A Compendium of Research-Based Information on the Education of Gifted and Talented Students

This monograph examines the relationship between intellectually gifted children and television and summarizes research on this subject, primarily conducted by Project KIDVID at Cleveland (Ohio) State University. After an introduction and discussion of the available scientific literature, research-supported facts and related questions are presented concerning the following: (a) television viewing habits; (b) program comprehension; (c) commercial advertising; (d) program preferences; (e) perceived reality; (f) parental mediation; (g) governmental mediation; and (h) instructional opportunities. Resulting research-based guidelines are offered. First, although young gifted children spend significantly more hours watching television than same-age peers, this does not necessarily warrant parental concern. Second, parents should be sure programming matches the child's capability to follow the story line and is sufficiently challenging. Third, younger children should avoid program-length commercials. Fourth, pay television (cable, video, rentals) currently provides the most reliable supply of quality children's programs. Fifth, prime time commercial television offers inadequate and inappropriate role models for gifted children. Sixth, the most effective forms of parental mediation are purposeful program selection and coviewing with the child. Seventh, parents should become involved in influencing the quality and quantity of local children's programming. Eighth, television in the classroom has a place in gifted education. An appendix lists 14 television-related activities. (Contains 33 references.)
Target Audience:	Parents; Researchers; Administrators; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($15.00)

This paper reports on a study to determine the reliability of an instrument to identify students with aptitude in science. The areas addressed in this study were: interrater reliability, intrarater reliability, equivalent forms reliability and stability. A sample was taken of 176 students from five Collaborative School Districts that expressed interest in participating in The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented's reliability and validity studies of identification instruments. The reliability if the instrument was sufficiently high to warrant validity studies.
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This articles discusses a study at the University of Virginia regarding the identification of young gifted children.
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The Diet Cola Test was designed as a process assessment of science aptitude. Investigations of the instrument's reliability and validity for that purpose led to the conclusion that the data did not support the use of the instrument for making decisions about aptitude for individual students. Although the instrument was not suited for decision making for the purpose of identification, examination of the reliability and the item content, and further investigation of the validity suggested that it might be a suitable instrument for assessing science process skills as part of program or curricular evaluation.
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Many educators have emphasized the need to identify giftedness in young children. The project staff of The Early Childhood Gifted Model Program have developed a Checklist for Identifying Learning Strategies based on Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. This instrument is a means of searching for the talents of culturally diverse, economically disadvantaged gifted students in kindergarten through second grade. Intrarater reliability was sufficiently high to warrant serious consideration of the instrument. Scores across domains were not highly correlated with each other, supporting Gardner's assertion that the domain appears to be discrete.
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Parents of gifted children are typically the single most important influence in their child's development, outlook, and fulfillment of talent. This monograph offers practical suggestions for interacting with gifted children at home, for building the kind of foundation to support the edifice of talent, productivity, and self-actualization characterizing gifted adults.
Target Audience:	Parents; Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($10.00)

This article reports on the results of the Classroom Practices Study conducted by The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented which gathered questionnaire responses from 6 samples totaling about 2,000 third- and fourth-grade teachers. The data were analyzed regarding the extent to which gifted and talented students receive differentiated education in regular classrooms. The study found that teachers made only minor modifications in the regular curriculum, with provision of thinking and questioning activities the most frequently used practice.
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The Classroom Practices Survey was conducted by The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented to determine the extent to which gifted and talented students receive differentiated education in regular classrooms across the United States. A survey instrument called the Classroom Practices Questionnaire was developed to obtain background information on third and fourth grade teachers, their classrooms, and school districts, as well as their perceptions of teaching behavior related to gifted and average students in their classes. The major finding of this study is that third and fourth grade teachers make only minor modifications in the regular curriculum to meet the needs of the gifted students. This result holds for public school teachers, private school teachers, and for teachers in schools with high concentrations of ethnic minorities. The survey also revealed that the regular classroom services provided to gifted students in schools with formal gifted programs are similar to those provided in schools without formal programs.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($10.00)

Questionnaire responses from 6 samples totaling about 2,000 third- and fourth-grade teachers were analyzed regarding the extent to which gifted and talented students receive differentiated education in regular classrooms. The study found that teachers made only minor modifications in the regular curriculum, with provision of thinking and questioning activities the most frequently used practice.
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The purpose of this multiple case study was threefold. The first objective was to examine the phenomenon of underachievement using creative productivity, specifically Type III enrichment, as a systematic intervention for reversing the pattern. Type III enrichment provides opportunities for students to become actual investigators of real problems in areas of interest through suitable means of inquiry and to bring their findings to bear on real world audiences. The next goal was to describe and analyze the effects of the intervention on participating students, and last, to develop grounded theory about the dynamics of reversing the underachievement pattern. Twelve teachers who had received training in the Enrichment Triad Model selected 17 students identified as gifted who were underachieving in their academic classroom settings. The 17 students ranged in age from 8-13 and included five girls and 12 boys. All students were guided through a Type III study by their referring teacher. Interviews with students and teachers, teachers' observational logs, student products, and documents provided information about individual students in the context of pursuing Type III investigations. The findings were numerous. First, a variety of factors were identified as contributing to the underachievement pattern of high ability students including: emotional issues; social and behavior problems; the lack of an appropriate curriculum; and learning and self-regulation difficulties. These contributing factors resulted in the students' demonstrating unique learning needs. The second and most compelling finding of the research was the positive gains made by the students through their involvement in the Type III intervention. Eighty-two percent of the students made positive gains during the course of the year or in the year following the intervention in achievement, attitude, or behavior. Most were no longer underachieving in their school settings at the end of the intervention. Five aspects of the problem evolved as an important focus for different groups of students depending on their unique learning needs: a) the relationship with the teacher, b) the presentation of self-regulation strategies, c) the opportunity to investigate their own issues of underachievement, d) the opportunity to work in an area of interest in their preferred style of learning, and e) the opportunity to interact with an appropriate peer group.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($5.00)

