3.11.8 Multiple Identification Model for the gifted children in India
Addressing the socio-political untenability of a gifted education programme, the NIAS model attempts to demystify the concept and challenges the resistance to the idea of giftedness in India. Using Renzulli’s (1985) model the NIAS identification protocol uses teacher nominations, followed by administration of general intelligence and creativity tests for mainstream schools. However, cultural psychology and activity theory suggest that community specific activities are authentic indicators of giftedness. Therefore, identification of gifted children among these communities uses community-relevant profiling and portfolio documentation as valid methods for rural/tribal children in India.
Author(s):
Anitha Kurup
bkanitha@gmail.com
National Institute of Advanced Studies
India
Anitha Kurup is Dean and Professor,National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, and anchors the education programme (http://www.nias.res.in/aboutnias-peoplefaculty-bkanitha.php). Currently, she anchors the National Programme on Gifted Education- an initiative of the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India. As part of the National programme on gifted education, Dr. Kurup has developed and standardised tools for identification of the gifted children (3-18 years) across rural and urban population in India. She has initiated work for developing a national platform of mentors for the gifted children. For more about the programme, visit PRODIGY at www.prodigy.net.in.
Shalini Dixit*
Dr. Shalini Dixit: is an Assistant Professor at NIAS. She has her PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She has had a broad exposure to all the foundational areas of psychology and has specialized in Cultural and Cognitive Processes and critical aspects of Educational Psychology and Cultural Processes. Apart from teaching in University of Delhi, she has earlier worked with tribal children in Southern Rajasthan with Save the Children and has done ethnographic study in her doctoral work with the Santali Tribal Community in Jharkhand, India.
Ajay Chandra*
Ajay Chandra is working as a Research Associate at the National Institute of Advanced studies (NIAS) Bangalore. He has been working in the field of Gifted Education over the past five years. As part of the research work, he has engaged himself in conducting classroom observations, conducting teacher training workshops, conducting workshops for children, data analysis and also involved in field studies. His areas of interests are cognitive psychology, cross cultural psychology, Psychometry and education. He has also worked as a visiting lecturer, where he taught psychology for bachelor's students.