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Here is a term paper on ‘Gifted Children’. Find paragraphs, long and short term papers on ‘Gifted Children’ especially written for school and college students.
Term Paper Contents:
- Term Paper on the Meaning and Definition of Gifted Children
- Term Paper on the Characteristics of Gifted Children
- Term Paper on the Identification of Gifted Children
- Term Paper on the Problems of Gifted Children
- Term Paper on Educational Provisions for Gifted Children
Term Paper # 1. Meaning and Definition of Gifted Children:
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The term ‘gifted’ and ‘talented’ are used interchangeably. The gifted child shows his excellence in performing some special tasks their behaviour in classroom is above average or very high. The psychologists have identified gifted children on the basis of I.Q. J.P. Guilford in his theory of ‘Structure of Intellect’ has given 120 abilities. If a child shows the best on anyone ability is known as gifted child. The giftedness refers to mental ability of a child.
The term ‘giftedness’ has been defined by the psychologists in various ways. They have started the term with help of intelligent quotient, social potentialities or social efficiency and also statistically.
Some of the important definitions of ‘giftedness’ have been stated as follows:
According to W.B. Kolesnik, “The term gifted has been applied to every child who, in his group, is superior in some ability which may make him an outstanding contribution to the welfare and quality living in our society.”
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According to Prem Pasricha, “The gifted child is the one who exhibits superiority in intelligence or the one who is in possession of special abilities of high order in the field which are not necessarily associated with high intelligent quotient.”
According to Havighurst, “The talented or gifted child is one who shows constantly remarkable performance or outstanding behaviour in any worthwhile endeavour.”
According to Terman and Witty, “The gifted children that Terman and Witty studied is, “Superior in physical development, educational achievement, intelligent and social personality.”
According to Simpton and Lucking, “The gifted children are those who possess a superior central nervous system characterized by the potential to perform tasks requiring a comparatively high degree of intellectual obstruction of creative imagination of both, are called gifted child”.
According to Lucito, “The gifted are those children whose potential, intellectual powers and abilities are at such as high ideational level in both productive and evaluative thinking that it can be reasonably assumed that they could by future problem solvers, innovators and evaluators of the culture if adequate educational experiences are provided to them.”
Term Paper # 2. Characteristics of Gifted Children
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In the above definitions of ‘giftedness’, psychologists have enumerated the following general characteristics:
1. The giftedness is upper extreme on the normal distribution of any trait e.g. social, mental and aptitude.
2. A gifted child is one who shows remarkable and outstanding performance in any worthwhile task.
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3. He possesses a superior central nervous system high degree of intellectual, creative and imagination.
4. A gifted child makes outstanding contribution to the welfare, quality of living and our society.
5. Gifted child possesses high ideational level in productive and evaluative thinking.
6. He is problem solver, innovators and evaluators of cultural and educational experiences.
These characteristics may be classified into the following three categories:
(a) Intellectual characteristics,
(b) Personality characteristics, and
(c) Social characteristics.
Positive Characteristics of Gifted Children:
They possess positive qualities some are as follow:
(a) Intellectual Characteristics:
The following are intellectual characteristics:
i. The gifted children have better ability to organize, analyse, memorise, and synthesize reason out things.
ii. Have extensive rapidity in learning and comprehension.
iii. Quick and clear self-expressions.
iv. Good in abstract thinking and good insight.
v. Good imagination power-use original ideas.
vi. Better understanding and comprehensive power.
vii. Keen and accurate observation power-can note minute details.
viii. Rich Vocabulary.
ix. Good common sense and good general knowledge.
x. Generally better in Science and Arithmetic.
xi. Possess broad span of attention.
xii. May be good in on or moral then specific ability like music, art, science etc.
xiii. Varied and wide interests.
xiv. I.Q. above 125 (according to Davidson and Goddard), 130 + (according to Hollingsworth) and 140 + (according to Terman).
(b) Personality Characteristics:
The following are specific personality characteristics of gifted children:
i. Have better ability to adjust, organize, analyse and synthesize things.
ii. Sometimes show emotional-unstability also,
iii. Better planning capacity,
iv. Have lack of recognition of their potentialities,
v. Feel boredom in classroom,
vi. May participate actively in discussion,
vii. More found of questioning,
viii. May be popular,
ix. General superior personality,
x. Superior character,
xi. More humourous, cheerful and generous,
xii. Have friends on higher age and of class,
xiii. Sincere and dutiful,
xiv. High achievers in class,
xv. Possesses high character.
xvi. Possesses good physical health.
(c) Social Characteristics:
The following are the specific social characteristics of children:
i. They are socially well mature,
ii. They are popular in his group,
iii. They are responsible in performing their duties or assigned work,
iv. They have quality of leadership,
v. They have the capacity to be socially useful and intermingle to other,
vi. They are humours and honest or great trust worthiness,
vii. They are democratic and less autocratic, and
viii. They possess high moral qualities.
