asynchronous development.
One of the hallmarks of giftedness, asynchronous development refers to the uneven
intellectual, social-emotional, and physical development that is so common among gifted children. Put simply, gifted children
are often out-of-sync. While the average child develops relatively evenly, the gifted child can be many ages at once. And the
more gifted the child- the further to the right on the bell curve- the more asynchronous the child may be. Asynchronous
development often becomes less of an issue with time, although difficulties can persist into the teen years. In the school
setting, these students need to be challenged intellectually but with support and scaffolding for their unique
social-emotional needs.
G if t e d n e s s i s a s y n c h r on ou s de v e l o pm e n t in w h i ch a d van c e d c o g n it i ve ab il it ie s a nd h e ig ht e ne d in t e ns it y
c o mb in e t o cr e at e i nn e r e xp e r ie n c e s an d a war e n e s s t h at a r e q ua li t at i vel y d if f e r e nt f r o m t h e n o r m . Th i s
a s y n ch r o ny in c r e as e s wi t h h ig he r in t e lle ct ua l c ap ac it y. T he u ni q u e n e s s of t he g if t e d r e nd e r s t h e m
p a r t i c ul ar l y v ul n e r ab le an d r e q ui r e s mo d i f i ca t i o n s in p ar e nt in g , t e a c hi n g a nd c o u n se li ng in o r d e r f or t h e m t o
d e ve l op op t im al ly. ( Th e C ol u mb u s Gr o up , 1 9 9 1 )
Being challenged does not necessarily mean being separated from age
peers, but it often means being seen as different. For children who
want to be in their home school with their age peers and established
friends, challenging curriculum can be offered within the regular
classroom. However, there may not be anyone else in the class who
is reading a book as difficult or who is working on math two grades
ahead. In other words, there is a risk that even with the child remaining
in the regular classroom, the child may be set apart by appropriate
instructional modifications.
These children may find older and/or intellectual peers more satisfying
socially. Full grade acceleration, special classes away from the
neighbourhood school, and dual enrolment (taking classes both in
elementary and secondary, or secondary school and university at the
same time) may be suitable options for these students.
The regular classroom with various levels of support for either the
teacher or student,
A part-time special class,
A full-time special class (also called a congregated class), and
A provincial school.
If your childs needs have not been met in a regular classroom, the
reason could relate to (1) what is being taught, how it is being taught,
and/or who is teaching it, or (2) placement. It may be difficult to get
placement changed. Some district school boards provide few, if any,
placements outside the regular classroom and discourage their use; that
does not mean that these placements do not have value or do not exist
in other boards. Even in school boards with a range of placements,
there may be waiting lists for those outside the regular classroom. For
twice exceptional gifted children (for example, gifted children who
also have learning disabilities), there may be issues around which
placement for which exceptionality (gifted or LD) will promote learning
best, while supporting self-esteem.
While recognizing that motivation, self-esteem building activities, and
socialization are also needs of gifted students, Rogers (2002) counsels
parents to guard against plans that focus on those issues instead of
delivering the academic changes that are essential. Characteristics such
as advanced curiosity, heightened sensitivity and creativity, heightened
motivation, and extended affective capacities such as a heightened sense
of justice (The Special Education Companion, 2002), can be capitalized
on in the education plan without becoming the focus. Intellectual ability
should get most of the attention.
Giving students new material to learn just beyond current knowledge is
putting the student in the zone of proximal development.
Whatever the method, it is important that
assessment not limit the level of achievement that can be demonstrated;
this process is not about determining whether the student has met
the grade-level objectives, but about determining the current level of
knowledge and skills.
Accommodations. As defined in the Ministry IEP Resource Guide
(Individual Education Plan, 2004), accommodations refer to strategies
and technical aids, including extra time to do work that enable the
student to access or to record information.
Modifications. Learning expectations are the goals for learning
stated in observable terms.
1 Changing the content,
2 Making the subject matter or the outcome more conceptually abstract,
3 Increasing the pace of instruction (according to Rogers (2007b), up
to twice or three times as fast in science and mathematics) or providing
for lengthier, more extensive study, or
4 Changing the product that will show achievement.
Education for All, 2005) Differentiated instruction is hailed as an approach
that will work for all students in a regular classroom and supports all
students being in a regular classroom.
