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 The diverse definitions given to giftedness can be placed under five

categories (Davis, et al., 2014; Stankowski, 1978).


1. After-the-fact Definitions – those who consistently perform
outstandingly and achieve in a valuable area are considered gifted or
talented.
2. IQ Definitions – those who get a score above a certain cutoff point in
an intelligence test are considered gifted or talented.
3. Percentage Definitions – those who belong to a fixed proportion that
a school district are considered gifted or talented.
4. Talent Definitions – those who excel in specific aesthetics or
academic areas are considered gifted or talented.
5. Creativity Definitions – those who possess superior creative abilities
are considered gifted or talented. However, whether creativity is an
acceptable selection criterion for giftedness is still debatable.
 Betts and Neihart (2004; 2017) did a profiling of gifted, talented, and
creative learners and were able to arrive at six types.
1.Type I:The Successful
• This learner is a convergent thinker who learns easily and excels in exams,
one who is eager to gain the approval of parents and teachers and to be
liked by peers.
• This learner also possesses positive self-concept but is unaware of
deficiencies.
2.Type II:The Creative
• This learner is divergently gifted. However, it can be challenging when this
learner’s needs are not met.
• There is a tendency for one to go unidentified, question authority, and be
nonconforming.
• Due to little recognition this type of receives, one usually experiences self-
esteem issues and is at a high risk for eventual drop out from school.
3. Type III: The Underground
• Due to social pressure, this learner may hide giftedness in order to fit
in with non-gifted peer groups. This could lead to sudden decline in
grades, and this learner may experience conflict between one’s
needs and the expectations of one’s and teachers.
4. Type IV:The At-risk
• If the giftedness needs of this learner have not been met, this results
to defensiveness and anger toward adults or oneself. This could lead
to symptoms of depression withdrawal as well as acting out.
• This learner usually develops interests that are outside of the school’s
regular curriculum and has a poor self-concept.
5.Type V:Twice Exceptional
• This learner possesses giftedness at the same time as being physically or
emotionally challenged.
• Because of learning abilities or poor verbal abilities, this learner is not
typically identified as gifted.
• Since school programs usually do not attend to this learner’s needs. It could
lead to one being discouraged, frustrated, rejected, helpless, powerless, or
isolated.
6.Type VI:The Autonomous Learner
• This learner adapts easily to the school system and is able to create oneself
new opportunities.
• This learner has positive self-concept and receives positive attempt and
support for one’s accomplishments.
• Moreover, this learner receives positive regard from adults and peers, and
is often put at leadership roles.
• This learner is independent and self-directed, which is usually the end goal
for learners.
 The Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines through the
DepEd Order No. 72, series of 2009, also known as the Inclusive
Education as Strategy for Increasing participation Rate of Children,
organized a comprehensive inclusive program for learners with
disabilities, giftedness and talents, with the following components.
1. Child Find
• It is about locating learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents
who are not in school, through the family mapping survey, advocacy
campaigns and networking with local health workers, to be enrolled
in Special Education (SpEd) centers or schools nearest their home.
2. Assessment
• This is continuous process of identifying the strengths and limitations
of learners with disabilities, giftedness and talents through the use of
formal and informal tools for level placement, with the help of
existing SpEd centers.
3. Program Options
• Schools, with or without trained SpEd teachers, shall make education
accessible to leaners with disabilities, giftedness and talents. The
program options are as follow:
a) Self-contained class for learners with similar disabilities or
conditions
b) Inclusion or placement of learners in general education or regular
class
c) Resource Room
4. Curriculum Modifications
• This means using adaptations and accommodations in classroom
instructions and activities and activities, and delivery options.
5. Parental Involvement
• This is involving parents or guardians in observing their child’s
performance, volunteering as teacher aide in the classroom, and
serving academic, moral and spiritual support to their child.
Acceleration – an advance placement of learners from a current level to a
higher level.
Enrichment – this is when learners are taught on the topic’s depth and
intensity of content that go beyond their prescribed grade-level curriculum,
without providing them advance placement.

