For many years, those who work in the mentoring field have wondered how they can extend the impact of their programs beyond the benefits experienced by young people they serve. There has been an increasing desire within our field to harness the power of mentoring to enable the youth served in a program to not just grow individually, but to…

The digest considers the operation and function of mentorships in gifted and talented education. Defined as learning partnerships between two or more individuals regarding a mutual interest, mentorships are designed to differentiate the curriculum through such means as creating opportunities for learner access to professional expertise in the…

The paper suggests a strategy for developing a program for gifted and talented limited English speaking students. Six steps are outlined: (1) identify the gifted and talented student population in the pilot school using at least two acceptable criteria; (2) based on the school study team (SST) assessment process, prepare individual sequential…

Suggests initial considerations in developing programs for gifted and talented students: identification, program format, community involvement, and curriculum. (SJL)

Louisiana's statewide provisions for education of gifted and talented preschoolers are reviewed, and difficulties encountered in serving 300 gifted young children are addressed. Among the administrative burdens cited are narrow identification criteria and the combination of limited financial and personnel resources resulting in the availability of…

The digest extends the concept of Individualized Education Programs (IEP) to gifted and talented children. IEPs are defined as written documents, developed and revised annually with input from parents, teachers, and where appropriate, the students themselves. IEP content includes a realistic assessment of current performance, reasonable…

Suggestions are offered for establishing local parent association groups as advocates for gifted and talented students. Beginning concerns include location and recruitment of new members; affiliation with state and national groups (such as the Association for the Gifted within the Council for Exceptional Children and the National Assocation for…

This booklet presents a series of worksheets to assist in the development and implementation of a well integrated set of policies for gifted/talented programs. Each worksheet covers an issue to be considered in policy development, with blank space allotted for specifying positive and negative points, a suggested policy, needs, and a timeline.…

Questionnaire responses of eminent people in Communications, Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Science, Education, and Business Education and Management are considered in terms of their projects' inspiration, preparation, products, task commitment, obstacles, and audience. Following a discussion of the experiences of professionals, implications for gifted…

The handbook, originally designed to portray the educational needs of gifted and talented children in Oklahoma, is explained to be aimed towards other states seeking funding for this population. After a narrative section considering gifted characteristics and the importance of providing appropriate education to gifted and talented students, the…

Five major steps in the identification of gifted and talented youth are discussed, and problems in each area are noted: (1) determination of program goals and types of gifted youth to be served; (2) nomination procedures; (3) assessment procedures; (4) individual differentiation; and (5) validation of the identification process. (CL)

Saturday programs can enrich schools' offerings to gifted/talented youths by providing in-depth, accelerated study in areas of interest, with the opportunity to study under high-level specialists. Important considerations in development of Saturday programs include teacher selection, training, and supervision; evaluation; financing; curriculum…

Professional event planners give advice on producing pleasing alumni special events. Planning elements include creating a theme, picking the place, finding talented people to help, thinking carefully about seating options, setting the mood, having clear objectives, drafting a detailed script, and managing last-minute changes. (MSE)

The manual addresses elements needed to provide an appropriate education for gifted students in North Carolina. Eleven components are considered: administrative support and responsibility (program design, utilization of resources); definition and identification (screening); assessment of student needs (group and individual needs); written plans…