Gifted And Talented Students

Do you know who is the Gifted And Talented? What is its actual meaning? What are the characteristics of Gifted and Talented children? What is its history? What is the Acceleration Programme for them? What is the role of a teacher for the Gifted and Talented children? Well, here is the answers to all of these questions.

Historical Background of Gifted and Talented child

Plato was the first great philosopher who was concerned to discuss the gifted youth of the country so that they might be educated for state leadership. He suggested the test of native ability for talented and gifted student's selection. A scientific investigation of gifted individuals started after Galton's report in1869. It was a quantitative study of human abilities for the time. He inherited some factors responsible for natural abilities and it is said that without a particular gift for a particular achievement, he or she would not be able to achieve well in that area. For that purpose, the person needs general ability.

Meaning of Gifted and Talented students

Children or the students who are bright in sharp in memory, intelligence, and quick in decision making are usually called gifted children. They are termed as gifted due to their extraordinary intellectual power given by the nature as a gift.

Definition for Gifted and Talented students

It is tough to find out an applicable and acceptable definition of gifted people. Because different investigators have used different criteria to define such children. Some of the definitions in this regard are provided below-

IQ definition for Gifted and Talented child

From Terman's famous investigation we can measure the IQ level of these children. From the measurement, we can say the minimum score originally set for the gifted is 140 IQ. Later or children scoring 135 IQ are included in this group but from Heek's measurement, it is indicated that an IQ of 125 is appropriate. Their admission to classes is specially meant for the gifted.

Definition of a gifted and talented child of Prem Pasricha

The Gifted child is he or she who exhibits superiority in general intelligence. He or She is in possession of special abilities of high orders in the fields which are not necessarily with high intelligence quotient.

Characteristics of Gifted and talented children

The gifted children are the genius in making. We can open the pages of history for these characteristics. We can find innumerable examples, wherein gifted children can be been found to excel normal children of their age and also adults to an incredible extent.

Most of such talented or gifted become reputed musicians, poets, philosophers, scientists, administrators, writers, and geniuses in several other fields. The examples of such gifted children historically are Mahatma Gandhi, Einstein, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Newton, Ramanujan, Buddha, and many others.

These gifted children are found that differs from the other considerably in certain features and traits, however, have been commonly examined amongst a majority of them. Some of the researchers, by doing a large number of short-term and longitudinal studies have summarised the following characteristics of children with superior intelligence.

Cognitive Characteristics of Gifted and talented children

The extraordinary quality of accumulating information. Advanced comprehension access to challenging curriculum.

Varied interest and curiosity.
High level of verbal intelligence.
Early development of reading skills.
Original in thinking and action.
They are not conservative rather flexible and progressive in thought process.
Very advanced in abstract thinking
Unusual capacity for processing information
Comprehensive synthesis.
Heightened capacity for seeing unusual and diverse
relationships among objects, events, and concepts.
Better in reasoning ability and generalization.
High memory power.
They have early ability to use and form the conceptual framework
An evaluative approach to themselves and others.
Persistent and goal-directed behavior.
They have the ability to excel in the academic aspects of education but the ability to excel to a lesser degree in areas that are not directly correlated with intelligence.
They are more than two years advanced from the average children in IQ, having 1Q more than 125.

Affective Characteristics of Gifted and talented children

A large accumulation of information about emotions.
The talented have more advanced emotional maturity.
Better adjusted in the society.
Unusual sensitivity to the expectations and feelings of others people.
Sense of humor.
They are gentle and hostile both but are polite.
Self-awareness and egoistic and are different.
Idealism, a sense of justice, and honesty.
Emotional depth and intensity.
High expectations of self and a high degree of frustration.
Advanced level of moral judgment.
Observes objects and situations deeply and with keenness.
Indifferent and hostile to dishonest people.

Physical Characteristics of Gifted and talented child

The talented are advanced in physical development having a good height, weight, and bodily development from birth.
Study shows that the talented or gifted walk and talk about two months earlier than the average children of their age.
Superior in neuro-muscular capacity.
They can not tolerate the lag between their standard and their athletic skills.
They are generally successful in indoor and outdoor sports and games.

Psychomotor Characteristics of Gifted and talented students

Have a more positive attitude toward society.
They are energetic and active in nature.
They have the ability to concentrate for a longer duration of time.
They are careless about the quality of handwriting.

