204 A Toolkit for Academic Acceleration
Ann Lupkowski-Shoplik
University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center
United States
Take a tour through the many tools and resources designed to help educators and families make informed decisions about acceleration. These include the research described in A Nation Empowered, the time-tested Iowa Acceleration Scale, the guide Developing Academic Acceleration Policies, the Acceleration Institute website, and the Integrated Acceleration System online tool for making decisions about whole-grade acceleration, early entrance to kindergarten or college, and subject acceleration. Empower yourself to make informed decisions about your students and have your questions about acceleration answered.
194 Addressing Potential Barriers Experienced by Gifted/High Potential Aboriginal Students in NSW, Australia
Belinda Judd
NSW Department of Education
Australia
The ‘Early identification and support of gifted/high potential Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students Program’ is being implemented to address the underrepresentation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students in gifted education programs in NSW, Australia
The initiative uses the Coolabah Dynamic Assessment (CDA) to: • identify gifted/high potential Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students in Year 3 • address some of the barriers that can result in excellence gaps experienced by these students from under-represented communities.
Recent case studies will be shared including the positive impact the CDA assessment protocol and follow-on support has had on students, their teachers and families.
74 AI & Gifted Education
Um Albaneen Jamali
Deena Institute for Technology
Bahrain
The session reports on a longitudinal study, which investigated the impacts of AI and LEGO robotics programs on developing creativity among gifted elementary school students. In the first year of the study, a LEGO robotics program was administered to the treatment group while 30 participants in the control group did not receive any robotics program. In the second year, an Arduino robotics program using AI was administered to the students in the treatment group while the students in the control group did not receive any robotics intervention. The results from pre-post tests indicated that the LEGO robotics intervention was significantly effective in developing creative thinking skills of fluency, flexibility, and elaboration while having no significant impact on developing originality. However, robotics programs using AI had a significant impact on developing all creative thinking skills of fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. It suggests using AI in gifted students’ programs.
230 Assessing Student Learning of Advanced Social and Emotional Curriculum and Instruction with Essential Questions
Bronwyn MacFarlane
Arkansas State University
United States
Just as advanced students need differentiated academic curriculum, they also need differentiated social and emotional learning experiences to support their unique affective needs. An affective curriculum is essential for talented students to learn about making choices to optimize their potential, relate well to others, express themselves, fully, and reflectively understand their advanced abilities. As a result, an affective curriculum should be more than scattered collections of social and emotional activities. We will examine details and examples for planning differentiated learning experiences across the psychosocial spectrum to strive toward and assess specific affective learning goals through the purposeful use of essential questions.
88 Auditory Processing Skill ‘Deficits’ for a Young Twice-Exceptional Student: A Case Study
Michelle Ronksley-Pavia
Griffith University
Australia
In the field of gifted education, auditory skill ‘deficits’ are an under researched area, however, these are essential skills necessary for learning in school. This session presents findings from a qualitative case study that explored the impacts of auditory skill ‘deficits’ for a 14-year-old, multi-exceptional, male student. Overlapping impacts were evident across co-morbid disabilities, which included autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and generalised anxiety disorder. Co-occurring deficits in auditory processing skills further contributed to and compounded issues with his learning in the classroom and in his social connections with peers and teachers. Findings suggest that the presentation and impact of auditory processing deficits is very individual for multi-exceptional learners.
120 Creating Rich Maths Tasks and Dynamic Lesson Sequences for Gifted Learners
Casey Warmbrand
Herberger Young Scholars Academy at Arizona State University
United States
Strategies for designing and developing rich, open mathematical explorations that accelerate learning, compact curriculum, and differentiate for gifted learners’ needs will be shared. Lesson sequencing aimed at threading mathematical ideas into a coherent narrative supporting the development of mathematical content knowledge with procedural skill building deeply rooted in conceptual understanding will be discussed.
113 Development of Talent according to Sinti and Calon Romani
Jane Ferreira
University of Brasilia
Brazil
Denise de Souza Fleith
University of Brasilia
Brazil
Renata Muniz Prado
University of Brasilia
Brazil
The results of an exploratory qualitative study that aimed to identify the factors that promote or inhibit the development of Romani talent in the perception of Sintis and Calons will be shared. Two Sinti and five Calon Romani participated in the research. A sociodemographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview protocol were used to collect data. The results indicated that talent is recognized by the participants as a set of skills associated with musicality, commerce, and traditional gypsy crafts. Internal and external inhibitory factors were related to the prejudice that occurs in school, family, and community.
