The article examines issues related to theory, methods, and validity of cognition research related to giftedness. Current approaches are reviewed, including metacognition and structural learning. (CL)

A developmental approach to problem solving is described as it relates to J. Renzulli's Enrichment Triad Model for gifted education. (CL)

Gifted students have special needs, and extra support systems should be provided. All students should be encouraged to search for their special talents and pursue them. (MD)

Traces the history of special schools for gifted and talented students in the USSR, notes the increasing importance of programs for the athletically gifted, and reviews such problem areas as distribution of schools, student selection, and the need for character education for gifted students. (CL)

The Duke University Precollege Program, Summer Residential Program for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youths, the By-Mail and Computer Programs are reviewed. These offerings allow brilliant young students to plan a multi-summer program beginning in the summer prior to grade 8 and culminating in the senior year of high school. (Author/CL)

Five calls for action are given as challenges to gifted education advocates to seize the opportunity to effect significant changes in teacher education in order to guarantee the permanent survival of gifted education. Suggestions include redefining the role of the gifted/talented resource teacher and collaborating wiith special educators.…

The author satirizes the status of teacher education in gifted education, cites the conceptual weakness of arguments justifying support for gifted programs, and considers the need to train teachers to provide enriched programs for all students and to focus on the academic content areas. (CL)

A training exercise is presented to help teachers become familiar with key concepts in the Scales for Rating Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students. Activities suggested include matching concepts with items from the scales and categorizing children's behaviors according to the scales. (CL)

The review lists what the authors consider to be outstanding books about gifted children and adolescents categorized according to the following topics: the precocious child, spies and sleuths, families in trouble, young writers, musically and artistically talented youth, and gifted athletes. Suggested activities for each are discussed. (CL)

A former child "prodigy" recounts her experiences at school to suggest that intellectual achievement is not always due to extraordinary analytic reasoning ability and that precocity may be nonrationl. J. Stanley responds by citing others' work on the topic and suggesting the construct may not survive strong scrutiny. (CL)

A private multinational school in Columbia established programs focusing on math and language arts enrichment for gifted elementary students. Student selection approaches feature multiple criteria and the cultural mix of the student body. (CL)

Distinguishes between two broad interpretations of the principle of equality of educational opportunity and shows how each version reflects a different educational philosophy. (Author/RK)

Available from: Department of Special Education, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608.

This book, written to coincide with the 50th Anniversary the National Association for Gifted Children, recognizes many of the most prominent contributors to the field of gifted education over the past century. Those included are pioneers such as Lewis M. Terman and Leta S. Hollingworth, Julian Stanley, and Paul Torrance, through to more…