Negative Characteristics of Gifted Children:
They possess some negative qualities which are as follows:
i. May be restless, inattentive and disturbing.
ii. May be coned isolated and neglected, if their potentialities are not paid due attention.
iii. Becomes lazy if they find the school curriculum unchallenging to them, and does not take interest in school academic activities.
iv. May be indifferent to class-work when not interested.
v. May become outspoken and sensitive temperament.
vi. It shows egoistic and jealous behaviour,
vii. It is generally careless and poor in spellings and handwriting.
viii. May not like the school curriculum which is for normal.
Term Paper # 3. Identification of Gifted Children
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The identification of gifted children had been discussed in two aspects:
(A) Need of identification, and
(B) Basis of identifying gifted children.
(A) Need of Identification of Gifted Children:
Sammual A. Krik has rightly stated that several gifted children remain undeveloped and their potentialities are not properly utilized by the society because they have not been identified in schools. There is no provision for them for special education. They are taught along normal children in schools. The curriculum has been designed in view of needs of average students. In democracy gifted children are asset to the nation as well as to society. There is need to identify such children.
Two methods are commonly used:
i. Informal method or observation method is used by teachers and parents and
ii. Formal or Testing method is used by teacher’s guides and counsellors. The intelligence tests are employed for this purpose.
(B) Basis of Identifying Gifted Children:
The following qualities and behaviours are the basis for identifying gifted children.
A gifted child-
i. Learns rapidly and easily
ii. Uses a lot of common sense and practical knowledge
iii. Thinks clearly and recognizes complex relationships and comprehends meaning easily
iv. Good memory makes less use of rote drill, better under
v. Better general knowledge
vi. Good in language
vii. Can read books that are one to two years in advance of the rest of the class
viii. Performs difficult mental tasks
ix. Has more curiosity
x. Possesses wide range of interests
xi. Is keen observer and good vocabulary
xii. Is quick in reaction and language proficiency
xiii. Uses original but unusual methods or ideas
xiv. Has high intelligence
xv. Has better concentration and attention, and
xvi. Interest in and liking for books.
Procedure of Identifying Gifted Children:
The formal method is most appropriate for identifying such children.
The commonly used procedures are as follows:
1. By administrating intelligence tests may be verbal, non-verbal and performance.
2. By administering, achievement, tests and scholastic tests.
3. By observing cumulative and academic record.
4. By collecting observations and opinion of teachers parents, friends and neighbour.
5. By the participation in co-curricular activities of schools and social functions.
Term Paper # 4.
Problems of Gifted Children:
The gifted children have their own problems which are related to their adjustment in different areas of life.
1. Problem of adjustment in family
2. Adjustment in school
3. Adjustment in society
4. Mental adjustment
5. Teaching and unsuitable curriculum, and
6. In case their giftedness is not recognized they may become perverted intelligent. They may show hostile attitude and fell themselves as rejected unwanted and isolated. They may develop inferiority complex and insecurity.
7. It the classroom work is easy for them they may not take interest, and therefore may feel boredom in class. They may become truant or may use daydreaming or fantasy for the work of higher level.
8. If they do not get proper guidance they may develop the tendency of negativism and bad reactions to authority.
9. If they do not get favourable attitude or love, affection and sympathy from elders they may join gangs.
10. If these children not get good friends of their level, their social development is blocked.
11. If they get over attention of parents and teachers, may develop boastful and conceited attitude and tendencies.
12. Because of varied interest they find themselves in great difficulty in choosing right type of school subjects, and vocations in future life.
Causes and Factors for the Problem of Gifted Children:
The following may be causes for their problems:
1. Unsuitable curriculum,
2. Objective of teachers and students criticism,
3. Unintelligent questions of teachers,
4. Poor library,
5. Poor quality of teacher,
6. Unintelligent assignment,
7. Poor socio-economic status,
8. No provision for activities like-intensive work in literature, reviewing books, making abstracts, term-papers, editorial, booklets, folders, writing of stories etc.,
9. Carelessness in establishing goals,
10. Non stimulation or appreciation to individual research or creative work in school and home,
11. No opportunity to meet eminent persons,
12. Poor methods of teaching,
13. There is no challenging task for him,
14. There is no freedom for expression as he is out spoken, and
15. Lack of creative teaching or problems solving in classroom.
Term Paper # 5. Educational Provisions for Gifted Children
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It is evident from the above discussion related gifted children that they possess different mental, social and emotional characteristics. Therefore, it is essential to have advanced curriculum, methods of teaching, school problems and qualified trained teachers. Our present system and programmes of education is highly structured schedule, basically it has been designed for normal students. The following may be objectives. Methods approaches, curriculum and qualities of teachers for gifted children.
Objectives of Education:
The following may be the objectives in addition to the objectives formulated for normal children:
1. To further increase the range of their knowledge, skill and understanding.
2. To develop an alertness, initiative and creative power.
3. To develop an attitude of critical thinking.
4. To develop power to work independently and independent thinking.
5. To develop leadership and social efficiency.
6. To accelerate the process of problem solving.
7. To enhance the capacity of adjustment in home, school and society with normal children.