Date of Award
1-1-1992
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
Polly Peterson
Keywords
Identification, Intelligence Tests, K-BIT, Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Rating Scales, Gifted, Behavior Checklist, Limited English Speaking, Minority Groups, Matrix.
Abstract
This practicum aimed to increase the number of minority elementary students in prekindergarten through Grade 5 found eligible for placement in a gifted program by enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of screening instruments and by providing inservice training. The second goal was to increase the understanding of gifted characteristics and their relationship to eligibility by school staff. Four hands-on inservice training sessions were utilized to familiarize teachers, counselors, and administrators in each of the targeted schools with a preselected group of norm referenced screening instruments and characteristics common to gifted minority and limited English proficient children. The practicum also developed a matrix to assist the Child Study Team in its review of referral information and to help the region monitor the quality of gifted referral packets. Schools targeted for assistance had been documented as referring less than one percent of their total population during the previous year. High referring schools, those who had tested two percent or more also participated in the pilot screening program. Each school representative received copies of the K-BIT, the Gifted Evaluation Scale (Hawthrone Educational Service) and Self-Help/Social Profile Questionnaire (American Guidance Service). The number of students screened was monitored monthly by analyzing computerized reports and log sheets. Inservice training in the identification of potential minority gifted children was also offered to each of the targeted schools. All participants took a posttest after the workshop. Outcomes of this practicum were very positive. The criteria in each of the four objectives were reached successfully. The results strongly demonstrated that the number of gifted minority elementary students can be increased by using: a) a brief intelligence screener, b) a norm referenced gifted behavior checklist, c) a self-help/social questionnaire with Pk-1st graders, and d) providing inservice training on the characteristics of Black and Hispanic gifted students.