Reis, Westberg, Kulikovich,& Purcell (1998) underscored four principles of


enrichment teaching and learning.
1. Each student is different.
2. Learning is more effective when students enjoy what they do.
3. Learning is more meaningful when students learn content and process
while solving a real problem.
4. Whereas some formal instruction is necessary, a major goal is promoting
knowledge and thinking skills via the application of what students have
learned; they construct their own meaningfulness.
Full-time Homogeneous Grouping
• Special Schools for the Gifted. These schools cater to elementary or
secondary gifted learners with a curriculum that include both
prescribed academic content that is based on Department of
Education (DepEd) guidelines and requirements, with a special
enriched and accelerated training in academic, scientific, artistic,
and other areas of the development the school opted to highlight.
• Special Classes. These are the school-within-a-school concept where
gifted children of the same level attend a class together in a full-time
basis.
Full-time Heterogeneous Grouping
• Cluster Groups. It refers to placing 5 to ten high ability students in
one regular class per grade, along with other 15 to 20 regular
students.
• Heterogeneous Classes. These classes combine prescribed and
differentiated curriculum for the benefit of both regular and gifted
learners.
• Individualized Education Plan (IEP). It is a basic requirement for
schools catering to LSEN. It is a written plan that is customized to
achieve learner’s goals in one academic year.
Part-time and Temporary Grouping
• Pullout Programs. In this setup, learners are pulled out of their
regular mainstreamed classes once or twice a week to spend 2 to 3
hours per session in special enrichment activities, guided by a
teacher or gifted and talented education.
• Part-time Special Classes. This school-within-a-school concept can
also be offered in part-time basis. In this option, gifted and talented
learners enjoy 50% to 70% of prescribed curriculum in the regular
classes and attend differentiated curriculum in special classes.
• Enrichment Clusters. This kind of grouping works for different level
learners with common interests, such as journalism, literature,
engineering, baking, and others.
• Special Interest Groups and Clubs. This type of grouping is more
common among secondary students where enrichment activities in
different clubs exist, such as drama class, chess club, mathematics
club, etc.
• Differentiation strategies is at least intrusive intervention that helps
gifted and talented learners the best environment for their high
abilities and achievements.
• Differentiation is an effective teaching strategy for inclusive special
education which giving all the learners in regular classroom choices
based on how best they could achieve their greatest potentials, not
creating a separate level for each student.
• Tiered Instruction. As differentiation begins with assessment of the
learner skills, learners will then be identified based on how
advanced their skills are. This is where tiering becomes beneficial.
This strategy involves the process of creating the best possible
lesson and making it fit based on the learners’ level of readiness.
1. Library and Internet Research Projects
2. Scientific Research Projects
3. Art, Drama, Creative Writing, and other Independent Projects
4. Mentorships
5. Peer Tutoring
6. Questioning
 The most common and significant feature of GLD is having an
inconsistent, unpredictable, and inexplicable academic performance.
 One famous individual of this condition is Thomas Alva Edison who
was unable to read until he was twelve years old. His writing skills
were poor throughout his life but these difficulties did not stop him to
become one of the greatest inventors throughout history.
 Same condition with Leonardo Da Vinci, and George Washington,
who were famous with their contributions and not for their disabling
conditions.
 Some characteristics of these learners include extreme ability to
concentrate, poor social skills, and extraordinary visual talents.
 Some learners with this condition exhibit repetitive motor
mannerisms, have unusual but passionate interest in one topic, and
often lack empathy for others and may tend to disengage
friendships.
 One famous person with this condition is Dr. Temple Grandin, who
has autism and was diagnosed as deaf and brain damaged at age of
2, but was tested with an IQ of 137 at age 8.
 Dr. Grandin became a prominent author and speaker on both autism
and animal behavior and is recently a professor of Animal Science at
Colorado State University.
 Included in the celebrated list of eminence with an autistic
characteristics are Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Bobby Fischer, Howard
Hughes, Isaac Newton, and Vincent Van Gogh who were known for
their gifted contributions and not for their autism spectrum disorder.
 Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Impulsive-
Hyperactive, and Inattentive types, are the new catch-all diagnoses
for children, gifted or otherwise (Rimm, 2008).
 These conditions are characterized by difficulty in concentration,
distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
 Learners with this condition tend to appear disorganized and
forgetful for they usually pay little or no attention to details. Also, they
have difficulty in listening, following instructions or simply staying in
their seats.
 Some famous people who fall in this category are Robin Williams and
Michael Phelps.

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