LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD: ACHIEVING PROPORTIONAL GIFTED REPRESENTATION THROUGH OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND NONVERBAL ASSESSMENTS

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Michael Elder (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Administrators in school systems strive to ensure that the identification of giftedness in \nelementary students results in proportional demographic representation. Overly stringent or \nbiased gifted identification results in deserving students receiving fewer opportunities-to-learn\nand exacerbates the excellence gap. My aim in this action research for transformation project \nwas to utilize three complementary perspectives on the continuum of giftedness to generate a \nmore representative pool of students who will be further screened and potentially offered the \nopportunity to participate in the gifted education programming in East Carolina County Schools. \nOne perspective was provided by a nonverbal identification instrument, another perspective by \nthe nonverbal form of a well-established test of academic ability, and the third perspective by a \nscience-oriented, classroom-based instructional program. Teachers of Grade 3 and Grade 4 and \ntheir students at a rural, low socio-economic, and diverse elementary school participated in this \nthree-month, school-based intervention to achieve proportional representation of Black and \nHispanic students among those accepted into the gifted education program.\nAs a result of my study, several modifications to current practice have been suggested \nand key questions for future research emerged. The combined role of one nonverbal assessment \nalong with teacher observations proved partially effective. By further adding the identification of \nthe top 10% in demographic groups, my study showed promise to achieving the goal of a truly \nlevel playing field.

Additional Information

Publication

Dissertation

Language: English

Date: 2023

Subjects

Gifted, Talented, Underrepresentation, Nonverbal assessments, Opportunities to learn

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