Name:

Shannon Woodson
Culturally Diverse Learners

General Description

IQ scores are often viewed

as inadequate measures of
giftedness. Motivation, high
self-concept, and creativity
are key qualities in many of
these broadened
conceptions of giftedness
(Reis)
Marland Report of 1972
gives support to the
multifaceted approach to
giftedness (Reis)
Majority culture
overrepresented in gifted
education (Reis)
Due to flawed identification
and selection processes
(Reis)
New selection processes
with attention to cultural
constructs and the use of a
broader field of
assessments will yield
admission to gifted
education for groups that
have been traditionally
underrepresented (Reis)
3545 minority students
scores in the top 5% of the
American College Test
Assessment (1988) with the
following results for minority
student responders:
-9% that scored above the
95th percentile or a
composite score of 28
identified as a minority with
great variation in ethnic
breakdown in scores.
-Nearly 14% of Asian
Americans achieved a 95th
percentile score

Special population of Gifted Learners:

Untraditional
Characteristics

AA frequently lack
success, drop out of,
or choose not to
participate in gifted
education for
reasons ranging
from low teacher
expectations, lack of
motivation, fear of
separation from
peers, perception
that gifted ed is the
wrong place for
AA students
(Henfield, Moore
and Wood, 2008,
434).
For AA students,
gifted often is
equivalent to
whiteness
(Henfield, Moore
and Wood, 2008,
434).
AA students
disengage from
academics and deny
their giftedness
(Henfield, Moore,
and Wood, 2008,
434).
Gifted AA students
often face peer
rejection (Henfield,
Moore, and Wood,
2008, 439).
Although teachers
expected them to
gravitate towards
the role of leader to
AA in their schools,
they shunned that

Special Needs of
Population

African American
students must deal
with the extra layer of
racial identity on top
of their giftedness.
They have to sort
through acting white
vs. acting black.
(Henfield, Moore, and
Wood, 2008, 440).
Benefits of gifted
education reported by
AA students:
-rigor: the challenging
curriculum offered by
gifted education was
appreciated by all of
the students
-qualities of their
teachers were
mentioned as
influences on their
lives (promoted
independence, overt
encouragement)
-appreciated the
placement with
equally skilled peers
-opportunity to
prepare for future
challenges (Henfield,
Moore and Wood,
2008, 443-444).
Student centered,
culturally responsive
classrooms (Ford,
2013)
Model MinorityAsian American
students may not ask
for it even when they
need help. They keep

Methods/strategie
s to address
those needs

Application of
talent development
in a school wide
model would reach
underrepresented
populationsSchoolwide
Enrichment Model
(Reis)
Seeks to apply
strategies used in
gifted programs to
the entire school
population.
Emphasizes talent
devt. in all
students through a
variety of
acceleration and
enrichment
strategies (Reis)
Specialists in gifted
education have
expertise in
adjusting the
regular curriculum
to meet the needs
of advanced
students in a
variety of ways
(Reis)
Shift the focus to
talent development
(potential) as a
part of the
definition of gifted
in recognition to
the barriers that
many diverse
students face as a
result of their life
experiences. (Ford

Reflection what from

the research
surprised me

As of 2005, approx. 45% of

students were culturally
different (Ford, 2020, 51).
Teacher demographics
have remained relatively
unchanged: 83% White,
75% Female (Ford, 2010,
51).
I knew that the teaching
profession was very white
and very female but
because I work at the high
school level, my
perceptions were skewed.
There are many more men
working at the secondary
level so I thought that the
number of men would be
higher than it was. Also, I
thought that we have
reached a greater level of
diversity than 17%!! That
is shockingly low. It leads
me to wonder about the
economic forces at work
that may be pushing
college bound minority
students away from the
profession because of the
lack of a lucrative future
after graduation. Many
minority students may
(probably?) face college
loans to repay and the
relatively low starting pay
of a teacher in comparison
to other professions may
be a driving force away
from it.
Challenging myself with
any stereotypes, deficit

Name:
Shannon Woodson
Culturally Diverse Learners

-Underrepresented groups
included
Blacks (.8%)
Native Americans (.3%)
Mexican Americans (.7%)
Hispanics (.7%)
-The above groups coincide
with local low SES which
often indicates quality of
local educational
opportunity (Colangelo,
1992, 607)
Underrepresentation of
diverse students in gifted
education is due to deficit
thinking- educators hold
negative, stereotypical and
counterproductive views
about culturally diverse
students and lower
expectations accordingly.
(Ford and Grantham, 2003,
217)
US Dept of Ed noted that
Black, Hispanic and Native
American students are
underrepresented in gifted
education (Ford and
Grantham, 2003, 217)
Number of diverse students
in gifted education does not
match their enrollment. Ex:
Black students represented
16.2% of public school
students in 1993 but only
8.4% of gifted students.
Hispanics were 8.4% of
students but only 4.7% of
gifted (Ford and Grantham,
2003, 217)
More than 90% of schools
use test scores for
placement. Effective for
white students, they are
less effective at identifying
culturally diverse students.

