This study found that parents (n=118) who believed their preschool children to be gifted tended to (1) have specific beliefs concerning the constituents of giftedness, (2) exhibit a fairly high degree of accuracy in their judgements, and (3) have beliefs differing as a function of their children's actual ability levels. (Author/DB)

The paper reviews literature on the process of mentoring the creative child, adult, or prodigy, and discusses differences in mentoring the "creatives" as opposed to other proteges. Emphasized are the importance of early identification of the creative child and the role of parents as mentors. (Author/JDD)

The health care provider functioning in an organized preschool setting can play a vital role in the early identification of the gifted child. The health professional can make a unique contribution in this area as well as being alert for the potential health problems the child may have. (Author)

Literature on identification of gifted preschoolers and infants is discussed, including difficulties in attempting to identify potential giftedness in very young children, the importance of early identification, and identification methods currently available or in use. Research that shows promise for use with preschool and infant schoolchildren is…

The digest addresses issues related to preschool gifted and talented children. Such a child is defined as one who functions significantly above average age level in language development, thinking skills, creative thinking skills, physical adaptability, social skills, and/or leadership. Early identification is viewed as important, and the use of…

An investigation of the predictive validity of the STAR (Screening Test for Academic Readiness) with 74 students referred for assessment revealed that prekindergarten STAR scores significantly predicted verbal performance and full scale IQ scores on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised obtained several years later. (CL)

This article argues for the importance of identifying musically gifted young children. It considers (1) reasons for identifying such gifts early; (2) characteristics of musically gifted young children; and (3) provisions to develop these talents. (Author/DB)

An Australian survey found that early childhood teachers were very supportive of early identification of gifted and talented children, though many had only a fuzzy definition of giftedness and suggested teacher observation as the best identification technique. Teachers who had been involved in gifted education recommended more specific…

A discussion of the Retrieval and Acceleration of Promising Young Handicapped and Talented program, shows how one group conceptualized, developed, disseminated, and evaluated this model for identifying and programing for young gifted/talented handicapped children. Five model components are discussed: general programing, talent…

Describes design and implementation of a project which focused on early identification of potentially gifted students among youths frequently overlooked because of socioeconomic, cultural, and/or linguistic differences. Also discusses validation of a battery of procedures and techniques designed to identify potentially gifted students among…

To reduce the possibility that children who do not fit stereotypical profiles of gifted children will be passed over, identifying students from diverse backgrounds for talent should be a multipronged effort. Outreach is especially important in areas when parents may be absorbed in meeting their family's immediate needs. To facilitate…

Discusses the outcomes of the Fullerton Study, a continuing longitudinal research project that is investigating the differences between 107 gifted (n=20) and typical preschool children. Results of the study highlight the importance of early identification and programming for gifted children. Characteristics of the gifted children and parental…

The Duke University Talent Identification Program was initiated to identify verbally and mathematically precocious youngsters. This program is a 16-state effort not only to identify brillant students, but to follow and nuture their talent and assist in their educational development. (MLW)

This book reviews and summarizes recent research into the intellectual, emotional and creative development of young gifted children. An introductory section includes the following: "Early Signs of Giftedness: Research and Commentary" (Abraham Tannenbaum); "Creative Giftedness in Children" (Robert Sternberg and Todd Lubart); and "Cultural…

This book is an outgrowth of a 2-year study of 284 children discovered during preschool or kindergarten to be advanced in mathematics. In addition to psychometric and cognitive testing conducted at the beginning, middle, and end of the study, half of the children attended biweekly interventions designed to enrich their experience with mathematics.…