April 2010

From the Editor

Understanding what a person means when they say the word “gifted” is not always easy! With the many different conceptions of giftedness in existence, even professionals need to confer to make sure they are speaking the same language. To help you navigate the gifted discourse, Duke TIP has designed this special issue of the Duke Gifted Letter to briefly overview some of the “big ideas” you may hear when talking about giftedness with school personnel or other parents.

Spatial ability: A Neglected Talent Domain

What is spatial ability?

Spatial ability can be best defined as the ability to “generate, retain, retrieve, and transform well-structured visual images.” Some examples of great inventors who have used their high levels of spatial ability to innovate include James Watt, who is known for improving the steam engine and James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA.

Advocacy: From Micro to Macro

Our recent DGL article, Administrators of Gifted Programs: Paying Attention to the "Man Behind the Curtain," offered a perspective on "Microadvocacy," which operates on the scale of the individual child. Equally important is advocacy at a macrolevel—across a district, a state, or the nation.

New Report on Excellence Gaps in U.S. Education

Achievement gaps have been discussed in education for decades. Performance differences across different groups of students are important indicators of how education services are being received by students. However, a new report, Mind (the other) Gap!, from the Indiana University Center for Evaluation and Education Policy takes an important new angle on this old problem. Rather than address potential differences in average performance or in proportions of groups meeting minimum proficiency standards, the authors report “excellence gaps” of high performing students.

Common Core State Standards

Parents of gifted children moving to a new state may be concerned about what kinds of services and education standards will be encountered in their new home state. With each state having differing standards, evaluating new schools can be a complicated process. In an effort to create a more uniform set of education standards, the National Governor’s Association, working with Council of Chief State School Officers has recently released a draft of Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts and Math.

The Three-Ring Conception of Giftedness

Developed by Joseph Renzulli, the three ring conception of giftedness has been a popular view of giftedness for over 30 years. The three rings represent three clusters of traits: 1) above average ability, 2) creativity, and 3) task commitment. According to Renzulli, these three traits combine and interact with each other to form creative accomplishment (or gifted behaviors). According to the theory, students who exhibit, or have the potential to exhibit, sufficient levels of these traits require opportunities and challenges above and beyond those offered in the regular classroom.