Two methods suggested for gifted programming, providing depth and
breadth and curriculum compacting may be deemed differentiated
instruction.
Educational experts say that gifted students need an enriched curriculum
because of what society needs and expects from them; such a curriculum
might include more languages, more interdisciplinary courses, more
courses in the arts, as well as instruction in leadership, organizational, and
interpersonal skills. (Feldhusen, 1986. p. 237; Cox, Neil, and Boston,
1985)
What about independent study?
Learning without teacher direction should be a goal for gifted
children. (Rogers, 2002. p. 274) However students must learn to
work independently, that is, students may have to be taught some
skills explicitly.
Instruction with their intellectual peers offers
true inclusion for gifted students: They can see themselves as normal
in a setting offering the potential for full development of personal and
academic abilities. A full-time congregated class is one of a number
of options for grouping students of similar ability together; clustering a
group of four or more students in a classroom is another option. For a
comparison of various grouping options on the basis of evidence-based
research plus coaching on how to respond to administrative resistance
to grouping, refer to Rogers (2002, p. 205-268). While grouping
gifted students together has positive social, emotional, and motivational
effects, what is being taught is still of primary importance. (Rogers,
2002, p. 259)
References:
Rogers, K. (2002). Re-Forming Gifted Education. Scottsdale, AZ: Great
Potential Press.
Rogers, K.B. (2007). The Ten Best Options in Gifted Education. Presentation
at the ABC Annual Conference. Toronto, Ontario.
Rogers, K.B. (2007). What Should Parents Ask the Schools to Provide for Their
Gifted Child? Presentation at the ABC Annual Conference. Toronto, Ontario.
Cox, J., Neil, D., and Boston, B.O. (1985). Educating Able Learners. Austin, TX:
University of Texas Press. (Also referred to as the Richardson Report)
Feldhusen, J.F. (1986). Policies and Procedures for the Development of
Defensible Programs for the Gifted. In J.C. Maker (Ed.), Critical Issues in
Gifted Education. Rockville, MD: Aspen Publications.
Hurwitz, B and Lacalamita, R. (2006). Developing Individual Education Plans
for Gifted Students: Information for Parents/Guardians: Association for Bright Children of
Ontario, 2006 ~ Revised and translated 2008
www.gifteddevelopment.com
www.visualspatial.org
"Brilliant Behaviors" by L. Kanevsky, in The Tool Kit for Curriculum Differentiation, 1999
Districts should provide differentiated services to meet the diverse needs of the
exceptionally capable learner. Since students who are gifted form a heterogeneous
population, their individual needs, experiences, aptitudes and interests vary.
Programs for students who are gifted often require a blend of opportunities available both in
the school and in the community. The more extraordinary the abilities of the student, the
more necessary it becomes to expand the options beyond the regular classroom.
Differentiated curriculum opportunities need to be designed and programming needs to be
varied and flexible (classroom-based, school-based, district-based). Since no single program
modification model can provide strategies that will apply to content, process, product,
pacing, and learning environment, teachers of gifted students will need to draw from one or
more models in order to provide an appropriate educational program that meets the
individual needs of the student. BC Ministry of Education
Regardless of how services are delivered, there are some common elements that
characterize an individualized program appropriate for a student who is gifted:
it is different in pace, scope, and complexity, in keeping with the nature and extent of the
exceptionality;
it provides opportunities for students to interact socially and academically with both age
peers and peers of similar abilities;
it addresses both the cognitive and affective domains;
it incorporates adaptations and/or extensions to content, process, product, pacing and
learning environment; and
it goes beyond the walls of a school and into the larger community.
Supplemental services for a gifted student should contain some of the following elements,
but are not limited to these:
independent guided education;
specialist teachers in resource centres or resource rooms;
district and community classes;
special groupings which provide opportunities for learning with intellectual peers;
mentorships;
consultative services to assist teachers in expanding experiences in the regular classroom;
accelerating/telescoping/compacting some or all of the student's program;
opportunities to challenge courses when appropriate; and
opportunities to take enriched courses and to participate in Advanced Placement,
International Baccalaureate, or honours courses.
