Profiles of the Gifted and Talented

Profiles of the Gifted and Talented

Author: George Betts and Maureen Neihart Source: Gifted Child Quarterly, Vol. 32, No. 2, Spring 1988

This matrix will be useful in a number of ways. One use is as a tool for inservicing educators about gifted and talented children and youth in general and about the differentiated social and emotional needs of the specified types in particular. The model can also be used as a teaching tool in order to expand students' awareness and understanding of the meaning of giftedness and the impact it has on their learning and relationships."The model may also serve as a theoretical base for empirical research in the areas of definition, identification, educational planning, counseling, and child development. By looking closely at the behavior and feelings of gifted and talented youth, better educational programming may be developed to meet their diversified needs.

FEELINGS AND ATTITUDES BEHAVIORS NEEDS ADULTS & PEERS PERCEPTIONS OF TYPE IDENTIFICATION HOME SUPPORT SCHOOL SUPPORT

Type I:
The Successful -Boredom
-Dependent
-Positive self-concept
-Anxious
-Guilty about failure
-Extrinsic motivation
-Responsible for others
-Diminish feelings of self and rights to their emotion
-Self critical -Perfectionist
-High Achiever
-Seeks teacher approval and structure
-Non-risk taking
-Does well academically
-Accepts & conforms
-Dependent -To see deficiencies
-To be challenged
-Assertiveness skills
-Autonomy
-Help with boredom
-Appropriate curriculum -Loved by teachers
-Admired by peers
-Loved and accepted by parents -Grade point average
-IQ Tests
-Teacher nominations -Independence
-Ownership
-Freedom to make choices
-Time for personal interests
-Risk taking experiences -Accelerated and enriched curriculum
-Time for personal interests
-Compacted learning experiences
-Opportunities to be with intellectual peers
-Development of independent learning skills
-In-depth studies
-Mentorships
-College & career counseling

Type II:
The
Challenging -Boredom
-Frustration
-Low self-esteem
-Impatient
-Defensive
-Heightened sensitivity
-Uncertain about social roles -Corrects teacher
-Questions rules, policies
-Is honest, direct
-Has mood swings
-Demonstrates inconsistent work habits
-Has poor self control
-Is creative
-Prefers highly active & questioning approach
-Stands up for convictions
-Is competitive -To be connected with others
-To learn tact, flexibility, self-awareness, self control, acceptance
-Support for creativity
-Contractual systems -Find them irritating
-Rebellious
-Engaged in power struggle
-See them as creative
-Discipline problem
-Peers see them as entertaining
-Want to change them
-Don't view as gifted -Peer Recommendations
-Parent nomination
-Interviews
-Performance
-Recommendation from a significant, non-related adult
-Creativity Testing
-Teacher advocate -Acceptance and understanding
-Allow them to pursue interest
-Advocate for them at school
-Modeling appropriate behavior
-Family projects -Tolerance
-Placement with appropriate teacher
-Cognitive & social skill development
-Direct and clear communication with child
-Give permission for feelings
-Studies in-depth
-Mentorships build self-esteem
-Behavioral contracting

Type III:
The
Underground -Unsure
-Pressured
-Confused
-Guilty
-Insecure
-Diminished feelings of self and right to their emotions -Denies talent
-Drops out of G/T and advanced classes
-Resists challenges
-Wants to belong socially
-Changes friends -Freedom to make choices
-To be aware of conflicts
-Awareness of feelings
-Support for abilities
-Involvement with gifted peers
-Career/college info
-Self-acceptance -Viewed as leaders or unrecognized
-Seen as average and successful
-Perceived to be compliant
-Seen as quiet/shy
-Adults see them as unwilling to risk
-Viewed as resistive -Gifted peer nomination
-Home nomination
-Community nomination
-Achievement testing
-IQ Tests
-Performance
-Teacher advocate -Acceptance of underground
-Provide college & career planning experiences
-Time to be with same age peers
-Provide gifted role models
-Model life-long learning
-Give freedom to make choice -Recognize & properly place
-Give permission to take time out from G/T classes
-Provide same sex role models
-Continue to give college & career information

Type IV:
The
Drop-outs -Resentment
-Angry
-Depressed
-Explosive
-Poor self-concept
-Defensive
-Burn-out -Has intermittent attendance
-Doesn't complete tasks
-Pursues outside interests
-"Spaced out" in class
-Is self-abusive
-Isolates self
-Is creative
-Criticizes self & others
-Does inconsistent work
-Is disruptive, acts out
-Seems average or below
-Is defensive -An individualized program
-Intense support
-Alternatives (separate, new opportunities)
-Counseling (individual, group, and family)
-Remedial help with skills -Adults are angry with them
-Peers are judgmental
-Seen as loners, dropouts, dopers, or air heads
-Reject them and ridicule
-Seen as dangerous and rebellious -Review cumulative folder
-Interview earlier teachers
-Discrepancy between IQ and demonstrated achievement incongruities and inconsistencies in performance
-Creativity testing
-Gifted peer recommendation
-Demonstrated performance in non-school areas -Seek counseling for family -Diagnostic testing
-Group counseling for young students
-Nontraditional study skills
-In-depth studies
-Mentorships
-Alternative out of classroom learning experiences
-G.E.D.