56 Giftedness as a Cluster Concept – a Dynamic Model for Policy, Research and Practice
Caroline Sims
Gävle University, Uppsala University
Sweden
In research, it is common to define giftedness in terms of necessary and sufficient conditions – a ‘classical definition’ (Andersen 2002). In practice, such definitions are problematic because they are either too narrow, too wide, and involve an arbitrary cut-off. In two research reviews covering 135 articles, the majority based their samples on IQ or high performance. In the full review, no fewer than 70 criteria for giftedness were identified. An alternative strategy is to treat giftedness as a cluster concept consisting of eleven loosely connected categories. Empirical applications of this conceptualisation are presented covering both policy documents and teaching practices (Ball 1993). Establishing a new tradition through the use of a dynamic model of this kind has the potential to impact policy, research, and practice offering a way to include students who are gifted but not necessarily high achieving on standardised testing or IQ measures.
175 How do Educational Leaders at MOE in Oman Deal with Decision-Making Frameworks in Gifted Programmes?
Amina Almabsali
University of Glasgow
United Kingdom
Focused programmes for gifted education have evolved recently in Oman in response to various ministerial decrees. However, there was a lack of systematic implementation of the programmes. This paper examines the decision-making framework including the processes used by the Ministry of Education (MOE), through a qualitative approach. The data showed the Ministry of Education (MOE) used a vertical decision-making approach to deliver the decision-making process. However, some challenges affecting decision-making and the implementation of the framework were also identified. This paper reports and discusses these findings from the research and considers implications for further policy development in this area.
83 It Takes a Village: Collaboration Among Staff to Support Twice-Exceptional Learners
Emily Kircher-Morris
The Neurodiversity Podcast
United States
Twice-exceptional learners receive support from a wide range of school personnel. They rely on teachers in the gifted, general, and special education classrooms, school counselors, administrators, and others. How can advocates for 2e learners bring the school community to support these learners? This session shares activities and strategies to provide holistic PD to your school staff to support 2e students.
63 Kaveri Gifted Nurturing Model Elicited from Panchkosh
Sameena Manasawala
Kaveri Gifted Education and Research Center
India
Devasena Desai
Kaveri Group of Institutes
India
Gifted education policy in India is at its nascent stage. Kurup and Roy (2015) stated that there is a need to build theoretical frameworks for gifted education in India. We propose the Kaveri Gifted Nurturing Model which is elicited from the Panchakosh. This is a human development model proposed in the Taittiriya Upanishad. Panch means five, Koshas means sheaths. The five sheaths comprise of Annamaya Kosh (food or gross-matter), Pranamaya Kosh (life or vital energy), Manomaya Kosh (perception and emotions), Vigyanmaya Kosh (intelligence or thought), and Anandmaya Kosh (bliss). The Kaveri Gifted Nurturing Model seems a good fit to our socio-cultural context. This model meets the nurturing needs of the gifted children and equally addresses the spiritual aspect as much as the intellectual aspect of development.
203 Meaning in Life and Well-being of Gifted Adolescents
Mandy Wai-chan Chan
The University of Hong Kong
China
This presentation will report the findings from a survey of 240 gifted learners in Hong Kong. The survey found that meaning in life was positively associated with purpose in life, gratitude, growth mindset, basic psychological needs satisfaction and cognitive reappraisal strategies. A negative association was found with expressive suppression. Meaning in life was a predictor of well-being measures of life satisfaction, resilience, existential well-being, and health-related quality of life. There were gender differences on the self-reported levels of meaning in life, expressive suppression, existential well-being, and health-related quality of life. Implications for support services in gifted education will be discussed.
90 Our Journey of Change: Improving Access for Learners and Training for Teachers
Madelaine Armstrong Willcocks
New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education
New Zealand
New Zealand has at best a chequered history in understanding and responding to the needs of gifted learners. There are pockets of excellence, but at a systems-level there is room for improvement. Only a small number of gifted learners are able to access specialist gifted education and only a similarly small number of teachers have encountered initial or ongoing training relating to gifted learners. Understanding these issues in the context of our changing educational landscape has enabled an innovation that provides BOTH specialist gifted education for students AND ongoing training for teachers. This session will describe our journey of innovation.
