Giftedness: Assessments

Giftedness: Assessments

By Lisa Raine, Jasmine Richardson, Karen Bravo-Elder, & Marjorie Ryles

“One of the major concerns in gifted education has been the problem of identification and its measurements correlates” (Winzer, 2008, p. 293).  It is an inexact science.  Assessment measures for giftedness, creativity, and talent are tests of mental ability, achievement tests, portfolios, observation, and teacher, parent, peer, and self-nomination.  “There is little evidence to indicate that any one identification procedure is better than another” (Winzer, 2008, p. 295).

Tests of Mental Ability

“Individual IQ tests appear to be the best single method for identifying children who have superior cognitive abilities. The tests possess high validity as predictors of success in academic settings, and their scores are relatively stable over time” (Winzer, 2008, p. 297).  “A shortened measure of an IQ test is highly desirable. There are two types of shortened intelligence tests. Those created independently and marketed as short tests and those that exist as short forms of already well established, more involved IQ scales. Scales such as the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence” (Winzer, 2008, p. 297).

Achievement Tests

“Achievement tests can be employed systematically to identify children with gifts and talents who are already achieving at a high level academically.  These tests have been used very successfully to identify school children who are performing extremely well in specific fields, such as mathematics” (Winzer, 2008, p. 297).

Portfolios

“A portfolio is a type of performance test made up of continual collections of a student’s work” (Winzer, 2008, p. 297). “Portfolios include information selected by the student under the guidance of the teacher, as well as a series of statements that reflect a student’s thoughts about the contents. The portfolio will include work samples and projects, and may include the results of tests” (Winzer, 2008, p. 298). “Portfolios serve to examine the learning process as well as the outcomes of learning; they stress products rather than tests and test scores; and their use is appealing because of their instructional relevance” (Winzer, 2008, p. 298).

Observation

Observation of young children is an important method of assessment for giftedness.  “A three-year old may be observed to tackle mathematical problems that are taught in grade 3” (Winzer, 2008, p. 298).  This is another reason for parents and guardians to play and interact with their young children.

Teacher Nomination

“Teacher nomination has traditionally been, and remains today, a major method in the identification of students who may be gifted, talented, and creative” (Winzer, 2008, p. 299).  “The paradox is that, accurate as teachers are in identifying students with potential problems, they are not very good at all in pinpointing gifted learners” (Winzer, 2008, p. 298). This may be because teachers may not be looking for the right things.  Some teachers may rate one sex over another, some focus on conformist high achievers, and some may not focus enough on creative free thinkers. “One early study found that teachers were only 50% successful when requested to identify those students whom they considered to be gifted and talented” (Winzer, 2008, p. 298).

Parent, Peer, & Self-Nomination

“Parent nomination questionnaires are another economical means of identifying children who are gifted and talented. Parents see their children make up games and stories, invent and build things, solve problems, and create all sorts of products” (Winzer, 2008, p. 299). “Peer nomination is yet another method for initiating referral. Although experts in the field have been favourable in their attitude to this style, there is still a serious lace of research to support it” (Bennet, et al 2008, p.134).  “Self-nomination is most effective with older students who display specific types of talents” (Bennet, et al 2008, p.134).  Self-nominations are usually followed or accompanied by a teacher or parent nomination.  Teachers and parents are sometimes the student starts to acknowledge or realize they are gifted.

Problems With Assessments of Giftedness

Identification and assessments in the areas of giftedness are riddled with problems. There are many unanswered questions regarding who is identified and how to identify individuals who may or may not possess giftedness.  There are many individuals whose talent, creativity, and giftedness simply get overlooked for a variety of reasons.  This is unfortunate because their skills go uncultivated.

 

“I was slightly brain damaged at birth, and I want people like me to see that they shouldn’t let a disability get in the way. I want to raise awareness – I want to turn my disability into ability!”

                                                            ~ Susan Boyle, Music Artist

Gifted Famous Individuals--retrieved from: http://www.ri.net/gifted_talented/character.html

·         Albert Einstein was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read.

·         Isaac Newton did poorly in grade school.

·         A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he had “No good ideas”.

·         Leo Tolstoy flunked out of college.

 

Bennet, S., Dwort, D., & Weber, K. (2008) Special Education in Ontario Schools (6^th ed.).4

            St. Davids, Canada: Highland Press.

Winzer, M. (2008). Children With Exceptionalities in Canadian Classrooms (8^th ed.). Toronto,

            Canada: Pearson Prentice Hall.