This article focuses on cluster teachers' differentiation of their classroom instructional practices within an urban setting. Data were gathered from classroom observations of the learning task, questioning, and the classroom environment; ratings of observations using the "Classroom Instructional Practices Scale;" and interviews with…

The purpose of the present investigation was to analyze the measures used in a New Jersey Public School district for the assessment of giftedness among male and female Intermediate and Middle School children. In addition to gender, special education classification status was also evaluated as a variable. Educational data of 89 male and 60 female…

This study measured the relationships among three classroom creativity assessment procedures: (1) student and teacher rating of each other's performance, (2) two subtests from Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, and (3) judges' ratings of student-produced classroom products. (BRT)

The dimensionality of original thinking in gifted children was investigated using measures designed to control for the ideational fluency/originality confounding and for task ambiguity in 315 gifted fourth to sixth graders. Ss were instructed to give only one response on each originality task rather than to give as many as possible and were…

A debating program has been successful in developing issue resolution, research skills, and public speaking skills among gifted fifth and sixth graders. A high school debate program is modified to make it more manageable. (CL)

A beginning teacher of intermediate gifted students describes her experiences with a mentorship program involving seven preservice teacher trainees. Both students and mentors responded positively to the approach. (CL)

The study is described which compared school-related self-perceptions of ability of 29 gifted and 71 average-achieving intermediate students over a 2-year period. The Student's Perception of Ability Scale was administered at the beginning and end of grade 6 and at the end of grade 7. The scale contains six subscales: perception of general ability,…

An oceanography unit for gifted and talented fifth and sixth graders culminated in a trip to a marine institute that featured snorkeling, hiking, and visiting scientific labs. (CL)

Self concepts of 90 gifted and 90 high achieving normal students (grades four through six) were measured. Scores on the Piers Harris Children's Self Concept Scale were substantially lower for gifted Ss, independent of grade placement or time of measurement. (CL)

The study investigated comparable achievement of 75 academically gifted students (grades 4-6) in a self-contained 5-day per week class with 148 gifted students (grades 4-6) in a 1-day per week gifted program. The Ross Test of Higher Cognitive Processes measured higher cognitive skills in a pre- and post-test design, and the California Achievement…

A six-week unit in the study of poetry and the practice of poetics for gifted intermediate students is outlined with daily unit descriptions and information about the principles being applied. The unit results in a poetry anthology for publication. (CL)

A self-instructional unit on advanced astronomy concepts resulted in moderate to high growth in specific target skills for gifted students in grades five through eight. Most of the students expressed heightened interest in astronomy, and one-half elected to pursue advanced investigations in astronomical research. (CL)

Results of gifted fourth-sixth graders on the Structure of the Intellect Learning Abilities Test are analyzed in terms of the test's measure of five operations (evaluation, convergent production, divergent production, memory, and cognition). (CL)

Based on the typology of C. G. Jung, the authors conducted survey research on two populations of third, fourth, and fifth graders. Findings suggest that gifted students are predominantly intuitors and that in decision making there is a surprisingly high degree of feeling involved in terms of student attention to information processing. (Author/CL)

Reading attitude instruments were administered to 124 sixth-, seventh- , and eighth-grade students (gifted, average, or below average). Students were then classified with positive or negative reading attitudes and their responses analyzed. Classroom activities were suggested selecting reading materials, designing prereading activities, providing…