacy and thinking skills of community members to help them engage more assertively in community affairs (Evans, 1999). The significance of this project in terms of development theory is the way in which the project is facilitated and how this project fits into the larger framework of society. For the purpose of this paper I will look at this development project on three levels. The first level, the micro level, is the literacy project itself and the way in which classes are facilitated. This includes the methods and tools of learning and the general philosophy of the project. Secondly I will look at the meso level. This level is how the literacy project fits into the greater Nkosinathi Community Programme. Finally I will look at the macro level which is how the literacy project and its participants function in the broader fabric of society.
Creative Reversal Act (Creact): Teaching the Ways Creators Think
Authors: Sak Ugur
Published: January 2012

The last decades have witnessed the development of a great body of knowledge and the generation of theories and models about the nature of creative ability. Such a development has showed us that creative ability is partly the product of nature but thinking creatively is the footprint of nurture. There exist many ways to teach for creativity, as creative ability is thought of as multidimensional. Research growth in knowledge, accordingly, has resulted in the creation of new practices for cultivating creative capacity. In this article, a new teaching technique, the Creative Reversal Act (CREACT) for improving creative capacity is presented. The CREACT is developed by the author based on the theory of the Janusian process that is originally operationalized by Rothenberg (1971). The CREACT is composed of a series of construction, segregation, opposition, combination, elaboration steps.
Interactive Writing as Informed Assessment with Highly Capable Young Children
Authors: Williams Cheri
Published: January 2012

Assessment of young children's literate knowledge and understandings is one of the most controversial issues in early childhood education. Parents, teachers, administrators, researchers, and policy makers often engage in impassioned debates about the purposes, forms, and interpretations involved in assessment practices (Salinger, 2001). I do not wish to add to those debates. Recommended guidelines for the assessment of highly capable young children call for the use of multiple measures (National Association of Gifted Children, 2006), and so my intention here is to explicate an approach to early literacy assessment that allows teachers to document the literate knowledge, behaviors, and performances of highly capable young children within the context of an authentic reading and writing event. I describe the approach as a type of informed assessment (Johnston & Rogers, 2001), because through their participation, children reveal a great deal about their literate understandings, thus informing their teacher as to what they know and can do—as well as to what they still need to know. Informed assessment is especially useful in early childhood education, because it allows teachers to organize subsequent instructional activities so as to optimize children's literacy learning (see Chamberlain, Buchanan, & Vercimak, 2007).

In this article, I argue that interactive writing (McCarrier, Pinnell, & Fountas, 2000)—an innovative approach to beginning writing instruction—can also become a powerful tool for informed assessment of children's early literacy development. I begin the paper by defining and explaining the potential of informed assessment in early literacy. Then, I describe interactive writing as an instructional approach. For each component of the lesson, I suggest various ways in which teachers can use interactive writing to document the literacy development of highly capable young children. My goal is to make a case for interactive writing as a preferred approach to both early literacy instruction and assessment.
Identifying and Supporting Gifted Children in a Nursery School (Kindergarten)
Authors: Coates David , Shimmin Andrew , Thompson Wendy
Published: January 2012

Recognising and nurturing giftedness in young children presents an important challenge to educators. This research indicated that involvement scales are an effective means of identifying gifted children aged from 3 to 5 years. Practitioners carried out observations using the Experiential Learning Involvement Scale (Laevers, 1994) and compared these findings with observations using an adapted version of the Starry Night Observational Protocol (Nebraska Department of Education, 1997). The research found that practitioners could identify gifted children and deliver a curriculum which takes account of the needs of early developers. The key factor was a stimulating and challenging learning environment which allowed children to explore ideas and extend their thinking.
Sibling Relationships in Families with Gifted Children
Authors: Lapidot-Berman Judith , Oshrat Zipora
Published: January 2012

The aim of the study was to examine the attitude of non-gifted children to their gifted siblings as compared to their attitude to non-gifted siblings, and the effect of variables such as order of birth and the age difference between them. The research was carried out by means of in-depth interviews and the SRQ-Sibling Relations Questionnaire (Furman & Burhmester, 1985).