Type V:
The
Twice Exceptional -Powerless
-Frustrated
-Low self-esteem
-Unaware
-Angry -Demonstrates inconsistent work
-Seems average or below
-May be disruptive or acts out -Emphasis on strengths
-Coping skills
-G/T support group
-Counseling
-Skill development -Seen as "weird"
-Seen as "dumb"
-Viewed as helpless
-Avoided by peers
-Seen as average or below in ability
-Perceived to require a great deal of imposed structure
-Seen only for the disability -Scatter of 11 points or more on WISC or WAIS
-Recommendation of significant others
-Recommendation from informed special ed. teacher
-Interview
-Performance
-Teacher Advocate -Recognize gifted abilities
-Challenge them
-Provide risk-taking opportunities
-Advocate for child at school
-Do family projects
-Seek counseling for family -Placement in gifted program
-Provide needed resources
-Provide alternative learning experiences
-Begin investigations and explorations
-Give time to be with peers
-Give individual counseling

Type VI:
The
Autonomous Learner -Self confident
-Self accepting
-Enthusiastic
-Accepted by others
-Supported
-Desire to know & learn
-Accepts failure
-Intrinsic motivation
-Personal power
-Accepts others -Has appropriate social skill
-Works independently
-Develops own goals
-Follows through
-Works without approval
-Follows strong areas of passion
-Is creative
-Stands up for convictions
-Takes risks -Advocacy
-Feedback
-Facilitation
-Support for risks
-Appropriate opportunities -Accepted by peers and adults
-Admired for abilities
-Seen as capable and responsible by parents
-Positive influences
-Successful
-Psychologically healthy -Grade point average
-Demonstrated performance
-Products
-Achievement Testing
-Interviews
-Teacher/Peer/Parent self nominations
-IQ tests
-Creativity Testing -Advocate for child at school and in community
-Provide opportunities related to passions
-Allow friends of all ages
-Remove time and space restrictions
-Do family projects
-Include child in parent's passion -Allow development of long-term integrated plan of study
-Accelerated and enriched curriculum
-Remove time and space restrictions
-Compacted learning experiences with pretesting
-In-depth studies
-Mentorships
-College & career counseling and opportunities
-Dual enrollment or early admission
-Waive traditional school policy and regulations

Permission Statement
Copyright material from Gifted Child Quarterly, a publication of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), 1707 L Street, NW, Suite 550, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 785-4268. http://www.nagc.org . This material may not be reproduced without permission from NAGC.

