To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled: From Definitions to Practical Intervention Strategies - Softcover

Baum, Susan M.

 
9780936386591: To Be Gifted and Learning Disabled: From Definitions to Practical Intervention Strategies

Synopsis

The gifted and learning disabled child exhibits remarkable talents in some areas and disabling weakness in other. This book covers everything a classroom or enrichment teacher must know in order to address the needs of gifted youngsters, including identification, learning styles, and more.

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About the Author

Dr. Susan Baum is Professor of Education at the Graduate School of the College of New Rochelle where she teachers courses in elementary education and the education of gifted and talented students. She consults nationally and internationally, writing and researching in many areas of education, including differentiated curriculum and instruction, emotional needs of children, gifted education, gifted learning-disabled students, gifted underachieving students, and economically disadvantaged students. She has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children and is co-founder of the Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students.

Dr. Steven Owen serves as Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch as well as senior bio-statistician. Previously, he was professor of Educational Psychology teaching courses in research, statistics, human motivation, learning, and social cognition at the University of Connecticut.

From the Inside Flap

Students who are gifted, but who struggle with a learning disability or attention deficit are a strange paradox--they have special intellectual gifts, but are unsuccessful with certain basic learning tasks. Their potential is at great risk of going untapped and undeveloped because the major focus of educational intervention is on what these students do not know and cannot do rather than on nurturing their talents. These students require special attention, and it is vital that schools pay attention to the gifts as well as teh learning difficulties.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Anecdotal (and sometimes mythical) stories have told of people with crazy-quilt patterns of strengths and weaknesses. Only recently have we begun to study carefully people who have this curious mix of learning disabilities and gifts. It is becoming apparent that when the educational focus is on talent, dramatic changes occur in motivation, self-esteem, and behavior. Traditionally however, students who demonstrate a substantial discrepancy between performance and ability are diagnosed as learning-disabled. Once identified, learning-disabled students are provided with remediation in deficit areas with little or no attention given to strengths. In fact, the students diagnosed as learning disabled who also exhibit superior abilities are offered the same remedial menu as their average-ability, learning-disabled peers. Is the menu equally suitable for the two groups? Or do GLD (gifted learning disabled) students have unique characteristics which suggest alternate educ! ational practices?

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