CCEA used the
Gifted and Talented term for those students who have the potential to achieve a
level considerably as compared to their peer group (Berlin, 2009). In schools,
colleges and other academic grades, it has been observed that a few students
achieve high grades as compared to the other class fellows. The literature
suggested multiple aetiological factors for their high achievement
such biological anatomy, heredity and numerous social factors (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, Dweck, 2007). The identification of gifted and talented learners is a complicated process, as they may find in all communities regardless of socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural background. The identification of gifted or talented students requires a clear conceptual clarity for giftedness and talent (Snyder, Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013). Sometimes it is hard to identify the gifted or talented students because of numerous factors latent the expression of giftedness (Butler-Por, 1993). It is imperative to be acquainted with the multiple factors that can hold manifest the expression of giftedness (Snyder, Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013).
such biological anatomy, heredity and numerous social factors (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, Dweck, 2007). The identification of gifted and talented learners is a complicated process, as they may find in all communities regardless of socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural background. The identification of gifted or talented students requires a clear conceptual clarity for giftedness and talent (Snyder, Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013). Sometimes it is hard to identify the gifted or talented students because of numerous factors latent the expression of giftedness (Butler-Por, 1993). It is imperative to be acquainted with the multiple factors that can hold manifest the expression of giftedness (Snyder, Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013).
The gifted or
talented student may possess some disabilities that make their identification
even more complicated (Chinn, 2006). The parents and teachers may help in the
identification of gifted or talented students. Schools must possess an
identification system that considering the following six principles such as
advocacy, defensibility, equity, pluralism, comprehensiveness, and pragmatism
(Gates, 2010). The literature provides an extensive framework for the
identification of gifted or talented students (Kinlaw, Kurtz-Costes, 2003). The
key factors that are crucial in the identification of giftedness or
talent are listed below
1.
Observation
(Overt or Covert)
2.
Parent
or Care taker nomination
3.
Peer
nomination
4.
Self
nomination
5.
Nomination
by other individuals
6.
Teacher
nomination
7.
Psychologist
nomination
Observation.The parents, teachers, peers and doctors plays a significant role
in the identification of their children gifted skills.
•
The
parent may assess how quickly their children learn a skill as compared to their
age mates.
•
The
rapid achievement in millstone may also be a predictor of gifted child.
•
The
development changes and physical checkup of professional helps in determining
their speed of growth in a particular area.
· The peer may notice the development of early speech or ability to
perform some task most finely.
•
The
teacher through classroom or playground observation may find the extent to
which a student can accomplish tasks beyond the average expectation for a peer
group.
Parent
Nomination. Parents may
identify the child with gifted qualities in their initial years. They feel
vulnerable to report their child genius or gift for a few fears (Patrick,
Gentry, Owen, 2006). Despite being proud, they become overprotective for their
children with special abilities (Snyder, Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013).
Peer nomination.
The peers also provide massive information about the giftedness of
their peer. The game of make-believe widely practices identifying the peer
nomination for the gifted child of the class (Mueller, Dweck, 1998). For
example, they were given multiple imaginary situations and asked to recall the
name of one of your friend who can challenge the situation. The situation
carries the multiple scenarios such as the good judge, good player, good
inventor, entertainer, problem solver etc.
Self Nomination.
Self-nomination referred to the self-perception and self-awareness
of the students (Ring, Shaughnessy, 1993). They understand the extent to their
ability for performing a particular task either academically or non
academically.
Nomination by
Others. The identification becomes more
authentic or reliable if the other people report the same characteristic in the
students as experience by student, parent-teacher and the peers (Snyder,
Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013).
For example, the following people might provide reliable information:
-
extra
curriculum activities;
-
local
sporting teams;
-
drama
groups;
-
after-school
group etc.
