Preliminary Program – 18th World Conference on GIfted and Talented Children

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Abdul Manaf | Paper | Gifted and Talented: Working Inside Out and Outside In

Presenters

Abdul Manaf, Umi Kalthom; Huat, Chau Meng; Din, Mohd. Amin. Secondary Education and Training Division of MARA, Malaysia

Abstract

Borrowing and paraphrasing the title of Campbell and Kerry’s (2005) Gifted and talented: working inside out or outside in?, this paper examines how a school-wide program was introduced and implemented in three schools in Malaysia in 2008 and is being implemented in 14 other schools throughout the country in 2009, by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) or Council of Trust, to promote learning among its Secondary One students. MARA secondary students are known nationwide for their strong academic performance. The paper discusses strategies used in the program that maximize the performance of students and looks at such aspects as the process of curriculum and materials development and the implementation and evaluation of the program. Comparisons with other MARA schools’ strategies are drawn, and messages are extracted for more effective practice.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Thursday	3:30 – 4:30 pm	11	1
Thursday	3:30 – 4:30 pm	11	2

Presentation

Not Available

Acar | Paper | A Turkish Family Profile of Children with Giftedness in Leadership

Presenters

Acar, Selcuk. The University of Georgia, USA

Abstract

This research aims to reveal family environments of gifted children in leadership. Based on a new definition of giftedness in leadership, the top 10% to 20% of the children in Raven SPM Plus group intelligence test and Roets Rating Scale for Leadership were analyzed. The variables for the analysis consisted of the mother’s and father’s level of education, number of siblings, and birth order. The results showed that gifted children in leadership tend to have highly educated parents who, usually, have more than one child. They also tend to be first-born children. The results are analyzed with the support of related literature.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Tuesday	5:00 – 6:00 pm	04	1
Tuesday	5:00 – 6:00 pm	04	2

Presentation

Not Available

Adams | Paper | The Effects of Clustering and Curriculum Development on Gifted Learners’ Math Achievement

Presenters

Pierce, Rebecca L.; Cassady, Jerrell C.; Adams, Cheryll M.; Speirs Neumeister, Kristie L.; Dixon, Felicia A.; Cross, Tracy L. Ball State University, Indiana, USA

Abstract

There is a paucity of empirical studies on the benefits of gifted programming in mathematics for elementary students. Our current study focuses on mathematics achievement for children attending program classrooms in two successive years of Project CLUE (Clustering Learners Unlocks Equity), designed to promote gifted programming in mathematics and language arts across a large, urban district. We will report on one aspect of the research from Project CLUE—an investigation of the impact of using cluster grouping to support gifted learners’ mathematical development. All students were Grade 3 students attending mixed-ability classes, designed primarily to serve gifted learners in a cluster-classroom setting. Repeated measures, determined with the use of ANOVA (ANalysis Of VAriance), revealed several significant effects related to the application of clustering and the implementation of curricula. The results demonstrated that the curriculum materials, grouping practice, and level of teacher intentionality were all significant factors contributing to the success of a programmatic intervention.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Friday	9:00 – 10:00 am	13	1
Friday	9:00 – 10:00 am	13	2

Presentation

Not Available

Adams | Paper | Finding Science Talent: Looking Beyond the Test Scores

Presenters

Adams, Cheryll M.; Pierce, Rebecca L. Ball State University, Indiana, USA

Abstract

What are the characteristics of promising students with talent in science and how do we find these students? Quite often achievement tests, grades, or teacher rating scales are the sole methods for identifying promising science students; however, these methods, generally, do not identify students who possess or are capable of developing creative scientific thinking. Although scores on intelligence tests and science achievement tests can provide some assistance in identifying science talent, alternative measures should also be used. Providing teachers with appropriate alternative measures, such as observation instruments, performance assessments, and scales that focus on thinking creatively and critically in science, would allow them to cast a wide net in looking for science talent. This session looks at ways to find and nurture science talent by choosing assessments and measures beyond traditional achievement and intelligence tests. Characteristics of promising students with science talent will also be discussed.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Tuesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	08	1
Tuesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	08	2
Tuesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	08	2

Presentation

Not Available

Affeldt | Paper | Using Pre-Tests to Assist Gifted Students

Presenters

Affeldt, George R. Cedarburg School District, Wisconsin, USA

Abstract

This presentation explains the value of chapter pre-tests in teaching United States History to eighth-graders in a suburban middle school. It includes results of research using statistical analysis, as well as insights and practical suggestions. The pre-test scores for over a hundred students from thirteen chapters were correlated with various other measures, including grades and state test results. One goal was to identify gifted students for the current class this year and to adjust programming as needed for individuals. Years of trying a variety of approaches to the teaching in each chapter will also be presented, and successful and unsuccessful adjustments will be discussed.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Thursday	3:30 – 4:30 pm	08	1

