Research suggests that experts and beginners use qualitatively different writing processes when given the same text to write. Throughout their writing, experts tend to create a network of executive, structural, and content problems that they continually refine and coordinate as they bring the text to fruition. Novices, in contrast, tend to focus…

Although students of color continue to be underrepresented in gifted programs, teachers in diverse communities are serving increasing numbers of gifted students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. Recently, teachers of the gifted express interest in understanding how to better meet the needs of CLD students through a…

If children are to thrive in school, it is essential that their teachers work closely with one another to create the best circumstances possible for learning. Setting up best practice guidelines for pull-out gifted programs makes sense, whether the program is for 2, 3, or 6 hours a week, or whether it is within the students' school or at a gifted…

The movement toward inclusion has impacted classrooms by requiring teachers to respond to a broader range of academic needs. How can we possibly reach all the students in our classrooms when they are academically diverse, have special needs, are ESL learners, or have some combination of any or all of these factors? An answer to this question lies…

Harriet Bishop (HB) Elementary School opened in 1996 with an articulated educational model developed collaboratively by the teachers, parents, and the administration. The model includes a mission, set of beliefs, and rationale for the instructional design. While nearly every school district or school has a formal mission, the statements…

The participation of gifted elementary students in a student-produced video newsmagazine is discussed, along with steps for developing a news program, the benefits of developing technology skills in students, and the enhancement of oral communication skills and teamwork skills. A sample story board is provided. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article describes how teachers combined schoolwide enrichment and differentiated instruction models to design a fifth-grade fantasy literature unit. Small groups explored novels to learn the germane content and genre characteristics and then regrouped to refine and apply what was learned to a variety of open-ended problems. (Contains…

This article describes a New Zealand elementary school that offers a Friday afternoon "options" class to allow all students the opportunity to solve real-world problems through the development of authentic products and services. One of the classes, an inventions class involving five students (ages 11-12), is discussed. (Contains 9 references.) (CR)

This article discusses how teachers can use project-based learning to teach social studies to gifted students. Because children select the topic, it is argued the inquiry is more meaningful to children. The roles of teachers and students in project-based classrooms are described, along with an elementary school's Japanese Exhibit project.…

This article describes how the second-graders of one school performed a first-person historical presentation using all of the presidents of the United States as their characters. In connection with Presidents' Day, students presented a one-minute overview of the president's life in first-person characterization including costumes. Rationale,…

A study introduced a mathematics text that combines real math and science in a fictional context to six gifted sixth-graders. Responses to four questions by the students are provided. Results indicate that using prose writing in mathematics is a fruitful means of assessment in mathematics. (Contains seven references.) (CR)

This article discusses the concept of professional/parent partnerships and the legal, attitudinal, and logistical barriers to providing an appropriate education for many gifted learners. A parent describes her role as an instructional partner in the development of an individualized program for her gifted child. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article examines cluster grouping as a viable option for meeting the needs of gifted and talented students. It also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of cluster grouping from the perspective of conclusions obtained through the implementation of cluster grouping in an elementary school district. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article discusses the structuring of mathematics to challenge the mathematically gifted elementary student. Theoretical background examines the nature of the learning task and the role of the teacher. An example is given of three related tasks that scaffold the learning experience and help the student extend his/her mathematical thinking…

This article discusses how the "Piirto Pyramid" of talent development was used with gifted elementary students and students with disabilities in an inclusionary classroom to motivate students to work harder. Students clipped and posted articles from newspapers and magazines that typified an aspect of the pyramid. (Contains three references.) (CR)