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At a time when the U.S. education system consistently lags behind its international peers. Dumbing Down America: The War on Our Nation's Brightest Young Minds (And What We Can Do to Fight Back) shows exactly why America can't keep up by providing a critical look at the nation's schools through the eyes of the children whose minds are languishing in countless classrooms. Filled with specific examples of how gifted children are being shortchanged by a nation that believes smart kids will succeed on their own, Dumbing Down America packs a powerful message: If we want our nation to prosper, we must pay attention to its most intelligent youth. With more than 35 years of experience working with and for gifted children, author James R. Delisle provides a template of what can and must happen in America's schools if they are to fulfill their mission of educating every child to the fullest potential. Dumbing Down America is a must-read for any individual who believes that the unfulfilled promises to gifted children must begin to be met in America's schools today, not someday. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: cover)

Musical giftedness is a topic characterized by multiple perspectives and definitions. Scholars and researchers in music education have investigated the nature of giftedness from a variety of viewpoints resulting in numerous terms used to identify students who may be considered musically gifted, along with various methods for identifying, teaching, and assessing these students. The following chapter includes an overview of the terms, common theories, and modes of assessment related to musical potential followed by definitions, theories, and assessment tools for musical achievement. Musical potential and achievement are then addressed in relation to models for fostering musical giftedness and implications for educators hoping to work with musically gifted students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

A major review of research from 1951 to 1982 on parents and families of students with gifts and talents identified the following themes in the research literature—(a) family characteristics, (b) parental attitudes and values, (c) family problems with gifted children, (d) achievement and underachievement, (e) role of parents in identification, (f) parental encouragement and provision of enrichment activities, and (g) parents and schools. Although the focus of research has narrowed over time, parents' expectations of services and programming and parents' perceptions of their child's giftedness consistently have remained a focus of study. The distinctive challenges that parents of gifted children face should be of interest to researchers as well as to teachers, parents, and the gifted children themselves. Awareness of these challenges can help faculty to design appropriate educational experiences for preservice and in-service teachers who work with students with gifts and talents, can ameliorate some of the isolation felt by parents of gifted learners, and can help gifted individuals to understand and come to terms with their own family environments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

The neural bases of giftedness will be examined in this chapter by focusing on a construct within giftedness: high levels of intelligence. Intelligence is very difficult to define, and in fact, there is little consensus among scientific researchers as to what is meant by intelligence. A general definition provided by Sternberg and Salter (1982) that we will use is "goal-directed adaptive behavior". Intelligent behavior is adaptive in that it changes to confront and successfully meet challenges. Because it is not enough for intelligent behavior to simply be adaptive, it is also thought to be goal-directed or purposeful. However, it is the adaptive nature of intelligence that will be the primary focus of this chapter. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

Over the past several years, media attention directed toward autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has increased substantially, not only in relation to the rising prevalence rate, but also through the portrayal of individuals with ASD in movies and television shows. Misconceptions abound; for example, many erroneously believe that a large percentage of individuals with ASD are savants, or that everyone diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome is gifted. Neither statement is true. However, research does demonstrate that there are individuals with ASD who are intellectually gifted, although the prevalence rate remains unknown. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2012), 1 in every 88 children is currently diagnosed with an ASD. Given this astounding number, educators undoubtedly will work with individuals on the spectrum at some point during their careers. To do so requires a comprehensive understanding of ASD, as well as an awareness of the potential for giftedness. To fully understand this group of twice-exceptional students, clarification of terminology and diagnostic criteria must first be addressed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

The current chapter focuses on the young scholars model. Young Scholars model supports the notion of providing equity of opportunity to all students so that any child who has an exceptional ability to think, reason, and problem solve will be able to participate in classes for gifted and talented students. It is a model because it builds on existing structures and practices and highlights the importance of bringing together four elements that must be present in any effort to find and nurture potential in young learners. The two-pronged primary goal of the Young Scholars model is (a) to identify giftedness in children from diverse cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds as early as possible; and (b) to nurture, guide, and support the development of their exceptional potential so that these students will be prepared for increasingly higher levels of challenge as they progress in grade levels. The model incorporates key components that are interdependent and integral to finding and nurturing gifted potential in diverse populations. Implementation of the model leads to systemic change and a school environment that encourages continuous learning and advanced intellectual growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

This chapter presents research on giftedness and connects it to relevant work in educational psychology. To provide context for current thinking about gifted learners, a short history of the study of giftedness and education of gifted learners is provided. This is followed by contemporary work that recognizes the dynamic and complex nature of giftedness and considers the nature of educational environments that nurture optimal development. The chapter is written from the Canadian perspective, where giftedness is considered a special educational need and the rights of children with special needs to an appropriate education are enshrined in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. These considerations, however, are not always reflected in practice. Consistent with contemporary research in educational psychology that emphasizes the importance of the initial understandings people bring to their learning, the chapter begins with a series of questions to stimulate your reflection on what you now know and think about giftedness and intelligence. Before engaging with the chapter it is important that you make explicit your own understandings of what giftedness and intelligence mean and what intelligence means for learning. These reflections will help you to see how your own beliefs and experiences come to play as you learn about giftedness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

