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Definitions of Giftedness
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Varying Definitions of Giftedness
From Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English
Language (1989)
gifted- (gif'tid) adj. 1. having great special talents or ability: the debut of a gifted artist. 2. having exceptionally high intelligence: gifted children.
Terman (1926): conservative in restrictiveness
... the top
1% level in general intellectual ability as measured by the
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale or a comparable instrument.
Witty (1958): liberal in restrictiveness
There are children whose outstanding potentialities in art, in
writing, or in social leadership can be recognized largely by their
performance. Hence, we have recommended that the definition of
giftedness be expanded and that we consider any child gifted whose
performance, in a potentially valuable line of human activity, is
consistently remarkable.
U.S. Office of Education Definition (Marland, 1972)
(This is used by many states and school districts)
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.
Children capable of high performance include those with
demonstrated achievement and/or potential ability in any of
the following areas, singly or in combination:
1. General intellectual ability
2. Specific academic aptitude
3. Creative or productive thinking
4. Leadership ability
5. Visual and performing arts
Three Ring Definition of Giftedness by
Renzulli (1985 in The Schoolwide Enrichment Model book)
Gifted behavior consists of behaviors that reflect an interaction
among three basic clusters of human traits.. these clusters being
above average general and/or specific abilities, high levels of task
commitment, and high levels of creativity. Individuals capable of
developing gifted behavior are those possessing or capable of
developing this composite set of traits and applying them to any
potentially valuable area of human performance. Persons who manifest
or are capable of developing an interaction among the three clusters
require a wide variety of educational opportunities and services that
are not ordinarily provided through regular instructional programs.
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