This study of the experiences of four beginning teachers of learning disabled students examines teachers' pedagogical concerns (such as discipline and locating materials); concerns about special education (mainstreaming and consultation with classroom teachers); concerns about organization and time; amount and type of assistance received; and implications for local education agencies and for teacher preparation.
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This article compares the characteristics of resilience and giftedness and considers the implications these similarities have for understanding the social and emotional adjustment of gifted children.
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Six interrelated constructs form the body of this study. The first describes a skein of achievement-centered, goal-targeted environments that do—or should—comprise the inspiring teaching and learning that can enhance the endowments of the young. The second presents studies of unfavorable environments that block the goals of equal opportunity, optimum achievement in science, and the discovery of science proneness or talent. The third comprises elements of formal learning in augmenting environments focusing on instruction as an event evoking early discovery through self-identification of gifted children with a particular bent (or proneness) to science. The fourth is based in the conviction that curriculum and instruction are distinct but related fields within present models of instructed learning. The fifth exemplifies curriculum and instruction, focused in special aptitudes and abilities, relevant to science proneness as precursor to self-identification of a science talent. The sixth concerns science talent in practice. It describes a skein of discoveries, one leading to another, and concludes with a definition of science talent.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($15.00)

This one hour teacher training videotape explains and highlights strategies that classroom teachers and gifted education specialists in grades K-12 can use to improve students' higher level thinking skills. The tape includes a rationale for the explicit teaching of thinking skills, suggestions for preparing thinking skills lessons, and an explanation of each of six phases of the model for curriculum development and instruction. Included with the videotape is a reproducible handout packet.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($120.00)

Describes the development of the instrument repository for the NRC/GT.
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Highly able students in the United States have received little attention in the wide-ranging discussion of poor performance in the American educational system. Unfortunately, ignoring the results of international and national assessments of this group of students has led to the misconception that they are sufficiently challenged by the educational system. Reviews of national assessments of aptitude and achievement reveal that few strides have been made in significantly improving the performance of the most able students in the United States and the findings from international studies provide devastating evidence that the achievements of the most able students in the United States are far behind those of other industrialized nations. In addition, among students who score highest on assessments used for college admission, fewer and fewer are electing careers in mathematics or science—leaving essential fields for progress to languish in this country. Current trends must be reversed if we are to hope to met the educational goals set by George Bush for the Year 2000.
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Various issues in determining the effectiveness of educational services for gifted students are considered in this chapter. First, the limitations of standardized instruments are identified. These include narrowness of assessment (usually only across traditional curricular areas), invalidity in assessing program goals (which may not correspond to test areas), ceiling effects (an insufficient range of items at the upper end of the continuum), and regression to the mean (a statistical phenomenon which may hide actual growth in achievement). Alternative assessment strategies are then proposed such as locally developed assessment instruments, out-of-level assessment, multiple assessment, assessment in nontraditional areas or in traditional areas using nontraditional means. The issue of standards in gifted program evaluation is discussed noting the effect of national achievement standards on assessing gifted student achievement and changes in grade equivalency scores as standards. Finally, both the use of control groups to determine outcomes and the use of qualitative evaluation strategies are considered.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	EDRS Price - Microfiche 01/Paper Copy 01 Plus Postage