The findings show that the relations between the non-gifted children and their gifted siblings, as reported by them, are less intimate than those reported by non-gifted children with their non-gifted siblings. They dislike their gifted siblings' ‘arrogance’ and they wish they had similar intellectual competence as their gifted siblings. Siblings in regular families express this far less.

Non-gifted children are willing to learn from both older and younger gifted siblings; non-gifted children are willing to learn from non-gifted siblings only if they are younger. The frequency of arguments between the non-gifted children and their gifted siblings is greater the smaller the age difference between them.
A Reflective Conversation with David W Chan About Positive and Negative Perfectionism
Authors: Moore Tammy-Lynne , Shaughnessy Michael F.
Published: January 2012

David W. Chan is Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology. He is also Program Supervisor of the Program for the Gifted and Talented at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has broad research interests in diverse areas. His research interests in gifted education include social emotional needs of gifted students, creativity, and intelligence.
The Two-Edged Sword of Compensation: How the Gifted Cope with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Silverman Linda Kreger
Published: January 2012

Not everyone understands what it means to be twice exceptional. How can you be both ‘learning abled’ and ‘learning disabled’? This doesn't compute.

There are two basic misunderstandings here: that the learning disabled aren't smart and that giftedness means high achievement. If someone thinks learning disabled means ‘dumb’ and that the gifted are ‘smart,’ you can't be smart and dumb at the same time However, federal and state definitions of learning disabilities specifically limit the term, ‘learning disabled,’ to children of at least average intelligence. So you have to be smart to be learning disabled! Definitions and district identification procedures that focus on achievement make it nearly impossible to recognize and include twice exceptional (2e) children.

Here is another way to look at giftedness. No two gifted people are alike. In fact, gifted people differ from each other to a greater extent than other groups. Imagine a scatter plot with thousands of dots representing the IQ scores of thousands of people. If you drew a line around the dots, it would form a normal curve. Where is the greatest density of the dots? Where are the fewest dots? The further the child is from the norm, the more unique the child. Thus, no two gifted children are alike. And if you add the co-occurrence of different types of disabilities, no two 2e children are alike. Each child who comes to the Gifted Development Center for assessment is a new puzzle. Our testers have to re-invent the wheel for each child.

This paper analyses some of the underlying causes of ‘twice exceptionality’.
Effects of Talents Unlimited Counseling on Gifted/Learning Disabled Students
Authors: Olenchak F. Richard
Published: January 2012

Students who have learning disabilities concurrently with giftedness continue to trouble educators regarding the nature of programming best suited to their needs. While numerous extant studies have concentrated on the disabilities of such students, this analysis, patterned after a similar study (Olenchak, 1995), has focused on their personal strengths. This inquiry was structured to ascertain the effects of counseling aimed at enhancing their success in instructional environments. The counseling interventions were based predominately on Talents Unlimited (Schlichter & Palmer, 1993) and the study probed their effects on the attitudes, self-concepts, and creative productivity of gifted/LD youngsters enrolled in the sixth through eighth grades. Quantitative results indicated that year-long participation in such counseling had significant positive impact on attitudes toward school and self-concept. Furthermore, qualitative data consisting of interviews, journal analyses, and classroom observations reinforced the quantitative findings.
Inquiry: A Teaching Approach for Gifted Visually Impaired Learners
Authors: Rooks Deborah L. , Maker C. June
Published: January 2012

