Chapter 15 Learners with Special Gifts and Talents
15.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) Which one of the following statements reflects a common misconception about
giftedness?
A) Children who are gifted usually like school.
B) Motivation and creativity are as much of an indicator of giftedness as IQ.
C) Some people are gifted in one area only.
D) Individuals who are gifted intellectually tend to be socially inept.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K6
2) Today, there is an emphasis on
A) developing talents of all students, with less attention to those who might be
gifted.
B) helping gifted students distinguish themselves further by fulfilling their
potential.
C) eliminating giftedness as a category for special education services.
D) downplaying giftedness so children will not be stigmatized or rejected
because of their differences.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC1K1
3) According to DiGennaro, an ugly secret of contemporary American education
policy is
A) unhelpful social pressure by school personnel.
B) the neglect of our most talented students.
C) the No Child Left Behind Act’s inclusion of gifted students.
D) the moral obligation to help disadvantaged students.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC1K1
4) School systems have widely differing practices regarding the education of students
with special gifts and talents because
A) states get different amounts of money based on the number of students they
identify.
B) cultural belief about the existence of giftedness is regional.
C) the term “gifted” has no clear cut definition.
D) systems within a state have more or fewer students from economically
advantaged families.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
5) According to the text, typical points of disagreement regarding the definition of
giftedness include all of the following EXCEPT
A) the domains in which gifted children excel.
B) how giftedness is measured.
C) the degree to which a child excels that is necessary to be considered gifted.
D) the age at which giftedness can be identified.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
6) Definitions of giftedness are shaped to a large extent by
A) psychological research.
B) socioemotional factors.
C) cultural beliefs.
D) federal laws.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K3
7) Claudia has an exceptional ability to separate relevant from irrelevant information and
to relate new and old information in a novel and productive way. Claudia
demonstrates which characteristic?
A) giftedness
B) insight
C) genius
D) creativity
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
8) Having a spectacular aptitude or capacity in any area or extremely rare intellectual
powers refers to
A) talent.
B) genius.
C) insight.
D) creativity.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
9) Special ability, aptitude, or accomplishment ordinarily refers to
A) talent.
B) creativity.
C) genius.
D) insight.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
10) The ability to express novel and useful ideas, to sense and elucidate relationships,
and ask previously unthought of but important questions is
A) talent.
B) genius.
C) creativity.
D) insight.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
11) At the age of three, Justin wrote his first short story. What characteristic does his
remarkable accomplishment indicate?
A) genius
B) precocity
C) creativity
D) insight
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K5
12) Cognitive superiority, creativity, and motivation in combination and of notable
magnitude that makes it possible for a person to contribute something of value to
society is
A) genius
B) giftedness
C) creativity
D) insight
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K5
13) What services are mandated by federal law for students who are gifted?
A) Students who are gifted are protected by IDEA and so have the same rights to
receive an appropriate education.
B) Similar services are mandated as are required by IDEA although the student
generally does not need to have an IEP.
C) Schools must provide programs but they do not need to be individualized.
D) None; services are not required by federal law.
Praxis: II.A.
CEC: CC1K1
14) According to the most common elements of state definitions, giftedness is evidenced
by all of the following EXCEPT
A) superior intellectual ability.
B) extraordinary capacity for leadership.
C) exceptional creativity in music.
D) superior athletic ability.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K1
15) The concept of multiple intelligences
A) is scientifically untenable.
B) is not longer popular.
C) has been validated by research.
D) has proven application to teaching.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
16) Sternberg’s theory of intelligence suggests three kinds of giftedness:
A) verbal, quantitative, and spatial.
B) academic, artistic, and interpersonal.
C) analytic, synthetic, and practical.
D) abstract, concrete, and intuitive.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
17) Jasmine is a successful business woman. In 1981, she started a small bookstore that,
within ten years, grew to a national chain of bookstores. Jasmine demonstrates high
performance in which aspect of intelligence in Sternberg’s model?
A) analytic
B) practical
C) synthetic
D) self-management
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC2K1
18) According to Sternberg, which type of giftedness involves insight, intuition,
creativity, or adeptness at coping with novel situations?
A) practical
B) analytic
C) synthetic
D) pragmatic
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC2K1
19) Which of the following statements about giftedness is true?
A) It is not an inherent, immutable trait that a person necessarily carries for life.
B) Having a special gift at one thing tends to mean a person is good at most
things.
C) Giftedness refers to superior abilities in one area that are exhibited under all
circumstances.
D) Gifted is believed to be a remarkable ability to do something, whether it is
valued by society or not.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K6
20) Cognitive tests measure
A) raw abilities.
B) academic achievement.
C) intellectual content.
D) developed abilities.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC8K4
21) Federal reports and legislation have assumed that the prevalence of giftedness in the
school population is about
A) 1 to 2%.
B) 3 to 5%.
C) 10 to 12%.
D) 15 to 20%.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K5
22) According to research cited in the text, what is the relationship between giftedness
and genetics?
A) Only IQ is affected by genetics; practical intelligences are not subject to
genetic influence.