The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at the University of Virginia answers the call for appropriate identification and evaluation instruments for gifted children.
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This article describes the Scale for the Evaluation of Gifted Identification Instruments, developed for use by school decision makers. Development of the scale is reviewed in terms of five areas of assessment: validity, reliability, propriety, respondent appropriateness, and utility. Specific guidelines and cautions in using the scale are also provided.
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This articles reviews the history of evaluation, current practices and problems in program evaluation, along with possible solutions.
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This study investigated the existence of and extent of phenomena which influence gifted, adolescent women. The five participants attended the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade. Over a 12 month period, data were gathered through interviews with the adolescent gifted women both in and out of school; and examination of school records, including grades and test scores. Problem solving ability and family support were identified as factors which may help young women cope with current and future barriers to success.
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Determining the effectiveness of education services and programs for the gifted is predicated on the assumptions that school personnel (a) know what to look for as reasonable indicators of success, (b) know how to assess change on those indicators, and (c) know how to interpret that change when it does occur. The lack of direction and the dearth of exemplary practice on these assessment issues continue to plague gifted program administrators, teachers, evaluators, and parents.
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Surveys of students from Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology were used as a basis for examining the influences on decisions to apply to, attend, and either continue or leave these special schools. Responses were gathered from male and female students from four racial/ethnic groups (Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and Asian students) who fell into one of the following categories: (a) students who currently attended the school, (b) students who had attended the school but had withdrawn, (c) students who had been accepted to the school, but elected not to attend, and (d) students who had been referred to the school or expressed an interest but never applied, were compared. Quantitative analyses resulted in the finding that females had participated in significantly more extracurricular activities; fathers of Asian students had a higher educational level than those of African American and Hispanic students; fathers of Caucasian students had a higher educational level than fathers of Hispanic students; mothers of Hispanic students had a lower educational level than those of all of the other groups. Qualitative analyses of open-ended questions suggest that families are important in the decision-making process related to application and continued enrollment as are peers.
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This article describes the database of the National Repository for Instruments and Strategies Used in the Identification and Evaluation of Gifted Programs (University of Virginia). The Scale for the Evaluation of Gifted Identification Instruments is applied to the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. A sample bibliographic reference from the database is also offered.
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For the past five years researchers at the University of Virginia have been collecting data on young women enrolled in a program which allows them to earn their high school and college diplomas within four to six years. The research has been descriptive of the characteristics of the young women in the program, has explored the changes in these young women compared to a group of equally highly able young women not in the program, and has explored variables which are predictive of success in the program. The results of the study thus far indicate that the young women choosing this program are much like a sample of non-accelerants across a variety of personality and adjustment measures upon entry into the program. There is great variability in adjustment to the program and various family and personality measures are predictive of that adjustment. Overall, the young women in the program have demonstrated positive growth across measures of adjustment, but the expected change in interests has not occurred. Achievement of the young women in the program (as measured by standardized tests) has been outstanding. Analysis of Rorschach profiles indicates that the creativity of gifted young women may result in unusual response patterns on such projective instruments that should be interpreted with caution by clinicians.
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The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at the University of Virginia answers the call for appropriate identification and evaluation instruments for gifted children.
Target Audience:	Practitioners; Administrators
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The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at the University of Virginia answers the call for appropriate identification and evaluation instruments for gifted children.
Target Audience:	Practitioners
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This article examines issues of student and program evaluation in determining the appropriateness of acceleration of gifted students. Intellective and nonintellective factors in identifying students for acceleration are discussed as are factors in monitoring student success. Specific program evaluation questions and design issues are also addressed.
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This report reviews and synthesizes the most promising practices used to identify exceptionally talented students from the Native American population. Preliminary information includes an Indian Student Bill of Rights, discussion of the problem of talent identification, and discussion of special issues including diversity within the Native American population and cultural assimilation versus accommodation. Eight principles of identification are then presented. These include, among others, using assessments that go beyond a narrow conception of talent; using appropriate instruments with underserved populations; and using a multiple-measure/multiple-criteria approach to identification. Specific practices are then considered, which address: balancing the ideal and the practical; deciding on a concept of talent; recognizing the issues of a particular school; identifying traits that may influence manifestations of talent; recognizing behaviors that distinguish some Native American students from the general population; looking for manifestations of talent potential, alternative behaviors, situations, and interpretations; selecting and constructing appropriate assessment tools; and using the collected student data to make decisions. Recommendations address technical assistance, professional development, assessment portfolios, experimental programs, and program funding. Five appendices include technical information concerning evaluation measures, two sample case studies, and a list of assessment instruments. (Contains 77 references.)
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This paper offers a critical examination of definitions, issues, and practices relative to identification of students who are gifted and talented in the visual arts. The lack of agreement on the definition of talent in the arts is discussed, along with the role of culture, student characteristics, creativity, skills, cognitive abilities, affective abilities, interest and motivation, potential and processes contrasted with performance and products, art specializations, and distribution of arts talent in the general school population. Identification issues are then examined in relation to the use of outcomes derived from standardized art tests; intelligence, achievement and creativity tests; students' backgrounds, personalities, values, and ages; and use of multiple criteria identification systems. Examination of current practices and critical reviews of their advantages and disadvantages are reported in regard to non-structured nominations, structured nominations, group intelligence quotients, achievement tests, academic records, standardized art and creativity tests, informal art instruments, portfolio and performance reviews, interviews, and observations. These practices are hierarchically arranged as steps in an identification program and in terms of their most appropriate age/grade applications. Conclusions are drawn about future applications of issues and practices. (Contains 142 references.)
Target Audience:	Parents; Researchers; Administrators; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($8.00)

Mixed ability grouping, ability grouping and acceleration are programming opportunities generated from a review of art education and gifted and talented literature. This paper provides examples of programming opportunities in each of these categories and recommends topics for further research.
Target Audience:	Parents; Researchers; Administrators; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($8.00)

Students in a sixth grade gifted class were asked to write an essay comparing and contrasting their experiences in gifted classes and regular classes. These data were collected as part of a semester-long qualitative study of motivation patterns in middle school gifted classrooms. The specific intent of the essay assignment was to address the special issues in motivation which arise when a child is labeled "gifted" and placed in a classroom full of intellectual peers. Responses were analyzed and clustered into themes via group consensus. A major theme expressed by students was that teachers and peers outside the gifted class seem to have unfair expectations for the gifted students. Specific topics included grading, group work, lack of acknowledgment for effort, treatment by peers, and teacher expectations.
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Yale University, through The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, investigates three aspects of gifted education—identification, instruction, and assessment using the Triarchic Theory of Intelligence model.
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This brochure provides an overview of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, along with strategies designed to help increase motivation.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners; Parents
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($.50)

Weighted grades or waiving classes are two separate issues. What they have in common is that they affect students, specifically gifted students. Because of that latter point, both of these issues were studied, not as interactive issues associated with gifted students, but as two of many that affect such students. Four approaches to research occurred. First, interviews with teachers, counselors, and administrators were conducted in four high schools. Second, questionnaires that asked for short-essay responses were sent to state and regional high schools. Third, 300 questionnaires that asked for a fill-in response were sent out nationally. Fourth, short-answer questions were sent to college admission directors of selected public and private colleges. This study gives school personnel a preliminary overview on what is currently happening in a sampling of the nation's schools.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners; Administrators
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($5.00)

