Exploration of collaboration preferences of six mathematically gifted children (ages 11-12) in solving complex, novel problems found collaboration was preferred only when the task was sufficiently challenging. When collaboration was encouraged there was the development of mutual scaffolding, shared cognition, critical thinking, and discernment and…

This study examined gender differences in attitudes toward academic subjects in 2,089 gifted students in grades 3 through 6. Observed gender differences were consistent with those found in research with older students. Grade level differences suggest that attitudes toward several academic areas become more negative with age. Attitudes were not…

Comparison of 17 academically gifted and average intermediate grade students on the use of elaborative interrogation to improve reading comprehension found that gifted children had greater recall than average students prior to and one week after training, despite equivalent levels of strategy use. Results suggest the optimal level of strategy use…

This study compared gifted and regular fifth graders' thoughts and concerns about the future in 1975 and today. Although gifted students were more pessimistic than regular students in 1975, today both groups are more negative about the future than earlier and the pessimism of gifted students has dramatically increased. Gifted students see a…

Ethnically diverse fifth through seventh grade children (N=805) were evaluated for intellectual ability, locus of control, and the presence of vulnerability factors. Overall, higher internal locus of control was associated with female Caucasians not at risk. Results suggest that for intellectually bright non-Caucasians vulnerability is associated…

This study investigated the understanding of and reasoning about geometry of 120 mathematically talented students in the sixth through eight grades prior to taking a course in geometry. Results found that, although the students were able to deduce meaning from context, they lacked understanding of basic definitions, concepts, and properties.…

A study of 55 Anglo-American middle school teachers investigated their recommendations for student inclusion in gifted programs. Results found the teachers did not nominate any students with limited English proficiency, emphasized the verbal skills of students, and tended to select members of their own culture. (CR)

Evaluation of the metacognitive strategies used by four upper elementary gifted students with reading disabilities during a reading comprehension think-aloud task found that, although the students monitored their reading and reported use of evaluation, paraphrase, and regulation metacognitive strategies, they were not proficient in these…

In the study, 110 fifth and sixth grade children of both gifted and average ability levels confirmed that they are capable of reflecting on future occurrences, of assessing the probability of positive or negative outcomes, and of identifying implications of those future occurrences. (Author/SBH)

Cognitive controls were isolated through factor analysis with 59 intermediate-grade gifted students, and three cognitive styles were defined by cluster analysis. The cognitive style labeled "strict percept-strict concept" was associated with greater facility in divergent thinking. Study findings support explanations of giftedness through the use…

Analysis of scores on three divergent production tests taken by 59 gifted students (grades 4-6) sought to isolate three variables assumed to be factors of divergent production: ideational fluency, spontaneous flexibility, and originality. Results cast doubt on the existence of spontaneous flexibility and originality as valid cognitive factors.…

The social/emotional impact of a gifted pullout program (grades 3-5) on participants (N=301) was evaluated through surveys administered to gifted and non-gifted students, staff, and parents. Elitism, social interactions, and peer/teacher expectations were examined. Results suggested either a neutral or supportive effect on program participants.…

Discrepancies between ability and achievement were calculated for reading, spelling, and arithmetic for 64 intellectually gifted students in grades four-six. Means were plotted for males and females. While no statistically significant differences were found between groups, females scored closer to their expected achievement levels than males,…

The self-concepts of 508 gifted students in grades 5-10 who participated in 3 summer residential programs were examined. Self-concept scores across all grade levels and programs were significantly higher at the end of the programs, compared to the beginning. In one program the scores of sixth-grade boys declined somewhat. (Author/JDD)

Fifty-seven sixth-grade gifted students were asked to depict models of ideal gifted programs in ways that were not limited by their experiences in these programs. The students appeared to endorse the practices of existing program models, though one type of gifted program was not found to be ideal for all students. (Author/JDD)