The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) periodically
issues policy statements that deal with issues, policies, and practices that
have an impact on the education of gifted and talented students. Policy statements
represent the official convictions of the organization.
All policy statements approved by the NAGC Board of Directors are consistent with
the organization's position that education in a democracy must respect the
uniqueness of all individuals, the broad range of cultural diversity present
in our society, and the similarities and differences in learning characteristics
that can be found within any group of students.
ABILITY GROUPING
The practice of grouping, enabling students with advanced abilities and/or performance to be grouped together to receive appropriately challenging instruction, has recently come under attack. NAGC wishes to reaffirm the importance of grouping for instruction of gifted students. Grouping allows for more appropriate, rapid, and advanced instruction, which matches the rapidly developing skills and capabilities of gifted students.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
ACCELERATION
Educational acceleration is one of the cornerstones of exemplary gifted education practices, with more research supporting this intervention than any other in the literature on gifted individuals. The practice of educational acceleration has long been used to match high level student general ability and specific talent with optimal learning opportunities.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
ADDRESSING AFFECTIVE NEEDS OF GIFTED CHILDREN
Educational and counseling programs must provide all children with opportunities to develop understanding of themselves and their role in society. Because, by definition, gifted children differ significantly from others, these programs should be responding to the social emotional or affective characteristics that distinguish gifted students from others.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
COMPETENCIES NEEDED BY TEACHERS OF GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS
NAGC believes that all children deserve the highest quality of instruction possible and that such instruction will only occur when teachers are aware of and able to respond to the unique qualities and characteristics of the students they instruct. Gifted and talented students present a particular challenge and often experience inadequate and inappropriate education. To provide appropriate learning experiences for gifted and talented students, teachers need to possess:
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
COOPERATIVE LEARNING FOR GIFTED STUDENTS
Cooperative Learning (CL) encompasses a variety of classroom practices which include the following attributes: group interdependence built around common goals, a focus on social skills or group dynamics, and individual accountability for material learned. Cooperative learning experiences can provide valuable opportunities to share ideas, practice critical thinking, and gain social skills.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
DIFFERENTIATION OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
NAGC supports the provision of appropriate quality educational experiences for all students across the spectrum of ability, background, and achievement. The learning needs of gifted students often differ from those of other students and should be addressed through differentiation, a modification of curriculum and instruction based on the assessed achievement and interests of individual students.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
FINE ARTS EDUCATION
Frequently, when school resources are limited, arts education funding is reduced or eliminated. Proponents of such cuts defend the action by referring to the arts as a valuable but non-essential element of an educational program designed primarily to develop basic skills. NAGC maintains that arts education is fundamental to an excellent basic education for all students and to an appropriately challenging curriculum for gifted students.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
APPROPRIATE EDUCATION FOR GIFTED GLBT STUDENTS
Many educational groups, at the national, state, and local levels, are concerned about how best to meet the particular needs of students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT). NAGC, which has an organizational policy of non-discrimination toward GLBT persons, supports practices of equitable and sensitive treatment of GLBT youth and recommends that educators demonstrate understanding and equity toward gifted GLBT students in their schools.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
STANDARDS FOR GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN GIFTED EDUCATION
The NAGC Standards for Graduate Programs in Gifted Education propose a set of concepts, skills, and other professional competencies that leaders in the field have identified as essential for persons preparing to provide direct services to gifted students or to fulfill other professional roles within the field.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
INCLUSION
One of the many recent educational reforms affecting the field of special education has been that of Inclusion, which is the practice of educating children with disabilities in regular classrooms together with their non-disabled peers. This principle of Inclusion has recently been applied to gifted students in some educational settings.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
STUDENTS WITH CONCOMITANT GIFTS AND LEARNING DISABILITIES
Due to a specific learning disability, an increasing number of students are not achieving up to their potential despite the fact that they demonstrate high ability or gifted behavior.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
NAGC-NMSA JOINT POSITION STATEMENT
The National Association for Gifted Children and the National Middle School Association share a
commitment to developing schools and classrooms in which both equity and excellence are persistent goals for each learner. Equity refers to the opportunity of every learner to have supported access to the highest possible quality education. Excellence refers to the need of every learner for opportunities and adult support necessary to maximize his or her learning potential.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
MANDATED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS
NAGC supports mandating services to meet the unique needs of gifted and talented children.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
PRESERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS
In many classrooms, one-size-fits-all instruction is pervasive. At the same time, these classrooms are becoming more academically diverse and classroom teachers are being asked to be primary service providers for the full range of academic diversity-including students who are advanced well beyond their age peers. The role of preservice education programs in preparing educators to work effectively in academically diverse classrooms is critical to the success of public education, and to its capacity to maximize the potential of all learners.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
USING TESTS TO IDENTIFY GIFTED STUDENTS
Most school districts use some form of standardized achievement, intelligence, or creativity tests in the identification and screening process for gifted programs and services. When used properly and when selected with care, these instruments may provide valuable information about students' abilities, including their strengths and weaknesses.
View full statement online
View/download PDF version
