[Deaf + Gifted] Education

What is Giftedness?

2008-07-27T13:01:00.000-07:00

Gifted people think differently. Their brains work differently, and they may see the world differently or with more complexity than their non-gifted peers.

Did you know?

It is normal for gifted people to:
have complex and deep thoughts
feel intense emotions
ask lots of questions
be highly sensitive
set high standards for themselves
have strong moral convictions
feel different & out-of-sync
be curious
have a vivid imagination
question rules or authority
thrive on challenge
feel passion and compassion
have a great deal of energy
have an unusual sense of humour
feel outrage at injustice
look for meaning in life
feel sad about the state of the world
feel a spiritual connection to life

Source - quoted from: Gifted and Creative Services Australia

Is there a definition of "gifted"?

Yes. The current federal definition of gifted students was originally developed in the 1972 Marland Report to Congress, and has been modified several times since then. The current definition, which is located in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, is

Students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities.
Note: States and districts are not required to use the federal definition, although many states base their definitions on the federal definition.
Read other definitions of giftedness on the NAGC web site.

Source - quoted from: National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC): FAQ.

What is Gifted?
What is gifted? How is it defined? Who are the gifted? What are their needs? Why should we care? So many questions...
What is giftedness? There is no universal definition. Some professionals define "gifted" as an intelligence test score above 130, two or more standard deviations above the norm, or the top 2.5%. Others define "gifted" based on scholastic achievement: a gifted child works 2 or more grade levels above his or her age. Still others see giftedness as prodigious accomplishment: adult-level work while chronologically a child.
But these are far from the only definitions. Former U. S. Commissioner of Education Sidney P. Marland, Jr., in his August 1971 report to Congress, stated:

Gifted and talented children are those identified by professionally qualified persons who by virtue of outstanding abilities are capable of high performance. These are children who require differentiated educational programs and/or services beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society.

No Child Left Behind legislation created a new, achievement-based definition of giftedness, however it does not mandate that states use its definition:

The term “gifted and talented”, when used with respect to students, children, or youth, means students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities. (Title IX, Part A, Section 9101(22), p. 544)

A group of respected professionals in the field of gifted suggest a definition based on the gifted child's differences from the norm:

"Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally." The Columbus Group, 1991, cited by Martha Morelock, "Giftedness: The View from Within", in Understanding Our Gifted, January 1992

Most definitions agree: gifted children are a population who have different educational needs, thanks to their unique intellectual development. What we're not so sure of, is how to identify them, and what this different education should look like.

Source - quoted from: Hoagies' Gifted: Gifted 101

Upcoming Deaf Ed and Gifted Ed Conferences

2008-06-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

Deaf Education Conferences

June 23-26, 2008
International Symposium – Instructional Technology and Education of the Deaf
National Technology Institute for the Deaf, Rochester, New York
Contact: E. William Clymer, Chair, techsym@rit.edu

June 27-30, 2008
AG Bell Convention: Somethin’ BIG is Brewing in Milwaukee
Midwest Airlines Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Track 4: Diverse Learners
Track 5: Best Practices and Strategies for Early Intervention Through Pre-School
Track 6: Best Practices and Strategies for Early Elementary School and Beyond

July 7-11, 2008
49th Biennial National Association of the Deaf Conference
New Orleans Marriott Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana
[Several workshops focus on deaf education]

July 21-24, 2008
Texas Statewide Conference on Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa & Convention Center, Galveston, Texas

October 23-24, 2008
29th Annual Fall Conference on Mainstreaming Students with Hearing Loss
Sponsored by the Mainstream Center at Clarke School for the Deaf, Springfield, Massachusetts

October 24-25, 2008
Signing of the Spectrum: Meeting the Needs of Deaf Students with Autism
Natick Crowne Plaza Hotel and The Learning Center for the Deaf, Framingham, Massachusetts

March 4 - 8, 2009
Association of College Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ACE/DHH) 2009 Conference
Monteleone Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana

May 1-4, 2009
Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD) Annual Conference
New Mexico School for the Deaf, Santa Fe, New Mexico

June 24 - 28, 2009
American Society for Deaf Children biennial national conference
Oklahoma School for the Deaf, Sulphur, Oklahoma

June 22 - 26, 2009 (Tentative Date)
Council of American Instructors of the Deaf (CAID) Conference
Washington, DC

See also
Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center’s Training and Professional Development Department

Source: - quoted from Clerc Center's Upcoming Conferences and Exhibits page

Gifted Education Conferences

See extensive, updated listings at Hoagies' Gifted - Conferences (from which the following is quoted).

