 Gifted children differ from one another not only  The thinking processes of the gifted child are

in size, shape, and color, but also in cognitive and quick and logical
language abilities; interests; learning styles;  Have a natural curiosity and an urge to learn.
motivation and energy levels; personalities;
mental health and self concepts; habits and Early Math, Art, and Music
behavior; background and experience; and any
 Artistically gifted children learn to draw at an
other mental, physical, or experiential
earlier age than average, they learn rapidly, they
characteristic that one cares to look for.
have superior visual memories, they are
 Binet – describes intelligent students as having a
obsessively motivated to develop their artistic
higher mental age compared with their
bility, and they learn virtually on their own,
chronological age
solving problems in a idiosyncratic and creative
 Silverman – refer to intellectual giftedness as
ways.
asynchronous development characterized by
 They even see the world differently – less in
advance cognitive abilities
terms of concepts than of shapes and visual
 Gifted students’ mental development outstrips
surface features
their chronological (physical) development. Their
 A core music ability is sensitivity to, and an
intelligence-test performance as well, and
innate understanding of music structure, ---
typically their school achievement, match that of
tonality, key, harmony, and rhythm – and the
older children .
ability to hear expressive properties (timbre,
THE TERMAN STUDIES loudness, articulation, phrasing).

 Terman’s scientific data trashed the myth that Motivation, Persistence, Advanced Interests
brilliant students are predominantly weak,
 The high motivation and urge to learn found in
unattractive, and emotionally unstable.
many gifted children, combined with their
 They not only were well adjusted in childhood,
curiosity and their advanced comprehension and
but reported greater personal adjustment,
logical abilities, can lead to surprisingly advanced
emotional stability, self-esteem, professional
accomplishments.
success, and personal contentment in adulthood.
 Gifted over unselected children was greater in 3 CHARACTERISTICS RELEVANT TO G/T
reading, language usage, arithmetical reasoning, CURRICULUM (VanTassel-Baska 2003)
science, literature, and arts.
 They’re less in the areas of arithmetical  Precocity
computation, spelling and factual information  Intensity
about history and civics.  Complexity
 Terman’s students weighed more at birth, learned
to talk 3 ½ months earlier. They were taller, AFFECTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
heavier, and healthier – with better breathing 1. Social Skills, Personal Adjustment, Self Concepts
capacity, superior nutritional status, fewer  Hollingworth (1942) noted that students with IQ
headaches, and less general weakness. However, in the 140-160 range tend to be well adjusted, to
the relationship between giftedness and health is be successful, and to have friends. But above IQ
muddied by a third related factor of 180, they are too different and social adjustment
socioeconomic level is difficult.
 One important difference was adult productivity.  Highly gifted students (IQs over 130) and
The most productive adults had been rated by Moderately students (everybody else)
parents and teachers when they were children as
 Colangelo and Kelly (1983) discovered that
higher in self- confidence, leadership, sensitivity
gifted students’ self- concepts depend on which
to approval, perseverance, desire to excel, and
“self” the researcher is looking at
“force of character”.
(academic/social self)
TRAITS OF INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED CHILDREN 1. Positive individual aspects of giftedness
- Intellectual superiority (good grades,
Intellectually gifted competing well)
- Skillfulness (being talented and creative)
 Students that are developmentally advanced in - Self satisfaction (feeling happy and proud)
language and thought.
2. Negative individual qualities
Logical Thinking - Estrangement (feeling different or
embarrassed)
 - Conformity (feeling bored) - Assess learning preferences in these areas:
3. Some positive social benefits environmental, emotional, sociological,
- Social superiority (special class, being the physical, and psychological
best in school)
- Respect from others (students’ praise and Renzulli and renz style preferences:
asking for help) - Learning environment preferences
4. Negative social aspects
- Thinking styles preferences
- Social stress (people thinking that I’m snob,
- Instructional style preferences
make fun of me, make me wish I weren’t
- Expression style preferences
smart)

