1. Gifted and Talented In the Education System

2. What is the Purpose of the Gifted and Talented Program? This program is designed for students who perform or show the potential for performing at a high level when compared to others their age. Gifted and Talented students have special learning needs that school districts should meet so each student can reach their full potential. The Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented students provides information on practices, developments, and achievements in the field of G/T practices for school districts. It also assists districts in developing procedures and services.

3. Who qualifies as a Gifted and Talented Student? Requirements Ongoing screening and selection of students who perform at remarkably high levels in areas defined by the Texas Education Code Assessment measures collected from multiple sources according to each area defined in the Texas State Plan for the Education of G/T Students Specific tests are not required to identify G/T students and each district will screen with measures that work best for them

4. More Requirements ……. Final selection of students is made by a committee of at least three local district educators who have received training in the nature and needs of G/T students One a student is identified G/T, the school district receives funds and the district is required to teach the student according to their gifted needs

5. How is Gifted and Talented Instruction Different? Pre-instruction assessment is required to determine areas of mastery Special strategies help G/T students make the most of their education experience (curriculum compacting and tiered assignments are two examples) Continued………

6. How is Gifted and Talented Instruction Different The regular curriculum is differentiated by modifying content, process, product, and environment; by meeting advanced skills' needs, especially in the area of research. A combination of the strategies of differentiation, enrichment, and acceleration is used in designing appropriate programs. G/T students must have their instructional needs met daily or risk getting bored

7. Teachers and the Gifted and Talented Program Ask open-ended questions to motivate higher order thinking skills Use Bloom’s taxonomy when developing lesson content Develop thematic units with activities for students at all ability levels Keep student interest in mind Teachers must meet the needs of G/T students and hold their interest!

8. Gifted and Talented Terminology Accelerated Learning - A strategy of progressing through education at rates faster or ages younger than the norm. Advanced Placement(AP) - A program developed by the College Board where high schools offer courses that meet criteria established by institutions of higher education. In many instances, college credit may be earned with the successful completion of an AP exam in specific content areas. Aptitude - An inclination to excel in the performance of a certain skill. Criterion-Referenced Testing - An assessment that compares a student’s test performance to their mastery of a body of knowledge or specific skill rather than relating their scores to the performance of other students.

9. More Terminology…. Enrichment - Activities that add or go beyond the existing curriculum. Activities may occur in the classroom or in a separate setting. Intelligence Quotient (IQ) - A numerical representation of intelligence. IQ is derived from dividing mental age (result from an intelligence test) by the chronological age times 100. Traditionally, an average IQ is considered to be 100. Talent Development - Programs, curricula, and services for gifted and talented students that can best meet their needs, promote their achievements in life, and contribute to the enhancement of our society when schools identify students’ specific talent strengths and focus educational services on these talents. These terms and more found at http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=565

10. Did You Know? Nearly three million public elementary and secondary school students have been identified as gifted and talented. The learning rate of children above 130 IQ is approximately eight times faster than for children below 70 IQ. G/T students are inclined to use higher order thinking even without training.

11. More Facts! G/T students, in lecture situations, are likely to be both visual and auditory in their attainment and processing of knowledge. G/T students are likely to mistrust the benefits of small group learning so careful attention must be placed in showing them that the group can do better than the individual.

12. To Learn More about Gifted and Talented Programs Online Resources http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6420 http://www.txgifted.org/ http://www.nsgt.org/resources/programs.asp http://www.texaspsp.org/