2008

June

30th Annual Intermountain Conference on the Education of the Gifted & Talented June 9 - 11, 2008

"Really Knowing Gifted Learners," Keynotes: Sally Reis; Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA

Best Practices Institute: Connecting with Kids June 16 & 17, August 11, 12 & 13, 2008

Hempfield School Distict partners with University of Virginia, Keynotes: Carol Ann Tomlinson, Holly Hertberg Davis, Catherine Brighton, Jennifer Beasley, Jessica Hockett, Tonya R. Moon, Kristina Doubet; Centerville Middle School, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

22nd Annual International Conference on the Autonomous Learner Model June 17 - 22, 2008
Estes Park Center, YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, Colorado, USA

Pennsylvania Gifted Institute June 23 - 27, 2008

"Gearing Up For Gifted," Bolger Conference Center/Gordinier Building in Lehr, Millersville University, Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA
All PA administrators – whether you have a teacher taking the Institute this summer or not – are welcome to join the Gifted Institute at Millersville University and hear Elissa Brown speak on Gifted Program Evaluation on Thursday June 26. Please RSVP to Loreal Maguire as soon as possible

Professional Summer Institute on Curriculum and Instruction for High Ability Learners in Diverse Settings June 23 - 25, 2008

The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

Discover! Purdue's Summer Institute for Educators, June 23 - 26, 2008
"Real-World, Differentiated Learning: Improving Achievement, Motivation, and Attitudes," Keynotes: Marcia Gentry, Rebecca Mann, Sidney Moon, Jean Peterson, Richard Cash, Penny Kolloff, Terry Neu, Rebecca Mann, Tom Turpin; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

The Challenge of Parenting the Gifted & Talented June 26, 2008, 6:30 - 8:00 PM

Featuring Andrew Mahoney, Lancaster County PArtners for Gifted Education (LCPAGE), Millersville University
Lehr Room - Bolger Conference Center in Gordinier Hall, Millersville, Pennsylvania, USA. Contact: Marilyn Thomas or Dottie Saunders

25th Anniversary NACE Annual Conference June 27 - 28, 2008

Woodland Grange Conference Centre, Leamington Spa, England

CTD Opportunities for the Future Family Conference June 28, 2008

Keynote panel: David Evenson, Michele Kane, Mary Ann Swiatek Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA

July

NACE Challenge Award 'Take Away' Training For Leading Teachers of Gifted and Talented Education July 1, 2008

Holiday Inn Hotel, Bloomsbury, Coram Street, London, U.K.

International Centre for Innovation in Education (ICIE-Paris) Conference July 2 - 4, 2008

"Excellence in Education 2008: Future Minds and Creativity," Paris, France

Mensa Annual Gathering July 2 - 6, 2008

"Rocky Mountain HIGH IQ" includes a Kids' Trek program, Denver, Colorado, USA

PG Retreat July 3 - 7, 2008

Family camp for families with highly and profoundly gifted children, featuring kids activities including a game room, art activities, science experiments, swimming, more! Daily symposiums, new location! Glyn Eyrie Castle, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

Confratute July 7 - 18, 2008

Keynotes: Sandra Kaplan, Rachel McAnallen, Susan Baum, Sally M. Reis, Joseph S. Renzulli, Del Siegle; University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA

Queensland Association for Gifted & Talented Children Children's Conference July 8 - 9, 2008

Two-day program of educational activities designed for gifted Prep to Year 10 students, Clayfield College, Queensland, Australia

Australian Association for the Education of Gifted and Talented (AAEGT) Biennial Conference July 9 - 11, 2008

"Celebrating Ability," Keynotes: Rosemary Cathcart, John Tierney, Wilma Vialle; Hosted by Tasmanian Association for the Gifted Inc., Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

10th Asia-Pacific Conference on Giftedness July 14 - 18, 2008

“Nurturing Talents for the Global Community,” Keynotes: Françoys Gagné, John Geake, Sandra Kaplan, Kishore Mahbubani, Shen Jiliang, Shi Jiannong, Robert J Sternberg, Kirsi Tirri, Joyce Van Tassel-Baska; Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Summer Institute on Academic Diversity July 14 - 18, July 21 - 25, 2008

