Ann Matschiner OATAG October 11, 2013 Pacific University Early and Equitable Identification of Talented and Gifted First Grade Students

Why Early Identification?  Widely agreed early identification and intervention of gifted is crucial (Pfeiffer & Petscher, 2008; Robinson 1997; Sankar-DeLeeuw, 2004)  Prevent boredom and negative attitudes toward school when children lack quality school experiences in their early years in school (Puckett & Black, 2008)

Why Early Identification?  Children from low-income and minority families, who are often unidentified at an early age, are less likely to be recognized later (Moon & Brighton, 2008)

Overview  Teacher Training- gifted character- istics, needs and instructional strategies  Planned Experiences-administration and analysis  Student support and services

Equitable Identification  7% of the elementary students TAG  35% of the student population is Hispanic only 15% of the talented and gifted population is Hispanic

Equitable Identification  Fifty percent of student population is from poverty  20% of talented and gifted population is from poverty

Research  When culturally and linguistically gifted children are not aware of their giftedness, the pressure to assimilate to mainstream American culture at younger ages in our schools often causes them to mask or hide their gifted characteristics before we engage students in formal identification processes.

Research  Many formal cognitive assessments are not consistent in their ability to identify gifted students.  Gifted students are underachieving. They may meet and exceed on assessments, but their year-to-year growth is often the lowest of any subgroup.

Research  Gifted students are at-risk. They have a higher percentage of depression, suicide, and federal imprisonment than other subgroups.  Teachers report feeling unprepared to meet the needs of gifted students.

Question Are talented and gifted first grade students identifiable using the Recognizing Gifted Potential: Planned Experiences with the Kingore Observation Inventory (KOI) administered and evaluated by the classroom teacher?

The Value of Assessment and Identification Through Analytical Observation  How does this match your current thinking/understanding?  How does this challenge your current thinking/understanding?

Characteristics and Perceptions  Use of Kingore Observation Inventory and Kingore Planned Experiences with 1 st grade students as a means to identify the potential for gifted performance  Build awareness of gifted students and gifted education best practices with primary teachers.

Implementation Year # School/s Number Students *

Implementation  Planned Experiences used with first grade students  Kingore Observation Inventory used by teachers  Potential for gifted performance

Implementation  Gifted education best practices with primary teachers  Build awareness of gifted students and their needs

Implementation  Deliver professional development in- service sessions-KOI Behaviors and instructional strategies  Planned Experiences in first grade

Implementation  Teachers administer three or four Planned Experiences in classrooms  Teachers meet and analyze student work

Planned Experiences  Drawing Starts  Patterning  Rebus Stories Exhibited gifted behaviors on more than one experience to qualify

Kingore’s Characteristics of Giftedness Advanced Language Analytical Thinking Meaning Motivation Perspective Sense of HumorSensitivity Accelerated Learning 

Analyzing Drawing Starts

Implementation  Teachers meet to analyze products  Develop database  Identify potential to perform in first grade students  Teacher interviews

Instructional Decisions  Higher level activities for Potential to Perform students  Specific activities for Potential to Perform students  Instruction with TAG students

Instructional Decisions  Subject Acceleration  Grade Acceleration

Results YearSchool/s# Students#/% Identified % % *49*

What Did You Learn?  “The finer points of giftedness and how to see potential in young children.”  “I learned a lot! I really enjoyed understanding the characteristics of TAG and how to identify students.”

What Did You Learn?  “That there are different ways to identify kids as TAG.”  “I learned more about the characteristics of gifted students and also the behaviors they may exhibit, especially through these activities.”

What Did You Learn?  “I learned how to score math problems the students created using content, organization, divergence, elaboration, and significantly beyond age expectations.”

Impact on Teaching  More focused and intentional instructional challenges presented to the students  More enrichment activities for these kids

Impact on Teaching  Employ various learning styles/projects in hopes of reaching and enriching lessons for students

Benefits  Increased identification of first grade students Potential for Gifted Performance  Increased teacher understanding of TAG students  Increased teacher confidence in teaching TAG students

Benefits  Increased interest in learning more about how to support and serve gifted students  Teachers more confident utilizing higher-level learning strategies

Future Plans  Continue to train teachers  Continue to identify Potential for gifted performance  Continue to serve first and second grade students

Ann Matschiner Pacific University

Scamper

Instructional Strategies  Six Thinking Hats  Habits of Mind  Inquiry-Based Learning  Creative Problem-Solving  Icons of Depth and Complexity  Tiered Instruction  Think Tac Toe  Williams Model