Page 42 - EW March 2025

Cover Story

unrecognised, and for many children,
early identification — ideally between
three-12 years of age when their brains
are rapidly developing — is the time
to unlock their potential. Denied it,
they may find themselves trapped in
classrooms that don’t challenge them,
struggling with boredom, isolation, or
even misdiagnoses that mistake rapid
thinking for inattentiveness and defi-
ance. Recognising the traits of gifted
children in their early years enables
parents and educators to intervene
before disengagement sets in.
Gifted children are usually con-
fronted with unique emotional and so-
cial challenges. They are literally class
apart from their peers. This often trig- Renzulli: three-ring model Corwith: acceleration strategies
gers frustration, loneliness, and quest
for perfectionism. Without guidance advised to check out the Wechsler In- gifted students to realise their poten-
and support, they struggle to under- telligence Scale for Children (WISC- tial. “CTD is a pioneering institution
stand their emotions and may not be V), Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, dedicated to nurturing the potential
able to cope with continuous pressure Measures of Academic Progress of gifted and talented students from
to excel. Connecting them with like- (MAP), and Iowa Tests of Basic Skills early childhood through high school.
minded peer groups develops self- (ITBS) to identify students perform- Our approach is built on the belief that
confidence and resilience. Moreover, ing significantly above their grade giftedness is not a fixed trait but a dy-
early identification also ensures that level. However, these assessments namic process that involves developing
gifted children are not misdiagnosed don’t recognise non-academic forms potential into high-level achievement.
with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hy- of giftedness, such as artistic talent, Once we identify giftedness using a va-
peractivity Disorder), defiance disor- social intelligence, and exceptional riety of above-grade-level assessments
der, or autism spectrum traits because creativity. and rigorous summer, weekend, and
That’s why education psychologists
their minds work differently. recommend holistic testing, integrat- online course experiences, CTD pro-
A ADDITIONALLY, FOR ing multiple options such as stan- and in-person programs. Students
vides accelerated and enriched online
dardised assessment, performance-
twice-exceptional stu-
focus on their areas of talent and col-
dents — those who are
testing. Performance-based assess-
achieve high levels of academic perfor-
both gifted and have based evaluation, and above-level laborate with peers and instructors to
learning disabilities — recognising ments of students’ writing, art, and mance,” says Corwith.
their strengths early enables neces- scientific research, provide a more nu- While several universities in the
sary interventions, such as assistive anced view of their strengths. Obser- US have fully-fledged departments
technology and alternative pedago- vational tools such as the Gifted Rat- researching and curating gifted educa-
gies to prevent frustration and low ing Scales (GRS) allow educators and tion programmes, a sizeable minority
self-esteem. The long-term benefits parents to systematically document of American schools, including private
of early identification extend far be- behaviour indicative of giftedness, and public schools, also offer a wide
yond the classroom. Gifted individu- including problem-solving skills and range of programmes for students
als who receive adequate support are creative thinking. Above-level test- gifted in academics, the arts, and
most likely to excel in higher educa- ing, widely used in university talent sports. Globally, different countries
tion, pursue fulfilling careers and find searches, is also effective in identify- have approached gifted education
innovative solutions for major univer- ing students who require accelerated with varying philosophies, although
sal problems. learning programmes. few have perfected it.
For educators and teachers, re- According to Dr. Susan Corwith, Singapore, long known for its rig-
liance on traditional standardised Director, Centre for Talent Develop- orous Gifted Education Programme
tests, useful to assess cognitive ca- ment (CTD) at Northwestern Univer- (GEP), recently restructured it to
pability, is insufficient to capture the sity, Illinois, acceleration strategies make enrichment opportunities more
full spectrum of giftedness. They are and enrichment programmes enable widely accessible to address charges of

42 EDUCATIONWORLD MARCH 2025