This paper introduces the Learning Outcomes Study at the University of Virginia, an ongoing 2-year investigation of over 1,000 elementary school children who entered one of 16 different gifted programs (or no program) in the fall of 1990. The study will compare effects of four examples of four types of program delivery arrangements: (a) within classroom (or mainstream type); (b) pull-out programs; (c) separate classes or ability tracking; (d) and special schools. Special comparisons will be made of program effects on minority and disadvantaged students. Information will also be collected on each program's curriculum, teaching methods and goals, as well as the background and training of program teachers, and student identification criteria. Students will be assessed four times: at the time of entry into a formal gifted program, at the end of their first year in the program, and at the beginning and end of their second year. Multiple outcome measures will assess student achievement, attitudes, and adjustment. Additional questions possibly examined include the relationship between self-concept and intrinsic motivation; whether these two concepts have a differential impact on achievement; and the behavioral adjustment of high achieving students.
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Quantitative analysis of the Outcomes Study at the University of Virginia indicate that gifted students attending special programs had higher achievement rates than gifted peers not in programs.
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This report summarizes a comparison of 675 gifted and 322 regular education students (grades 2 or 3) on the incidence of behavior problems as rated by parents using the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and by teachers using the Teacher Report Form of the CBCL. After controlling for grade and minority status, there were no significant differences between gifted and regular education students in the incidence of any form of behavior problems as rated by either teachers or parents. The small group of gifted education students rated as having a clinically high level of total behavior problems did not differ from a comparable group of regular education students in the kinds of behavior problems they exhibited. Agreement between parent and teacher ratings was surprisingly low, indicating the need to consider both sources of information in evaluating a child's overall behavioral adjustment.
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Quantitative analysis of the Outcomes Study at the University of Virginia indicates that gifted students attending special programs had higher achievement rates than gifted peers not in programs.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners; Parents
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Quantitative analysis of the Outcomes Study at the University of Virginia indicates that gifted students attending special programs had higher achievement rates than gifted peers not in programs.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
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Explores the current practices on evaluation and emotional adjustment issues concerning elementary children in gifted programs for the first time.
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Despite considerable interest in the identification of minority students for gifted programs, few studies have investigated minority students actually selected for gifted programs. This study reports on the standardized achievement scores and self-concept levels of African American, Hispanic, and White elementary school students placed in a gifted or regular school program. Results indicate that minority students identified for gifted programs scored significantly higher on achievement measures than minority students placed in regular classrooms, although White gifted program students scored significantly higher than both African American and Hispanic gifted program students. There were no minority group differences in academic or social self-concept. Additional analyses suggested that the distinction between academic and social self-concept used with White students may not be applicable to minority students. This article challenges gifted education to address the conceptual problems and methodological difficulties in interpreting the meaning of standardized achievement test scores for minority students in gifted programs.
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A review of the literature indicates that there are striking similarities between the behavioral manifestations of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and creativity. A brief history of ADHD is given tracing the difficulty researchers have experienced in defining and accurately diagnosing this condition. Of particular concern is the fact that the defining characteristics of ADHD, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, are also key descriptors in biographies of highly creative individuals. The possibility of an overlap in the conditions of high creativity and ADHD is proposed, and some individuals exemplary of both conditions are described. Educators and parents are cautioned to consider the practical implications of mistaking one condition for the other, and warned about the problems with diagnosing ADHD in bright and creative children. Finally, they are advised about appropriate actions to take if a child is suspected of having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, referred for psychological screening, or diagnosed with ADHD.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($6.00)

This study of 18 highly creative/productive secondary school students reveals subjects' insights into ways they obtained ideas for their projects, how interest in their investigations was sustained, and what they learned from projects. Data from school documents, students, and parents are examined in terms of demographics, family background, educational experiences, and student perceptions.
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This brochure, which is based on the Learning Outcomes Study, describes the most frequently used program arrangements for elementary school programs in gifted education: within class programs, pull out programs, separate classes, and special schools. Also described are key traits which are consistent across exemplary models of all four program types.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners; Parents
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($.50)

Quantitative analysis of the Learning Outcomes Study at the University of Virginia indicates that gifted students attending special programs had higher achievement rates than gifted peers not in programs.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
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Quantitative analysis of the Learning Outcomes Study at the University of Virginia indicate that gifted students attending special programs had higher achievement rates than gifted peers not in programs.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
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This study was a nationwide longitudinal investigation of 1,010 elementary school children who had just entered grades 2 and 3 when the study began. The primary purpose of the study was to assess student changes during their first two years across four types of programs: within class, pullout, separate classes, and special schools. The study was extended by adding a qualitative dimension focusing on an "exemplary" model from each of the four program types. This study was not intended to determine whether one type of program was better than another, but rather to fully comprehend the prevailing circumstances that influence the impact of a certain type of programming arrangement in a given community.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($10.00)