	FEELINGS AND ATTITUDES	BEHAVIORS	NEEDS	ADULTS & PEERS PERCEPTIONS OF TYPE	IDENTIFICATION	HOME SUPPORT	SCHOOL SUPPORT
Type I: The Successful	-Boredom -Dependent -Positive self-concept -Anxious -Guilty about failure -Extrinsic motivation -Responsible for others -Diminish feelings of self and rights to their emotion -Self critical	-Perfectionist -High Achiever -Seeks teacher approval and structure -Non-risk taking -Does well academically -Accepts & conforms -Dependent	-To see deficiencies -To be challenged -Assertiveness skills -Autonomy -Help with boredom -Appropriate curriculum	-Loved by teachers -Admired by peers -Loved and accepted by parents	-Grade point average -IQ Tests -Teacher nominations	-Independence -Ownership -Freedom to make choices -Time for personal interests -Risk taking experiences	-Accelerated and enriched curriculum -Time for personal interests -Compacted learning experiences -Opportunities to be with intellectual peers -Development of independent learning skills -In-depth studies -Mentorships -College & career counseling
Type II: The Challenging	-Boredom -Frustration -Low self-esteem -Impatient -Defensive -Heightened sensitivity -Uncertain about social roles	-Corrects teacher -Questions rules, policies -Is honest, direct -Has mood swings -Demonstrates inconsistent work habits -Has poor self control -Is creative -Prefers highly active & questioning approach -Stands up for convictions -Is competitive	-To be connected with others -To learn tact, flexibility, self-awareness, self control, acceptance -Support for creativity -Contractual systems	-Find them irritating -Rebellious -Engaged in power struggle -See them as creative -Discipline problem -Peers see them as entertaining -Want to change them -Don't view as gifted	-Peer Recommendations -Parent nomination -Interviews -Performance -Recommendation from a significant, non-related adult -Creativity Testing -Teacher advocate	-Acceptance and understanding -Allow them to pursue interest -Advocate for them at school -Modeling appropriate behavior -Family projects	-Tolerance -Placement with appropriate teacher -Cognitive & social skill development -Direct and clear communication with child -Give permission for feelings -Studies in-depth -Mentorships build self-esteem -Behavioral contracting
Type III: The Underground	-Unsure -Pressured -Confused -Guilty -Insecure -Diminished feelings of self and right to their emotions	-Denies talent -Drops out of G/T and advanced classes -Resists challenges -Wants to belong socially -Changes friends	-Freedom to make choices -To be aware of conflicts -Awareness of feelings -Support for abilities -Involvement with gifted peers -Career/college info -Self-acceptance	-Viewed as leaders or unrecognized -Seen as average and successful -Perceived to be compliant -Seen as quiet/shy -Adults see them as unwilling to risk -Viewed as resistive	-Gifted peer nomination -Home nomination -Community nomination -Achievement testing -IQ Tests -Performance -Teacher advocate	-Acceptance of underground -Provide college & career planning experiences -Time to be with same age peers -Provide gifted role models -Model life-long learning -Give freedom to make choice	-Recognize & properly place -Give permission to take time out from G/T classes -Provide same sex role models -Continue to give college & career information
Type IV: The Drop-outs	-Resentment -Angry -Depressed -Explosive -Poor self-concept -Defensive -Burn-out	-Has intermittent attendance -Doesn't complete tasks -Pursues outside interests -"Spaced out" in class -Is self-abusive -Isolates self -Is creative -Criticizes self & others -Does inconsistent work -Is disruptive, acts out -Seems average or below -Is defensive	-An individualized program -Intense support -Alternatives (separate, new opportunities) -Counseling (individual, group, and family) -Remedial help with skills	-Adults are angry with them -Peers are judgmental -Seen as loners, dropouts, dopers, or air heads -Reject them and ridicule -Seen as dangerous and rebellious	-Review cumulative folder -Interview earlier teachers -Discrepancy between IQ and demonstrated achievement incongruities and inconsistencies in performance -Creativity testing -Gifted peer recommendation -Demonstrated performance in non-school areas	-Seek counseling for family	-Diagnostic testing -Group counseling for young students -Nontraditional study skills -In-depth studies -Mentorships -Alternative out of classroom learning experiences -G.E.D.
Type V: The Twice Exceptional	-Powerless -Frustrated -Low self-esteem -Unaware -Angry	-Demonstrates inconsistent work -Seems average or below -May be disruptive or acts out	-Emphasis on strengths -Coping skills -G/T support group -Counseling -Skill development	-Seen as "weird" -Seen as "dumb" -Viewed as helpless -Avoided by peers -Seen as average or below in ability -Perceived to require a great deal of imposed structure -Seen only for the disability	-Scatter of 11 points or more on WISC or WAIS -Recommendation of significant others -Recommendation from informed special ed. teacher -Interview -Performance -Teacher Advocate	-Recognize gifted abilities -Challenge them -Provide risk-taking opportunities -Advocate for child at school -Do family projects -Seek counseling for family	-Placement in gifted program -Provide needed resources -Provide alternative learning experiences -Begin investigations and explorations -Give time to be with peers -Give individual counseling
Type VI: The Autonomous Learner	-Self confident -Self accepting -Enthusiastic -Accepted by others -Supported -Desire to know & learn -Accepts failure -Intrinsic motivation -Personal power -Accepts others	-Has appropriate social skill -Works independently -Develops own goals -Follows through -Works without approval -Follows strong areas of passion -Is creative -Stands up for convictions -Takes risks	-Advocacy -Feedback -Facilitation -Support for risks -Appropriate opportunities	-Accepted by peers and adults -Admired for abilities -Seen as capable and responsible by parents -Positive influences -Successful -Psychologically healthy	-Grade point average -Demonstrated performance -Products -Achievement Testing -Interviews -Teacher/Peer/Parent self nominations -IQ tests -Creativity Testing	-Advocate for child at school and in community -Provide opportunities related to passions -Allow friends of all ages -Remove time and space restrictions -Do family projects -Include child in parent's passion	-Allow development of long-term integrated plan of study -Accelerated and enriched curriculum -Remove time and space restrictions -Compacted learning experiences with pretesting -In-depth studies -Mentorships -College & career counseling and opportunities -Dual enrollment or early admission -Waive traditional school policy and regulations