For example, students who are gifted may benefit from the use of information
technology, which will increasingly facilitate access to information sources not readily
available in all communities.
For Teachers:
Inservice training opportunities and a collaborative team approach are recommended to
support and encourage the development of the necessary skills and understandings which
the classroom teacher may require.
Stereotype: Teachers like gifted students.
Fact: Generally teachers do not like gifted students in their classes. This seems to be mostly due to challenges and misbehaviour of
gifted when bored.
MYTHS AND STEREOTYPES - Millar
These myths were documented in an article several years ago by Garnet Millar, Willow Creek School Division, Alberta: "Myths that
plague the development and implementation of programs for the gifted." Although the statistics may not be current, unfortunately the
attitudes and reality are still prevalent.
MYTH: Special programs for the gifted are undemocratic - all men are created equal.
REALITY: It is a FACT that all men are not equal in abilities or potentialities. It is only true that each child has equal opportunity to
education. Equal education cannot be justified in light of the evidence. Bright children learn at a faster rate and in more depth than
non-gifted children.
MYTH: Gifted children will make it on their own without any special programming.
REALITY: It is a fact that many dropouts in high school are bright children who have found little meaning in the school experience.
Some studies have shown that up to 59% of the gifted are working below the level at which they are capable.
MYTH: Won't special programs for the gifted form an "elite" group?
REALITY: It has been found that when a gifted program is provided the gifted actually improve in their ability to interact socially and
empathize with their non-gifted peers.
MYTH: Programs for the gifted are good for all children.
REALITY: It is recognized that training in divergent thinking skills is good for all children. However, the rate and depth of exploration
is different for the gifted with emphasis on higher level thinking skills. (analysis, synthesis and evaluation).
BEING GIFTED: THE GIFT; Video Study Kit, CEC, 1990.1
Each child is different. It is difficult to generalize, but many bright children have some of the characteristics listed below:
perceptive, inquiring minds
unusual insight and intellectual curiosity
superior judgment and reasoning ability
abstract and critical thinking
originality
ability to see connections between ideas
long concentration spans in areas of interest
advanced reading ability
extensive vocabulary
keen powers of observation
strong sense of ethics and values
a sense of humour
a rapid mastery of basic skills
special ability in one or more areas, such as music, art, science, language, computers, or mathematics
In general, compared to children of the same age, gender, temperament and cultural background, the gifted, school-age child will
exhibit some of the following behaviours more frequently, more intensely and for a longer period of time:
Humor: Exceptionally keen sense of the comical, the bizarre, or the absurd
Imagination and creativity: Extraordinary capacity for ingenious, flexible use of ideas, processes, materials or anything
else
Inquiry: Probing exploration, deep questions; experiments with events, ideas, feeling, sounds, symbols, movements, etc.
Memory and Processing: Tremendous "brain power" for dealing with large amounts of information and skills.
Sensitivity: Unusually aware of or responsive to experiences and feelings, both their own and/or those of other people
Expressiveness: Extraordinary ability to communicate meaning or emotion through words, actions, symbols, or media
Reasoning: Outstanding ability to think things through and consider implications or alternatives; rich, flexible, highly
conscious, logical thought
Problem solving: Outstanding ability to find systematic solutions to problems; is able to invent and monitor many paths to a
goal; seeks challenges
Intuition: Suddenly discovers connections or deeper meaning without conscious awareness of reasoning or thought
Learning: Able to grasp and use sophisticated new understandings quickly and easily
Interests: Advanced, ardent; perhaps for unusual topics; passionate, sometimes fleeting
Moral and ethical concerns: Intense need for fairness and justice; deep desire to take action to resolve injustices; concern
for consequences of their actions
Motivation: Persistent, intense need to know, do, feel, create, or understand
(Source: "Brilliant Behaviors" by L. Kanevsky, in The Tool Kit for Curriculum Differentiation, 1999.)