Keynote: Carol Tomlinson, The University of Virginia Curry School of Education, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) 25th Annual Conference July 18 - 20, 2008

"The SENG Summit: Reaching Altitudes and Attitudes," Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Annual Institute for Teachers of Gifted Youth July 21 - 25, 2008

Keynote: Margie Kitano, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA

Gifted and Talented Edufest July 27 - August 1, 2008

Keynotes: Tamara Fisher & Karen Isaacson, George Betts, Felicia Dixon, Margo Long, Sally M. Reis; Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA
Edufest offers Parent's Day, July 26, "Potential at Risk: Concerns about Underachievement Among Gifted Students," featuring Susan Baum and Daphne Pereles, and Counselor, Psychologist, and Administrator Institute, July 28, "Supporting the Academic and Social-Emotional Lives of Our Gifted Students," featuring Susan Baum, Daphne Pereles, and Stephanie Hoffman

August

California Homeschooling Network Family Expo August 1 - 3, 2008
"Trust the Parents!" Ontario Marriott Hotel, Ontario, California, USA
The Eighth International Congress of the Institute for Positive Disintegration in Human Development August 7 - 9, 2008
"Dabrowski and Gifted Education: Beyond Overexcitabilities," Canmore, Alberta, Canada

September

11th Conference of the European Council for High Ability (ECHA) September 16 - 20, 2008

"From Giftedness to Successful Intelligence," Keynotes: Robert J. Sternberg, Kimberley L. Chandler, Diane Montgomery; Prague, Czech Republic

Mississippi Association for Gifted Children (MAGC) September 18 - 19 2008

Keynote: Carol Strip Whitney, Pearl River Resort, Choctaw, Mississippi, USA

TAG (Tennessee) Annual Conference September 18 - 19, 2008

Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA

2008 Gifted Education Conference September 25, 2008

"Practical Strategies for gifted Education," Keynotes: Jan Hansen, Sarah Noonan, Karen Rogers, Karen L. Westberg; University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

Alabama Association for Gifted Children (AAGC) September 25 - 26, 2008

McWane Science Center, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

October

National Talent Network Annual Gifted & Talented Learning Fair October 1, 2008
EIRC, Sewel, New Jersey, USA

Wisconsin Association for Talented & Gifted (WATG) October 2 - 3, 2008

Keynote: Jim Delisle, Blue Harbor Conference Center, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA

Michigan Alliance for Gifted Education (MAGE) October 5, 2008

Speaker: Richard Lederer, Flint area, Michigan, USA

Virginia Seminar on Gifted Education October 5 - 6, 2008

Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke, Virginia, USA

Kansas Association for Gifted, Talented and Creative (KGTC) October 5 - 7, 2008

"The Gift of Giftedness," Lawrence Kansas Holiday Inn, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

Iowa Talented and Gifted Association (ITAG) October 6 - 8, 2008

"Celebrating 36 Years with ITAG in Iowa," Keynotes: Paul Slocumb and Bertie Kingore; Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Coralville, Iowa, USA

14th Annual International Creativity Conference in Africa October 7 - 10, 2008

"The voyage of discovery is about having new eyes," Klein Kariba Resort, Bela-Bela, Limpopo, Africa

Missouri Conference on Gifted Education (GAM) October 12 - 14, 2008

Tan-Tar-A, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, USA

Colorado Association for Gifted & Talented (CAGT) October 13 - 14, 2008

Colorado, USA

Maryland State Conference on Gifted & Talented Education (MEGS) October 17, 2008

"Voices for Gifted Learners," Keynote: Carolyn Callahan, New Town High School, Owings Mills, Maryland, USA

New England Conference on Gifted and Talented Education (NECGT) October 17 - 18, 2008

"Developing America’s Talent: Taking a Closer Look," Keynotes: Robert Sternberg, Donna Ford; Mansfield Holiday Inn, Mansfield, Massachusetts, USA

Ohio Association for Gifted Children Annual Conference (OAGC) October 18 - 21, 2008

The Hilton at Easton, Columbus, Ohio, USA

Washington Association of Educators of the Talented and Gifted Conference (WAETAG) October 23 - 25, 2008

Lynnwood Convention Center, Lynnwood, Washington, USA

Advocacy for Gifted and Talented Education in New York State (AGATE) October 24 - 25, 2008

