Categories of gifted and talented students
Gifted and Talented students
can be categorised under several headings:
High achieving students:
- Usually identify themselves by the quantity and quality of their responses or activities.
- Outstanding ability or talent in one or more areas is evident.
- Some outstanding students who forge ahead of their peers may initially lose some of the academic gains for a number of reasons, including decreased motivation or a change in the level of enrichment in their learning environment.
- Some students will demonstrate strengths in all academic areas.
Covertly able students:
- Appear to need less attention. They may quietly get on with their work and complete set tasks.
- They are often shy and reticent and seldom ask questions because they easily understand concepts and tasks.
- Sometimes they refrain from questioning or showing their advanced ability because they do not want to be different.
- They are not easily identified, as they may not be given the opportunity to experience challenging tasks or problems.
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High potential students with behavioural problems:
- May be aggressive, withdrawn and very active or disruptive.
- May not easily be identified due to the behaviour masking their potential ability. There may be psychologically based issues resulting from a physical disability or behaviour disorder.
Underachieving students:
- Are those whose school performance is very much lower than their intellectual potential, i.e. students who are not doing as well as expected. They produce little or no work yet at times show evidence of outstanding ability in a particular area. Students from a deprived socio-economic background may not be readily identified because of low teacher expectations.
- Causes such as those listed below will often account for lack of achievement:
- culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CALD);
- boredom;
- lack of challenge, isolation;
- fear of failure;
- anxiety;
- low self-esteem; or
- pressure to conform
- These students may require support and counselling to address the problems of low self-esteem and feelings of infriority.
- The E.A.G.E.R section provides more information and support strategies on underachieving students.
Students who may require teaching and learning adjustments:
Students who may require teaching and learning adjustments are outlined in the Inclusivity section which outlines risk factors for gifted students.