A study explored perceptions of 43 students on benefits gained from participating in the Science Fair Summer Camp program in Fort Pierce, Florida. Benefits included the availability of equipment/technology, opportunities to interact with teachers and scientists, opportunities for research design, and opportunities actually to engage in the process…

Provides brief history of the German Gymnasium as a traditional European secondary school system with a preparatory function for higher education. Reviews the main goals of the gymnasium. Asks what role the gymnasium plays as a learning environment for gifted students. Discusses the politico-educational consequences and demands on the gymnasium.…

A summer course completed by 30 secondary students with high ability provided team-based, hands-on experience in the invention and design process. The group experiences are examined using three case studies. Implications of the course are analyzed with respect to group problem-solving by students with academic talents. (SW)

Two pilot tests with fifth and sixth graders evaluated the Secondary School Admission Test for identifying academically talented students of elementary school age. Testing indicated that mean scores for eighth and ninth grade normative samples are recommended as cutoffs for identifying highly able fifth and sixth grade students. (Author/JDD)

Reviews past studies of children's drawings and their relationship to academic ability. Discusses the use of Clark's Drawing Abilities Test with gifted and talented secondary students. Finds that the test can be used successfully to identify various ability levels among students. (CFR)

This article provides background information about distance learning, the rationale for it, descriptions of three distance learning programs designed specifically for gifted students, and the pros and cons of providing instruction using this method of delivery. The ability of distance learning to provide access to higher level coursework is…

The Chemistry/Physics Program at Evanston Township High School was designed to provide an environment for the rigorous teaching of advanced science and mathematics to accelerated students. This type of student makes up the bulk of students in the Advanced Placement Chemistry and Physics classes. However, there is a small number of students who…

The career aspirations and the factors influencing career decisions were investigated for a group of extremely precocious females to determine why some enter math/science careers and others do not. Using the multiple-case study approach, 15 mathematically precocious females' career paths were characterized. These females had scored before age 13…

The Self-Description Questionnaire-II (SDQ-II) was used to assess the self-concept of 148 very talented students during an intensive summer academic program. The domain of Physical Abilities was the only area in which students' mean scale scores were below the mean. In fact, a significant number of students (approximately one-third) scored two…

Loneliness has been implicated as a central causal factor in depression, suicide, social problems, physical illness and general maladjustment. To investigate the correlates of loneliness in gifted adolescents, 175 adolescents (aged 14-17) who had been separated from their homes to participate in a special academic program completed a battery of…

Critical reading and thinking abilities can be encouraged among average and above-average secondary school students through the study of literature. One approach is to give students a study sheet on the elements of the short story. The students should be led through the elements listed and given an opportunity to express their opinions about the…

This paper proposes a study of the writing performance of superior twelfth graders and college English majors in three types of discourse: expressive, explanatory, and persuasive. The primary purpose of the study is descriptive, though the results of the descriptive analysis will permit a comparison of twelfth graders' writing with college…

In the secondary school drama course at Phillips Exeter Academy (New Hampshire), the emphasis is upon group cooperation. Founded on the theories of Stanislavsky, teaching is directed toward a broad variety of skills in acting, directing, stage designing, and playwriting. The main focus of the program is on acting, which is taught in a sequence of…

A major goal of mathematics teaching is the involvement of students in the personal process of discovering mathematical ideas and formulating problems. The process of an inductive leap followed by a deductive argument is used in mathematics courses at Phillips Exeter Academy (New Hampshire). Mathematical problems are presented in which the givens…

This report on ability grouping or "streaming" in secondary schools is an overview of research on the subject done in schools in many different countries. Referring to an extensive bibliography, the author gives examples of conclusions reached through observation and experiment on the part of educators. The complexity of the subject is revealed by…