In this chapter, I discuss eight topics about giftedness. It is my hope that an understanding of the first six topics will help the reader understand the eighth topic, where I consider the puzzle of childhood giftedness - why it is that the link between childhood giftedness and adult genius is so weak. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

In this chapter, I will sketch how the expert-performance approach could be extended to account for several aspects of the generation of major creative contributions in arts and science and, thus go beyond ideas in my earlier papers on genius, creativity, giftedness and organizational creativity. My chapter will start with a general overview of a few major facts about genius. Then, I will briefly describe the expert-performance approach and how this approach has proposed necessary conditions for attaining high levels of performance in many domains of expertise. I will then try to show how it might be possible to extend this model by specifying necessary conditions for making creative contributions and search tor empirical evidence for some of these ideas developed by several researchers. The fundamental issue discussed in this chapter concerns how the current work on expert performance in traditional domains, such as sport, chess, music, and ballet, might be extended to seemingly very different activities such as creative achievement in science and arts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

The purpose of this chapter is to provide foundational knowledge of giftedness and the gifted adult learner—the adult who learns faster and in different ways than other adults; the adult who, by virtue of certain traits, used to be a gifted child, whether or not s/he was ever formally identified. The starting point of this chapter, then, will be to answer the questions: What are the general definitions and characteristics of giftedness? What are the characteristics of gifted adults? and What do we know about gifted adults? Further discussion will include a brief examination of Dąbrowski's theory of positive disintegration (Dąbrowski, 1964; Mendaglio, 2008), its role in research on the gifted adult, and potential connections to transformative learning theory. The authors will then suggest potential intersections between gifted education and adult learning and illuminate the emerging possibilities of a partnership whereby the two fields can learn from each other. Common strategies employed in gifted and talented learner contexts will be offered for those in adult learning and education who wish to draw parallels and begin developing and sustaining the gifted adult learner within the adult learning environment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

The current exploratory study analyzes survey results regarding teacher perspectives and experience with project-based learning (PBL). Particular attention was paid to teachers serving diverse learners with exceptionalities such as learning disabilities or giftedness. The analysis suggests PBL is perceived as an effective measure when working with diverse and exceptional students. However, while teachers are aware of PBL as an instructional strategy, practitioners may lack a clear understanding of PBL methodology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

This chapter illustrates use of the WPPSI-IV in a comprehensive battery through case reports for two young children referred for psychological evaluations. The first case report presents the results of George R., a 7-year-old male referred for evaluation of intellectual giftedness. The second case report presents results for Jane B., a 7-year-old female referred for testing due to preliteracy concerns. These case reports demonstrate the integration of various aspects of the children's history and interview data, behavioral observations, and other tests. The reports also illustrate important information to include in each section and translation of results into recommendations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

In our experience, it is common in career counseling to hear clients talk about wanting to discover and live out a calling. The term calling means different things to different people. Typically, calling refers to a personally or socially meaningful engagement with one’s work, sometimes linked to one’s religious or spiritual perspective, sometimes to a sense of passion or giftedness, and sometimes to a deeply held set of values for making a difference or leaving a legacy. Whatever the particulars, the concept seems very powerful when expressed through a client’s tone of despair, longing, or hope. We have worked with many objectively successful but subjectively miserable middle-career adult clients who have fantasized about what it would be like to experience work as a calling rather than as an obligation to which they felt chained (sometimes with “golden handcuffs”). Interactions with clients such as these are part of what has driven us to devote much of our careers to better understanding what it means to have a calling, the difference it makes (in work and life) for people who approach work as a calling, and strategies for discerning and living out a calling. Although much has yet to be learned, what is clear from research is that a sense of calling provides, for many people, a key pathway for experiencing work and life as meaningful and satisfying (e.g., Dik, Eldridge, Steger, & Duffy, 2012; Dik, Sargent, & Steger, 2008; Duffy & Sedlacek, 2007; Hirschi, 2012). How, then, might career development practitioners help clients discern and live out a calling? In this chapter, we offer some suggestions that address this question. We begin with an overview of the historical and conceptual context for the recent surge of scholarly interest in calling. We then summarize the rapidly accumulating research on the construct and explore implications for career interventions that target discerning and living out a calling. To close the chapter, we use a case study to demonstrate the use of calling in career counseling. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

This chapter outlines a cross-disciplinary, evidence-based approach to developmental assessment in school-age children and youth based on each of the five domains of development. Children should be assessed when parents report significant developmental concerns in infancy or early childhood and/or the school team is concerned about a child’s daily functioning at school. Assessment is also necessary when a student appears to be developmentally advanced. Guidelines are provided for using the developmental profile in Figure 8.1 to (a) diagnose pervasive developmental disabilities (PDDs) and specific developmental disabilities (SDDs) or giftedness and (b) take the five developmental domains into account when planning student interventions and giving parents feedback. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

