This article reports on the findings of a research project examining participant students' points of view on accelerated programs in mathematics from four state secondary schools in New Zealand. The four participant schools in this research offered a variety of different acceleration designs and philosophies and were different in size location,…

In this sequel to "Supervising Sparking Students" (Merrill Watrous, "Techniques," January 2004), the authors reflect on the two years they spent together as teaching co-op student and coordinator. The discussion focuses on three topics: (1) integrating technology into classroom teaching; (2) what one learns about gifted education from mentoring…

School counselors work individually and with other educators to meet the developmental needs of all students, including those with special needs or disabilities. In this article, the results of qualitative research are summarized involving comparative case studies of university students who were both academically talented and learning disabled.…

The main goal of this paper is to investigate cross-cultural factors that predict academic ability among mathematically gifted Olympians in Finland and the United States. The following two research problems are formulated: (1) What factors contribute to or impede the development of the Olympians' mathematic talent? and (2) Do the Olympians fulfill…

Using a qualitative interview design, this study examined factors contributing to the academic achievement of gifted first-generation college females. Findings indicated an emerging professional identity as the primary influence on achievement. The participants' high ability served as a passport to accessing coursework, extracurricular…

This study examines the effects over time of implementing the William and Mary language arts and science curriculum for gifted learners designed around the Integrated Curriculum Model (ICM) in one suburban school district. It also analyzes stakeholders' perceptions of the effectiveness of the curriculum. Findings suggest that gifted student…

This article reports some of the findings of a study involving 11 New Zealand 4-year-old precocious readers (Margrain, 2005). The children, aged between 4:01 and 4:10, had reading ages three to nine years above their chronological age. Assessment of precocious reading abilities is discussed, including how assessment findings are influenced by the…

The author's parents taught her that merely "adequate" is not sufficient. The author began homeschooling halfway through her 5th-grade year partly because of this philosophy. One reason why the author's parents chose homeschooling was because of her dedication to classical piano. The author and her parents agreed that she would probably be able to…

Advanced 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students at the Gifted Resource Center (GRC) in a suburban Chicago public school district are regularly engaged in various types of activities. The GRC uses language arts units for high ability students created and developed as a base curriculum at the Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary.…

Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is a relatively recent term in education and psychology and has gained more interest since it became a recognized exceptionality in the United States in 1994. It is classified with autism under the term "Pervasive Developmental Disorder" (PDD). The primary criteria for diagnosis include linguistic, social, and behavioral…

Many of us may not perceive a link between the traditional tale of "The Three Little Pigs" and Stein's "Goosebumps" series, but Ivan, a 6-year-old in my classroom, did. I had used the story of "The Three Little Pigs," along with other traditional tales, to point out the introduction, complication, and resolution structure of simple narrative.…

The role of the principal as it relates to the education of gifted and talented children in programs and schools has been discussed in a variety of articles related to desired skills, competencies, or characteristics. Yet, the research is neither extensive nor recent, especially pertaining to the role of the elementary administrator of schools for…

We provide here a brief historical analysis of a movement in progress from a belief-based "mystery" model to an evidence-based "mastery" model of giftedness and talent development. We have observed that educators concerned about exceptionally capable learners are moving from a categorical notion of "the typical gifted child" with somewhat…

This study examined differences between students who qualified for talent search testing via scores on standardized tests and via parent nomination in their performances on the SAT or ACT and some demographic characteristics. Overall, the standardized testing group earned higher scores on the off-level tests than the parent nominated group. Asian…

This study reports on an analysis of the standardization sample of a rating scale designed to assist in identification of gifted students. The Gifted Rating Scales-Preschool/Kindergarten Form (GRS-P) is based on a multidimensional model of giftedness designed for preschool and kindergarten students. Results provide support for: the internal…