SENGinar: Identifying Underrepresented Populations in Gifted Education using the Naglieri General Ability Tests

Description: 

It is well known that gifted education should be much more inclusive. Recently researchers have estimated that about 1,250,000 African American, Hispanic, and Native American students in K-12 public school today could have been identified for gifted programs but were not. Why not? We suggest that the identification process that is typically used puts too much emphasis on knowledge of the English language and academic achievement despite well-meaning efforts to achieve more diversity.  Even when a matrix of data is used, the language demands of some verbal and quantitative ability tests can be an obstacle for students with limited background knowledge and English language skills. The presenters offer a solution to this prejudiced approach.

Learner outcomes:

•How to detect test questions that demand knowing vs thinking

•How many students of color could have been but are not receiving gifted educational services?

•How traditional ability tests with verbal, nonverbal and quantitative content can be made more equitable.