Inquiry is a dynamic approach to learning and teaching that involves a process of experiencing the natural world. As they pose questions about the information, learners conduct research for genuine reasons, make new discoveries, and test their discoveries to generate new knowledge and understanding. Inquiry is an approach that fits the learning needs of both visually impaired students and students who are gifted, and is especially important for gifted students with visual impairments. We introduce readers to inquiry approaches, review the theoretical framework, outline the characteristics of inquiry learning, explain how these approaches are important to use with gifted children with visual impairments, provide examples, summarize research on the effectiveness of inquiry learning, give an example of science teaching using an inquiry learning model in a regular classroom setting, and show how this lesson could be an effective way to involve and challenge a gifted student with a visual impairment.
Teachers' and Counsellors' Perspectives on Gifted Children and Gifted Education: New Zealand and Japan
Authors: Shibata Aya , Forbes Dianne
Published: January 2012

This article reports on the key findings of a recent study undertaken by Aya Shibata, exploring teachers' and counsellors' perceptions of gifted children and of gifted education policy in New Zealand and Japan. The study took the form of qualitative, comparative case studies, and involved semi-structured interviews with teachers and school counsellors in New Zealand and Japan. Key findings highlight a lack of official support for gifted education in Japan, while acknowledging the place of out-of-school, private programmes as a form of gifted education. The study offers insight into Japanese cultural concepts relevant to gifted and talented education, and suggests directions for future research.
Creating Effective Citizens: Unique Opportunities for Gifted Education Through the Social Studies
Authors: Sheffield Caroline C. , Duplass James A.
Published: January 2012

Social studies is dedicated to creating the next generation of effective citizens. To this aim, social studies educators embrace curricular goals that include civic competence, higher-order thinking, discipline integration, real-world applications, leadership skills, cooperative learning, research skills, content knowledge, and an understanding of the changing world. An ideal way to meet these curricular goals is through the implementation of service learning within the social studies curriculum. Service learning is particularly appropriate for the gifted student, as it meets both the students' cognitive and affective needs.
Teaching Philosophy to the Gifted Young
Authors: Casey Gerard
Published: January 2012

This paper begins by raising the question of whether we should introduce philosophy to the gifted young. Having sketched some of the problems associated with such an introduction, the paper proposes some procedures to make such an introduction possible with as little pain as possible and makes some concrete suggestions to enhance the experience of the philosophical neophyte.
Mentoring Talented Science Students: Knowing the Options
Authors: Payne Diana , Heilbronner Nancy
Published: January 2012

The dilemma that propelled Jeff and his older brother Mark to an international high school science competition began when their mother, who feared they would contract the West Nile virus, insisted that the boys cover any exposed skin when outside. Determined to prove that it was not necessary to wear long sleeved shirts and pants on hot summer days, Jeff and Mark explored methods to assess their chances of contracting the West Nile virus if bitten by a mosquito in their Connecticut hometown. “The Science Boys,” a title bestowed by a local newspaper reporter (Murphy, 2004), worked with chemistry teacher and mentor David White, who helped the boys master a powerful software program necessary for their investigation. Jeff and Mark's curiosity, persistence and hard work led to their participation in the Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology and a prize of $100,000. Why were Jeff and Mark successful in their endeavor when evidence shows that many students with high aptitude in science fail to live up to their potential?

This paper explores the issues around the development of pupils with high level potential in science.
Thinking Actively in a Social Context
Authors: Leyland Peter
Published: January 2012

Thinking Actively in a Social Context (TASC) is a tremendously powerful tool for reaching and extending all the learners in a mixed ability class, especially the most able. I went on a TASC course led by Belle Wallace and listened to some fascinating presentations by teachers who had tried the method. I bought a TASC Wheel Problem Solving pack and waited for an opportunity to try it out.