This study represents the first major attempt at the national level to assess the effects of programs for the gifted and talented on learning outcomes for elementary school students. The Learning Outcomes Study at the University of Virginia was a two-year investigation of over 1,000 elementary school children in grades 2 and 3. Fourteen Collaborative School Districts in 10 states participated in the study. Academic and affective development were evaluated within four popular types of grouping arrangements: within class, pull out, separate class, and special school. The sample included students from urban, suburban, and rural environments, as well as individuals representing underserved populations. In terms of achievement, gifted children attending special programs performed better than their gifted peers not in pull out programs. Specifically, children in special schools, separate class programs, and pull out programs for the gifted showed substantially higher levels of achievement than both their gifted peers not in programs and those attending within class programs. As far as measures of affect were concerned, there were no differences by program type or ethnic status with respect to social acceptance.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($10.00)

This study examined how 47 student teachers described instructional successes and failures. Interviews identified seven elements of success or failure (student characteristics, implementation, planning, lesson uniqueness, management, student teacher characteristics, and lesson content). Their perceptions of teacher and student role in success or failure are discussed.
Target Audience:	Practitioners
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This document considers both self-examination and external evaluation of gifted and talented education programs. Principles of the self-examination process are offered, noting similarities to external evaluation models. Principles of self-evaluation efforts include the importance of maintaining a nonjudgmental orientation, soliciting views from the insider's perspective, and triangulating data. The most important techniques in self-evaluation are observation, interviewing, and participation. While self-evaluation maintains an educational program's quality on a daily basis, expert external evaluation is essential to an in-depth and objective understanding. Important considerations in external evaluation include working with an external evaluator and understanding qualitative and quantitative approaches. Clear communication of evaluation findings is important for both internal and external evaluations. General evaluation guidelines and specific guidelines for evaluating gifted and talented education programs are given. A case study illustrates many of these guidelines, including the importance of context; preparing a program description; the use of verbatim quotations; assessment and analysis; review of the standard program mechanisms (referral, identification, and selection); refinements; analyzing underlying factors; addressing larger sociopolitical concerns; and communicating evaluation findings. Appendices provide further explanation of evaluation components. (Contains 42 references.)
Target Audience:	Researchers; Administrators; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($10.00)

Many children, including the gifted, are at risk for underachievement, school failure, and otherwise not reaching their potential in school and in life. This is most often true of Black youth who face numerous social and cultural barriers to achievement. On the other hand, some youth do adapt to the many barriers to achievement and to the many stressors in their lives. This article explores the concept of resilience as it relates to gifted children, particularly gifted Black children. Also presented are recommendations for fostering resilience in these students and ensuring their success in school and life.
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This paper deals with the underrepresentation of minority and economically challenged students, particularly African Americans. It describes the barriers to the successful identification, placement, and retention of African American students in gifted education programs and services, and presents recommendations for ensuring that the recruitment and retention process is successful.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($10.00)

The educational and socioemotional status of African Americans is a major concern of educators, counselors, and reformers. Educationally, African Americans have disproportionately high rates of dropout, high representation in special education, and high rates of poor academic achievement; vocationally, they have disproportionately high rates of unemployment and underemployment; and socially, African Americans have disproportionately high rates of incarceration and teen pregnancy. The purpose of this monograph is to help bridge the fields of education and counseling, focusing in particular on the academic, social and emotional, and psychological concerns of gifted African American students relative to achievement issues, social and emotional issues, and psychological issues. Also discussed are gender issues between African American males and females relative to social and educational variables; barriers to counseling for African American students, including those identified as gifted; and recommendations for counselors who work with these students.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($6.00)

Research conducted at the University of Georgia, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented centers around identification and programming for minority populations of gifted students.
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This report features the work of Mary M. Frasier, conducted at The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented at the University of Georgia.
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In response to M. Kitano, this article supports her pluralist orientation to gifted education of culturally diverse students and suggests that development of adequate identification procedures require clarification of the gifted construct itself and examination of the relationship between socioeconomic status and being identified as gifted.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
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This review examines research and literature that deal with assessment, with the focus on issues related to the identification of potentially gifted students from racial and ethnic minority groups, economically disadvantaged students, and those with limited English proficiency. The review provides background information concerning the issues that affect the identification of gifted minority students, suggests implications for developing more effective identification procedures, and proposes directions for formulating a new approach to the resolution of the problems of identifying gifted minority students-a population that is seriously underrepresented in programs for the gifted. The literature reviewed ranges from research to speculative opinion, from theory to practice, all of which is deemed relevant and important to the discussion of assessment issues and implications for identifying gifted minority students. Although there is consensus that gifted children can be found in every level of society and in every cultural and ethnic group, there is little question that minority and economically disadvantaged students are not found in programs in proportionate numbers. Three major reasons for underrepresentation are discussed: (a) Test bias, (b) Selective referrals, and (c) Reliance on deficit-based paradigms. In addition to proposals for dealing with assessment-related problems by designing strategies for reducing or eliminating test bias, improving the referral process strategies, and stressing cultural strengths rather than cultural deficits, other recommendations for modifying traditional assessment procedures include: (a) the use of multiple criteria and nontraditional measures and procedures, and (b) modifying the selection criteria.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners; Parents
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($8.00)

A Staff Development Model (SDM) and a Research-Based Assessment Plan (RAP), developed by researchers at the University of Georgia were investigated for their potential to improve the identification and education of gifted students from economically disadvantaged families, some of whom may have limited proficiency in the English language. Overall the models were perceived as an effective way to (a) improve teachers' ability in observing giftedness in target population student groups and (b) facilitate the collection and use of information derived from multiple sources when making decisions for program placement and services. Feedback on the RAP suggested that it is a viable way to systematically consider the interrelationships of information from multiple sources when making gifted program placement decisions.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($6.00)

