Southwest licking local school district administrator and teacher
Excerpt from ERIC Digest #E574, “Dual Exceptionalities,” by Colleen Willard-Holt
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- REFERRAL FOR GIFTED CONSIDERATION
Excerpt from ERIC Digest #E574, “Dual Exceptionalities,” by Colleen Willard-Holt.Masking GiftednessAt times, various social and emotional issues may cause a child’s giftedness to be masked. Such issues may include perfectionism and underachievement. Check out some of the resources at the end of this handbook for more information about each of these concerns.Characteristics of Underachievement
Characteristics of Perfectionism
This information comes from the various works by James Delisle and Judy Galbraith. See Resource section for titles. MYTHS Evidence of misunderstanding of gifted children can often be seen through the following beliefs propagated in educational settings. Myth: Gifted programs are elitist. Fact: Gifted children could become elitist if they continually have the highest grades in the class. By working and learning with others of the same ability level, children learn that they are not always the top student and that mastery of a subject should involve hard work. Myth: Gifted kids should love school, get high grades, and greet each new school day with enthusiasm. Fact: Most schools are geared for average learners, not gifted learners, which make it hard for gifted students to get excited about school. Some of the most talented students in the United States actually choose to drop out of school altogether. Myth: Gifted students come from white middle-and upper-class families. Fact: They come from all cultural, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic groups. Myth: Gifted kids have pushy parents. Fact: Some do; some don’t. Some parents want to make sure that their children get the learning opportunities they need, and they may be very vocal and persistent about it. Other parents worry about calling extra attention to their children and say nothing. Myth: Gifted kids are good at everything they do. Fact: Some gifted students are good at many things; others are exceptionally able at only a few things. Some gifted students also have learning differences, which means that they might not be very good at schoolwork. Myth: Teachers love having gifted students in their classes. Fact: Some do; some don’t. Certain teachers feel uncomfortable with gifted students and get defensive when they suspect that their students know more than they do. Myth: If gifted students are grouped together, they become snobbish and stuck-up. Fact: Some do; some don’t. What’s especially pernicious about this myth is that adults have used it to rationalize decisions about not grouping gifted students or providing them with appropriate learning opportunities. Myth: Gifted kids have trouble adjusting to school and forming friendships. Fact: Some do; some don’t—just like other kids. Myth: Gifted students don’t know they’re “different” unless someone tells them. Fact: Most gifted kids don’t need to be identified or labeled before they know that they’re not quite like their age peers. Myth: Gifted students must constantly be challenged and kept busy, or they’ll get lazy. Fact: They might get bored, but they won’t necessarily get lazy. Myth: Gifted kids are equally mature in all areas—academic, physical, social, and emotional. Fact: That would be convenient, but it’s simply not true. Asynchronous development is common among gifted children. On the other hand, it’s not reasonable to assume that just because someone is advanced intellectually, he or she will lag behind in other developmental areas. Myth: Gifted kids need to go through school with kids their own age. Fact: They may need to play with them and interact socially with them, but they don’t necessarily need to learn with them. For the child who started reading at age four, a first-grade reading class can be torture. Myth: Gifted kids tend to be weak and sickly. Fact: Actually, gifted children tend to be physically stronger than their age peers. They have fewer illnesses and are generally taller and heavier. Myth: It’s easy for teachers to recognize which children in their classes are gifted. Fact: Teachers without any training in this area have only a fifty percent chance of accurately identifying gifted kids. Myth: Gifted children are all alike. Fact: There is no one “portrait” of a gifted student. Talents and strengths among the gifted vary as widely as they do with any sample of students drawn from a so-called “average” population. Some educators distinguish between academically gifted and socially gifted; between highly gifted and normally gifted; and between highly creative and highly talented students. Many other breakdowns and categories exist. Myth: Gifted children share common psychological traits or personalities. Fact: Some are outgoing risk-takers, challengers of the status quo. Some are quiet, satisfied with their private world. As learners, some need constant feedback; others don’t. Some need a tremendous amount of encouragement to perform, or a lot of structure. Others ask for help after class, or look up a special teacher years later to get advice. Delisle, J. (2001). When Gifted Kids Don’t Have All the Answers, (pp. 26-29). Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Press. REFERRAL FOR GIFTED CONSIDERATIONOn an annual basis the Southwest Licking district identifies students in grades K-12 who qualify as gifted in the following four areas: Superior Cognitive, Specific Academic, Creative Thinking Ability and Visual/Performing Arts. Students are identified according to Ohio Administrative Code 3301-51-15. Although current formal programming is only offered by the district at grades three through eight, the state requires that we identify students in grades K-12. Classroom teachers are instrumental in recognizing students they see as possessing talent advanced for a particular grade level. Nominated students will be reviewed. The state relies solely on standardized test scores to identify superior cognitive and specific academic abilities. Students identified as gifted by another Ohio public school using the guidelines established by state law will maintain that identification status when transferring in to Southwest Licking Schools. For students nominated in a new area of identification, any past test scores will be noted and considered for identification if less than 24 months old. Students needing further evaluation will be given a Permission for Assessment Form for a parent signature. Students will be administered an achievement or ability test or both by the county gifted coordinator. Results will be sent to the parent, appropriate school building personnel, and the gifted teacher, and a copy will be placed in the student’s permanent file. Teachers, parents, students, or peers may refer students for gifted consideration. They should contact an administrator, one of the gifted teachers, or the county gifted coordinator. The following pages contain samples of the forms used in the identification and notification process. Once nominated students’ test scores have been examined, some students proceed to the next step, which is an additional assessment. Parents must approve the testing before administration can occur. SOUTHWEST LICKING ELEMENTARY TEACHER GIFTED AND TALENTED NOMINATION CHECKLIST Nominated Student _____________________________ Part I: Learning Characteristics
Date_________ Building ______________________ Grade______ Nominated by ____________________ Please circle the appropriate answer below. WHAT IS THE STUDENT'S AREA(S) OF STRENGTH? superior cognitive ability (generally high intelligence) math, reading, language, science, social studies
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ DIRECTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE CHECKLIST
Note that the numeral at the top of each grid corresponds to the above rating scale. Place a checkmark in the grid column that most accurately reflects how well the student fulfills each statement. **This checklist is meant to help you thoughtfully consider the nomination of a potentially gifted child. This score will not be used to determine gifted identification. SOUTHWEST LICKING ELEMENTARY TEACHER GIFTED AND TALENTED NOMINATION CHECKLIST Part II: Motivational Characteristics Part III: Creativity Characteristics
SOUTHWEST LICKING ELEMENTARY PARENT GIFTED AND TALENTED NOMINATION CHECKLIST Nominated Student _____________________________ Part I: Learning Characteristics
Date_________ Building ______________________ Grade______ Nominated by ____________________ Please circle the appropriate answer below. WHAT IS THE STUDENT'S AREA(S) OF STRENGTH? superior cognitive ability (generally high intelligence) math, reading, language, science, social studies
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ DIRECTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE CHECKLIST
Note that the numeral at the top of each grid corresponds to the above rating scale. Place a checkmark in the grid column that most accurately reflects how well the student fulfills each statement. **This checklist is meant to help you thoughtfully consider the nomination of a potentially gifted child. This score will not be used to determine gifted identification. SOUTHWEST LICKING ELEMENTARY PARENT GIFTED AND TALENTED NOMINATION CHECKLIST Part II: Motivational Characteristics Part III: Creativity Characteristics
SOUTHWEST LICKING ELEMENTARY STUDENT GIFTED AND TALENTED NOMINATION FORM Nominated Student ____________________________________________________________ Date_______________________ Building ________________________________________ Grade_________ Nominated by _________________________________________________ Please circle the appropriate answer below. WHAT IS THE STUDENT'S AREA(S) OF STRENGTH? superior cognitive ability (generally high intelligence, problem solving, creativity) math reading /language science social studies
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