4. Superior Humor
2. Independence, Self-Confidence, Internal Control
 Humor will appear in art, creative writing, and
 Such an attitude is a natural outgrowth of years of
other areas, as well as in social interaction
favorable comparisons with less-able peers; a
glowing feedback and evaluations from parents,
teachers, peers, and siblings; and from the child’s
clear history of success in school 5. High Moral Thinking and Empathy
 The concept of high internal control describes the  Piaget and Inhelder (1969) explain that
confident children or adolescents who feel developmentally advanced children are less
responsible for their successes and failures and egocentric; that is, they are able to view a
who feel in control of their destinies. situation from another person’s point of view.
 It is important that the internally controlled child Therefore, gifted students are more likely to
usually attributes failure to lack of effort, not lack acknowledge the rights and feelings of others.
of ability, and so a failure is a momentary setback
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CREATIVELY GIFTED
that motivates the student to “try harder next
time”. 1. Creativity and Intelligence: The Threshold
 Externally controlled child is more likely to Concept
attribute success or failure to luck, chance, the  A base level of intelligence usually is essential
ease or difficulty of tasks, whether a teacher is for creative productivity; above that threshold
generous or unfair, lack of sleep, a sick cat, and (about 1Q 120) there is virtually no relationship
etc. between measured intelligence and creativity.
 The external child is less likely to harder after  If students are selected for a gifted program upon
failure – because he/ she foes not accept the basis of scores in the top 1% and 5% in
responsibility for the outcome in the first place. intelligence, the majority of creative students will
be missed
 When asked to identify “gifted” students, many
teachers will quickly nominate the well-behaved ,
conforming, neat, and dutiful teacher pleasers,
3. Preferred Styles of Learning, Instruction, rather than less of conforming students who are
Thinking, and Expression highly creative and more unconventional.
 The special talents of the creatively gifted may
Learning Styles
not be required.
- Refers to students’ preferred physical and 2. Personality and Cognitive Characteristics
socio-psychological conditions and preferred  Shows high energy and motivation
teaching/learning method.  Have been described as impulsive, overactive,
enthusiastic, excitable, spontaneous, persistent,
Thinking styles persevering, adventurous, willing to work beyond
tasks, and having high drive for accomplishment
- Refers to how one intellectually responds to
and recognition
situations and problems
 Original, aware of creativeness, Independent,
Expression Style Risk-Taking, Motivated, Curious, Sense of
humor , attracted to complexity, artistic, open
- One’s preferred mode of response. minded, needs alone time, intuitive intelligent.
Not being afraid to try something new, not
LSI minding the consequences of being different,
 having courage, exposing oneself to hostility,  Have knowledge of the nature and needs of the
rejecting limits imposed by others, gambling on gifted
failure, and being willing to make a full of  Can identify and assess gifted and talented
oneself. students
 Can select or develop methods and materials for
Negative Traits
use with gifted students
 Overactive physically and mentally  Are well prepared an well organized
 Temperamental, emotional  Skilled in teaching higher-level thinking skills
 Indifferent to conventions and courtesies  Skilled in questioning for higher-level thinking
 questions rules, laws, and authority  Focus on process as well as product
 stubborn  Can facilitate independent research and other
 resists domination projects
 egocentric, intolerant, tactless  Can direct individualized learning
 rebellious, uncooperative  Can teach students to evaluate for themselves
 capricious, careless, disorderly  Guide and facilitate learning, but do not coerce
 arrogant, cynical, sarcastic  Can work with culturally different gifted and
 impatient, demanding talented students
 absent-minded, forgetful, mind wanders  Are skilled in counseling gifted and talented
students
 argumentative, argues that everyone else is wrong
 Help develop students’ self concepts
 sloppy and disorganized with details and
uninmportant matters  Can present educational and career options
 Are skilled in group processes
Exemplary Teachers of the Gifted: Characteristics  Motivate students to strive for high achievement
 Familiar with a wide variety of teaching
 highly intelligent strategies
 enthusiastic about giftedness, talent, and learning  Skilled in persuasiveness, troubleshooting and
 aware of gifted students’ needs problem solving.
 energetic, ready to do extra work, and ready to
experiment
 patient, sensitive, respectful, and empathic; they
understand and see matters from students’ points
of view
 recognize individual differences, including
personal self-images and personal integrity
 accept responsibility for individual children
 create a vibrant, warm, safe, and democratic
earning environment
 are less judgmental and critical; have confidence
in gifted students
 sensitive to their actions as role models for
students
 are imaginative, innovative, flexible, and open to
change
 have cultural and intellectual interests and broad
general knowledge
 honest, fair, and objective
 mature, experienced, self confident, level headed
and emotionally stable
 willing to learn with and from students
 seek new solutions through continued earning
 have control over their personal lives
 can work closely with other members of gifted
staff, students, parents and etc.
 can communicate the needs of gifted students and
muster support for the gifted program.