Aed_222_Channeling_Students_Into_a_Gifted_Program

Channeling Students into a Gifted Program Barb McD AED/222 November 9, 2012 Kelly Flemm, MAEd. Channeling Students into a Gifted Program Early intervention is important when it involves a child with special needs. Society, in general, tends to pay more attention to children who have difficulties in learning. While this is important there are other children who have special needs, these children a gifted. Children need to be tested and observed to determine if they fall under the category of gifted. Many programs are also available to help the student advance in their education. Identifying gifted students as gifted is usually completed through several different processes. Some of these procedures include intelligence, achievement, and creativity testing. Teacher, peer, and parent nominations are also used as well (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, p. 419,420, 2007).  “For students with gifts and talents, academic interventions center on six dimensions: content, complexity, abstraction, pacing, documenting achievement, and choice and independence” (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2007, p.423). Once the student is identified as gifted, he or she should be placed in a program that helps them succeed. Sometimes this can be difficult, the teacher and the school may feel the child would be best served in advancing to a more appropriate grade level where the child will be stimulated and challenged, and the parents may want the child to stay with their peers. Should this happen the teacher and the school may give the child more challenging work. “As students with gifts and talents advance through the school curriculum and the established grades, it is very important to have a well-written plan that both documents progress and provides a mentor to help navigate each level of schooling” (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2007, p.425). The teacher should observe the student both in and out of the academic portion of school. Observing the student’s interaction with his or her peers is also important. The teacher will need to make regular assessments to determine if the child needs more challenging work or if the child is beginning to become overwhelmed. References Rosenberg, M. G., Westling, D. L., & McLeskey, J. (2007). Special Education for Today’s Teachers: An Introduction. Retrieved November 11, 2012 from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.