Susan M. Baum

Reversing Underachievement: Creative Productivity as a Systematic Intervention.

This study combined qualitative and quantitative methodology in a multiple case study to examine the phenomenon of underachievement and the effect of using creative productivty (Type III) enrichment as a systematic intervention in reversing the pattern. Twelve teachers who rcccivcd training in the Enrichment Triad Model selected 17 students identified as gifted who were also underachieving in their school performance. The l7 students, ages v-l3, included five girls and twelve boys. All students were guided through a Type III study by their referring teacher during one school year. Questionnaires, interest surveys, interviews, product evaluation, and participant observations provided information about individual students in the context of pursuing Type III investigations. The findings regarding the use of creative productivity to address underachievement were numerous. First, a variety of factors contributed to the underachievement of students with high academic potential including: emoti<>nal issues (dysfunctional families); social and behavioral issues (the influence of an inappropriate peer group): the lacl< of an appropriate curriculum (siudents not motivated bv the regular curriculum) ; and a suspected learning disability or poor SCII-I-COLI[~ttiOll. The most compelling finding of this research study was the positive gains made by the students through their involvement in the Type III intervention. Eightytwo percent of the students madc positive gains during the course of the year and in the year following the intervention. Most were no longer underachieving in their school settings at the end of the intervention. Five aspects of the process evolved as important foci for different groups of students: 1) the relationship with the teacher, 2) presentation of self-regulation strategies, 3) opportunity to investigate their own issue of underachievement, 4) the opportunity to work on an area of interest in their preferred learning style and 5) the opportunity to interact with an appropriate pacer group. Nothing may be as frustrating to educators and parents as a bright young mind that seems to be wasted. In fact. concern over tlie problem of undcTé1chieH’ment, csl-)CciLt’tlB among potentially high-achieving students, has increased substantially in recent years (Reid, 199 1 professional have agreed for decades that lhe phenomenon of undo achievement is complex, baffhng, and challenging (Pass«w and Goidberg, 195t3; Rimll1, ~1986; Whitmore, 192i0). Although there is considerablc research on uncterachieBement among students with high academic potential (HAP), the onh consensus of researchers concerns the factors I hell contribute to the problem. Evidencc abcntt effective intervention strategies is inconsistent and inconclusive. liuo major approaches nnderhe attempts at irOrrvuntioll ccntnscliny and education. White some evidence points to positive gains using familv UHII1sL’lil1!, (Colangelo, 1984; Rimm, 1986), psvchologictl imun-coPutting ~=;.!~’t=.·~2~&°~’~. to Use îÎ1C prob!cm oj I_mdl°rascl~irs°cment un~<>i3y ili~~li abi)itB students !!a.sbeeti a Lli;ill<iipi<. to edn.ca.toi:: ,. a<-id pat-;.tti , ;tiil c, tJ>i<I<.i %!;<i;di>ip « ii;>t 16<_.i< >j <. iii::.. c<>rririlmiu t<> 1hu l~r:~!plu.~l _r-ICl Cil~clily rll m ;t:; -r i, thai!)asci)j()B’cd’.B’id(’s~)iB’~’1s~!CCL’s’.,it!rcB’or..in~.!h. pattern ,)1 LiIJdtT~B{-’hiB_’B:C’]lL’i]l llE:~,~u i~~-‘7~1:~;~ ?u-~ ... what ciusisc. Tlw lindin,,;, 01 this’;llUh ,11.,_’: ;tit cxptatiatiunoipossihtc cause’, that ulderlir?l,c’ ~w;~l;lem and alert pl<>ius.si<nials to BBatc)i ¡’Ol 1r11ip, sBn)p)on]s<)f LfiE’SC l~tCtlli:5 SiICII £io ~lll Illlcli~l;~ll(S,s_‘(I learning disability 01 elJ1()lion~tI ptohktlis, Iftadtd) tic~n, tlteir rrsearch c>fier~ n stratc~wfi><iii«I to be highly crfeetivc in !’eBcrsing unLl<.i-achicx-ciii<.>it regardless of the underlying plobkll1s indIBidLl~11 stLl dents experience. The atI atE~~v consists 01 engaging the studcnl in an inve;;tigation 01 a ITa! Plobkm (Rcn7ulli’s Type ill Enrichment) guided bB art encouraging teacher, ¡Bn~¡]vsi:; 01 the p!ïJL’L’~::; ¡-,’Bt’dled specific t<a;h«I lJcha;.I<>ix kit to he’ integl’~¡j to the successor il>e I>iteix<iiti<>11. These stratE’<~iE=:; ~-<ll i serB’e as a guide to professionab interested in helping students to achieB’e success. Most i II1port~BJl t h, the’ sludv provide5 support for the notion that III 01’_’ is gained by developing and tespecting students’individual gifts, talents, and interests ili:t<i I>-, L’il()rl>, aimed at reinediationo(BBeaknesses and ~’limiij;.Iti()tl of inappropriate b<.liax.I<>1-. Kcscurcl~ I i I oi t I ii, nuwns~ iilo was sulyonWwl t I I ltiet tltc Juvits AW Pr<x~rant (Grain No. R.’()(1RIIIIIII) ns ’ld’lliIliqt’IÙllw the Ollice ctt Educational Rcseare!] and Illl!,I()BC’llh’IlI. I’,S fJe’!,’lI’tllll’IlI ()f hltll’atiot1. Grantees UIllkTt;Jki!l~ I i I) 1 .m<· cillot I to c:Bprt’ss ltcclv° their profL’ssiollal (~ow·nuarnl· I, ~i 1]([ no mllicial cndm~cmcW slu~ttlcl he interte<I.

High Ability/Learning Disabled Students: How Are They Different?