"High Ability Learners: The Other End of the Spectrum," Canisius College, Buffalo, New York, USA

West Virginia Association for the Gifted & Talented (WVAGT) Conference October 24 - 25, 2008

Speakers: Marianne Solomon, Diane Tomko; Summersville, West Virginia, USA

Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented (MCGT) Annual Conference October 25, 2008

Keynote: Andrew Mahoney, O'Shaughnessy Education Center, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Oregon Association for Talented and Gifted (OATAG) October 27, 2008
"What Works For Gifted Kids," Keynote: Karen Rogers, Wilson High School, Portland, Oregon, USA

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) 55th Annual Convention October 29 - November 2, 2008

"Growing Gifted in the Sunshine State!," Keynote: Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future (or on DVD), Mini-Keynotes: Bruce Bracken, David Lohman, Jack Naglieri, Frank Worrell; Tampa, Florida, USA

November

TAGT Professional Development Conference for Educators & Parents November 12, 2008

Dallas, Texas, USA

Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 November 20, 2008

"Challenging the Gifted," One-Day Regional Conference for Educators, Keynote: Brian Housand, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA

2009

February

Minnesota Educators of the Gifted and Talented (MEGT) February 1 - 3, 2009

Cragun's Resort, Brainerd, Minnesota, USA

Illinois Association for Gifted Children (IAGC) February 1 - 3, 2009

Chicago Marriott Downtown, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Indiana Association for the Gifted (IAG/IDOE) February 2 - 3, 2009

Indianapolis Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

Kentucky Association for Gifted Education (KAGE) February 9 - 10, 2009

Marriott Griffin Gate Hotel, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

California Association for the Gifted February 13 - 15, 2009

Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California, USA

Nebraska Association for the Gifted (NAG) February 19 - 20, 2009

"iGifted: The Next Generation," Keynotes: Bertie Kingore, Julia Roberts; Doubletree, Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Beyond Giftedness XVI February 20, 2009

"Highly Gifted, Barely Served: Educating Gifted Children in the Era of Inclusion," Keynote: Jim Delisle, Arvada Center for the Arts, Arvada, Colorado, USA

Arkansas Association for Gifted and Talented (AGATE) February 24 - 27, 2009

Peabody Hotel, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA

March

National Curriculum Network Conference (NCNC) March 11 - 13, 2009

Center for Gifted Education (CFGE), The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

North Carolina Association of Gifted & Talented (NCAGT/PAGE) March 11 - 13, 2009

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA

Best Practices Institute March 19 - 21, 2009

The University of Virginia Curry School of Education, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

April

CEC Convention and Expo April 1 - 4, 2009

The ONLY Convention Devoted to Special and Gifted Education; Seattle, Washington, USA

Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE) April 16 - 18, 2009

"Cultivating Creative Minds and Forward Thinkers," Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, USA

American Mensa Mind Games April 24 - 26, 2009

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

June

World Council for Gifted and Talented (WCGTC) 18th Biennial Conference summer, 2009

Vancouver, British Columbia

July

SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) Annual Conference July 17 - 19, 2009

"Orlando, Florida, USA

October

Florida Association of the Gifted State Conference (FLAG) October 9 - 10, 2009

Orlando-Lake Mary Marriott Hotel, Orlando, Florida, USA

Virginia Conference on Gifted Education October 22 - 24, 2009

Williamsburg Marriott, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

November

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) 56th Annual Convention November 5 - 8, 2009

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

December

TAGT Professional Development Conference for Educators & Parents December 2, 2009

Houston, Texas, USA

2010

March

California Association for the Gifted March 5 - 7, 2010

Sacramento Convention Center, Sacramento, California, USA

November

TAGT Professional Development Conference for Educators & Parents November 10, 2010

Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Bibliography: Deaf Gifted Students

2008-06-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some resources related to gifted deaf students. I plan to post abstracts and comments as time permits.

If you are familiar with any of these sources, please do post a comment here or contact me at
deafgifted AT gmail DOT com.

