GIFTED, CREATIVE AND TALENTED CHILDREN

A strong tradition has it that Education is geared towards the development of the whole child. Because of this, much emphasis was not focused on the development of the intellectual abilities of students, particularly those who are Gifted, Creative and Talented. This view became evident in the 1950s when Russia superseded the United States in space exploration with the launching of the sputnik. That was when one man with his brand new invention, took a giant leave for mankind.

Russia placed emphasis on the Gifted, Talented and Creative students and went ahead of the rest of the world in the space race. The United States was intrigued to revive this in their educational curriculum and this has brought in its wake a lot of scientific innovations that has kept the USA in the vanguard of world affairs.

Definition of Giftedness

Giftedness is defined as children of sublime genius whose activities are characterized by an extraordinary display of knowledge, skills and abilities compared with children within their chronological age, experience and environmental setting.

Gifted, Creative and Talented students differ from average students on a number of dimensions that are very useful for classroom instruction. Teachers must be abreast with these differences to enable them not only identify talented creative and gifted children but also, make their instruction more beneficial to the needs of this special population.

Characteristics of Giftedness   

Gifted children have the following characteristics:

- Gifted children are independent and internally controlled

- Gifted children are persistent non-conforming and perceptually strong

- Gifted children are self-motivated

- Gifted children have the ability to bring creativity to bear on a particular problem

- Gifted children are capable of developing an interaction between above-average ability, creativity and task commitment

- They are very competent with abstract concepts and needs to be guided with concrete study and test development.

- They are often ahead of their peers within the same group and environment.

Factors Contributing to Giftedness

Environmental factors have been proved to be a contributory factor to giftedness. For instance, a survey conducted into some North African countries and India proved that very intelligent children emerge from these regions. It was further established that moringa is consumed as a major diet in those regions almost on a daily basis. It was later established that the consumption of this plant proved its efficacy as a mind enhancement complex.

Behavioural genetics also prove that there is a genetic transmission of intelligence from parent to offspring. 

Identification of Gifted Children

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test in which the marks obtained by a student is divided by his chronological age and multiplied by 100 is used to determine gifted children. Students who score very high grades as compared with colleagues of the same age and class are figured out as being gifted.

Achievement Tests are also conducted to select students who perform extremely well in certain specified subjects.

Some students with the support of teachers are tasked to produce projects, designs or objects. The ability to do it well shows the exceptionally creative and talented ones.

Gifted children perform tasks that are meant for older children. This mark of excellence helps in the identification of gifted students. Thus gifted children execute projects that are excellent and unusual of children of the same chronological age.

Judging from what they can do, gifted children are easily identified by their peers, teachers and parents.

Educational programmes for the Gifted, Creative and Talented Children

A traditional method of dealing with gifted children has been to accelerate them through classes, grades and stages. A group of gifted students can be brought together to cover the course in less time than is normal.

Another educational approach is the “pull-out” or ability grouping. In this system, students are taken out of the regular classroom at different times and given special attention by a teacher trained in meeting the needs of gifted students.

An alternative to the pull-out class is enrichment provided in special projects and activities in the classroom. (Madaus G. F., et al, 1989).  Instead of taking students away, the curriculum is enriched to meet the needs of all students.  

The Rights of Gifted Children

Tannerbaun A., in 1985 gave the following recommendations as the rights of gifted children.

1. Children have the right to be identified as gifted at the earliest possible age.
2. Children have a right to be identified as gifted long before they are able to achieve renown.  
3. Gifted children have a right to be regarded as precious human resources far out of proportion to their numbers.
4. Gifted children have a right to differentiated education that is uniquely appropriate to them.
5. Gifted children have the right to the kind of education that is forerunner of education for all children.
6. Gifted children have the right to be educated by teachers who are specially qualified to teach them.
7. Gifted children have the right to a formal education that originates in their total environment (that includes resources beyond the school’s staff, resources and schedules).
8. Gifted children have a right to be nurtured in a school program (that is in a long-term offering that is a major part of the school curriculum) rather than in fragmentary ad hoc school provisions.
9. Gifted children have a right to freedom and equality.