The purpose of the research was to investigate what characteristics distinguish High Ability/LD students from learning disabled students with average cognitive ability and from high ability students. One hundred-twelve high ability or learning disabled students in grades four through six participated in the study: High Ability, High Ability/LD, and LD/Average. A variety of instruments was used to assess and compare cognitive and motivational patterns in the three groups. Discriminant analyses indicated that the three groups are distinguishable. As might be expected, the greatest group difference existed between high ability nondisabled students and both learning disabled populations. A second discriminant function provided information about differences between the two learning disabled populations.

An Enrichment Program for Gifted Learning Disabled Students

Professionals interested in gifted/learning disabled students have found that these students have educational needs different from those of their learning disabled peers with average ability. This article describes and evaluates a pilot enrichment program designed to meet their needs. Seven bright learning disabled youngsters in grades 4 and 5 met for 2½ hours a week over a nine-month period to develop their strengths and interests through challenging enrichment activities. Six of the seven students showed gains in self-esteem, learning behavior, and creative productivity.

Identification, programs and enrichment strategies for gifted learning disabled youth

For the past decade the state of Connecticut has provided funds to establish unique programs to meet the needs of handicapped gifted students. This article summarizes the important features from four specific and highly successful projects for gifted learning‐disabled children. Although each of the programs was unique, they all emphasized nurturing the gifts and special abilities of the students. The results of the programs showed that the students gained a more positive attitude about school and their abilities. They were more willing to expend effort and work for extended periods of time on exciting projects. In many cases these gains were accompanied by improvement in basic skills. Several case studies are provided to illustrate the components of the program that the project administrators felt were crucial to the success of the programs. Specifically, they include the development of alternate modes for thinking and communicating; unique identification strategies, highly motivating activities and use o...

An Operational Definition of Twice-Exceptional Learners: Implications and Applications.

In this article, a new definition of twice-exceptional children is proposed. In addition to introducing this new definition, the authors provide a research-based rationale for the definition, offer a clear profile of twice-exceptional youth, and summarize the development of new programs and practices to enable these students to develop their gifts while simultaneously compensating for their deficits.

Talent beyond Words: Identification of Potential Talent in Dance and Music in Elementary Students.

We present evidence for the reliability and validity of the Talent Identification Instrument (TII), an observation process in music and dance in which multiple judges rate students throughout a multisession audition. The approach was designed to recognize previously overlooked abilities in urban elementary students, including low income, bilingual, and special education students. The TII observation process was designed to evoke artful behaviors that can be readily recognized by arts specialists and classroom teachers. We found strong agreement among raters and adequate stability estimates. Evidence for validity was obtained through factor analysis and a variety of construct validity procedures. The performance-based assessment described here may have implications for discovering hidden potential in academic as well as artistic domains.

Validity, Reliability, and Equity Issues in an Observational Talent Assessment Process in the Performing Arts

The lack of valid, research-based methods to identify potential artistic talent hampers the inclusion of the arts in programs for the gifted and talented. The Talent Assessment Process in Dance, Music, and Theater (D/M/T TAP) was designed to identify potential performing arts talent in diverse populations, including bilingual and special education students and students who have had no prior formal arts instruction. Research results over 13 years in elementary schools in New York and Ohio provide evidence that creative and artistic potential can be assessed validly and equitably and that such assessments can offer a reliable prediction of success in rigorous arts instruction.

Developing Scientific Talent in Students With Special Needs: An Alternative Model for Identification, Curriculum, and Assessment

Can students with learning and attention difficulties in school actually be talented scientists in disguise? This article presents a model that was highly successful in identifying and developing scientific talent in these special students. The factors that contributed to the success of the model were the following: The emphasis was on helping students become creative producers. The model also featured a strong mentoring component that included role-modeling and problem solving within specific scientific domains and provided students with authentic, discovery-based, experiential, advanced level subject matter of the domain. Finally, the alternate means of assessing student achievement focused on a students performance and the product he or she created, rather than on test scores. Students demonstrated their ability to be competitive, collaborative, and to apply problem-solving skills. These performances resulted in the students’ shifting their identity from loser to winner.

Talent Development in Science: A Unique Tale of One Student's Journey

This narrative presents the educational route followed by an Intel Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) winner who was not always recognized for his scientific abilities. Factors contributing to the success of this gifted student are presented, as well as his creative insights for solving the problem that gave rise to the winning project. Further, the major issues that emerged from this students story can inform both professional development and instructional practice. These issues include: the need to recognize science talent or creative productive behaviors in students with special needs; students’ need for an experiential science curriculum that incorporates multidisciplinary perspectives from which to study and apply the discipline of science, not merely the subject matter; the power of collaboration between students with similar interests; and the value of developing instructional strategies that accommodate a variety of learning difficulties and learning styles.

Through a Different Lens Reflecting on a Strengths-Based, Talent-Focused Approach for Twice-Exceptional Learners

This study sought to understand the experiences of a cohort of students who entered a strengths-based private school for twice-exceptional students during middle school and successfully completed graduation requirements. Using a case study design, the researchers analyzed data collected from student and teacher interviews, parent focus groups, educational records, and psychological reports. Findings indicate areas of change and development across cognitive, emotional/behavioral, and social domains and identified five factors underlying student growth: psychological safety, tolerance for asynchrony, time, positive relationships, and the consistent use of a strengths-based, talent-focused philosophy. Data also revealed four benefits from the talent development opportunities offered by the school. Participating in talent development activities enabled students to become part of a social group; to overcome some social, emotional, and cognitive challenges in context; to develop ongoing mentor and professional relationships with people in talent areas; and to develop expertise in an area of talent. This research supports the incorporation of a strengths-based, talent-focused approach for twice-exceptional learners.