Intuitive Characteristics of Gifted and talented children

Early concern and involvement for metaphysical ideas, and intuitive knowing.
Their creativity is apparent in all areas of endeavors.
High interest in life hereafter.

Social Characteristics of Gifted and talented

The talented and gifted are not boastful in exaggeration, less cheating, and greater trustworthiness.
Excess in courtesy, cooperation, and willingness to take suggestions (if acceptable).
They are more frequently intimated by their peers in schools and outside schools.
Strongly motivated to their self-actualizing needs
Highly interested in solving social problems.
The leadership quality of high level.
Seek older companions.

Academic Characteristics of Gifted and talented children

The Talented And Gifted Students have superior achievement in one or more academic subjects, i.e. performance much about than average children.
The Talented And Gifted Students have the ability to learn even complex content easily.
If instructional material is not challenging enough, they may drop out of school due to a lack of motivation in the curricular activities.
If The Talented And Gifted Students are not identified for providing special services, they may become the victim of underachievement.
The Talented And Gifted Students have the high organizational ability of the subject matter.

Communication ability Characteristics of Gifted and talented students

The Talented And Gifted Students' communication ability is higher than the average people.
The Talented And Gifted Students take much interest in conversation in social situations.
The Talented And Gifted Students enjoy conversation with older people and peers more than their agemates
The Talented And Gifted Students' language ability and speech development are very advanced at least more than two years.

Negative characteristics Characteristics of Gifted and talented children

The Talented And Gifted Students are restless in the classroom.
The Talented And Gifted Students are disturbing in group situations.
The Talented And Gifted Students are inattentive to instructions if it is a low standard.
The Talented And Gifted Students are indifferent to classwork occasionally.
The Talented And Gifted Students are outspokenly critical and egoistic in nature.
The Talented And Gifted Students are hostile towards dishonest people and atheists.

Educational adaptation of Gifted and talented children

The Talented And Gifted Students are generally well advanced in almost all aspects of life. They don't create classroom disturbances due to their giftedness at least in normal situations. Seeing the Talented's advanced abilities. No need for any consulting program for them. However, if any school arranges special programs for the Talented And Gifted Students, it is more in the interest of the school and the society than that of these children.

Role of the teacher for Gifted and talented children

The teacher should provide the following diverse instructions to the Gifted and Talented Children-

i) Activities addressing diversified interests and the performance of The Talented And Gifted Students.

ii) The teacher has to develop a higher level of thinking skills in The Talented And Gifted Students by adopting problem-solving approaches and brainstorming techniques.

iii) The teacher should recognize The Talented And Gifted Students in the class as they are superior in intelligence and treat them accordingly. It will satisfy the ego of the Talented And Gifted.

iv) The students should be allowed to move through the curriculum at their own respective paces.

v) After identifying advanced content, the teacher should assign The Talented And Gifted Students independent reading, projects, worksheets, reports, etc.

vi) They should be encouraged to solve practical problems of life through The Talented And Gifted Students' novel ideas.

vii) The Talented And Gifted Students should have full access to the participation of classroom management.

viii) The Talented And Gifted Students should be given full opportunities for independent learning.

Enrichment Programme for Gifted and talented students

In such programs, The Talented And Gifted Students are not placed in any special class or school. The Talented And Gifted Students remain in the regular class with average students but special attention is paid to them in the classroom by the teacher. It is directly related to teaching techniques and curricular programs.

Enrichment activities in the classroom and in the school may are of the following types-

1. Creativity fostering activities: The teachers can organize open writing activities like essay writing, stylist writing, poster writing, letter writing, etc. are organized in the class to benefit The Talented And Gifted Students.

2. Mathematical Puzzles: Related to their syllabus some of the very difficult questions of mathematics are given to the Talented And Gifted to solve. Mathematics teaching is also related to team and individual statistics, i.e. games, and in this way, the Talented And Gifted Students to learn in the playground.

3. Student's research activities: The Talented And Gifted Students are given the opportunity to conduct surveys and collect data related to social sciences and these data are analyzed by using mathematical tactics. While doing so they formulate the hypothesis themselves and then test the hypothesis on the basis of the information collected by The Talented And Gifted Students. Library work can also be given to the Talented And Gifted for this purpose.

4. Broadening the area of comprehension: Their area of understanding is broadened by helping The Talented And Gifted Students find out the new avenues of the problem and their possible solutions.