ABC Recommended Special Education Program Standards
A special education program for pupils who are gifted must be based on abilities and needs identified at the IPRC.
The program must specify in specific terms
what is to be accomplished
the mechanisms and way in which these will be accomplished
evidence of pupil learning outcome
"Special education program" means, in respect of an exceptional pupil, an educational program that is based on and modified by the
results of continuous assessment and evaluation and that includes a plan containing specific objectives and an outline of
educational services that meets the needs of the exceptional pupil. Education Act (Ontario) (Sec. 1(1(63)).
Programming requires differentiation of curriculum in the areas of content, process, product and evaluation which is beyond those
normally provided in the regular classroom in kind, breadth, depth and pace (Programming for the Gifted. 1985. Ontario Ministry of
Education. Differentiation matrix: p.31-34)
The program must include affective (social-emotional) and cognitive (intellectual -academic) components.
In a part-time withdrawal delivery model there must be program modifications occurring in both settings as a pupil is not "gifted parttime".
The program should concentrate on the reduction or elimination of obstacles affecting the process of learning and should enable
each individual to reach towards their potential
The on-going evaluation of the success of the program must always consider the growth of the pupil - intellectually, physically,
socially and emotionally.
One theme that often recurs is conflicts that can emerge due to student absence from class. For many gifted learners, their talents
and achievements result in frequent absences from regularly scheduled classes. Oftentimes both parents and teachers recognize
that these out of class opportunities are not just enriching, but essential to the development of the students full potential. It is often
these out of class learning experiences that keep the student engaged and motivated.
Nevertheless, many families find that sooner or later, conflict may arise. Some reasons for this are:
1) Other students may misunderstand why the gifted learner is frequently excused from classroom work. Resentment and envy may
ensue.
2) The teacher may find it difficult to schedule tests and assessment activities around absences, especially if they are frequent.
3) Preparing for the students absence or providing extra review or assessment after the return may impose on the teachers time.
4) A feeling may develop that the gifted student is expecting and/or receiving special privileges.
5) While many gifted students will have little difficulty keeping up with the rest of the class, there may be times, especially in senior
grades when critical learning or assessment activities, such as a science lab, are missed. Even the brightest students usually find
eventually that they must strike a careful balance between focusing on at-school academic requirements and their other passions.
Consider the whole child. High-performing students often find that it is personal time and social time that get sacrificed. For some
this may be acceptable, but for most, time with friends and family and self-directed activity (aka free-time) are essential to
maintaining physical and mental resilience. Sufficient sleep, exercise and healthy eating must also fit into that schedule or there will
be a toll to pay sooner or later. Consider the impact and benefit of all activities and how they fit into long term life goals. It is a
warning sign if school must often be missed just to recharge batteries or to catch up on homework assignments. Some children find
that their social life revolves around a favourite extracurricular activity and therefore, it is a bonus rather than a trade-off. When it
comes time to trim down the schedule to make more time for school work, let your child take the lead on choosing what is most
important; beware of your own ulterior motives for influencing those choices. Doing three things well is better than doing 5 things
poorly; doing one thing you are truly passionate about is better than doing three hum-drum tasks. Sometimes exploring something
new is more important than repeating a skill already mastered. And who knows, freeing up time that has been committed to
something mediocre might permit another untapped talent or interest to blossom.
Choice School for the Gifted and Exceptional $14 500.00 a year
Twice exceptional (occasionally referred to as 2E or dually exceptional) is the term used to describe a
child who is not only exceptionally able, but also has additional learning difficulties or a disability. A
gifted child with learning difficulties, physical or emotional disabilities or who is on the autistic
spectrum requires teachers that have specific training to accommodate the childs twice-exceptional
nature. It is also important that the learning environment addresses the unique needs of the twice
exceptional child.
Choice provides the environment and staff that can best accommodate both aspects of a twice
exceptional childs personality through customized programming (by varying the pace, scope and
complexity of the subject matter), specialized training of faculty (including Orton Gillingham multisensory teaching methods and ongoing professional development) and uniquely small class sizes.