213 Parental Concerns of Highly Gifted Children in Indian Context: Indicator for Parent Awareness and Training
Sameena Manasawala
Kaveri Gifted Education and Research Center, Kaveri Group of Institutes, Pune, India
India
Kasturi Hapse
Kaveri Gifted Education and Research Center, Kaveri Group of Institutes, Pune, India
India
Prateeksha Khatri
Kaveri Gifted Education and Research Center, Kaveri Group of Institutes, Pune, India
India
Gifted children show atypical development which might cause challenges to fit in with peers and raise parental expectations of them. The researchers reviewed 68 profiles of 10-year-old highly gifted children. Findings indicate that 70 percent of parents reported concerns about their child. Thematic content analysis of the profiles revealed four areas of concern namely, socio-emotional, motivation, physical and other concerns. These themes have been interpreted with reference to challenges that are typically associated with gifted characteristics and parental expectations after identification. The findings offer pointers for themes to be included in parent training and awareness programs for families of gifted children in India.
47 Parenting Behavior of Gifted Students’ Parents and Its Impacts During Outbreak of COVID-19
Tze-ho Fung
Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE)
Hong Kong
The outbreak of COVID-19 brought upheaval to the learning environment of gifted students. Parent-child interactions were presented with challenges due to various risk-adjusted measures from mandatory WFH (Work From Home) of parents to compulsory online learning mode, leading to various changes of parenting behavior during this period. This study investigated the impacts of parenting behavioral changes under an epidemic environment. The results supported that “one-on-one time,” “family harmony,” and “get structured” have significant positive impact to the outcomes of student online learning performance. Such findings could inform effective planning of support for gifted students and their parents in future.
94 Professional Learning Based on Collaborative Expert Perspectives
Leonie Kronborg
Monash University
Australia
Jennifer Krafchek
Consultant
Australia
Susan Knopfelmacher
Australia
Kathryn Mitchell
Australia
“To realise the potential of gifted students in Victoria and enable their talent development,” an association of educators for the gifted was established with the aim of providing expert Professional Learning (PL) to teachers, education administrators, and psychologists, underpinned by the WCGTC’s Global Principles for Professional Learning in Gifted Education (2021). This presentation will discuss key seminar topics where these educators combined their expert teaching experience of gifted students – underpinned by their master’s and doctoral teacher education studies in gifted education and contemporary research – to develop thought-provoking professional learning opportunities, in response to teachers’ expressed PL needs.
29 Supporting the Invisible: Twice-exceptional Asian-American Learners
Zhihui Feng
Johns Hopkins University
United States
Mary A. Pei
Johns Hopkins University
United States
Asian Americans, comprising 10% of gifted and talented programs but only 5% of schools’ populations (Civil Rights Data Collection, n.d.), are considered over-represented in gifted and talented education (Yoon & Gentry, 2009). However, this perception disregards their experiences as culturally and linguistically diverse twice-exceptional gifted and talented learners. As a minoritized and marginalized group, Asian-Americans’ needs are insufficiently studied and served (Park & Foley-Nicpon, 2022). Strategies to enable stakeholders to better serve Asian-American Twice-exceptional students strategies framed by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2007) will be presented.
212 Teachers’ Awareness of Gifted Characteristics of Culturally Diverse Students: A Culturally Responsive Perspective
Ching-Yuan Cheng
National Taiwan University of Education
Taiwan
This study was to investigate teachers’ awareness of gifted characteristics of culturally diverse students. An interactive qualitative approach was implemented. Four primary teachers were invited to participate. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed qualitatively. There are four findings: First, teachers showed two different perspectives of cultural diversity, uniqueness, and difference. Second, teachers showed a high understanding regarding the learning challenges and performance gaps of culturally diverse students. Thirdly, teachers’ perceptions of gifted characteristics were based on exceptional performance, gifted behaviors, and creative products. Finally, teachers implemented various strategies to support the learning of culturally diverse, high-potential students.
108 The Excellence Project: Javits Grant Funded After-School Program for Diverse Gifted Youth
Courtne Thomas
New York Edge
United States
Jennifer Richardson
Purdue University
United States
Pavan Antony
Adelphi University
United States
Tapping into the power of accelerated learning to reach Black and Latino gifted students in grades 3-8, innovative practice with curriculum differentiation is used as a vehicle to support high-ability/high-potential learners in New York City. We are taking an out-of-nature approach to learning backed by research, and pioneering program design to identify and support diverse youth – academically, socially, physically, emotionally – and revolutionize their experiences for special populations.
