About Giftedness
Also on this page Characteristics | Needs
Definitions of Giftedness
Federal Government
The Javits definition of giftedness, adopted in 1993, is the definition accepted and used by the Edina Public Schools. It defines gifted students as those "who exhibit evidence of high performance capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop such capabilities." In addition, it states that "children and youth with outstanding talent perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment... Outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor."
Minnesota State Board of Education
This definition, adopted in 1976, states: "Gifted and talented children are those who by virtue of outstanding abilities are capable of high performance. These are children whose potentialities can be realized through differentiated educational programs and/or services beyond those normally provided by the regular school program. Children capable of high performance include those with demonstrated achievement or potential ability in any of the following areas, singly or in combination--general intellectual abiltity, specific academic aptitude, creative or productive thinking, leadership ability, visual and performing arts."
Francoys Gagne (University of Quebec)
In addition to the federal and state definitions, many school districts in Minnesota are using the definitions of Francoys Gagne to more specifically define gifts and talents. Gagne suggests that children are "born with" superior aptitudes in domains such as intellectual, creative, socioaffective, and sensorimotor. Talents are in more specific fields such as the arts, mathematics, science, and communications. Talents develop over time and are dependent on both intrapersonal catalysts--such as self-esteem, interests and motivation--and environmental catalysts--such as significant teacher or mentors or learning experiences. Opportunities for specific training, learning, and practice in a field also affect the development of high levels of talent.
Characteristics of Gifted Students
Gifted children typically have a number of the following traits:
Intellectual Characteristics |
Personality Characteristics |
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Needs of Gifted Students
In her book, Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom, Susan Winebrenner tells us that the students who learn the least in school are usually the most able. That’s because what is taught in the classroom is often what these students already know. Just because students get As on their report cards doesn’t mean they are actually making progress in class. In fact, many gifted students get As with little or no effort and would continue to do so even if the curriculum were far more difficult. Moreover, it’s possible that a gifted student who gets As could be underachieving. (This is not to say that all gifted students get As. Giftedness is not necessarily measured in terms of performance.)
All students deserve opportunities to grow. But what it takes for students to grow varies greatly. Students have vastly different needs, and the needs of gifted students are just as out of line with the norm as the needs of developmentally delayed students. To help gifted students realize their potential, teachers can employ a variety of strategies in the classroom, including pre-assessment, curriculum differentiation, and independent study projects. But it would be a huge mistake to stop there. The needs of gifted students go way beyond academics. Gifted students have far-reaching sensitivities that require a different level of awareness on the part of their educators. If their needs are not met, gifted students can get turned off to learning and—sadly—life itself. Contrary to popular belief, gifted students are not superhuman children who can take care of themselves and succeed no matter what. Without help, their success—even their survival—is compromised.
The needs of gifted students include:
- Acknowledgement of their gifts and abilities
- Affirmation and approval
- Encouragement in their pursuit of truth and knowledge
- Tolerance of their behavior, affect and ideas, which might be considered “different” or odd
- Association and alliance with other students who have similar abilities, interests and intensities
- A sense of purpose
- Opportunities to work independently with little direction
- Support for self-directed activities
- Opportunities to explore personal interests, which tend to be passionate
- Intelligent discussion with others who share interests
- Psychological nourishment
- Stimulation
- Challenge
- Opportunities to learn beyond the normal curriculum
- Opportunities to use higher-level thinking skills
- Sensitivity and respect for their feelings
Looking over the above list, it can certainly be said that some of these needs (such as challenge and stimulation) are common to all children. But for gifted children, the needs go deeper, and it takes more to fulfill them. For gifted students, everything is MORE.