B) Nongenetic, biological influences have a more powerful effect on giftedness
than genetics.
C) All forms of giftedness are due to a combination of genetic and social factors.
D) Giftedness is determined by a combination of environmental factors.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
23) All of the following have been found to occur in families of highly successful
persons EXCEPT
A) Parents provided a space in the home designated for play only.
B) Parents took it for granted that their children would learn in the area of talent,
just as they would learn language.
C) Parents sought special instruction and special teachers for the child.
D) Parents were role models (at least at the start of their child’s development of
talent), especially in terms of lifestyle.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K3
24) In addition to IQ and achievement tests, what other method is commonly used to
identify giftedness?
A) nominations
B) personality tests
C) interviews
D) interest inventories
Praxis: III.C.
CEC: CC8K4
25) All of the following are principles of identification that help ensure fairness
EXCEPT
A) assessments that go beyond a narrow conception of talent.
B) reliable and valid instruments.
C) multiple measures/criteria approach.
D) appreciation of large group studies and focus on a combination of scores.
Praxis: III.C.
CEC: CC8S2
26) Students with intellectual gifts
A) tend to be more frequently bullied than other students.
B) sometimes bully others and are sometimes bullied by others.
C) are often bullied by others, but do not bully.
D) have been shown to bully more often than others.
Praxis: III.C.
CEC: CC1K3
27) One of the worst misconceptions of the field of gifted education is
A) the idea that gifted students are more likely to be bullies.
B) the idea that gifted students are superior in every way, including strength and
beauty.
C) the idea that giftedness and mental illness are linked.
D) the idea that gifted students are physically stronger and more socially adept.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K3
28) Which statement is true?
A) Intellectually gifted children are often insensitive to the feelings of others.
B) Intellectually gifted children are often highly concerned about interpersonal
relationships, intrapersonal states, and moral issues.
C) Advanced cognitive abilities often result in poor emotional adjustment.
D) Students who are gifted do not need education in morality.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K1
29) Which one of the following statements is true?
A) Gifted students tend to be far ahead of their agemates in all areas of academic
performance.
B) Gifted students tend to be bored with and antagonistic toward school.
C) The majority enter occupations that demand greater than average intellectual
ability, creativity, and motivation.
D) They tend to perceive themselves in negative terms..
Praxis: III.D.
CEC: CC3K2
30) Children whose development and accomplishments meet or exceed those of adults
with extraordinary talent are known as
A) precocious.
B) prodigies.
C) geniuses.
D) super-gifted.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K1
31) All of the following arguments have been used against special education for children
who are gifted EXCEPT
A) It is inhumane and un-American to segregate students for instruction.
B) It is not fair to allocate special resources for those who are already
advantaged.
C) Students labeled as gifted develop more emotional problems than students
with similar abilities who are not labeled.
D) There is a danger of leaving some children out when only the ablest are
selected for special programs.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC1K1
32) Factors that promote underachievement in school include all of the following
EXCEPT
A) cultural barriers to success in certain fields.
B) chaotic, neglectful, or abusive home environment.
C) nurturing social climate in the classroom.
D) bias against identifying or programming for students from some minority
groups.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K3
33) Each of the following is a reason for low numbers of students identified as gifted
from low socioeconomic status and those living in remote areas EXCEPT lack of
A) access to materials.
B) caring parents.
C) basic necessities.
D) diverse early experiences.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K3
34) Proportionality of ethnic groups represented by gifted identification could be
achieved if all of the following efforts are made EXCEPT
A) use of quota systems.
B) use of culturally sensitive identification criteria.
C) counseling to raise aspirations of students in underrepresented groups.
D) availability of high-achieving models from all ethnic groups.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC2K3
35) The major goals with respect to students with disabilities who also have special gifts
or talents include each of the following EXCEPT
A) identification of such talents.
B) research and development.
C) preparation of teachers.
D) limiting the allowed combinations of disability/giftedness.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC1K1
36) Gifts and talents of students with disabilities are often overlooked for each of the
following reasons EXCEPT
A) stereotypic expectations prevent teachers from identifying them.
B) focus on assessment of disability without attention to talents.
C) legally, students cannot have more than one label.
D) narrow views of giftedness as global, high intelligence only.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC2K3
37) To mediate barriers against identification of giftedness in students with disabilities,
researchers recommend all of the following EXCEPT
A) assessment that includes information about extracurricular activities.
B) ability should not be viewed in terms of experiential opportunity.
C) special effort to note patterns of strength.
D) comparison made with other students with similar disabilities.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC8K4
38) The largest group of neglected students with gifts is
A) females.
B) students with disabilities.
C) students from lower socioeconomic levels.
D) students from culturally diverse backgrounds.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K1
39) All of the following factors help to explain the underrepresentation of females in
programs for giftedness EXCEPT
A) the glamorization of sex differences.
B) that teachers pay less attention to high achieving girls.
C) that parents have overly high expectations for girls.
