Amy Price Azano

Exploring the Relationship between Fidelity of Implementation and Academic Achievement in a Third-Grade Gifted Curriculum: A Mixed-Methods Study.

This study used sequential mixed-methods analyses to investigate the effectiveness of a research-based language arts curriculum for gifted third graders. Using analytic induction, researchers found that teachers’ beliefs and expectations (time, sense of autonomy, expectations for students, professional expertise) influenced the degree to which they implemented the research intervention with fidelity to its design. Next, maximum variation sampling and quantitative analysis of student outcomes determined that postassessment achievement test scores are higher for students in classrooms with teachers who show high fidelity or adherence to the intervention.

What Works in Gifted Education Documenting the Effects of an Integrated Curricular/Instructional Model for Gifted Students

The heart of effective programming for gifted students lies in the integration of advanced curricula with effective instructional strategies to develop leaning activities that will enhance student learning outcomes. However, empirical evidence of the effectiveness of units based on such curricular and instructional interventions from large-scale experimental studies in multiple settings are limited. To document the effectiveness of units that integrated the principles from curricular and instructional models in the field of gifted education, two language arts units for gifted third graders were developed and tested in a randomized cluster design. Multilevel analyses of data collected from more than 200 classrooms document statistically significant differences favoring the treatment group over the comparison group on standards-referenced assessments.

Exploring Teacher Beliefs and Use of Acceleration, Ability Grouping, and Formative Assessment.

Few academic interventions for gifted students have generated more empirical support than acceleration and ability grouping, and formative assessment is advocated as a tool that educators can use to appropriately integrate accelerative practices and ability grouping into the classroom. However, the empirical support for accelerative practices, ability grouping, and formative assessment does not always translate into practice. This qualitative study sought to explore how teacher expectations about student ability influenced teacher use of accelerative practices, ability grouping, and formative assessment. The findings indicate that the availability and use of formative assessments, coupled with high teacher expectations about student ability, support teacher use of best practices in pacing and grouping strategies.

Understanding the Experiences of Gifted Education Teachers and Fidelity of Implementation in Rural Schools.

Approximately one quarter of American students attend rural schools; however, the needs of these students are often overlooked in education policy despite well-documented limited financial resources and pervasive poverty. Relatively little is known about the experiences of gifted students in rural areas and even less about the teachers serving this population. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the rural-specific context to identify factors associated with rural teachers’ instructional decisions to deliver gifted curriculum with fidelity. More specifically, the study examined the experiences for teachers in rural schools when implementing a research-based language arts curriculum and how these experiences relate to fidelity of implementation. Findings suggest that rural-specific characteristics of gifted programming, limited resources, and time challenges present unique challenges for these gifted education teachers.

An Evaluation of Test Speededness in an Assessment for Third-Grade Gifted Students.

Reliability and validity are integral concepts in assessment design. Test speededness, the influence of time constraints on test taker performance, is often an overlooked threat to reliability and validity, especially in classroom-based testing. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the degree of test speededness of classroom-based assessments that have been developed and tested for a curricular reading intervention study with third-grade gifted students. The degree of speededness for the assessments was calculated using a mixture Rasch model. The results indicate that a large proportion of students were influenced by test speededness for both posttests in both treatment groups. The implications of these results are discussed.

The Influence of Teacher Expectations about Twice-Exceptional Students on the Use of High Quality Gifted Curriculum: A Case Study Approach

ABSTRACT Twice-exceptional students show evidence of high academic performance or potential and also have a disability that impedes their ability to learn. Twice-exceptional students remain under-represented in gifted programs, and some researchers attribute such under-representation to the negative beliefs and low expectations about twice-exceptional students held by teachers. While researchers have begun to investigate the curricular models and instructional strategies that are effective for twice-exceptional students, little research addresses how teacher beliefs and expectations about student ability are reflected in the ways teachers implement such models and strategies for twice-exceptional students in gifted classrooms. Even less research addresses gifted students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. We used a case study of a third-grade teacher using a structured, model-based language arts curriculum to better understand how her expectations about a gifted student with an emotional disability influenced her instructional choices. Using observational and interview data, the case study approach allowed the researchers to personalize the experiences of this teacher and provided a context in which to examine the subtleties of teacher expectations when teaching a gifted student with an emotional disability. Implications for educational practice, particularly the need for comprehensive school-based support systems for students with emotional disabilities, are discussed.

Understanding the Puzzle Behind the Pictures: A Content Analysis of Children’s Picture Books About Autism

The growing visibility of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the trend toward inclusive classroom practices present teachers with the unique responsibility of providing an inclusive learning environment for all students. This study sought to explore how teachers may use children’s picture books about autism to provide nondisabled students with experiences aimed at increasing student understandings toward autism. Researchers compiled 35 children’s books for content analysis and identified significant themes presented as five assertions. Findings indicate children’s picture books about autism may (a) teach readers about the core characteristics of ASD, (b) illustrate how individuals with autism may be “at risk,” (c) expand on ways neurotypical children are similar and different to individuals with autism, (d) emphasize the importance of influential language, and (e) present insights about autism through the use of multiple perspectives. Findings with exemplar texts representative of each theme are presented, and practical classroom applications are discussed.