Forty children (ages 7-11) referred for evaluation of learning problems, who had normal scores on measures of academic achievement, were compared to 81 similarly referred children who had scored low. Children with normal achievement scores had higher IQs and better decoding skills, however, the two groups showed similar neuropsychological…

This brief article reviews the literature on the relative importance of genetic or environmental influences on intelligence. It concludes that: (1) giftedness has various expressions; (2) intelligence encompasses a wide range of human abilities; (3) both subjective and objective assessment techniques should be used; and (4) all ethnicities have…

Music can become an indispensable part of outdoor education because music summons the basic connections that sustain human life. Outdoor education is challenged to reach beyond the traditional campfire and sing-a-long activities. Various works are cited regarding the relevance of music to multiple intelligence theory, logical-mathematics training,…

Discusses the inspiration for a school program on voter education called "Kids Voting USA." Describes Kids Voting, launched in the general election of 1988 when children in Phoenix, Arizona, cast their own ballots. Includes ideas for activities and features a lesson called "Debate Bingo." (CMK)

This study examined articulation in 13 Dutch individuals (ages 7-29, IQs 38-83) with Prader-Willi syndrome using a picture naming test with transcribed samples subjected to analyses for articulation errors. Results suggest that the impaired articulation found is a function of IQ and that with increasing age, phonological problems gradually resolve…

A study of 700 children (ages 5-12) investigated whether children's conceptions of and expectations of friendship are determined by chronological age or by mental age. Results found children of differing intellectual abilities pass through the five conception stages of friendship at different ages and at different rates. (Contains 4 references.)…

This article describes a continuum of definitions of giftedness from conservative to liberal and discusses how these definitions relate to the development of the 3-ring conception of giftedness. In this definition, above average ability, task commitment, and creativity are seen as 3 interactive clusters of traits that gifted students may exhibit.…

Describes complex issues involved in helping impulsive-aggressive youth who are devoid of emotional intelligence. Reviews anatomy of impulsivity and the irrational beliefs used as defense mechanisms by impulsive-aggressive students. Discusses two alternative intervention strategies, Life Space Crisis Intervention techniques and the Self Control…

This article describes critical events that have shaped gifted education, including: the notion that intelligence could be measured, development of differentiated curriculum, the push to be the most powerful nation, appreciation for different intelligences, support for talent development, school reform efforts, and emerging understanding of how…

This study examined how Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale scores changed in individuals with autism as a function of age and initial IQ. Results revealed that subjects (N=440) improved with age in all domains. The rate of growth on Communication and Daily Living Skills sub-tests was related to initial IQ while rate of growth in Social Skills was…

Teenagers need emotional stability and social proficiency. They need to be shown how to behave appropriately and have healthy, mature relationships. School schedules should be adjusted to promote healthy lifestyles. Administrators need to show teenagers how to think and act appropriately. (MLF)

Posits that perceptions of past experience and expectations of the outcomes of future experience can have important consequences for determining young people's educational, career, and life experiences. The lecturer also examines high-stakes test performance and test use as a function of several factors, and traces the history of research on…

This paper reports data on the psychometric relationship between personality traits (Big Five), and preference for particular assessment methods in an Australian sample of University students (N=125). Reliability analysis showed that participants tended to have consistent attitudes toward assessment methods, across disciplines (e.g., History,…

Objective: To test the hypothesis that patients with pediatric bipolar disorder (PBPD) would demonstrate impairment relative to diagnosis-free controls of comparable age, gender, and IQ on measures of memory functioning. Method: The authors administered a battery of verbal and visuospatial memory tests to 35 outpatients with PBPD and 20 healthy…

Most colleges and universities emphasize identifying smartness much more than developing smartness. This value is made explicit in the many influential rankings of colleges and universities, in which elitist schools who recruit students with high SAT scores, grade point averages, and class rankings are declared "better" than other…