Transcript Culturally and Linguistically Diverse GT

Culturally and
Linguistically Diverse
Gifted Students
DO THEY FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS?
Reference: Edwards L., Flynt P., Knight S., Lay R., & Stockman D.
Watch the Video
Identifying Akeelah
Who are the ‘Culturally and
Linguistically Diverse’?
“Culturally diverse students…are those being reared in any
group that differs significantly in values and attitudes from
the dominant culture.”
(Barbara Clark, Growing Up Gifted, p. 499.)
They share a common thread of high intelligence, creativity,
and need to be provided opportunities to develop their
gifted talents as others that have been deemed gifted
learners.
“Misunderstanding cultural
cues between teachers and
students can inhibit learning
in the classroom.”
(Donna M. Gollnick and Philip C. Chinn, Clark 2002)
Races/Ethnicities
Asian
Hispanic
African American (Non-Hispanic)
Native American/Alaskan
Pacific Islander
White (Non-Hispanic)
Characteristics and
Challenging Behaviors
The characteristics, behaviors and problems faced by these
diverse students do not differ much from the average gifted
learner. They share identifying characteristics of gifted learners
(i.e., highly intelligent, learn rapidly, curious, questioning,
independent).
They may present challenging behaviors and have some of the
same problems as other gifted. They can become bored, resist
conformity of social norms because of cultural beliefs,
languages, family traditions and pressures from their own peer
groups. Even their socioeconomic conditions may present
challenging behaviors and problems.
(Clark, 2013)
What Can Lead to
Underachievement?
Sociopsychological Factors of
Underachievement
Racial identity (positive or negative image?)
Forced choice between academic achievement and racial
affiliation? (i.e., ‘acting white’)
Students may believe external social factors trump their
internal choices and attitudes
Donna Y. Ford and Antoinette Thomas, Gifted Education
Digest, June 1997
Racial Identity
Family Related Factors That
Contribute to Underachievement
Parental attitude toward education
Parental involvement
Parental expectations of child
Parents’ confidence in their own skills as
parents
School-related Factors that
contribute to Underachievement
Insufficient training for teachers of both the
multicultural and gifted
Such teachers are less likely to identify and
refer students for gifted testing
Academic competition
Preventing and Reversing
Underachievement
“Interventions for gifted minority students must
consider social-psychological, family, peer, and
school related factors.”
(Ford and Thomas, 1997)
Define the underachievement in qualitative and
quantitative terms. (Cite specific behaviors and get
data.)
Enhance self-perception (both academic & social),
self-esteem, and racial identity
Preventing and Reversing
Underachievement
Improve time-management,
organization, study skills, and
test-taking skills.
Train teachers to meet the
needs of gifted multicultural
students
(Ford and Thomas, 1997)
Native American Learners
Studies of Native American learners found
that that often work well in groups, are
good mediators, and communicate
effectively. The children are found to
accept responsibility, discipline, leadership
and are quite resourceful.
Native American Learners
Value oral traditions – can create stories, poems, and
legends.
Such practices result in well-developed intuitive ability,
excellent memory and good spatial ability.
Understand design and symbols as communication and
often talented in the visual arts.
Personal and conservationist attitudes toward nature.
Seem to learn best holistically and often have long
attention spans.
Native American Learners
Educators should consider:
Using storytelling, metaphor, and myths as media for
delivering information
Developing personal and group goals relevant to those of
the tribal community as well as the student
Providing visual and spatial experience
Teaching from whole to details
Exploring and honoring belief in collective tribal self as
an alternative world view; use intuitive ability in learning
experiences.
Hispanic Learners
Predicted to be the nation’s largest ethnic group in the 21st
century.
Populations share strong cultural beliefs, a common
language, and similar traditions.
Heavily immersed in poverty.
Family socialization practices do not encourage autonomy
– Leads to lack of development of a separate sense of
identity, especially for girls.
Oral tradition is valued.
Hispanic Learners
Strengths in learning attitudes and abilities:
Ability to easily learn a second language and fluent
communication with peers.
Supportive families who value education
Show unusual maturity and responsibility
Eager to try new ideas
Historically this group has been poorly represented in gifted
education.
African-American Learners
Many African American gifted children continue to
confound those who attempt to identify and nurture their
talents.
The educational strengths or problems found in this
population seem to be more a function of the
socioeconomic status of the student than of the ethnic
culture.
Ford(1994) suggests guidelines for recruiting and retaining
African-American students in in gifted programs that
include identifying and serving them…
African-American Learners
… early; involving parents and family members early,
consistently and substantively in the process; and providing
comprehensive services to increase the belonging and
ownership in gifted programs.
Researchers (Baldwin, Bowman, Ford and Frasier) have found
that children in this population are often resourceful, selfsufficient, and people oriented. They seem to learn quickly
and show good retention when opportunities for physical
action and experience are part of the learning. They add rich
imagery to language and project imagination and humor.
Asian
Strong family values toward education
Intuitive learners
Respect for their teachers and other adults
Highly self-motivated & self-discipline
Serious and caring attitudes toward
families
Testing Bias
There’s a great deal of concern and debate about
the low performance of culturally, linguistically and
diverse students on standardized tests, as well as
their under representation in gifted education.
Low test scores often prevent diverse students
from being identified as gifted.
Many test developers have gone to great lengths to
decrease or eliminate culturally biased test items.
Controversy over testing still exists.
Guiding Principles for Equitable,
Culturally Responsive Assessment
Every school system must be committed to equity
in finding potentially gifted students.
Test bias and test fairness should be explored. Just
because a test is unbiased doesn’t always mean it is
fair.
Other relevant information should be taken into
account if it will enhance the overall validity of the
decision of the test score.
Guiding Principles for Equitable,
Culturally Responsive Assessment
A wide range of information about the test taker
should be taken into consideration on their
performance, (i.e. cultural background, language,
racial ethnicity, socioeconomic background).
Every effort must be made to eliminate prejudice,
racism, and inequities.
Test scores should be used to help students, not hurt
them
(Donna Y. Ford, 2005)
Reflection
What can we do to help
these children?