Presentation

Not Available

Aguirre | Workshop | Fusion of Gifted Pedagogy and SLL Methodology

Presenters

Aguirre, Nilda M.; Hernández, Norma E. International Educational Consultants, Louisiana, USA

Abstract

School systems in the United States are facing immigration issues. Giftedness can be overlooked by educators due to cultural differences, language bias, or ignorance of the characteristics present. Project GOTCHA has worked with children from over 60 countries throughout the United States. Since 2003, we have worked internationally with countries who have experienced a large influx of immigrants and whose children are not meeting eligibility criteria when tested with traditional instruments. We have trained teachers in Best Practices, developed by the GOTCHA Program. Working with families, administrators, communities, and students, we have witnessed an amazing shift in many who mistakenly thought it would take time for an immigrant child to be identified and taught as gifted. The GOTCHA Program provides educators with appropriate modifications and incorporates appropriate extensions of gifted education pedagogy and second language earning methodology, thus improving motivation, engagement, and achievement of all children.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room
Tuesday	8:00 – 8:45 am	13

Presentation

Not Available

Ahn | Poster | Passion, Achievement Goals, and Practice among Musically Talented Adolescents in Korea

Presenters

Ahn, Doehee; Jung, Jaewoo; Yoon, Jimin. Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

This study examined whether musically talented adolescents’ passion and achievement goals influence their deliberate practice. The 650 musically talented adolescents, surveyed from two arts high schools in Seoul, yielded a response rate of 92.2%. The final sample consisted of 83 males (13.9%) and 516 females (86.1%). Their average age was 17.4 years. Measures of students’ passion, achievement goals, and deliberate practice were obtained. Pearson’s correlations indicated that two types of passion were positively associated with mastery goal: performance approach goal and deliberate practice; however, only harmonious passion was negatively associated with performance avoidance goal. Mastery goal and performance approach goal were positively associated with deliberate practice. Hierarchical multiple-regression analysis showed that two types of passion and mastery goal predicted the musically talented adolescents’ deliberate practice.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room
Wednesday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	Exhibition

Presentation

Not Available

Aizikovitsh | Paper | Development of Critical Thinking among Gifted Students with a Novel Probability Unit

Presenters

Aizikovits, Einav; Amit, Mariam. Ben-Gurion University, Israel

Abstract

This article presents a session on probability which incorporates elements of critical thinking (CT). This session is part of an in-depth study that comprises 15 mathematics sessions of similar constitution. The purpose of this research was to determine if teaching methods that encourage complex thinking could improve gifted students’ CT within the framework of a probability session. Fifty-five subjects, defined as gifted children by external examinations, were involved. Analyses of interviews conducted with the students and analyses of their submitted work indicated that the students’ analytical capabilities greatly improved. These results showed that, if teachers consistently and methodically encourage CT in their classes by applying mathematical theory to real-life problems, encouraging debates, and planning investigative sessions, the students are likely to develop critical and analytical thinking skills as a result.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Wednesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	12	1
Wednesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	12	2

Presentation

Not Available

Al-Hroub | Paper | Self-Concept, Beliefs, and Attitudes towards Mathematics among Mathematically-Gifted Pupils with Learning Difficulties

Presenters

Al-Hroub, Anies. American University of Beirut, Lebanon

Abstract

The current study investigates how two groups of mathematically-gifted pupils with learning difficulties (MG/LD) changed, or did not change, their attitudes towards and beliefs about mathematics over five weeks, during which time they received two different instructional programs in mathematics. Thirty pupils (16 females and 14 males), aged 10 years to 11 years and 11 months, were identified as MG/LDs at three public primary schools in Amman, Jordan. These pupils were divided equally into two treatment groups. The first group (n = 15) received traditional mathematics instruction, while the second group (n = 15) received multi-sensory, enrichment mathematics instruction. The findings revealed that, while positive changes occurred in self-concept in mathematics in the multi-sensory enrichment group, self-concept in the traditional group declined. According to the post-instruction subscale, students’ enjoyment in learning mathematics remained at the medium level for the traditional group, but moved up to the high level for the multi-sensory enrichment group.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Thursday	3:30 – 4:30 pm	12	1
Thursday	3:30 – 4:30 pm	12	2