Baker, Rita M. (1985). A description of gifted deaf children. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Denver, 1985.Microfilm. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International, 1985.
Baldwin, Alexinia Young; & Vialle Wilma. (Eds.) (1999). The many faces of giftedness: lifting the masks. Belmont, CA : Wadsworth Pub. Co.
Belcastro, Frank P. (2004). Rural Gifted Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: How Electronic Technology Can Help. American Annals of the Deaf, Volume 149, Number 4, Fall 2004, 309-313.
Blough L.K., Rittenhouse R.K., & Dancer J. (1999). Identification of gifted deaf children: a complex but critical educational process. Percept Mot Skills. 1999 Aug;89(1):219-21.
Gamble, H.W. (1985). A national survey of programs for intellectually and academically gifted hearing-impaired students. American annals of the deaf, 1985 Dec; 130(6): 508-13.
Gamble, Harold Walter. (1984). A national survey of programs for intellectually and academically gifted hearing-impaired students. Thesis manuscript.
Grimm, Joan. (1988). The Participation of Gifted Students with Disabilities in Gifted Programs. Roeper Review, Vol. 20, 1998.
Hirsch, Sharlene P. (1979). Young, Gifted, and Handicapped: Mainstreaming High Potential Handicapped Students into the Executive High School Internships Program. New York: Academy for Educational Development.
Ingraham, C.L., et al. (1995). The Success of Three Gifted Deaf-Blind Students in Inclusive Educational Programs. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, v89 n3 p257-61 May-Jun 1995.
Johnsen, Susan K. & Corn, Ann L. (1989). The Past, Present, and Future of Education for Gifted Children with Sensory and/or Physical Disabilities. Roeper Review, v12 n1 p13-23 Sep 1989.
Jones, Caroll J. (1992). Social and emotional development of exceptional students: handicapped and gifted. Springfield, Ill., U.S.A.: C.C. Thomas.
Jussen, Heribert. (2002). Förderung von Hörsprachbehinderten mit hoher Begabung [Education and Integration of Hearing Impaired who are Gifted]. Sprache Stimme Gehör 2002; 26: 65-70.
Karnes, Frances A.; Shaunessy, Elizabeth ; & Bisland, Amy (2004). Gifted students with disabilities are we finding them? Gifted Child Today, 22-SEP-04.
Kröhnert, Otto. (1989). Aufgaben und Probleme der Förderung hochbegabter Gehörloser in der Sekundarstufe II und im Hochschulbereich: Bericht über das Internationale Symposion vom 28. bis 31. Oktober 1988 in Hohenems, Österreich. Vaduz, Liechtenstein: Stiftung zur Förderung körperbehinderter Hochbegabter, 1989.
MacDonald, Patricia Anne. (1992). Differentiating the curriculum for the gifted and talented deaf child. Thesis. University of Alberta. Dept. of Educational Psychology. Available on Microform from Ottawa: National Library of Canada.
MacDonald, Patricia, & Yewchuk, Carolyn. (1994.) Differentiating Curriculum for Gifted and Talented Deaf Students in Whole Language Classrooms. ACEHI Journal/Revue ACEDA, v20, n3, p96-106, 1994.
MacNeil, Barbara Joan Lamb. (1986). A survey of programs for gifted and talented hearing-impaired students. Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Southern California, 1986.
Maker, C. June. (1977). Providing programs for the gifted handicapped. Reston, Va.: Council for Exceptional Children, 1977.
Marcellino, Lori L. (1993). Deaf and gifted: ramifications of a unique combination. Thesis/dissertation/manuscript.
Menschel, Robert S. (1996). Academically Gifted Deaf Students Attending Regular Four-Year Colleges and Universities. Proceedings from Seventh Biennial Conference on Postsecondary Education for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. April, 1996. Available from http://sunsite.utk.edu/cod/pec/products/1996/menchel.pdf
Pollack, Samantha. (1998.). A study to locate the programs available for gifted deaf and hard of hearing students. Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program.
Pollard, G. & Howze, J. (1981). School-wide talented and gifted program for the deaf. American annals of the deaf, 1981 Sep; 126(6): 600-6.
Rittenhouse, Robert K.; & Blough, Lisa K. (1995). Gifted Students with Hearing Impairments: Suggestions for Teachers. Teaching Exceptional Children, v27 n4 p51-53 Sum 1995.
Sanderson, Robert G. (1974). The effect of educational backgrounds of deaf children on their general aptitude test battery performance scores. Thesis (Ed.D.)--Brigham Young University, 1974. Microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms, 1974.
Sarnecky, Ellen & Michaud, Ted. (1979). Local Programs for Gifted and Talented Hearing Impaired Students. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in the Schools, v10 n3 p191-94 Jul 1979.
Sarnecky, Ellen. (1977.) Development and implementation of programming for gifted and talented hearing impaired students. Class paper for "Research Design & Utilization for Administration 88-803," December, 1977.
Savidge, Ellie. (1984). Summer institute for gifted and talented pre-college hearing impaired students: defining personal development goals. Class paper at Gallaudet College, May, 1984.
Schonebaum, Jennifer Ann. (1998). Assessing the multiple intelligences of children who are deaf: with the discover process and the use of American Sign Language. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Arizona, 1997. Microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International, 1998.
Tubb, Linda G. (1990). Gifted deaf students: case studies describing profiles of domains of intelligence. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 1990. Microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International, 1991.
Vernon, M. & LaFalce-Landers, E. (1993). A longitudinal study of intellectually gifted deaf and hard of hearing people. Educational, psychological, and career outcomes. American annals of the deaf, 1993 Dec; 138(5): 427-34.
Vialle, W. & Paterson, J. (1997). Maximizing the potential of gifted deaf students. Our Gifted Children, 4 (1), 31-35.
Vialle, Wilma & Paterson, John. (1996). Constructing a Culturally Sensitive Education for Gifted Deaf Students. Paper presented at the Conference of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented (Adelaide, Australia, 1996). Available from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/15/75/64.pdf
Vialle, Wilma & Paterson, John. (1998.) Deafening Silence: The Educational Experiences of Gifted Deaf People. Gifted Education International; v13 n1 p13-22 1998.
Whitmore, Joanne Rand, & Maker. C. June. (1985). Intellectual giftedness in disabled persons. Rockville, MD: Aspen Systems Corp.
Yewchuk, C. & Bibby, M. A. (1988). A comparison of parent and teacher nomination of gifted hearing-impaired students. American annals of the deaf, 1988 Dec; 133(5): 344-8.
Yewchuk, C. & Bibby, M. A. (1989). Identification of Giftedness in Severely and Profoundly Hearing Impaired Students. Roeper Review, v12 n1 p42-48 Sep 1989.