Special population of Gifted Learners:

notion (Henfield,
Moore and Wood,
2008, 439).
Negative perception
towards intelligence
and positive
academic attitudes
and behaviors can
be internalized by
AA students
(Henfield,
Washington and
Owens, 2010, 19).
Asian Americans are
perceived as
overrepresented
in gifted education.
Often viewed as a
single group while
actually quite
diverse SES. 3.8%
total US population
but will be fastest
growing portion by
2050 (Gentry and
Yoon, 2009, 121).
Asian Americans
represented as the
model minority
because attain
relatively high levels
of education and of
economic success
as compared to
other minorities
(Gentry and Yoon,
2009, 122).
However, success
drawn from samples
of Chinese,
Japanese, Korean
and Filipino
contributing to a
stereotype of all
Asians. Does not
address diversity

problems secret and

reluctant to talk to
others. Fear failure
and do not accept
poor performance
(Gentry and Yoon,
2009, 123).
Diverse students
need their culture
(values and customs)
acknowledged,
respected, and
affirmed. Maslow- in
order to reach
potential, we must
have needs met. This
includes safety,
belonging, identity
and esteem. For
diverse gifted children
to develop optimally,
they must be
challenged and
appreciated (Ford,
2004, 27).
Psychological needs:
-recognizing that they
are gifted
-establishing an
identity with their own
cultural group
-making social
adjustments between
their own culture and
the dominant culture
-coping with peer
pressure which
discourages success in
the majority culture
-dealing with possible
weakness in verbal
and semantic skills
(Abel)
If the particular gifted
students abilities and
interests are not

and Grantham,
2003, 219)
Include non-verbal
testing in the
screening process
for gifted
education.
Considered less
culturally loaded so
diverse students
fair better on
these. (Ford and
Grantham, 2003,
220).
Provide training for
educators on
multicultural
education to
increase
recruitment and
retention of
culturally diverse
students into gifted
education. (Ford
and Grantham,
2003, 221).
Training should
provided so that
school personnel
reaches a point of
Deliberate
Sensitivity on
cultural differences
indicating a level of
cultural awareness
and competence.
This does not come
naturally and
requires training.
Training would
eliminate the
underrepresentatio
n,
misinterpretation
of test results that
create the gap in

thinking or preconceived
ideas about race and
ability has to become a
priority in my classroom. A
key idea that I read was
Important to recognize
that how a student
communicates is not a
determinant of their
interest in education or
their academic ability.
Ex: choice in music!! Music
may glorify antiintellectualism but that
doesnt mean the student
doesnt want to be
successful. (Henfield,
Washington, Owens, 2010,
23). I think we make these
judgements all the time as
teachers. We meet a
student, hear them speak
in casual conversation with
their peers, see how they
dress, how they interact
and we make judgements
about their aspirations and
attitudes and that is not
fair. I know that I have
found myself surprised
after the first test in my
class several times
because I have prejudged
a students abilities based
on these very things. This
is a growth area for me.

I also know that I need to

work on how to better
handle race related issues
in my classroom. Already
this year I have had an
uncomfortable exchange
between students involving
the Black Lives Matter
movement while I was

Name:
Shannon Woodson
Culturally Diverse Learners

(Ford and Grantham, 2003,

219)
Teachers use the behavior
of white students as the
norm to compare diverse
students and deviations
from this perceived norm
are unlikely to result in
referrals to gifted
education=underrepresente
d groups. (Ford and
Grantham, 2003, 221).
Deficit thinking by teachers
is internalized by students
and they sabotage their
own achievement. Students
take on a role like class
clown, or athlete to hide
their abilities, refuse to
participate in gifted
programs, succumb to
negative peer pressure
about being smart. (Ford
and Grantham, 2003, 223)
AA students represent a
largely untapped reservoir
of potential that if nurtured
can help meet the nations
need for a more qualified,
talented work force
(Henfield, Moore, Wood,
2008, 435).
Deficit thinking focuses on
student shortcomings to the
exclusion of their strengths.
(Henfield, Moore and Wood,
2008, 439).
Black students represent
19% of public schools that
offer gifted ed but only 10%
of gifted enrollment.
Hispanic students represent
25% of public schools that
offer gifted ed but only 16%
of gifted enrollment. (Amos,

Special population of Gifted Learners:

within the group.

