This article addresses first what students and professionals "know and do not know" about cultural competence and anti-racism. The authors then focus on dispositions (what students and professionals "want" to know and "do not want" to know), and then skills (e.g., strategies, techniques, resources). They suggest that…

The field of gifted education, historically and contemporarily, is not well-known for being equitable for underrepresented students, specifically, Black, Hispanic, Native American, among others. In this article, we present a short history of gifted education with attention to key historical figures who have significantly shaped the field; their…

The United States is considered the land of immigrants and cultural diversity, and our nation's ever changing demographics attests to this. Yearly, our nation and schools become more racially and linguistically different. In what ways, we must ask, are schools welcoming and providing for students who come from different cultural backgrounds,…

As the "land of opportunity" and arguably the greatest country in the world, the United States continues to change--culturally, racially, and linguistically. Reports abound regarding the changing demographics of the country and its schools. Over a 2-decade span (1989-2009), the percentage of "minority" students in public…

Cultural dynamics in school may contribute to disaffiliation and inhibited academic performance among diverse student populations (Marx, 2008). We queried 16 special education students in a low-income, ethnically diverse English Language Learner-cluster middle school about their perceptions of the cultural dynamics at their school and the…

Each year, the U.S. Department of Education publishes its comprehensive report "The Condition of Education." As the author perused this year's edition, she was reminded of an important reality, one that all education professionals must be mindful of: America and its schools are more racially and culturally different than ever before. The term…

It is common knowledge that our schools and society have changed in many ways, especially due to increasing immigration. Between 1972 and 2004, for example, the percentage of culturally diverse students doubled. The majority of scholarship in education seems to focus on how these changes and trends impact educators and their competence in working…

Nondiscriminatory assessment practices have been proposed as a model of assessment for individuals of diverse cultures who are suspected as having a disability. This paper presents the use of nondiscriminatory assessment practices in evaluating students of diverse cultures who may be identified as gifted. Principles and guidelines for…

Explains the Ford-Harris Matrix model of multicultural education in teaching literature to gifted students. This matrix combines levels of infusing multicultural content (contributions, additive, transformation, and social action) with the thinking processes of Bloom's Cognitive Taxonomy (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis,…

Students of color are often underrepresented in gifted education programs. While many educators have sought to reverse or redress this issue, little has changed over the years. In this article, it is proposed that teachers, particularly those working with elementary students, must pursue cultural competence in order to recognize the strengths and…

Presents a literature review on the achievement problems of Black students, with particular emphasis on the problems of high-achieving Black students, the effects of peer pressure on achievement, and the phenomenon of acting "white" or "raceless." Offers recommendations for educators, parents, community leaders, and others interested in reversing…

Educators need to be more aware of and sensitive to the implications of diversity for themselves and their students. The student population is becoming more diverse at a faster rate than the teacher population. Teachers must understand other cultures in terms of concept of self, concept of time, personal vs. social responsibility, locus of…

Discussion of the issues of under representation of diverse students, especially African Americans, in programs for gifted students and of underachievement of minority students suggests a solution to both issues is for schools to create culturally responsive classrooms. The article describes the needs of diverse students and offers several…

This book offers guiding principles for culturally diverse environments and curricular choices to support multicultural inclusiveness. Case studies provide examples of exemplary gifted education programs, emphasizing the aspects of the program that best respond to diverse student populations. Subsequent chapters on gifted and general education…

This brief paper offers an overview of strategies, with practical examples, to infuse multicultural content into the curriculum for gifted students. It proposes a framework for multicultural gifted education based on the four levels or approaches of J. Banks and C. Banks and within each approach, the six levels of B. Bloom's taxonomy. The four…