This came after my Yr 6 Science class had completed their SATs tests and I needed a different approach to maintain their interest. I had hoped to carry out fieldwork in our extensive school grounds but the weather moved in and made this impractical. In our KS2 text book there was an idea for a project on Time. I also had an old copy of the Schools Council publication about Time, full of practical suggestions. I decided for the last few weeks of term to use the TASC Wheel to teach the topic.
The Effects of Turkish Parents' Child Rearing Behavior on School Readiness
Authors: Polat Özgül
Published: January 2012

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of parents' child rearing behavior on school readiness of 5–6 year-old children in terms of socio-emotional development. The study sample consisted of 300 preschool children at 5, 5.5, and 6 years of age. The results revealed that parents' behaviour with regard to the following activities all have a positive impact on school readiness in terms of socio-emotional dimension: reading books to children, joining in playing games with them, visiting movies and theatres, engaging in family conversations, giving responsibilities to their children with regular following up of these responsibilities, agreeing rules together, and fair use of reward and punishment in child rearing to change behaviors.
Attainment of the Number Concept by Children aged between 4–7
Authors: Ramazan Oya , Omercikoglu Hande
Published: January 2012

The main purpose of this research is to determine whether the attainment of the number concept by children aged between 4–7 differs depending on age variant as well as receiving preschool education or not. Attainment of the number concept has been examined by means of One-to-One Matching Test consisting of Piaget's experiments. The test was applied to 268 students receiving education in private and public schools in Istanbul. The sampling group was classified into children aged 4, 5, 6, and 7. As a result, it was observed that achievement in One-to-One Matching Test increases according to age, but no significant difference was determined between the ages of 5 and 6.
Domain Specific vs Domain General: Implications for Dynamic Assessment
Authors: Kaniel Shlomo
Published: January 2012

The article responds to the need for evidence-based dynamic assessment. The article is divided into two sections: In Part 1 we examine the scientific answer to the question of how far human mental activities and capabilities are domain general (DG) I domain specific (DS). A highly complex answer emerges from the literature review of domains such as intelligence, traits, emotions and working memory. Thus, for each domain we must base ourselves on the research findings in order to decide how far a domain can be generalized. In Part 2, the conclusions of Part 1 are applied to the field of dynamic assessment (DA). The main conclusion is that assessors tend to over-generalize and generate incorrect rules having relied on the premise that DG is the rule, even though the research literature shows the relationship to be complex. Several solutions to over-generalization are proposed: (A) Replace the concept of “domain” with “task”, (B) Establish a relationship between tasks and concepts as part of a theory of mind, (C) Preserve the principle that the burden of proof of generalizibility of dynamic assessment findings rests with the assessor in fact, (D). Make the dynamic assessor the case manager, (E) Base selection and construction of assessment tasks on four principles: (1) Theory-based tasks, (2) Tasks excelled in by the child assessed, (3) Tasks using standardized instruments, (4) Curriculum-based tasks which the assessed child failed the assessment. Although the solutions demand substantial change from dynamic assessors, the moral and ethical implications of flawed dynamic assessment mean that we must try to change them.
Do Pupils with Differing Cognitive Abilities Benefit Similarly from a Self-Regulated Learning Training Program?
Authors: Stoeger Heidran , Ziegler Albert
Published: January 2012

The inclusive education of the gifted is often met with skepticism. For example, it might be that gifted pupils are either under-challenged or excessive demands are placed on pupils with average abilities -and in the worst case, both. An alternative to handling this problem is presented by self-regulated learning which allows all students in the classroom to learn in line with their ability level and at their own speed. In order to assess whether a training program on self-regulated learning is equally effective for pupils from different ability groups, we conducted a classroom investigation. Fourth-graders attending 16 different classrooms (8 training classes, 8 classes as control group) took part in the investigation. Five-week training was executed during normal mathematics instruction and in conjunction with homework assignments. The effectiveness of the training was examined in a pretest-posttest design. It proved to be effective for a wide array of variables (e.g., self-efficacy, motivation, and performance). The apprehension that pupils of a certain ability group would suffer a disadvantage proved to be unfounded.
The Schoolwide Enrichment Model: A Focus on Student Strengths and Interests
Authors: Renzulli Joseph S. , Renzulli Sally Reis
Published: January 2012