(Gentry and Yoon,
2009, 122-123).
Dimensions of
Cultural Diversity
that can impact the
classroom and
manifest as a
variety of student
needs. These are
often the source of
misunderstands:
-Different ideas of
personal identity
spanning a range of
alternatives:
individualism to
collectivism
-Levels of
responsibility:
Personal
(particularism) or
Social (universalism)
-Concept of time:
Monochronic where
time is a commodity
and it is limited or
Polychronic where
time is endless.
-Locus of control:
Internal (individual)
or External
(outside).
-Styles of
communication:
Indirect (avoid
confrontation), High
context (often nonverbal), direct
(explicitly verbal),
low context (verbal)
(Ford, Milner, Moore,
2005)
Diverse students
may exhibit the
following

synchronous with
subgroup values, then
the child must face the
problems of gaining
acceptance of his or
her giftedness by both
society and by
members of the
subgroup (Johnsen,
2011, 15).
These students have
complicated needs.
Family Related Issues,
School Related Issues
and
Sociopsychological
issues can lead to
underachievement
(Culturally and
Linguistically Diverse
Students)

gifted education
services. (Ford and
Grantham, 2003,
222).
Schools need to
have adequate
support so that
communication
between culturally
diverse families
and the school can
be provided. (Ford
and Grantham,
2003, 222).
Educators must
support the socialemotional health of
diverse gifted
students because
their needs are
different and
complicated. (Ford
and Grantham,
2003, 223).
Professional
Development
Training in
activities that
increase awareness
in the potential of
African American
students (Henfield,
Moore and Wood,
2008, 446).
Teachers should
improve studentteacher
relationships to
reduce bias and
deficit thinking
(Henfield, Moore
and Wood, 2008,
446).
Professional
Development and
multicultural

teaching about Civil Rights

and civil disobedience.
Again, this is an area that I
need to work on and need
to seek out Professional
Development
opportunities. Because
Pope is not a very
environment, I need to
work even harder to make
sure students of diverse
backgrounds feel safe and
secure in my classroom
and free to express their
thoughts and perspectives.

I thought the reading on

the dimensions of cultural
diversity was really
interesting because it
brought to light how easy it
is as a teacher to create an
environment based on your
own cultural norms and
preferences that is very
uncomfortable and at
times, confusing, for
culturally diverse students.
Again, this leads me to a
point of reflection about
my practices. Why do I
have the policies about
homework, late work and
make up work that I do
(perception of time)? How
do I require students to
speak in my class
(communication)? Not to
say expectations are not
good but reflecting on the
why and being culturally
responsive is very
powerful.

Name:
Shannon Woodson
Culturally Diverse Learners

Ford, Moore, and Scott,

2013, 205).
Microaggressions play a
significant role in
contributing to the problems
associated with recruiting
and retaining Black and
Hispanic students in gifted
programs (Amos, Ford,
Moore and Scott, 2013,
205).
Microaggressions-brief and
commonplace daily verbal,
behavioral, and/or
environmental indignities,
intentional and
unintentional that
communicate hostile,
derogatory or negative
racial slights and insults
toward racially different
individuals or groups.
(Amos, Ford, Moore and
Scott, 2013, 205).
Nonverbal tests way of
identifying children for
gifted ed who might
otherwise be excluded and
shows children who great
potential for academic
achievement b/c of ability
(Wilson)
Nonverbal testing is method
of test not type of thinking
and does not mean
instruction should or must
be nonverbal (Wilson)
Use of Nonverbal testing will
broaden access for students
from culturally diverse
backgrounds (Wilson)
Diverse students bring to
the educational table traits,
personalities, and
experiences that do not
always fit into the mold of