Presentation

Not Available

Al-Jughaiman | Paper | Meeting the Special Needs of the Gifted in the Public Schools in Saudi Arabia

Presenters

Aljughaiman, Abdullah M. King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Offering varied educational services which help to identify gifted students and nurturing students’ abilities in the public schools, where they spend most of their educational time, are highly important educational goals. In this presentation, the author will summarize the most significant and popular programs for gifted children in Saudi Arabia. Special attention will be given to the Saudi Enrichment Program Model (SEPM). The author will describe the SEPM approach regarding the teachers’ preparation process, the identification of gifted children process, services that are provided to accommodate their needs, levels of services, levels and types of personal, thinking, and research skills, and some of the research findings regarding the effectiveness of this model.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Wednesday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	13	1
Wednesday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	13	2
Wednesday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	13	3

Presentation

Not Available

Alencar | Symposium | Research on Creativity Development in South-American Countries

Presenters

Alencar, Eunice Soriano; Fleith, Denise de Souza. University of Brasilia, Brazil / Blumen, Sheyla. Catholic University of Peru, Peru

Abstract

The focus of this symposium is recent creativity-development research in South-American countries. Studies on classroom climate for creativity, programs for creativity development, and teachers’ and students’ perception of conditions that favor students’ creative development will be described briefly, with their implications on how to help teachers to recognize and nurture students’ creative abilities.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room
Wednesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	02

Presentation

Not Available

Alencar | Paper | Programs for Talent Development in Brazil and Its Assessment

Presenters

Alencar, Eunice Soriano; Fleith, Denise de Souza. University of Brasilia, Brazil

Abstract

The focus of this presentation will be the current status of educational provision for talent development in Brazil. The social-cultural educational setting, and the curriculum models adopted in the most well-known programs, as well as program assessment studies, will be described. In the session, the presenters will give a summary of the newest directions of providing for talent development in Brazil with the implementation of the High Abilities and Giftedness Center of Activities in all Brazilian states, supported by the Secretary of Special Education of the Ministry of Education. Main issues that need to be addressed in order to enhance the educational provisions for talent development in Brazil will also be highlighted.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Thursday	3:30 – 4:30 pm	09	1
Thursday	3:30 – 4:30 pm	09	2

Presentation

Not Available

Alencastro | Paper | A Differentiated Program for Sparking Creativity

Presenters

Alencastro, Fanny. Sueño Magico Institute, Quito, Ecuador

Abstract

Many authors, such as Donald Treffinger, agree that creative ability is an essential feature of giftedness for helping to solve problems. Characteristics of gifted children include the ability to develop spontaneous creative problem-solving strategies and plans for action at an early age. The present research will prove that they use their creativity for solving problems as early as age six, but they are also capable of discussing the strategies they used. This point implies that these young children possess highly developed analysis and deduction capacities. For these reasons, we are interested in studying their creativity capacity for solving problems, as many have done. We applied another program, called Niños Talentosos, a method that individuals or groups can use to deal successfully with opportunities and challenges. Through our research, we hoped to realize and develop the curriculum adaptations necessary to meet the needs of these young children.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Friday	9:00 – 10:00 am	06	1
Friday	9:00 – 10:00 am	06	2

Presentation

Not Available

Amit | Paper | Exposing Gifted Students to Contemporary Mathematics—The Mathematics Behind Google

Presenters

Amit, Batya; Berman, Avi; Movshovitz-Hadar, Nitsa. Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

Abstract

In 1995, two young computer science graduate students at Stanford University asked themselves, “How are various Web pages connected, and how can these connections be mathematically modeled so as to inform search engines and make them more efficient?” Having discovered page-ranking, they established Google, which became a common, web-surfing tool. Some surfers, mostly the more talented teenagers, wonder how it works; however, it is no easy task to introduce the backbone of page rank technology, that is, matrix algebra, to high-school students, even to the curious, gifted ones. Nevertheless, it is not impossible. In our presentation, we will describe the pedagogy of such an exposition and the results of an action research showing its impact. Matrix algebra opens students’ minds to contemporary mathematics, and it has an effect on their perception of mathematics as an ever-growing domain, rather than a discipline in which all answers are known, leaving little room for creativity.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Thursday	2:15 – 3:15 pm	05	1
Thursday	2:15 – 3:15 pm	05	2

Presentation

Not Available

Amit | Paper | To the Top of the Mathematical Pyramid—The Kidumatica Project for the Gifted