This paper presents results from a 10-item survey designed to gain insights into the perceptions that educators hold regarding the problems of identifying gifted minority and economically disadvantaged students. The survey was one component of a larger national field test study being conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a staff development model and an assessment plan to address identification and programming problems. Two major barriers to identification were: test bias and teachers' inability to recognize indicators of potential in certain groups. Five other issues were identified as moderate barriers: students' use of nonstandard English and/or limited English proficiency, deficient language experiences, deficient or limited educational stimulation in the home, narrow screening/selection processes, and teachers' prejudicial attitudes. These perceptions provide important implications for designing staff development programs to address the problems of identifying gifted minority and economically disadvantaged students.
Target Audience:
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($5.00)

This monograph provides detailed information on how to identify gifted students who have been traditionally underrepresented in programs. An observational approach is outlined for practitioners.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($6.00)

This monograph contains six sections. First, a review and critique of traditional identification approaches is provided to highlight the limitations the tests may have for identifying talent potential among currently underrepresented groups, such as racial/ethnic minorities or those of limited English proficiency. Second, the values and environmental influences of several cultures are examined. The third section concerns the results of an exploratory study designed to examine the characteristics of economically disadvantaged and limited English proficient students. In the fourth chapter behaviors that characterize gifted performance are examined. Emerging insights from the Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act are addressed in the fifth section. Finally, all insights are synthesized in the last chapter. Five elements that will feature a new paradigm of giftedness are presented and discussed.
Target Audience:	Parents; Researchers; Administrators; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($10.00)

This one hour teacher training videotape presents several means of differentiating curriculum, including: promoting in-depth learning of a self-selected topic within an area of study; developing productive, complex, abstract and/or higher level thinking skills, and encouraging the development of products that challenge existing ideas and produce "new" ideas. The video features actual classroom lessons with elementary, middle, and high school students involved in communication and spatial skills using math manipulatives; hands-on science investigation with discrepant information; whole classroom participation in a problem-based social studies learning activity; and interest-based learning through enrichment clusters. Also included is a reproducible handout packet.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($120.00)

This videotape and manual provides details about how to organize one component of The Schoolwide Enrichment Model. This component, called enrichment clusters, is designed to provide enrichment opportunities for all students. The six parts of the manual are designed to (a) introduce enrichment clusters, (b) share examples of actual clusters with comments by facilitators, (c) provide a description of the steps for implementing clusters, (d) discuss assessment and evaluation procedures and options, (e) describe the results of research carried out on the effectiveness of enrichment clusters, and (f) address commonly raised concerns in a question and answer format. The goal of the video and manual is to help schools successfully implement enrichment clusters.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($85.00)

Quantitative analysis of the Outcomes Study at the University of Virginia indicates that gifted students attending special programs had higher achievement rates than gifted peers not in programs.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners; Counselors
Availability:

This paper presents cognitive and social data on 134 gifted students at a Moscow (Russia) residential math/physics high school. Three case studies of students frequently selected by students in a sociometric task are detailed. Discussion focuses on effects of lack of emphasis in humanities and social sciences, and on social and gender issues.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:

Provides an overview of the design and implementation of the NRC/GT.
Target Audience:	Practitioners
Availability:

This document consists of the first two issues of a newsletter designed to disseminate information about The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, to serve as a forum for the research activities of scholars and practitioners in the field, and to reach other interested professional and parent groups. The first issue (which is also the premier issue of the newsletter) highlights the overall organization and mission of the Center. It summarizes research in progress and describes a needs assessment study designed to identify research needs, prioritize them, and develop a list of recommendations. The study resulted in a list of 21 research recommendations on topics including regular classroom practices for gifted students, regular curriculum modification, giftedness in economically disadvantaged and limited English proficient students, ability identification, program evaluation, and theory. The issue also identifies the Center's Collaborative School Districts, defined as those districts across the United States where the Center's research projects will be carried out. Research summaries are provided on the talented and gifted in rural Alaska, gifted education in the world community, scientific hypothesis forming ability of gifted ninth graders, early reading as predictive of giftedness, a longitudinal study of a pullout enrichment program, early assessment, cultural diversity and second language learning, and a statewide (Indiana) model bridging research, theory, and practice. The November issue reports on a learning outcomes project and describes Year 2 research into successful classroom practices, gifted students with learning disabilities, cooperative learning, assessing giftedness in economically disadvantaged students, and motivation and underachievement. Other summaries examine grouping practices, five specific Javits Gifted and Talented Education programs, stage and structure in child development, home environments, social development, and gifted teachers. Commentaries address creativity and young gifted children.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

This commentary reviews factors affecting educational productivity.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:

This newsletter presents abstracts of nine Year 3 research studies being conducted by The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, including An Ethnographic Description of the High School Experiences of High Ability Students in an Urban Environment (Sally M. Reis and Thomas Hébert); A Longitudinal Study of Successful Practices in the Regular Classroom (Francis X. Archambault, Jr. and Karen L. Westberg); Gifted Program Performance of Students Identified Through the Research-Based Assessment Plan (Mary M. Frasier and Scott Hunsaker); A National Field Test of the Staff Development Model and the Research-Based Assessment Plan (Mary M. Frasier and Scott Hunsaker); Investigation Into Instruments and Designs Used in the Identification of Gifted Students and the Evaluation of Gifted Programs (Carolyn Callahan); Pre-Service Teacher Preparation in Meeting the Needs of the Gifted (Carol Tomlinson and Carolyn Callahan); Social and Emotional Adjustment of the Gifted (Claudia J. Sowa, Kathleen M. May, Carolyn Callahan, and Marcia A. B. Delcourt); Continuation of Motivation and Underachievement in Urban and Suburban Gifted Preadolescents (Pamela Clinkenbeard); and Continuation of a Theory-Based Approach to Identification, Teaching, and Evaluation of the Gifted (Robert J. Sternberg). Also included are commentaries on reading, underachievement among gifted students, and cluster grouping, as well as several book reviews and abstracts of papers.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

