Brightening up: how children learn to be gifted

2008

The concept of giftedness has a unique history and its meanings need to be deciphered in a proper cultural context. In this chapter, I first discuss “giftedness” as used in natural language as well as scientific discourse. I then provide an overview of the intellectual history of the concept in terms of construction, deconstruction, and reconstruction of “giftedness,” a change from what can be called essentialism to developmentalism. I argue that there are some essential tensions surrounding the concept of giftedness; they involve competing arguments and perspectives on the genesis and development of gifted behaviors and superior achievements. I then elaborate on these tensions and discuss possible ways of resolving and easing these tensions. I end the chapter by suggesting a dialogue between people of differing convictions that would allow us to delve deeper into the intricacies of the issues involved, and reach some degree of consensus as to the conceptual and empirical challenges...

International Studies in Sociology of Education, 2014

Gifted education is leading an interdisciplinary paradigm shift moving education out of its historic role of entrenching systemic inequities. It is a crucible for pioneering investigations of optimal human development and provides a vehicle for increasing social equity. We review changing conceptions of intelligence, motivation and creativity, and consider current findings on processes that affect the development of high ability. We discuss the role of context and neuroscience as they apply to understanding the development of giftedness. We describe changing emphases in gifted education, focusing on the shift from categorical homogeneity to developmental diversity, concluding that giftedness and talent are best understood as dynamic, fluid, domain-specific and context-sensitive processes. Finally, we consider implications for educational practice: How do these changes impact definition, prediction, identification, programming, psychosocial practices and teacher development, opening up opportunities for optimal learning, development and fulfillment across the population, and across the life span?

2013

Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l'éducation, 1989

American Psychologist, 2000

Five issues about giftedness are discussed. First, the origins of giftedness are explored. The view that gifiedness is entirely a product of training is critiqued. There is indirect evidence for atypical brain organization and innate talent in gifted children: Many gifted children and savants have enhanced right-hemisphere development, language-related difficulties, and autoimmune disorders. Second, the intense motivation of gifted children is discussed. Third, it is argued that gifted children have social and emotional difficulties that set them apart. Fourth, evidence for the often uneven cognitive profiles of such children is presented. Finally, the relationship between childhood g(ftedness and "domain" creativity in adulthood is discussed. Few gifted children go on to become adult creators because the skills and personality factors required to be a creator are very different from those typical of even the most highly gifted children.

2008

Preface.- Psychology, Psychologists and Gifted Students.- History of Giftedness: Perspectives from the Past Presage Modern Scholarship.- The Social World of Gifted Children and Youth.- The Role of the Family in Talent Development.- Conceptions of Giftedness.- Identification and Nurturing the Gifted from an International Perspective.- Identifying and Providing Services to Twice Exceptional Children.- Underachievement Syndrome: A Psychological Defensive Pattern.- Assessment of Giftedness in School-Age Children Using Measures of Intelligence or Cognitive Abilities.- Gifted Identification beyond the IQ Test: Rating Scales and other Assessment Procedures.- Clinical Practice with Gifted Families.- Counseling the Gifted.- Creativity.- Gender and Giftedness.- Recruiting and Retaining Under-Represented Gifted Students.- Ethical and Professional Practice Issues in the Provision of Educational Services to Gifted Students.- Helping Gifted and Talented Adolescents and Young Adults: Make Informed...

Children & Society

There is growing evidence that children labelled as academically gifted are subjected to negative attitudes from others and that this impacts on their self-esteem and motivation to succeed. Through an analysis of British newspaper stories about gifted children, this article explores the socially constructed nature of the concept of the ‘gifted child’ and finds that children identified as gifted academically are framed more negatively than those who are exceptionally able in music or sport. The article questions the growing practice of labelling children as academically gifted in English schools given the negative stereotypes that surround this classification.  2010 The Author(s). Children & Society  2010 National Children’s Bureau and Blackwell Publishing Limited

Gifted Child Quarterly, 2012

This commentary addresses Subotnik et al.’s target article from the perspective of researchers active in the field of giftedness. First, we self-critically examine the current standing of giftedness research within the scientific community. Second, the authors’ critique of gifted education is sharpened in three respects: (a) gifted identification, (b) effectiveness of gifted education, and (c) credentials of gifted education. Finally, four necessary and productive lines for future research are proposed.

1991

Following a short discussion of conceptual and theoretical problems of giftedness, the methodological foundations and selected results of a (presently) four year longitudinal study are presented. This study is based on a multidimensional concept of giftedness: intelligence, creativity, social competence, musical ability, psychomotor ability (or practical intelligence). Both academic achievements and leisure activities, as well as cognitive and motivational personality factors and school and family socialisation conditions relevant to giftedness, were studied. During the second project phase developmental aspects and achievement analyses of gifted and normal students aged 6 to 18 years were the central aspects of the study. Finally, methodological problems in the identification of gifted children and adolescents as well as consequences for the nurturing of giftedness are discussed.

2013

Giftedness, or the existence of remarkable natural talents, is believed to occur once in every hundred individuals, and exceptional giftedness once in every ten thousand as per current definitions. The phenomenon of giftedness has caught the attention of psychologists, pedagogists, educationists, and neuroscientists, from the mid-19 th to the 20 th centuries. Giftedness research is the basis of various specially developed tests and programmes the world over. These tests and programmes are intended to identify gifted children and to encourage them to develop their talents and realise their potential, as well as to handle the social and emotional issues that may arise from their differentness. Giftedness has been defined in many ways, pointing to the complexities associated with its identification. Inevitably, special programmes for the gifted draw as much criticism as applause, triggering debates on elitism vs. equity in education. The present review of literature of giftedness research attempts to outline the phenomenon of giftedness in children in its various manifestations, the methods of evaluation and tests in current use, the need for gifted programmes and their efficacy, the developmental trajectory of giftedness, the social and emotional issues accompanying giftedness, and the impact of the socio-cultural environment, educational intervention options for gifted children are also discussed.