Presenters

Amit, Miriam. Ben-Gurion University, Israel

Abstract

This article describes Kidumatica—a highly successful project for the promotion of talented students from underprivileged backgrounds. In its 11-year-run, Kidumatica has evolved into a way of life for its many students, allowing them opportunities to realize their potential, enter advanced academic studies, and successfully enter a society rich in knowledge and achievement. Kidumatica is based on academic research in the fields of excellence, cognition, and mathematics education. It also promotes the social principle of equal opportunity for all and one’s right to self-realization and aspiration, regardless of one’s ethnic background and socio-economic status. Beyond these social and educational purposes, Kidumatica is also a research model and laboratory for testing new programs and teaching methods for gifted students. We will discuss the basic premises of the Kidumatica model, its goals and how they are achieved, including the recruitment of club members, its mathematical content, the structure of the club’s activity, and its achievements.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Tuesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	08	1
Tuesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	08	2
Tuesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	08	2

Presentation

Not Available

Amit | Paper | Fair and Equitable Identification of Mathematically Promising Students in a Multi-Cultural Society

Presenters

Neria, Dorit; Amit, Miriam. Ben Gurion University, Israel

Abstract

The definition of academic talent is influenced, among other things, by culture and social background. As such, ensuring an equal and unbiased identification process for promising students in a diverse society is complex. This paper provides a brief review of the various available identification methods and their respective limitations in addressing student diversity. It then offers an example of a successful identification method used to select talented students from diverse backgrounds for participation in the Kidumatica math club, which aims to promote the abilities of mathematically talented youth in southern Israel.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Thursday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	13	1
Thursday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	13	2
Thursday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	13	3

Presentation

Not Available

Amit | Paper | Gifted Students Develop Probabilistic Thinking through Dice Games

Presenters

Jan, Irma; Amit, Miriam. Ben Gurion University, Israel

Abstract

Gifted students are capable of applying knowledge from different and unpredictable sources. They are creative in the way they use their acquired knowledge, creating analogies in daily life and carrying out almost immediate implementations. Gifted students have the ability to use various representations and connections in new scenarios. In this study, we examine to what extent a carefully chosen dice game, rich with learning potential, can be a basis for gifted students’ intuitive development and acquisition of probabilistic reasoning, without the intervention of formal education. This article discusses three episodes that exemplify students’ cognitive characteristics, demonstrated in how six gifted students coped with a biased, unfair situation while inventing new probabilistic approaches in order to win a biased game.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Wednesday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	11	1
Wednesday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	11	2
Wednesday	10:30 am – 12:00 pm	11	3

Presentation

Not Available

Ang | Paper | Case Studies of Story-Based Learning in Young Gifted Children

Presenters

Ang, Minni. Taylor’s University College and NAGC, Malaysia / Holden, Tamara. USA / Alvarez-Tostado, Mariana. USA / Knapp, Crystal. Plymouth State University, New Hampshire, USA

Abstract

The presenters will provide initial documentary evidence of the presence of a story-based learning style preference among some young gifted children, a preference that is not merely a combination of other learning preferences, but is a distinctive learning style in itself. The study arose out of the long-term, close observation of the subject children, who all displayed an uncommonly intense need for creating stories. The phenomenon of interest is how this obsession with storytelling affects the way they learn new material and the implication this has for schooling. A multiple case-study design was adopted, describing directly observed behaviors of the children, as well as retrospective interviews with their mothers. Findings indicate that story-based learning is an authentic learning preference exhibited by some young gifted children. The ramifications are that such children’s preference for story-based learning should be accommodated to allow children to attain their fullest learning potential.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Tuesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	02	1
Tuesday	3:45 – 4:45 pm	02	2

Presentation

Not Available

Azuela | Paper | Identification and Development of Talented Children in Latin American Countries

Presenters

Azuela, Ana. IDDENT, Mexico

Abstract

In a knowledge-based economy, such as has recently emerged, the worker’s knowledge, rather than his or her skills, adds value to a product or service. This change has significant educational implications necessitating urgent educational reform. In Latin America, information about the potential of children with special abilities is scarce, and there is no instructional model that can adapt to the idiosyncrasies of the Hispanic culture. At IDDENT (Identificaciòn y Desarrollo de Niños Talentosos / Identification and Development of Talented Children), we are working to develop and implement programs for the development of the potential and capability of identified gifted children in response to the actual and future needs of our society. In this session, we will present our approach to identification and program development, which is one that draws on models from other countries and amalgamates them successfully.

Schedule

Day	Timeslot	Room	Sequence
Friday	9:00 – 10:00 am	07	1
Friday	9:00 – 10:00 am	07	2

Presentation

Not Available

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