Intellectual Talent

Based on the work of Julian C. Stanley and his model for working with gifted youth, this volume brings together a group of authorities to examine the dominant techniques used to educate gifted youth today and the exemplification of those techniques in various university-based programmes across the country. From a review of research on individual differences and its relevance to intellectual talent, to descriptions of the current knowledge about gifted children, this book illustrates how our educational system can enhance gifted youths' academic achievement. Part one examines the political ramifications of emotionally loaded findings about individual differences - documenting cases in which findings that contradict prevailing social values are simply ignored. Part two explores what is known about educating gifted children and why educators sometimes fail to act on that knowledge. Topics include: genetic antecedents to human behaviour; the underuse of knowledge; proper provisions for gifted students; the use of knowledge; psychometrics and genius. The book should be of interest to professionals and students of education and psychology, educational researchers and policymakers, and parents of gifted children.