14.6: Identifying Gifted and Talented Students
- Page ID
- 178895
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The process of identifying gifted and talented students varies between states and school districts. However, intelligence tests and academic achievement tests are commonly used (e.g., Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-V). Additional assessments may also be used that specifically measure a student’s potential for learning, otherwise known as aptitude (e.g., Cognitive Abilities Test [CogAT]), or their creativity (e.g., Torrance Test of Creative Thinking). Some school districts also employ educator rating scales such as the Scale for Rating Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students (Renzulli et al., 2010). However, each of these methods has limitations, and additional steps should be taken to identify students who are members of underrepresented groups.
For example, females face negative stereotypes and other barriers to achievement that result in attributing their achievements to hard work or luck rather than ability. In addition, negative stereotypes related to math and science achievement may also bias educators and clinicians, thus limiting their referrals of females for gifted assessment. In addition, twice-exceptional students (i.e., students with disabilities who are also gifted and talented) are often identified only by their disability, and their gifts and talents are overlooked. Finally, gifted and talented students from culturally, linguistically, and racially diverse backgrounds are significantly underrepresented in gifted and talented programs. Alternative approaches should be used to identify students from these underrepresented groups, including nonverbal tests (e.g., Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test) that avoid language barriers, portfolio assessments, and other performance-based tasks that allow students to demonstrate their unique abilities (Smiley et al., 2022).
Renzulli, J.S. (1998). The three ring conception of giftedness. In Baum, S. M., Reis, S. M., & Maxfield, L. R. (Eds.). Nurturing the gifts and talents of primary grade students. Creative Learning Press.
Smiley, L. R., Richards, S.B., & Taylor, R. (2022). Exceptional students: Preparing teachers for the 21st century (4th ed.). McGraw Hill.