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Gifted and talented children in DPS are students whose demonstrated abilities, talents and/or potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational needs.
These students perform, or show the potential of performing, at remarkably high levels in general intellectual ability, specific academic aptitude or specific talent aptitude when compared with others of their age and experience.
Gifted and talented children are present in all student groups, regardless of gender, disability, English language proficiency, economic status, ethnic or cultural background.
DPS looks at the top 10% of the student population for gifted services. This is a schools TALENT POOL.
Official test scores in the top 5% allow for identification of students as Gifted and Talented. However, it takes three of these scores to identify someone as GT. These students require an ALP (Advanced Learning Plan) after identification is complete.
The difference between gifted and high achievers
Most Common Characteristics of Gifted Students
Years of research about giftedness indicate that the following traits—in some combination—are characteristic of gifted youngsters:
· keenly observant
· learns very quickly with few repetitions
· highly curious
· independent or non-conforming
· creative
· ability to retain information
· imaginative
· able to concentrate intensely
· able to develop a social conscience, sense of justice + responsibility, early
· able to set high standards for self
· intuitive
· empathetic
· persistent
· resistant to routine; prefers challenge
· interested in a wide variety of topics
· intensely involved in a topic
· able to reason abstractly and perceive relationships earlier than others
· mature, playful, or unusual sense of humor.
These characteristics may be assets or liabilities in the school setting. The gifted child may or may not finish class assignments quickly and may be either well-behaved or disruptive. Many gifted pupils are “good students” and high achievers, but others, equally gifted, are not. Because of their diversity and individuality, there is no easy formula for the identification of gifted students or for developing programming and services to meet their varying needs.
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