This newsletter focuses on six Year 1 research projects associated with The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT). The updates address: Regular Classroom Practices With Gifted Students: Findings From the Classroom Practices Survey (Francis X. Archambault, Jr. and others); The Classroom Practices Study: Observational Findings (Karen L. Westberg and others); The Curriculum Compacting Study (Sally M. Reis); Investigations Into Instruments and Designs Used in the Identification of Gifted Students and the Evaluation of Gifted Programs (Carolyn M. Callahan and Paula Pizzat); The Learning Outcomes Study (Marcia A. B. Delcourt and Lori Bland); and A Theory-Based Approach to Identification, Teaching, and Evaluation of Gifted (Robert J. Sternberg and Pamela R. Clinkenbeard). Additional commentaries consider the impact of parents on gifted adolescents (Julie L. Sherman) and academic summer camp for gifted minority students (Richard Chandler). Also included are several book and journal reviews and abstracts of papers on: Structure of Intellect Tests and giftedness; longitudinal studies of minority groups; characteristics of exceptionally gifted boys; effects of radical acceleration; problem finding skills and creativity; case studies of disadvantaged gifted adolescents; and artistic development in middle childhood.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

This newsletter begins with a review of Center accomplishments midway through Year 3 of operation. This issue presents updates on Year 2 research projects in progress, including a theory-based approach to identification, teaching, and evaluation of the gifted; motivation and underachievement in urban and suburban gifted adolescents; an investigation of student learning outcomes, results of a program satisfaction survey; developments in identification and evaluation, databases, new instrument development, and promising practices; and high ability students with learning disabilities. Also included is a review of recent research on the assessment of musical potential and musical performance and several publications which serve as excellent resources for the field of gifted education. The issue ends with a commentary entitled, "But you're a man!" exploring the role of identification in role model and/or mentor relationships.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:

This newsletter outlines three different areas in which the reader can become involved in the work of the Center: the Collaborative Research Studies, the Research-Based Decision Making Series, and the NRC/GT Newsletter. Teacher's attitudes toward curriculum compacting: a comparison of different inservice strategies presents the results of research on what influences factor into teachers' attitudes towards making curricular modifications. Commentary is also provided on the teaching of thinking skills in the regular classroom, research on ability grouping, identification of high ability preschoolers, and the Future Problem Solving Program. Also presented are abstracts of research in progress and recent research.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

This newsletter reviews the dissemination plan under which the Center operates. Articles in this issue include: Assumptions Underlying the Identification of Gifted and Talented Students, A Study of the Status of Programs for High Ability Students, A Schematic Guide to the Assessment and Identification of African American Learners With Gifts and Talents, Creativity Around the World, Dynamic Assessment and its Use With High Ability Students, and Breaking the Barriers: Recently Published Resources on Women in Math and Science (and How to Evaluate Them).
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

This issue begins with a discussion of the importance of developing and providing individualized, differentiated curricular systems and models for students. Articles reviewing recent research include: High School Experiences of High Ability Males in an Urban Environment, Evaluation Utilization Studies, and Emotional or Behavioral Disorders: Classroom Conflicts. Also provided are two commentaries: Hypercard and Image Processing as Vehicles for Gifted/Talented Students and Post NCTM Standards: Why Continue to Provide Special Programs for High Ability Math Students?
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

This newsletter begins with an overview of the Center's work as it relates to students, teachers, and the curriculum. Recent research highlighted includes Exemplary Elementary School Programs in Gifted Education (M. A. B. Delcourt); Peer Nomination Form Shows Promise with Minority Students (C. M. Cunningham, C. M. Callahan, S. C. Roberson, and A. Rapkin); Identification and Evaluation Databases: Up and Running (L. J. Lutz and C. M. Callahan); Locally Available Opportunities for Rural and Suburban Gifted Students (J. A. McIntire); and Changing the Way We Perceive Creativity (J. A. Plucker).
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

This article presents the findings of several research studies which have been conducted by The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.
Target Audience:	Practitioners
Availability:

This issue of the NRC/GT newsletter provides an overview of the status of Center studies as of fall, 1994. There is a description of four new studies the Center is undertaking in Year 5: Implementing Enrichment Clusters, Underachievement Among Black Youth, Instructional Practices in Middle Schools, and Achievement Among American Indian Students. Other articles include: Examining a Tool for Assessing Multiple Intelligences, Guiding the development of Mathematically Talented Students, Three Models of Curriculum for Gifted and Talented Students, Talents Unveiled and Nurtured: Words & Images, and Computers, Creativity, Competition, Conference.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

This one hour video tape provides an overview of the research which was presented at the national conference, Building a Bridge Between Research and Classroom Practices in Gifted Education, held March 31 and April 1, 1995. Included are quotes from the researchers and a presentation guidebook.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($45.00)