Teacher
Nomination. Teachers assess
the student in multiple domains and can better explain the level of giftedness
or talent among students (Snyder, Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013). They assess the
giftedness through annual exams, quizzes, verbal and performance test in the
class. They may also observe the student psych motor skill in the playground
(Yeager, Dweck, 2012). Therefore they have the complete profile of students
giftedness or talent and may provide a complete, reliable assessment outcome.
They may observe the unusual approach of the students in the particular subject
as well as their problem-solving skill in the classroom.
Psychologists
Nomination. The
psychologists administer multiple tests to identify the giftedness and talent
among students. The widely used test is aptitude, IQ (verbal and performance)
and interest test (Snyder et al., 2013). This test provides the qualitative or
quantitative interpretation of the children capabilities (Snyder,
Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013). Identification helps in
•
Locating
the student’s in the domains of giftedness such as social, creative,
intellectual, perceptual, and physical.
•
Describing
the student’s nature and level of giftedness, i.e. profound, mild, moderate,
exceptional, and high.
•
Elaborating
the student’s fields of talent, e.g. academic, investigative, realistic,
artistic, enterprising, social, games, conventional, and sports.
The
classification into social, intellectual, creative perceptual and physical
domains helps in encouraging the student to outshine in the relevant category
to increase the productivity of their skills. The level of giftedness such as
mild, moderate, profound, exceptional and high provide the extent to which
those students can perform better in that particular field (Yeager, Dweck,
2012). The field of giftedness is crucial to identify for multiple reasons such
as if a student had to perform well in mathematics but forced to study physics,
he may not perform as good as in mathematics. Therefore, the identification of
giftedness or talent is very crucial not only for the progress of the student
but the nation as well.
Critical Assessment of the Implications for your Professional Practice
Being a
teacher, I categorising the students based on the level of their talent and
achievements. A few students perform better in one subject, which other
students perform better in another subject. The group of students possesses
different characteristics and talent may help each other in achieving high
academic goals (Patrick, Gentry, Owen, 2006). I prefer to identify the nature
and level of giftedness or talent through observation, exams, written or oral
quizzes, class or playground performance and speaking skills. All the
assessment helps in identifying the nature and level of giftedness and talent
that helps in making a classification for the subject and career development of
the students (Snyder, Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013). The literature suggested that
the early identification of talent may produce high career achievers if provide
proper guidance in career development (Blackwell, Trzesniewski, Dweck, 2007).
In contrast, if
the students were pushed into those fields and forced to study those subject
highly irrelevant to their natural tendency to perform well may decrease their
performance (Yeager, Dweck, 2012). As a result, they may not become high
achievers. The literature is enriched with the studies that highlight the
stories of those people who were gifted but ruined their life by selecting a
wrong profession due to lack of guidance.
Therefore, the
role of a teacher is significant in providing the right career choice for their
prospect of their student according to their talent and capabilities. The
teacher experience substantial difficulties in identification f true talent of
their students due to the student do not manifest their talent (Patrick,
Gentry, Owen, 2006). I also experience massive difficulty when students are
least expressive in a classroom, playground or even in the written assessment.
They considered low achievers due to their lack of interest or performance in
the particular task. The teacher should take psychologists to help to evaluate
the hidden talent of the student and should not be judgmental based on a few
low performances of the students (Snyder, Linnenbrink-Garcia, 2013).
Critical Assessment of the Learning and well-being of the Students
The learning
and wellbeing of the student are very crucial in academic life (Berlin, 2009).
In particular, the learning and well-being of the gifted or talented students
are crucial for many reasons. The high academic achievements of the gifted
student not merely brighten their future but also beneficial for the progress
of the nation. The academic or professional achievements of the gifted or
talented child cannot be achieved without standardised testing. Therefore, the
current article provides an in-depth understanding of the identification of
gifted children by teachers, parents, peers, self and psychologists.
The literature
recommended that the wellbeing of the students primarily depends on the
teacher, parent and child relationship (Yeager, Dweck, 2012). The timely and
accurate decision-making by the teacher and parents in mandatory for the
brighter future of the child.