In this chapter, the authors provide an overview of several European studies that have investigated CAS profiles of children with special educational needs. Specifically, we discuss mathematical learning disabilities, nonverbal learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, giftedness, attention deficits, and the profiles of children from ethnic minorities. Because reading is discussed extensively in other chapters of this book, CAS profiles of children with reading disabilities are only briefly reviewed in the "Discussion" section. Finally, the implications of these studies for the use of the PASS theory are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

Have you heard the saying, "All children are gifted. They just open their packages at different times and in different ways"? Yeah, well, that may be simplifying the notion of giftedness just a tad. In fact, although teachers and parents might identify giftedness in children by the differences that they demonstrate in a classroom, the definition of giftedness is a challenging one. There is no "one-size-fits-all" program or practice that is guaranteed to work. Often, a teacher just wants to keep a gifted child busy and out of trouble, so she or he may end up using materials that are marketed "for gifted kids," are attractive, and yet have no real substance. According to a project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and described in the book Best Practices in Gifted Education, there are 29 strategies that have been proven effective in identifying and serving gifted students. These research-grounded strategies offer specific guidance to teachers, administrators, policy makers, and parents. While many educational practices and packaged programs employ these strategies, there are even more that are based in pseudoscience, reputation, or just busywork with no substance. This chapter will take many of these research-based strategies and make them "real" for you. I'm sure that you want to meet ALL of your students' needs; let's not let any group of students lag behind in their educational growth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

This chapter considers three standpoints on rural giftedness. By "standpoint" we indicate a grounded way of reading the world: based on a place in it and, in our case, an articulated position (i.e., writing the world) about being there. Our particular standpoint for writing the world—given previously in many venues—is that rural is best understood as a set of meanings related to the land, to family, to rural sorts of work, and to local communities. Such meanings as these inform our overall position as rural educators: that rural schooling should encourage, support, and actively facilitate rural adulthoods for rural students. The dominant position, however, suggests instead that most rural children, especially bright ones, should abandon their home places for opportunities elsewhere to pursue college, medical school, and metropolitan careers, and who abandon rural places altogether, are viewed as successful-Among not only rural school professionals, but among influential rural community members—and indeed, by everyone else. However we want to explain a contrary and largely disparaged position (a position unusually appreciative of the educational potential of rural cultures and places); that is, rural life is not limiting and restrictive, but is instead inclusive and generative. In articulating this position, though, we often—almost always—encounter bafflement among education faculty. To be clear: We are not opposed to any individual leaving or indeed, arriving anywhere. Instead, we ask why the American culture is disparaging of rural locality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

Rural places are unique. There are defining characteristics of rural individuals and especially those who ate gifted and live in rural areas. However these characteristics, beliefs, and values differ based on the rural region in which a student resides as well as his or her ethnicity, income status and experiences. Educators need to understand the context of their specific rural locale and match identification methods to their students' needs. The use of a variety of measures, flexibility of methods used, understanding the context and community in which a rural gifted student resides, and challenging preconceived notions of giftedness through professional development are essential in crafting appropriate identification systems for rural gifted students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

Early identification and intervention greatly benefits gifted students who may otherwise never realize their full potential. Essentials of Gifted Assessment is an evidence-based overview of what makes students gifted, how giftedness is best identified, and strategies for promoting achievement in high-ability students. Author Steven Pfeiffer is a leading expert in the field of gifted assessment and in Essentials of Gifted Assessment he presents his influential tripartite model of giftedness. This model goes well beyond the 20th-century focus on IQ scores, taking into account achievement and potential in a variety of areas for a more nuanced and practical perspective. With reference to this and other models, Essentials of Gifted Assessment reviews a range of assessment tools for their research-supported validity and clinical utility. Each chapter contains self-test questions and quick-reference boxes that facilitate both retention of new information and later review. Steven Pfeiffer has also dedicated a chapter to answering the most Frequently Asked Questions about gifted assessment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: cover)

The author of The Challenges of Gifted Children, Dr. Barbara Klein, is acclaimed both for her specialized knowledge of giftedness—scholarship, research, teaching, writing—and her extraordinary successful therapeutic counseling of gifted children and their parents. In this book, she brings to life the voices of gifted children, illuminating new insights into their special strengths and developmental needs. Further, the author presents accounts and case studies from parents of these children that reveal unique concerns parents have when their child is gifted. Noteworthy is Klein’s effective uncovering of the issues thwarting child and parent and her engagement of them in ways that overcome developmental blocks, replacing parental uncertainty and despair with a new confidence. In reading this book, school leaders and reformers will become aware of the deficiencies in schooling of the gifted as well as the emergence of innovative departures based on new understandings of the gifted in relation to school safety, acceleration, individualism, and the importance of social skills. Although Klein emphasizes parental care in selecting the right school for one’s gifted child, and subsequently parental participation in school life, she shows how schools, in becoming right schools for the gifted, can become better schools for all. This book is a comprehensive but readable text with scope for readers to connect with their own concerns. A spouse will draw a partner’s attention to a particular revelation. A mother or grandmother will want the other to read the section that speaks directly to issues affecting the guidance she wants to provide her gifted child. Although the author is an expert on giftedness and experienced in overcoming obstacles to its promise, she offers respectful but firm treatment for the gifted and their caregivers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: foreword)