What are the Special Academic Needs of Learners Who are Gifted?

WHAT ARE THE SPECIAL ACADEMIC NEEDS OF LEARNERS WHO ARE GIFTED?

Research by Dr. Joyce Van Tassel-Baska (College of William and Mary) and other scholars confirms the widespread understanding that students who are gifted have special needs. Among these are the needs listed below.

• To be challenged in areas of strength and interest which accelerate the pace and the depth of content;
• To be challenged through cooperative and individual tasks which require sustained concentration on systematic inquiry and the integration of information and ideas;
• To develop skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, coping with exceptionality and leadership, while applying knowledge and abilities to real problems;
• To be challenged with divergent thought, such as the thought involved in problem solving and decision-making;
• To be challenged by learning situations or more cognitively complex levels of thought;
• To be challenged by thoughtful and focused discussions among intellectual peers and adults