Special population of Gifted Learners:

characteristics:
-fluency in
nonverbal
communication
-learning quickly
through experience
-responding well to
visual media
-mature sense of
humor
-responsiveness to
the concrete
-specific talent areas
-discrepant verbal
and performance
abilities (i.e. WISC-R
or Stanford Binet
Scales)
-vulnerable of social
relationships
(Abel)
Culturally different
refers to gifted
students from
specific ethnic
groups: Hispanics,
African Americans,
Native Americans
and Asian
Americans.
(Johnsen, 2011, 15).
Torrance (1969)
suggested 18
creative positives
that may be helpful
in identifying
culturally different
youth indicating that
a multifaceted
approach should be
used to screen for
culturally diverse
gifted candidates.
Examples:
-ability to express
feelings and
emotions;

coursework
required to
eliminate
microaggressions
in gifted education
(Amos, Ford,
Moore, Scott, 2013,
208).
Conduct an audit
to maximize
opportunities to
serve students
from
underrepresented
groups:
Environment,
Identification and
instruction
(McCullough)
Make the following
three things your
priority:
1) Promote an
educational
environment
which values
diversity and
the success of
all, and makes
it a priority.
2) Accept that
there is great
diversity in
being gifted
and the way it
looks. Provide
multiple paths,
both formal
and informal
to
identification.
3) Recognize that
no single type
of delivery
model will
serve all gifted

Name:
Shannon Woodson
Culturally Diverse Learners

traditional programs for the

gifted (Baldwin, 2002, 140).
Advocates who have looked
beyond the IQ test and who
have followed a belief that
giftedness exists in many
guises that cannot always
be measured by a test have
brought diverse students of
high potential into the
programs for gifted
(Baldwin, 2002, 141).
Education must be culturally
responsive-teachers must
proactively and assertively
work to understand, respect
and meet the needs of
students who come from
cultural backgrounds
different from their own.
(Ford, 2010, 50)
Perception of gifted different
depending on different
countries and different
within the United States
(same students were
evaluated using different
criteria by different people)
(Freeman, 2005, 2).
Cultural conceptions set up
barriers to the development
of high level potential
especially if that potential is
not in the curricular
mainstream (Freeman,
2005, 3).
From earliest childhood, the
gifted leader is supposed to
show enthusiasm, easy
communication, problem
solving skills, humour, self
control, and
conscientiousness, as well
as very high intelligence.
But of course, the student

Special population of Gifted Learners:

expressive speech
-ability in visual arts
-richness of imagery
in informal language
-originality of ideas
in problem solving
-ability to improvise
with common place
materials and
objects
(Johnsen, 2011, 17)
May resist
conformity of social
norms due to
cultural beliefs
languages or family
traditions and
pressures from their
peers or
socioeconomic
pressures (Culturally
and Linguistically
Diverse Students)
Unique cultural
backgrounds
influence how learn
best
Example: research
supports that Native
American students
work well in groups,
are strong
mediators, and
communicate
effectively, and are
resourceful, value
oral tradition. Using
this information to
best adjust
instruction and
respect tradition in
classroom will
optimize student
success. (Culturally
and Linguistically
Diverse Students)

students
effectively, but
the curriculum
should be
modified
through the
content,
process,
learning
environment
or product to
accommodate
gifted learners
from these
groups.
(McCullough)
Culturally
Responsive
classrooms
acknowledge the
legitimacy of the
cultural heritage of
different groups,
builds bridges of
relevance between
home, community
and school, uses a
range of
instructional
strategies that
connect to different
learning styles and
needs, teachers
students to know
and respect their
own cultural
heritage, and
incorporates
multicultural
information and
materials. (Ford,
2013, 52).
Encourage
administrators to
hire a diverse staff
(Ford, 2004, 28).

Name:
Shannon Woodson
Culturally Diverse Learners

are not being offered

leadership tutoring, per se,
but leadership within the
perceived moral structure.
(Freeman, 2005, 3).
Those who respond in the
way of the dominant
morality are more likely to
be chosen gifted (Freeman,
2005, 4).
Contributing variables to
(underrepresentation of
Blacks, Hispanics and
Native Americans in gifted
education) include testing
issues, teacher referral
issues, social issues, and
identity issues as well as
issues surrounding policies
and procedures that have a
disparate impact in diverse
students. Decision makers
fail to acknowledge,
understand and affirm
cultural differences among
students (Ford, Milner and
Moore, 2005, 97-98).
The exclusive use of
standardized tests as
identification tools which
reflect the middle class
learning styles, majority
values and do not reflect
exceptional abilities,
experiences, cultural styles,
and values of minority
students results in the
underrepresentation of
minority students in gifted
education (Abel)
The gifted culturally diverse
share high intelligence,
creativity, and need to be
provided opportunities to
develop talent just like
others that have been

Special population of Gifted Learners:

