Academic Talent

Educators in the field of gifted education have as a primary goal serving academically talented students. Early research in the field by Lewis Terman, Leta Hollingworth, Virgil Ward, and Howard Gardner first drew attention to the specific characteristics and needs of academically talented students. Research in the field today continues to focus on academically talented students.

Academic talent can best be described using Joseph Renzulli's three ring conception of giftedness (see Figure 1). The terms schoolhouse giftedness and creative-productive giftedness are used to differentiate two types within the gifted population. According to Renzulli, schoolhouse giftedness manifests itself in students' test-taking abilities, products, and general academic performance in school. Academic talent is most valued in the traditional school setting; students who perform well in all coursework, exhibit teacher-pleasing behaviors, and conform to the norms of the school are easily recognized as academically talented. The challenge for educators is to recognize academic [Page 7]talent in the students who are withdrawn, rebellious, or otherwise demonstrate problem behaviors in the classroom.

Renzulli contrasts schoolhouse giftedness with creative-productive giftedness, arguing that creative productivity is more difficult to measure because of the varying ways students can show this type of talent. The more traditional school-house giftedness is in some ways easier to identify and measure because educators have historically been trained to encourage academic talent. Renzulli points out that the characteristics and abilities required for exceptional performance on traditional aptitude tests are exactly the abilities required of students to excel in traditional school settings. Students who possess academic talent can therefore out-perform their fellow students who do not possess traditional academic abilities, but rather creative-productive abilities.

Characteristics of Academically Talented Students

Heterogeneity characterizes the population of academically talented students; no one talented child will be the same as another, making it difficult for educators to identify talent in some cases. Some possible characteristics that educators should be aware of include the following: asynchronous development; multiple interests; emotional sensitivity; perfectionism.

Students who are able to achieve exceptional scores on standardized tests, including IQ tests such as the Stanford-Binet, are likely to be academically talented. Their ability to perform well on tasks that require higher-level thinking implies high academic ability and potential. A student who is able to perform at a high level on tests, projects, assignments, and general participation in the classroom can be considered academically talented. It is [Page 8]important for educators to be aware of the myriad ways in which a child can be identified as academically talented. Identification does not rest solely on a child's IQ score, academic performance, or behavior in a classroom; it can be one, all, or any combination of these factors.

Figure 1 Three Ring Conception of Giftedness

Source: J. S. Renzulli.

Joyce VanTassel-Baska provides a comprehensive view of the academically talented student, describing specific learning needs, the importance of instilling self-discipline within the talented student, and the often nontraditional paths of thinking utilized. In addition, her research shows that chronological age is not an important factor to consider when determining appropriate learning experiences for academically talented students; they often possess the precocity and maturity to learn more complex material at a faster rate than their age peers.

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