The newsletter begins with a review of the status of the Javits Act of 1994. Recent research presented includes: Identifying Traditionally Underrepresented Children for Gifted Programs (D. P. Saccuzzo and N. E. Johnson); and Gender Differences Between Student and Teacher Perceptions of Ability and Effort (D. Siegle and S. M. Reis). Commentary includes Unique Identification for Unique Talents (B. N. Berube) and Classification Procedures for Gifted/Learning Disabled Students: A Primer for Parents (M. Rizza).
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

This newsletter reviews the "road trip" the NRC/GT has taken over the past five years. It presents an article on research in progress on Multiple Intelligences; and the following articles on recent research by the Center: A Follow-up on the Classroom Practices Survey, Achievement of African American Females, Teacher Training in Self-Efficacy, Classroom Practices in New South Wales, Australia, and Successful Practices. This edition concludes with a commentary on curriculum compacting.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007

Program evaluation processes require judgments that are driven by data collected from first hand observations or from the distillation of words and numbers from those who are most closely connected with the program in action. Descriptions of program evaluation experiences are provided, which illustrate the need to address the abilities of all students on an individual basis and the need to evaluate what teachers are doing and why they are doing it.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:

The primary mission of the NRC/GT has been to conduct quantitative and qualitative research studies, to commission research-based monographs on critical issues, and to disseminate the resulting information to multiple audiences. This paper describes the scope of the NRC/GT, and presents a synthesis of the findings and themes across studies and commissioned papers. The Center's research is placed in the context of the historical and contemporary research and practices in gifted and talented education. Taken together, an extensive body of knowledge about students with high abilities is available to practitioners and researchers. A matrix of the studies by category will aid readers in choosing studies for further review. Following this presentation, abstracts and guidelines, recommendations, or conclusions for specific studies are appended.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners; Administrators; Teachers
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($10.00)

Describes BACEIS (Behavior, Attitudes, Cognition, Environment viewed as Interactive Systems), a comprehensive theoretical model that includes internal and external factors affecting the development, retention, and transfer of thinking and learning skills. Uses of the model in instructional design, to guide research, and to critique existing approaches are discussed. (Contains 62 references.)
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:

After a description of efforts of the Mathematical Association of America to increase the representation and participation of minorities in mathematics-based fields, the report closes with suggestions for teachers of mathematics at the precollege and collegiate level.

American myths about mathematics which emphasize innate ability rather than hard work reinforce racial and gender stereotypes about who can do mathematics. The author gives several examples of prominent mathematicians and physicists whose lives contradict the common conception that all prominent contributors to the progress of mathematics and science were geniuses whose talent was apparent virtually from birth. International comparisons show that all American students lag behind their foreign counterparts. Details of these comparisons and how they have influenced reform in mathematics education are considered. Focusing on minority students, barriers to achievement in mathematics are discussed as well as statistics on minority underrepresentation.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($5.00)

How can one man make a difference for bright, young men? In an ethnographic study of high ability young men in an urban high school, one coach's influence was found to be crucial in motivating gifted males. Coach Brogan developed effective strategies to maintain high academic achievement amongst his championship athletes. This article presents a description of the culture of achievement surrounding the men's swim team at South Central High School and the strategies offered by the successful coach/educator.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:

High ability students from culturally diverse populations have existed in large urban environments for generations, yet many do not achieve at levels appropriate for their ability. This study examined what factors distinguished high ability males who achieved from those who underachieved. In the life stories of the high ability achievers in the study, one trait which consistently appeared was a "strong belief in self." Several qualities merged to form this strong belief: sensitivity, multicultural appreciation, inner will, and aspirations. This article goes on to provide implications of the research results.
Target Audience:	Researchers; Practitioners
Availability:

This pamphlet is designed to guide parents in helping their children to find success in school. The information provided includes specific strategies for getting the most out of school, along with eight keys to success in school.
Target Audience:	Practitioners; Parents
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($3.00)

This pamphlet is designed to guide parents in helping their children to find success in school. The information provided includes specific strategies for getting the most out of school, along with eight keys to success in school.
Target Audience:	Practitioners; Parents
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($3.00)

This article, reprinted from The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented Newsletter (Winter, 1994), explores the use of technology in a curriculum to provide a means to use a variety of intelligences in exploration of information and ideas.
Target Audience:	Practitioners
Availability:

Three issues are addressed in this research review. First, do gifted and average children differ in their self-concepts? Second, what, if any, are the effects on self-concept of labeling a child as gifted or exceptional? Third, does placing the child in a separate enriched or accelerated classroom have any impact on self-concept? The paper begins with a discussion of issues relating to self-concept and giftedness constructs. This is followed by a review of the research evidence bearing on the three questions. This research is shown to yield variable results and to exhibit some methodological flaws. Nevertheless, some conclusions are drawn, including the following: (a) gifted students as a group show no major deficits in self-esteem; (b) indirect evidence suggests that labeling a child gifted may have a positive impact on self-esteem; and (c) there is some support, based on social comparison processes, that moving a child from a regular classroom to a homogeneous, highly gifted group may have a negative impact on self-concept. Implications of the results for future research and for the counseling of gifted students are offered, including the recommendation that researchers should pay more attention to treatment of self-concept and giftedness variables and that counseling with gifted and talented students should have a developmental focus. (Contains approximately 100 references.)
Target Audience:	Researchers; Counselors; Practitioners
Availability:	The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7; Storrs, CT 06269-2007 ($10.00)