Disadvantaged gifted learners do not generally have the family or community resources to "make it on their own." This population of learners has the greatest need for programs and services that can help optimize their human potential and has the greatest risk of being forgotten in the context of both gifted and general education.
—VanTassel-Baska 1998, Excellence in Educating Gifted and Talented Learners
Two special populations of gifted who have received significant attention in the last 15 years are those who come from low socioeconomic status (SES) and English Language Learner (ELL) backgrounds. This week we will be looking at the challenges associated with identifying these gifted students through traditional standardized testing. Alternative methods of identification are discussed with ideas for meeting the special needs of these two populations.