In this article, I describe a few personal favorite contributions of Dr. Marcia Gentry, one of the most successful graduates from our doctoral program at the University of Connecticut, as well as a dear friend and collaborator. Marcia focused her life's work on the need to serve underserved and often-neglected populations in our field and…

A major controversy facing the field of gifted education is the underrepresentation of low income, minority, and dual language students. Strategies for addressing this challenge have been to use universal screening and local norms; however, these useful recommendations continue to focus on traditional testing procedures that measure what students…

This article describes current attempts and steps to expand both services and research about gifted education and talent development programs and educational opportunities for academically talented students in Italy. The laws, procedures, and policies that have been essential to this process are described, as is the outcome, which is the…

Changing demographics in schools around the world have raised questions about the nature and role of gifted education programs. An intense interest in the underrepresentation of students from low-income families and minority groups in gifted education programs has caused the field to re-examine both identification and services. In this article,…

One component of the Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act was provision for research on a national scale. In response, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT) was created to design and implement a research portfolio. Based on emphasis in the Javits Act on underrepresented populations, on issues of…

After reviewing old definitions of giftedness and research dealing with characteristics of the gifted, the author presents a definition that focuses on three clusters of traits--above average general ability, high level of task commitment, and high level of creativity. (IRT)

The research here reported is a result of growing interest in the early identification and remediation of learning disabilities among preschool and primary age youngsters. A screening test is described. (Author/BY)

The report analyzes research on characteristics of gifted and talented persons and suggests a rationale for identification systems. The importance of an operational definition is emphasized, and various conceptions and definitions of giftedness are reviewed. Problems with the U.S. Office of Education definition are cited. Three cluster areas…

Teacher rating scales have been used widely throughout the United States as part of a comprehensive plan for identifying potentially gifted and talented students. The Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics for Superior Students (SRBCSS) are among the most frequently used teacher rating scales to assess the characteristics of and nominate…

The author replies to criticism of his Revolving Door Identification Model by citing his critics' methodological problems and their misunderstanding of his definition of giftedness. (CL)

The author reviews principles underlying his Revolving Door Identification Model (RDIM) and its use in conjunction with the Enrichment Triad model. Two levels of identification in RDIM are considered and research briefly summarized. (CL)

A training exercise is presented to help teachers become familiar with key concepts in the Scales for Rating Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students. Activities suggested include matching concepts with items from the scales and categorizing children's behaviors according to the scales. (CL)

The digest addresses ways in which gifted and talented students are identified. Commonly used identification systems include matrix systems, the Talent Search Identification Model, and the Revolving Door Identification Model. Major questions about identification practices include inappropriate use of certain instruments and the inadequacy of…

Reasons for the inadequacy of IQ test cutoff scores in identifying giftedness are presented, and recommendations are made for necessary improvements in local, state, or national guidelines, policies, and procedures. (Author/CL)

Procedures used in constructing and validating this instrument are discussed in a companion article (EC 040 230). (KW)