This article includes an introduction to the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM), with its three components: a total talent portfolio for each child, curriculum differentiation and modification, and enrichment opportunities from the Enrichment Triad Model. Also included is a brief history of the SEM and a summary of 30 years of research underlying this programming model in gifted education and talent development. Exciting new directions in SEM are introduced, including Renzulli Learning, an internet-based tool that identifies students' interests, learning styles, and expression styles that subsequently matches students with thousands of differentiated resources.
Schoolwide Enrichment Model: Challenging All Children to Excel
Authors: Beecher Margaret
Published: January 2012

This article summarizes how the components of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model were used to dramatically reduce the achievement gap in a school with a high at-risk student population. The theories of enrichment and instructional differentiation replaced an existing remedial paradigm and a strength-based methodology was embraced by the school community. The school improvement process that included an analysis of all aspects of the community provided a clear direction for this innovative approach to enrichment teaching and learning. Staff development was essential to the success of all new initiatives and teachers were provided with training, modeling, coaching, and planning time. The enrichment concepts that were presented and implemented are provided herein through authentic illustrations and anecdotal information.
Developing the Talents of Secondary Students
Authors: Robinson George
Published: January 2012

A successful program needs a team approach which encourages teachers to undertake professional initiatives to enhance student growth. Such initiatives include: Type Ill's; workshops; Lunch with an Expert; an Expert in the Classroom; field trips; before; during and after school enrichment clusters; mentorships; assembly programs; speakers; starting a center; and Authentic Science Research. In addition, schools should prepare early to celebrate students' successes with a symposium and prepare early for the eventual evaluation.
Why Isn't Talent Development on the IEP? SEM and the Twice Exceptional Learner
Authors: Baum Susan , Novak Cynthia
Published: January 2012

Why isn't talent development included on the Individual Educational Plan of 2E students? Twice exceptional students have unique issues that respond especially well to a talent development approach especially within the context of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model Through case studies and a review of successful projects using SEM with at risk populations, this article provides a rationale for using a talent development approach. The article concludes with an in-depth look at a school designed for 2E learners showing how the elements of the Model are helping this special population of students to thrive.
Lessons Learned From My Students: The Impact of SEM Teaching and Learning on Affective Development
Authors: Hébert Thomas P.
Published: January 2012

Through reflection on his years as an enrichment teacher in Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) programs, the author describes significant ways the social and emotional development of his students was shaped by their involvement in enriched teaching and learning. Through portraits of his students engaged in Type II and Type III enrichment, the author highlights eight important influences upon the affective development of gifted and talented students. Implications for educators in enrichment programs are presented.
“We are all Cells in the Body of Humanity”
Authors: Piechowski Michael M.
Published: January 2012

The lives of Eleanor Roosevelt, Paul Robeson, and Etty Hillesum give insight into the inner transformation that is the essence of personal growth toward global awareness. Components of the process of personal growth are spelled out. Simple, easily accessible techniques, facilitate the process and empower children in their personal growth.
Fostering Global Awareness and Global Learning for Gifted Students
Authors: Sisk Dorothy A.
Published: January 2012

We are living in an increasingly interdependent world, and in order for the peoples of the world to continue to progress without threat of catastrophic man-made disasters, we need to understand each other. This need can be met by fostering global awareness and global learning which focus on the process of developing and nurturing global citizens who are open, sensitive, and positive toward other cultures, as well as toward their own culture.
Authentic and Virtual Global Connections: the Transformation of Gifted Education
Authors: Eriksson Gillian
Published: January 2012

This article explores the role that global connections play in developing curriculum for gifted and talented students. It also examines how converging technology trends, or virtual connections, are impacting the daily lives and learning of gifted students that is accessible anywhere at any time. It also crosses boundaries, or authentic connectedness, as it examines trends in defining giftedness, particularly for marginalized groups, and the role of global and multicultural education for the gifted that includes the development of intercultural skills in gifted world citizenship. Opportunities to develop creative productivity through international service learning are explored.