215 The Impact of Educational and Learning Capitals on Gifted Education in Lebanon
Anies Al-Hroub
American University of Beirut
Lebanon
This article explores the vital role of education and learning capitals in the education of gifted learners in Lebanon. It begins by critically examining the educational system in Lebanon and discussing the challenges that gifted education faces due to the ongoing refugee crisis. The paper provides a detailed analysis of the concept of giftedness, the funding of schools and higher education institutions, and the categorization of ten educational and learning capitals essential to gifted education in Lebanon. Furthermore, the article offers evidence-based literature on each of the educational and learning capitals, presenting a comprehensive understanding of the resources required to support gifted learners in Lebanon. Based on this analysis, the paper draws several important conclusions and implications regarding gifted education expenditures, the identification and conceptualization of giftedness, the preparation of gifted teachers, and the management of gifted learning resources.
172 The Intersection of Giftedness, Disability, and Cultural Identity: A Case Study of an Asian-American Boy
Ophelie Desmet
Valdosta State University
United States
F. Richard Olenchak
Purdue University
United States
Although multi-exceptionality is widely recognized as a complex phenomenon, little research presents an in-depth exploration of the intersection of giftedness, disability, and cultural identity in the early stages of talent development. Therefore, we conducted a single case study of a multi-exceptional, 7-year-old Asian-American boy and his family. The boy represents the complex intersection we sought to study in that he is gifted with both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Through this case, we will illustrate the strengths and challenges multi-exceptional children and their families face while navigating the complexities of giftedness, disability, and cultural identity.
71 Treasure Hunting for Golden Moments. A Systemic, Solution-Focused Approach for Addressing the Needs of 2E-Learners
Eleonoor van Gerven
Slim! Educatief BV
Netherlands
During in-service professional learning programs focusing on 2E learners, participating Dutch teachers indicate that they would like to tailor interventions, but struggle with how to do this. To meet their learning needs, a strategy was developed: the Systemic Support Program (SSP). Between 2013 and 2023, 78 primary school teachers used the SSP. In this session, the results of an evaluative study will be presented. Teachers considered themselves able to design tailored interventions and enhanced their chances for success by using the strategy. The rigorous instruction and coaching sessions during their learning process were seen as significant contributors to their success.
237 Understanding and Treating Caribbean Gifted Children: Heart, Mind, Soul, and Spirit
Viviene V. DeOkoro
Deokoro Magnet Educational Foundation
Jamaica
Gifted children come in diverse varieties, responding to the culture and circumstances into which they are born. Today’s gifted Caribbean children are largely the descendants of enslaved Africans; a smaller percentage being Europeans, Indians, Chinese, Lebanese, Indigenous Tainos, Americans, Germans, and others. This factor has profoundly shaped the uniqueness and diversity of their culture, forming values extending beyond intellect into the inner realms of spirit, mind, soul and heart. Only when we understand this reality can we give them the support they need to grow, develop, bloom and “play their part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race.”
100 Unleashing a Growth Mindset: Redesigning the Academic Curriculum for Gifted Female High School Students
Han Pin Goh
Nanyang Girls’ High School
Singapore
Growth mindset can develop resilience and maximise potential in the VUCA world. Yet, many high-performing female students retain limiting beliefs and demonstrate failure-avoidance behaviours when encountering challenging work. This project investigates how the academic curriculum can be redesigned to nurture a culture of growth mindset in an all-girls gifted high school. With this redesign, classrooms encourage student talk, teachers and students press for justification, tasks allow multiple entry points, and mistakes are leveraged as learning opportunities. Through research and practice, we hear our students’ stories on how schools can help them liberate themselves from the chains of fixed mindset!
182 Using a Construct Map to Assess Gifted Students’ Mathematical Literacy Across Multiple Levels of the Curriculum
Ayesha Umar
Ayesha Umar- Careers and Education Consultancy
Australia
Construct maps are used to assess cognitive development across multiple achievement levels. As they can map abilities across a broad spectrum, they can be used as an effective tool to measure gifted students’ growth in mathematics without restricting you to a certain curriculum strand. This presentation discusses a construct map as a diagnostic tool to assess mathematical literacy across F-12 curriculum.