Gifted education for gifted deaf students

2008-06-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new [Deaf + Gifted] Education blog.

What is gifted education? In the United States, federal special education law focuses on those who need accommodations to access instruction, but students on the upper end of the intelligence bell curve also have special academic needs. Gifted students’ instruction must be modified in order to keep them engaged in learning, emotionally supported, and academically challenged. This does not always happen, especially in a national education climate that seems to focus most intensely on raising the lowest test scores. Are we leaving gifted children behind?

Now consider that intelligence testing is typically a major factor in identifying students for gifted education programming. Intelligence is multifaceted, but most intelligence tests place emphasis on language and verbal reasoning. Verbal IQ tests are conducted in spoken and written English, and normed on hearing children whose first language is English. (Of course, verbal intelligence tests have been developed and normed for native users of other spoken/written languages such as French, Spanish, and so on.) Assessing deaf children with only a verbal IQ test may not allow for an accurate measure of intellectual ability.

It is not uncommon for deaf and hard of hearing students, who do not have 100% access to spoken language, to experience language delays, and reduced access to general knowledge that hearing children simply overhear or casually discuss with other native English users. There are some tests which are designed to measure nonverbal intelligence.

Do schools use nonverbal IQ tests to qualify deaf students for gifted educational programs? Do deaf children get appropriately served in gifted programs designed for hearing students? How often to school programs focus on assessing deaf and hard of hearing children for giftedness, not just deficits?

My hunch is that many gifted deaf students are never formally identified as gifted because their atypical language acquisition clouds the picture. That is, deaf students may well be more intellectually gifted than a verbal IQ test can accurately measure, if the IQ test is predicated on native English fluency. There are very few resources available about how to identify and effectively teach deaf and hard of hearing students who are gifted and talented, and I would like to learn more.

On this site, I will be posting more information from related publications, web sites, and organizations focused on deaf education, gifted education, and serving gifted deaf students. Join me on my educational journey as I learn more about these issues.

A note on terminology

On this blog I use the word "deaf" to refer to all deaf and hard of hearing students, regardless of their communication modalities, cultural identities, degrees of hearing loss, or use of amplification technologies. It is simply a shorthand, umbrella term, and not intended to exclude anyone. Similarly, I use the word "gifted" to refer to all individuals who exhibit characteristics of giftedness, and who (if accurately assessed) would score in the gifted range of intelligence, including all degrees of giftedness.