A Glossary in Gifted Education (in alphabetical order)

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A Glossary in Gifted Education

(in alphabetical order)

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A Glossary in Gifted Education (in alphabetical order)

Ability grouping - Placing students of similar ability in the same class or group for purposes of instruction. Research shows higher academic achievement gains for all students when grouped by ability and taught at a pace that matches their learning rates.

Acceleration - A strategy which is used when a student demonstrates competencies, knowledge, abilities, and/or skills which exceed that which is outlined in the planned course or text for his/her chronological or grade placement level. This is usually associated with a faster presentation of content to more closely match the speed at which gifted students learn. This can be determined by advanced work demonstrated in the classroom and pre or diagnostic tests in the skill areas. The school's role is to identify the level of acceleration and make the appropriate educational adjustment in placement and pace.

Affective Education for the gifted – Affective development is the natural development of all children. Each child will have some special affective needs during the course of development and the gifted children are of no exception. The gifted children, because of their special gifted characteristics, may exhibit affective needs that are different from that of the ordinary children. For instance, a gifted child may be faster or more complex in their thinking and that is beyond what his/her counterparts do; this may trigger off rejection or isolation from his/her peers or even the adults, leaving behind negative influence to his/her affective development.

Affective Education aims primarily to take care of the emotional and social development of these gifted children. It aims at educating them to know more about themselves, to develop positive self-concept and value; to learn about the uniqueness of individual through reflection. It stresses good management of one’s own emotion so as to enhance good communication and harmonious interpersonal relation as well as nurturing their responsibility and awareness to the society.

Curriculum Compacting – It is a curriculum design strategy to systematically compact the regular curriculum. Through this process, schools eliminate repetition of previously mastered material, upgrade the challenge level of the regular classroom learning, and provide time for enrichment and acceleration activities. It, on the one hand, caters for the learning needs of the fast-learning, on the other hand, it allows time for more challenging enrichment or acceleration, thus providing a more self-directed learning opportunity for the gifted to engage themselves in more indepth

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and extended learning tasks. Literature on curriculum compacting is extensive awhere the work of J. Renzulli and his colleagues (Renzulli,1988; Reis, Burns & Renzulli, 1992 are well know to many people. The goals of curriculum compating are:

y to provide a challenging learning environment y to make sure students master the basics

y to spare time for enrichment and acceleration activities

http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/major-level-of-edu/gifted/

guidelines-on-school-based-gifted-development-programmes/chapter-two.html

Diagnose and Treat approach - In the past, the provision in gifted education was largely based on the results of standardized tests. Only when a child is diagnosed as

“gifted” will s/he be provided with gifted training. This is analogical to patient being diagnosed by doctors as suffering from a certain disease, then appropriate treatment will be prescribed. However, the world trend changes. Currently, a broad definition of giftedness is commonly adopted by many countries so that the potential of more students can be unearthed and developed.

Differentiated curriculum - A set of activities, a programme, or a plan of instruction that is designed to meet the unique needs of special children within the regular teaching. A general education teacher should differentiate curriculum in response to the learner's needs, guided by the following general principles of differentiation:

differentiation in content, process, product and environment. Principles of a differentiated curriculum for high-ability learners include some or all of the following:

• Presenting content that is related to broad-based issues, themes or problems.

• Integrating multiple disciplines into the area of study.

• Presenting comprehensive, related and mutually reinforcing experience within an area of study.

• Allowing for in-depth learning of a self-selected topic within the area of study.

• Develop independent or self-directed study skills.

• Developing productive, complex, abstract and/or higher level thinking skills.

• Focusing on open ended tasks.

• Developing research skills and methods.

• Integrating basic skills and higher-level thinking into the curriculum.

• Encouraging the development of products that challenge existing ideas and produce "new" ideas.

• Encourage the development of products that use new techniques, materials and forms.

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• Encourage the development of self-understanding.

• Evaluating student outcomes by using appropriate and specific criteria through self-appraisal, criterion-referenced and or standardized instruments.

Educational provision approach – The rationale of Hong Kong Gifted Education policy recognises that every child possesses certain gifted potential, though to different extents. In order that their potential be developed to talented performance/achievement, necessary provision must be available. We aim at providing extensive learning opportunities to all students to facilitate them to discover and develop their gifted potential.

Enrichment - Extensions of the grade level essential curriculum or additional learning experience not included in the regular curriculum.

Exceptionally Gifted Students - According to IQ measurements, the following labels are generally accepted:

Bright - 115 and above Gifted - 130 and above

Highly gifted - 145 and above Exceptionally gifted -160 and above Profoundly gifted - 175 and above

Because of measurement error, the exceptionally and profoundly gifted labels are often used interchangeably. In Hong Kong, the Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme has been launched since 2001 to provide support outside school for the exceptionally gifted students who have been admitted to the scheme through territory-wide school nominations and competitions (See

“Three-tiered implementation mode”).

