This study found that, of 24 minority students placed in gifted classes from K-12, none dropped out, though 45 percent of 67 gifted minority students not placed in gifted classes dropped out. Graduation rates from the academically talented program followed the proportions of minority to nonminority students in the program. (JDD)

This overview of research on the problems and concerns of parents of gifted and talented children highlights six key areas: family roles and adaptations, sibling relationships, parental self-concept, neighborhood and community issues, educational issues, and development of the child. (Author/JDD)

Reported are the findings of a study of the effects of academic acceleration on the social and emotional adjustments of students. Subjects included 1,247 12 to 14 year olds who scored in the top 1 percent on a national mathematics examination. The advantages of academic acceleration are emphasized. (CW)

This article gives suggestions for bibliotherapy as a counseling strategy to help gifted boys dealing with six issues: image management, self-inflicted pressure, the trauma of being labeled "different," male bonding, cultural expectations, and gender role conflict. Thirty children's books addressing these issues are suggested. (DB)

Investigated group, grade, and gender differences in attitudes toward mathematics and science of gifted middle grades students (n=256) from three ethnic backgrounds. All groups exhibited positive attitudes. Significant group differences were found in students' perceptions of teachers' attitudes, mathematics anxiety, effectance motivation, and…

Examines problems inherent in the overuse of testing as a way to identify giftedness, especially with respect to assessing the culturally diverse. Use of portfolios is suggested as an alternative procedure that can provide a more equitable and culturally fair assessment of the culturally and linguistically diverse child. (SLD)

Explanations for varying emphasis on teaching for higher order thinking in U.S. secondary classrooms and teacher goals are considered. Responses of 303 secondary school teachers (teaching 1,205 classes) to a questionnaire about higher order skills and instructional goals indicate that higher order skills are more emphasized in high-ability…

Science-prone students are both academically gifted and display a driving interest in science. Describes the origins and evolution of the Science Talent Search Program, a program designed to identify science-prone high school students. Discusses variations of four exemplars of the program. (Contains 46 references.) (MDH)

Identifies factors that inhibit the recruitment and retention of minority students in gifted education programs including screening and identification issues (definitions and instrumentation); educational issues (quality of students' education); and personnel issues (lack of teacher training in gifted and urban education, low teacher referral).…

Describes the development of the self in gifted individuals based on observations in therapy and counseling settings. The concept of the self, problems of "differentness," and the gifted self are considered. Issues such as perfectionism, labeling, adult development, and excellence versus equity are discussed and illustrated with…

Describes a unit of study for gifted fifth graders that connects architecture to the content areas of history, mathematics, and science. Emphasis was on problem solving of real-world problems as recommended in major reports on mathematics instruction. The unit also used technology in innovative ways, including computer-drawn images and digital…

This article describes Camp Invention, a national creativity day camp that integrates science, math, social studies, and the arts. The one week camp for children entering grades 2-6 attracts many academically gifted children because of its hands-on curriculum. The camp's curriculum and activities are discussed. (Contains two references.) (CR)

A study involving 257 Navajo and Mexican-American elementary students investigated the internal structure of the DISCOVER assessment, a performance-based assessment grounded in Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence. Results showed low interrating correlations among the five assessment activities, indicating students gifted in one intelligence…

A study involving 112 gifted seventh- and eight- graders found 87.5 percent were perfectionists. Most (58 percent) were in the healthy range of perfectionism, while 29.5 percent were in the neurotic range. Neurotic perfectionists were limited by their fixation on making mistakes, which resulted in a constant state of anxiety. (Contains…

Using a question-and-answer format, this research digest discusses using cluster grouping in regular classes to teach gifted students. The learning needs of gifted students, benefits of cluster grouping, the effects on peers, identification of students for the cluster group, and specific skills that are needed by cluster teachers are addressed.…