D) the societal stereotypes of males and females.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K3
40) Leaders in the field agree that special education for students with gifts or talents
should have each of the following characteristics EXCEPT
A) a curriculum designed to accommodate advanced cognitive skills.
B) instructional strategies consistent with the learning of students in particular
content areas.
C) administrative arrangements facilitating appropriate grouping of students for
instruction.
D) a program that emphasizes keeping gifted students with their age peers at all
times.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
41) Additional experiences provided to students without placing them in a higher grade
are known as
A) acceleration.
B) resource programs.
C) enrichment.
D) mentor programs.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
42) Larry, a student who is gifted, skipped third grade. This is an example of which
programming strategy?
A) acceleration
B) independent study
C) enrichment
D) special class
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
43) All of the following are developments with implications for improved education of
students with special gifts and talents EXCEPT
A) advances in telecommunication.
B) presence of computers in home and classroom.
C) call for excellence in American education.
D) having more teachers who are gifted themselves certified to teach gifted
students.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
44) Instruction that is based on student readiness, that includes continuous assessment,
that varies activities and assignments, and that supports active exploration of topics
at varying levels is
A) differentiated.
B) specialized.
C) inclusive.
D) enriched.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
45) Each of the following is a myth about acceleration EXCEPT:
A) The majority of students are not socially mature enough to advance grades.
B) Holding students to their grade level is a safer educational route.
C) It results in gaps in students’ knowledge.
D) Students who are accelerated into grades beyond their agemates get bullied
more.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
46) Which of the following findings about acceleration is TRUE?
A) It is less effective in raising student achievement than most school reforms.
B) Accelerated students are no more likely to aspire to advanced degrees than are
nonaccelerated students.
C) When the curriculum moves at a slow pace, boredom frequently ensues.
D) There are no proven instruments for making acceleration decisions.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
47) All of the following are barriers inhibiting the development of programs for
preschool children who are gifted EXCEPT
A) laws preventing early admission to school.
B) unavailability of intelligence tests.
C) lack of appropriate teacher training.
D) lack of parental advocacy.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K3
48) Preschool children with special gifts and talents need the freedom to
A) study with older children in specific areas.
B) develop social competence by remaining with age mates.
C) develop adaptive behavior.
D) develop pragmatic language skills.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
49) Probably the central issue in the education of adolescents with special gifts and
talents is that of
A) vocational focus versus academic focus.
B) acceleration versus enrichment.
C) inclusion versus separate schools.
D) grade-skipping versus acceleration.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
50) Early enrollment in college courses has worked particularly well for adolescents who
are gifted in
A) writing.
B) the arts.
C) math.
D) science.
Praxis: III.D.
CEC: CC2K2
15.2 True/False Questions
1) Students who are gifted are not likely to excel without special education programs.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC1K1
2) In adulthood, people with gifts are prone to emotional instability and early decline.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K1
3) Giftedness is a stable trait that is evident throughout all periods of a person’s life.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K6
4) Precocity refers to remarkably early development.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
5) There are many proven applications of the theory of multiple intelligences to teaching.
Praxis: III.A.
CEC: CC7K1
6) Genetic factors contribute to giftedness.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K1
7) Environmental factors such as socioeconomic level have little effect on intelligence.
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC2K3
8) The recognition of giftedness is a relatively new phenomenon.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC1K1
9) Nonproductivity is not equivalent to underachievement.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K2
10) A child can attain a gifted level of performance even if he or she is has a disability.
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K2
15.3 Short Answer Questions
1) Why is there so much emphasis on developing the talents of all students with less
special attention to those who may be identified as gifted or talented? React to this
situation: what are some pros and cons of this position (provide at least
two “pros” and two “cons”)?
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K3
2) What is meant by the statement “we should speak of people who exhibit gifted
behavior, rather than of gifted people?”
Praxis: I.C.
CEC: CC1K1
3) What factors seem to influence intelligence? How do each contribute to giftedness?
Praxis: I.B.
CEC: CC2K1
4) Why is it difficult to identify giftedness in school-age children, especially when
considering multicultural differences? List three principles that should be followed to
help ensure fairness in identification.
Praxis: III.C.
CEC: CC8K4
5) Describe what is meant by the statement, “America is ambivalent toward students
with special gifts or talents.”
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC3K3
6) Describe three strategies that could be used to promote identification of equal
proportions of all ethnic groups as having special gifts or talents.
Praxis: III.C.
CEC: CC8K4
7) Describe three possible reasons why females are underrepresented in programs for
giftedness.
Praxis: II.B.
CEC: CC2K3
8) Describe acceleration and discuss the advantages of this approach to meeting
educational needs of students who are gifted or talented.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC7K1
9) List four barriers to developing better education for young children who appear to
have special gifts or talents and the early identification and programming for these
children.
Praxis: III.E.
CEC: CC2K3
10) Describe four ways that teachers can collaborate to serve students who are gifted.
Praxis: III.B.
CEC: CC10K1
Chapter 15 Learners with Special Gifts and Talents
15.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
15.2 True/False Questions
15.3 Short Answer Questions