Flexible (skills) grouping - Teachers link learners with essential understandings and skills at appropriate levels of challenge and interest. This could mean that students are working in groups on a variety of tasks at the appropriate depth, complexity, and speed for those involved.

Gifted - The Education Commission Report No. 4 (ECR4) adopted a broad definition of gifted children who are described as children with exceptional achievement or potentials in one or more of the following:

(a) a high level of measured intelligence;

(b) specific academic aptitude in a subject area;

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(c) creative thinking;

(d) superior talent in visual and performing arts;

(e) natural leadership of peers; and

(f) psychomotor ability – outstanding performance or ingenuity in athletics, mechanical skills or other areas requiring gross or fine motor coordination.

In Hong Kong, the term “gifted” and “talented” are used interchangeably. However in the UK, ‘gifted’ pupils are those who have abilities in one or more subjects in the statutory school curriculum other than art and design, music and PE. ‘Talented’

pupils are those who have abilities in art and design, music, PE, or in sports or performing arts such as dance and drama.

Grade skipping - Promotion to a higher grade. A grade-skipped gifted child can still learn at an accelerated rate and may eventually outperform students at a higher grade placement.

Independent study/project - Independent study builds on the student's interest. The student has the opportunity to make choices. This increases motivation. The student may choose the topic, the product, the type of presentation and their approach. It provides experience for the student to develop planning and research skills at advanced levels. It encourages independence but provides for guidance.

Individualized Education Programme (IEP) - An IEP is a written statement of the special education and related services that an exceptional child needs in order to be educated appropriately. The IEP must describe any modifications that will be needed to the child's regular education classes.

Mentorship –A mentorship programme is designed to meet the needs of the gifted students through a mentor. A mentorship is a dynamic shared relationship in which values, attitudes, passions, and traditions are passed from one person to another and internalized. Its purpose is to transform lives. Mentoring is achieved by linking the student with an experienced person from the appropriate field of endeavour. Their exceptional ability was nurtured and guided at a critical time by a specialist in their field and they gain intellectual knowledge and skills, including research skills, or an introduction to a career. The mentorship programme represents community-based education at its very best. Davis and Rimm (1994) comment that the use of mentors for gifted students is a rapidly growing trend. Mentorship presumes a commitment on the part of the student and the mentor to plan a detailed sequence of learning activities designed to achieve a specified goal---which includes the development of the specific talent and the identification of the weaknesses, counselling the mentee and helping

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them to set their course of action to remedy the weaknesses, as well as time management. Mentors can be recruited from professional or academic organizations both local and overseas from all professions and all walks of life, and the mentors assume several interlocking roles:

i. Teacher: helping the mentee to push the boundaries of knowledge and skills and to provide systematic feedback, analyze and evaluate progress and products

ii. Expert: create unique learning experiences, share traditional accumulated wisdom

iii. Guide: while allowing mentees to explore, to provide opportunities for in-depth study, the mentors guide them the path to success and remove obstacles

iv. Advisor: advices menteee regarding expectations, possibilities, introduces standards, helps in problem-solving and decision-making, rectify inappropriate behaviour

v. Friend: a source of emotional support and trust, and to share mentees’

thought and feelings

vi. Role model: as an exemplar of certain values, attitudes and behavioural patterns for the mentee to emulate

Multiple intelligences - Constructs of intelligence that include more aspects of mental ability than the conventional concept of intelligence. Howard Gardner proposed eight intelligences: musical, bodily-kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, linguistic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalist. Conventional IQ tests measure mainly logical-mathematical and linguistic intelligence.

Personal-social competence – Attitudes, abilities and skills regarding personal development and socialization. It includes positive values, self-images, emotion management, inter-personal relationship, communication skills, problem-solving skills and competence for adaptation and integration into society.

Programmes for the gifted - Special academic and social opportunities which try to meet the needs of gifted students. See acceleration, ability grouping, enrichment, independent study, pull-out.

Pull-out Programme - Any programme which takes one or more students from the regular classroom for enrichment and extension of regular classroom curriculum during the school day and/or after school.

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QEF Thematic Network – (Gifted Education) – The QEF Secretariat developed two thematic networks in 2006-07 school year. These are networks on special education in Dyslexia and in Gifted Education. The development of the thematic network in GE is divided into three phases: Phase 1 involved 8 core primary schools.

