Key Questions
- Why do culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse gifted students need special considerations in the identification process?
- Why do culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse students need special considerations for programming and curricular options?
Special Identification Considerations
Across the country, school districts continue to find it difficult to identify underrepresented gifted students from low socioeconomic status (SES) and English Language Learners (ELL) backgrounds. While the national funding through Javits grants has produced some promising practices, a review of the data shows that these gifted students are still underrepresented and underserved in programs designed for gifted students. Simply put, low SES and ELL students do not participate in gifted programs at rates that reflect their presence in the general school population. Why?
Barriers To The Identification
It has been established that teachers who have not been properly trained in identifying these special populations of gifted students often overlook these children completely. Once again the first barrier to identification may be the teacher who does not understand the culture, language, income, and environmental factors that impact low SES and ELL students.
As discussed in Week 2, student attractiveness, conduct, cumulative folder information, race/ethnicity, and social class were all related to teacher expectancies. From these types of research results comes the second barrier to the identification of gifted students from low SES and ELL backgrounds. Stereotypic notions based on socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity usually compromise the teacher’s first impression. This obviously results in less challenge and opportunities for our potentially gifted low SES and ELL students to “show what they know.”
In the same survey discussed last week that was conducted by the University of Georgia, 750 teachers identified the following barriers to the identification of these potentially gifted students from low SES and ELL backgrounds. Bias in standardized testing was #1 and was addressed in Week 2. Additionally, the following barriers were identified:
- teachers’ inability to recognize potential giftedness
- students’ nonstandard English and English Language Learners's proficiency
- differences in language experiences
- lack of stimulating environment
- use of narrow screening/selection process
Let’s now take a look at these other barriers to the identification and programming of gifted students from low income and ELL backgrounds.