5. Extra and tough assignments: The Talented And Gifted Students should be given chance to deal with more difficult problems than what the class is doing. Apart from this, The Talented And Gifted Students' quantity of work should also be more than others in order to engage them sufficiently.

6. Free time activities: The Talented And Gifted Students should not be left free at any time. Important free time activities useful and necessary for The Talented And Gifted Students are as follows:

Map reading while studying social sciences.
Field trips and excursions for collecting novel information and for relating theoretical
knowledge with the practical aspect of life.
Organizing debate and speech competitions for the Talented And Gifted.
Collecting information from the website etc.
Suggesting the Talented And Gifted to study some additional literature.
Asking the Talented And Gifted to prepare a summary of lessons

7. Use of computers in education: The Talented And Gifted Students should use computers to find students in other cities and the schools located in other areas on the website. It will increase their range of experiences. Curricular experience can also be extended for the Talented And Gifted by using the internet.

8. Art enrichment: The Talented And Gifted Students are very superior in performing and visual arts both. In other to excel the Talented And Gifted Students in these areas they should be made involved in the following activities.

If history is being taught, the Talented And Gifted Students should be asked to depict centers of arts and monuments of that period.
The Talented And Gifted Students should be encouraged to write poetry and other creative works in the class.
Drama & stories should be taught to the Talented And Gifted Students by activity, not by lecture. The Talented And Gifted Students should play the roles of various actors in the drama.
The Talented And Gifted Students should be encouraged to organize various cultural and literacy activities themselves.

9. Laboratory enrichment: The thinking process of The Talented And Gifted Students is very diversified. The Talented And Gifted Students want to do some new experiments and prepare some new materials. The Talented And Gifted Students should be given full opportunity for that but once they are working in the lab, the teacher should supervise them so that they may not inflict any casualty on themselves.

10. Integrated approach: The Talented And Gifted Students should be given the opportunity to relate

One area with other areas and discipline.
The knowledge obtained by the Talented And Gifted Students in the class with the real and practical problems of life.
What the Talented And Gifted Students have learned in their previous classes with what they are learning at present.

Acceleration Programme for Gifted and talented child

It means The Talented And Gifted Students will finish 12 grades in less than 12 years or 10 grades in less than 10 school years. The Talented And Gifted Students take less time to complete their course than the average child. Important methods of acceleration for the Talented And Gifted Students are given below:

1. Early admission to grade first: Admission of Talented And Gifted children is made on the basis of the Talented And Gifted Students' mental age rather than chronological age and thus the Talented And Gifted Students are given admission in class first at an early age. The practical difficulty of this method is that it is very difficult to measure the intelligence of a 3 or 4 years old child of Talented And Gifted Students in an accurate manner.

2. Double promotion: A Talented And Gifted child on the basis of his performance in the school is given double promotion, i.e. he may be promoted to class 5th from 3rd or for 2nd to IVth. The disadvantage of this method is that the Talented And Gifted Students often skip some important learning materials due to skipping which are very difficult to accomplish in the next grades and it may create learning problems for them.

3. Lengthening working days of the school: In this arrangement summer and winter vacations are also utilized to teach the Talented And Gifted Students something new and extra. The curriculum of the next grade can be also be taught to the Talented And Gifted Students in order to skip them at least one grade.

4. Early admission to college: Through regular skipping in schools Talented And Gifted complete their school education in less than the usual number of years and hence Talented And Gifted are given admission to college when they are children. Education policies and regulations are also changed for this purpose.

5. Telescoped program: Here three years educational programs are condensed into two years or four years syllabi are condensed into three academic years for the Talented And Gifted Students

6. Subject-wise acceleration: Here syllabi of various subjects are enriched according to the mental level of Talented And Gifted children and then the Talented And Gifted Students are taught in a routine manner. The separate classes and separate examination systems are necessary for this arrangement. In this arrangement, a child may be in class 6 in one subject but he may be in class 9th in other subjects.

Placement for Gifted and talented children

Special classes: Special classes are arranged for Talented And Gifted children on the basis of their intelligence and age. Special grouping from among sections is done on the basis of various subjects for the Talented And Gifted Students like music, art, literature, mathematics, etc. Some special grouping can also be made on the basis of degree IQ for example high achievers in English are put together in the high English section and low achievers are put in the low English Section. Sometimes, an extra foreign language is taught to the Talented And Gifted children in a special class for the purpose of enrichment.

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