These schools developed their own school-based pull-out gifted programmes and school visits, lesson observation and sharing sessions were arranged among the teachers and students to allow experience sharing. Another 16 primary schools joined in the network in phase 2 and 48 more schools joined in phase 3. These network of schools help develop and promote the development of local gifted education.

Regional Gifted Clusters – A network of schools of close geographic proximity having similar vision in Gifted Education and dedicated to the promotion of school-based gifted development for the nurturing and education of the gifted students.

Through sharing of experience and resources as well as partnership, these clusters of schools would pool together their wisdom and experience to develop programmes to cater for the special learning needs of the gifted. A prototype is formed under the name of Quality Education Fund Thematic Network in Gifted Education from Sept 2006 onwards at primary level, involving 8 key schools and 64 partner schools in the network.

Single subject acceleration – some gifted students may perform exceptionally well in one particular school subject but not the other. Whole grade skipping (promotion to study in a higher grade) may not be appropriate for the students. Arrangement can be made to allow the gifted students to pursuit advanced study in that particular subject at a higher grade placement so as to cater for their learning needs.

Support Measures for the Exceptionally Gifted Students Scheme - Since early 2001, the Education Bureau has launched the Scheme to help nurture and develop the potential and talents of the exceptionally gifted students. Over the last five years, about 5,000 students coming from about 300 local secondary schools were admitted to the Scheme through the territory-wide school nomination exercises held each year.

In addition to enhancement programmes accustomed to the needs and attributes of the exceptionally gifted students, parallel support in the form of professional development programmes for teachers of these gifted students, and in the form of induction and orientation programmes for the parents are also organized to help strengthen the competence of these parties in nurturing and supporting the exceptionally gifted students. To date, a substantial number of multifarious enhancement activities has been organized in collaboration with tertiary institutions and relevant bodies for the exceptionally gifted students, their parents and teachers.

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Three-tiered implementation mode –

Level One

A: immersion of the core elements advocated in gifted education i.e. high order thinking skills, creativity and personal-social competence in the curriculum for ALL students in regular classrooms

B: differentiated teaching through appropriate grouping of students to meet the different needs of the groups with enrichment and extension of curriculum across ALL subjects in regular classrooms

Level Two

C: pullout programmes of generic nature conducted outside the regular classroom to allow systematic training of a homogeneous group of students

D: pullout programme of specific nature (e.g. maths, art, etc.) conducted outside the regular classroom to allow systematic training of students with outstanding performance in specific areas

Level Three

E: individualised educational arrangement for the exceptionally gifted who requires resource support outside the regular school (e.g. Counselling, mentorship, early entry to advanced class, etc.)

Tiered Assignments - Tiered assignments are parallel tasks at varied levels of complexity, depth and abstractness with various degrees of scaffolding, support, or direction. Students work on different levels of activities, all with the same essential understanding or goal in mind. Tiered assignments accommodate mainly for differences in student readiness and performance levels and allow students to work toward a goal or objective at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and encourages continued growth.

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Underachieving gifted – There may be a significant difference between ability and performance for an underachieving gifted child. An underachieving gifted, or sometimes known as a gifted underachiever, is often defined as having superior intelligence, yet working below grade level. Some underachievers may withdraw, others may become disruptive. Factors that can contribute to underachievement may include social, personal or environmental ones such as:

• Lack of catering for individual’s needs

• An overly competitive environment.

• Inflexible and rigid structure.

• Stress on external evaluation and criticism.

• Authoritarian control.

• Unrewarding curriculum etc.

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References:

A Glossary of Gifted Education by Steven Nordby

http://members.aol.com/svennord/ed/GiftedGlossary.htm#Top

Tiered assignments

http://webtech.cherokee.k12.ga.us/littleriver-es/ewilliams/tieredassignments.htm

A Parents’ Glossary of Terms for Gifted Education

http://www.theeducationportal.com/frame.asp?url=http://users.aol.com/svennord/ed/G iftedGlossary.htm&rl=subpage%2Easp%3Fnode%3D9820%26CTitle%3DGifted%5F Education%26Loc%3D%5CK%5Fthrough%5F12%7C9611%5CGifted%5FEducation

%7C9820%26pos%3D3%26type%3Dfull&s=Education

Gifted Education – A Resource Guide for Teachers

Glossary of Terms for gifted education

http://www.theeducationportal.com/frame.asp?url=http://users.aol.com/svennord/ed/G iftedGlossary.htm&rl=subpage%2Easp%3Fnode%3D9820%26CTitle%3DGifted%5F

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Education%26Loc%3D%5CK%5Fthrough%5F12%7C9611%5CGifted%5FEducation

Edu-speak, the dictionary

Three-tiered implementation mode

http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/major-level-of-edu/gifted/index.html