Common Gifted Education Myths

Myths and Truths About Gifted Education

In Wake County there are three ways of identifying gifted students - AIG (Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted), IG (Intellectually Gifted), and AG (Academically Gifted).  All of these students qualify for gifted services.  And the way they are all served is exactly the same.  The only difference is in what data was used to identify them for gifted services.  

Just like SPED and ESL students, AIG direct service is only provided to students who qualify through testing and/or a student work portfolio.  AIG services provide an appropriately challenging educational program for students who perform, or show potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to others of their age, experience, or environment. Academically or intellectually gifted students exhibit high performance capability in intellectual areas, specific academic fields, or in both intellectual areas and specific academic fields.

Each week at Turner Creek ES the AIG teacher has the opportunity to work directly with the AIG students on different enrichment and extension opportunities.  Everything is based on the grade level curriculum and standards.  During this time, the AIG students also get the opportunity to interact closely with their AIG peers in the AIG classroom.

This is done through small pull-out groups that are held during the independent rotation block of their Math and/or ELA blocks.  

Students who come to AIG should not miss anything in their general education classroom.  AIG becomes their small group for that day.  The classroom teachers should adjust their lesson requirements so that AIG students do not miss out on needed learning opportunities while at AIG.  

AIG small groups are held once a week for 45 minutes in math and once a week for 45 minutes in ELA.  )Transition time is apart of this 45 minutes.)

AIG service starts in third grade when students are identified. The identification process starts with formal testing. The county screens all third grade students using the CogAT and Iowa Assessments.  Testing helps schools better determine which students are performing, or showing the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of achievement when compared to others of their same age. 

Testing guides our decisions.  It does not determine our decisions.

Students who qualify for AIG do not have go through the AIG identification process again.  

It is possible for students to be identified as gifted before third grade.  This typically happens when a family brings outside testing results to their teacher and the AIG teacher.  If the results indicate the student is gifted and AIG services are needed a plan is created for that student.  In WCPSS gifted students in K-2 do not receive direct instruction from the AIG teacher.  They  receive the benefit of the AIG teacher collaborating with their grade level teacher on in class learning opportunities. 

AIG teachers provide two types of service to our AIG students - Direct and Indirect.  

Direct AIG Service (Provided to identified students in grades 3-5.)

Math Small Groups - These occur  once a week for 45 minutes.  The group is made of AIG students.

Reading Small Groups -These occur  once a week for 45 minutes.  The group is made of AIG students.

The county expects AIG teachers to meet with students every week.  This should add up to 8-9 sessions per quarter.

Indirect AIG Service 

(Provided to identified students in grades 3-5 AND high achieving students in K-2.)

The AIG teachers collaborate with the classroom teachers during planning blocks and PLT meetings.  The goal is to collaborate on learning opportunities that will occur during core instructional blocks.