Provide gifted
diverse students a
mentor with similar
interests (Ford,
2004, 28).
Implications for
gifted education:
-actively seek to
increase the
representation of
diverse students in
gifted education
-increase their
referral of diverse
students for gifted
education
screening and
placement
-ensure that
culture is reflected
in definitions,
theories, and
research on gifted
-commitment to
equity may
increase
-work more
diligently and
conscientiously to
provide a learning
environment that is
culturally
responsive
-educators,
students and
families work to
have a more
positive and
productive
relationship
-educators develop
more confidence in
dealing with racerelated issues and
incidents in school
settings through

Name:
Shannon Woodson
Culturally Diverse Learners
deemed gifted. (Culturally
And Linguistically Gifted)

Special population of Gifted Learners:

training
-educators expand
their efforts to
increase diversity
of their staff
(Ford, Milner and
Moore, 2005)

Connection how can you meet the needs of this special group in your classroom? The most important way to
meet the needs of these students in my classroom is to broaden my base of knowledge. I need to better understand their
cultures, values and expectations so that there are not miscommunications or disconnects in my classroom because of
misinformation or a lack of understanding on my part. Building personal relationships with my students will help with this
area as well. The better I get to know my students as individuals, the more I can learn from them and integrate their
needs into my best practices.

Abel, T., Diket, R. Atypical Gifted Learners and Their Characteristics (William Carrey College of Education Handouts PDF files) Retrieved
from Online Website: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED386903.pdf.
Amos, S., Ford, D., Moore, J., & Scott, M.T. (2013) Gifted Education and Culturally Different Students: examining prejudice and
discrimination via microaggressions. Gifted Child Today, 36 (3), 205-208.
Baldwin, Alexinia Y. (2002) Culturally Diverse Students Who are Gifted. Exceptionality, 10 (2), 139-145.
Colangelo, N., Christensen, P., Kerr, B., & Maxey, J. (1992) Characteristics of Academically Talented Minority Students. Journal of
Counseling and Development, 70, 606-609.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Gifted Students: do they fall between the cracks? (Power Point Slides)Retrieved from Online Web
Site: https://www.murraystate.edu/Libraries/College_of_Education/Culturally%20and%20Linguistically%20Diverse%20GT.ppt.

Name:
Shannon Woodson
Culturally Diverse Learners

Special population of Gifted Learners:

Ford, Donna. (2004) A Challenge for Culturally Diverse Families of Gifted children: forced choices between achievement or affiliation.
Gifted Child Today, 27 (3), 26-27.
Ford, Donna Y. (2010) Culturally responsive Classrooms: affirming culturally different gifted students. Gifted Child Today, 33 (1), 50-53.
Ford, D., Grantham, T. (2003) Providing Access for Culturally Diverse Gifted Students: from deficit to dynamic thinking. Theory and
Practice, 42 (3), 217-225.
Ford, D., Milner, H.R., & Moore, J. (2005) Beyond Cultureblindness: a model of culture with implications for gifted education. Roeper
Review, 27 (2), 97-103.
Freeman, J. (2005) Permission to be gifted: how conceptions of giftedness can change lives, in R. Sternberg and J. Davidson, Conceptions
of Giftedness, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (pp 80-97)
Gentry, M., Yoon, S.Y. (2009) Racial and Ethical Representation in Gifted Programs. Gifted Child Quarterly, 52 (2), 121-136.
Hallam, A. Duality in consumer theory [PDF document]. Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Web site:
http://www.econ.iastate.edu/classes/econ501/Hallam/index.html
Henfield, M., Moore, J., & Wood, C. (2008) Inside and Outside Gifted Education Programming: hidden challenges for African American
students. Exceptional Children, 74 (4), 433-450.
Henfield, M., Washington, A., & Owens, D. (2010) To Be or Not to Be Gifted. Gifted Child Today, 32 (2), 17-25.
Johnsen, Susan K. (2011). Definitions, Models, and Characteristics of Gifted Students, in Jennifer Robin (Eds.), Identifying Gifted Students:
A Practical Guide, Waco, TX: Prufrock Press (pp1-21)
McCullough, P. Carol. How Can My Gifted Program Improve the Identification and Instruction of Students from Underrepresented Groups?
(Handout)
Reis, Sally M. Reflections on the Education of Gifted and Talented Students in the Twentieth Century: Milestones in the Development of
Talents and Gifts in young People. Retrieved from http://gifted.uconn.edu/schoolwide-enrichmentmodel/education_gt_students_20th_century/

Name:
Shannon Woodson
Culturally Diverse Learners

Special population of Gifted Learners:

Wilson, A. Traditional IQ: 100 Years of Misconception and Its Relationship to Minority Representation in Gifted Programs (Power Point
Slides)