Children who are intellectually gifted are often emotionally mature for their ages. For a variety of reasons--including an unrewarding curriculum, preference for others of the same intellectual ability, or a feeling of social rejection--this maturity is sometimes masked at school. This can lead to what the author calls a "forced-choice" dilemma.…

Most educators who work with gifted students acknowledge the importance of creativity and have found various ways to include it as part of the gifted education curriculum. In many cases, however, developing creativity is still viewed as something separate from academic learning. Students with undemonstrated creative potential often are excluded…

On the surface, gifted children may appear to be well adjusted, but they are often highly sensitive, perfectionistic, and intense. They usually have an acute awareness of moral issues, with a unique perception of themselves and others and deeper feelings at an earlier age than their peers. Because of these intense qualities, they may suffer from…

Through a longitudinal study focused on identification policy that is inclusive of underrepresented gifted students (Van Tassel-Baska & Feng, 2003; Van Tassel-Baska, Feng, & deBrux, under review; Van Tassel-Baska, Feng, & Evans, in press; Van Tassel-Baska, Johnson, & Avery, 2002), a team of researchers developed case studies of special needs…

Some gifts with which children are born are not all that great. There are many categories of at risk gifted children, each with a separate set of needs. Among these categories are profoundly gifted, gifted with LD, gifted and emotionally disabled, and an increasing number of gifted youngsters who try unrealistically to be perfect. In what ways can…

Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is a relatively recent term in education and psychology and has gained more interest since it became a recognized exceptionality in the United States in 1994. It is classified with autism under the term "Pervasive Developmental Disorder" (PDD). The primary criteria for diagnosis include linguistic, social, and behavioral…

School....parents....friends--these are the main elements of life for all children. Whether identified as gifted or not, children look for support and strength through the people and places with whom and where they spend each day. When one of these essential ingredients to a well-lived life is lacking, all manner of issues can arise: (1) boredom;…

This article compares the characteristics of high achievers, gifted learners, and creative thinkers. It discusses the complexity of gifted student's thinking and the wild ideas of the creative thinker. A chart that lists the different characteristics and cartoons depicting the three different mindsets of the students are provided. (Contains 1…

One of the most important experiences in a child's life begins when he starts formal school, most often at age 5. Going to kindergarten is thrilling and sometimes scary but always an adventure. At this time, children come together from all walks of life; all types of families; at all levels of development; and with a vast array of skills,…

Gifted children in the preschool and primary grades may demonstrate advanced abilities in the verbal areas in several different ways. Many gifted children show precocious oral language ability by talking early and with greater complexity and manipulation of language than their age peers. Some gifted children also demonstrate precocious reading…

This article provides strategies for teaching gifted students who have learning disabilities, including making sure students see the big picture before learning its pieces, teaching students to set realistic, short-term goals, making everything visual, providing hands-on situations, and using musical chants and rhymes. Guidelines for parents are…

This article describes the characteristics of students with Asperger syndrome and discusses identifying students with Asperger syndrome who are also gifted. Classroom interventions for these twice exceptional students are addressed and the need for intervention that is highly individualized is stressed. Diagnostic criteria for Asperger's disorder…

This article presents a plan for teaching gifted students with emotional/behavior disabilities (EBD). Educators are advised to assemble student background information, consider goals that the student needs to accomplish and needed accommodations, develop specific behavior plans, and design a curriculum that is both challenging and addresses…

This article reviews gifted characteristics in students with different types of disabilities, including gifted students with learning disabilities, visual disabilities, physical disabilities, hearing disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Identification considerations are discussed, along with strategies for instruction.…

This article discusses the plight of the gifted child who has a disability, society's ambivalence towards double-labeled students, and the need to ensure children be allowed and assisted to develop to their full potential. The story of a young boy who is both intellectually gifted and physically disabled is told. (Contains 1 reference.) (CR)