| Acceleration |
A strategy of progressing through education at rates faster or ages younger than the norm. This can occur through grade skipping or subject acceleration (e.g., a fifth-grade student taking sixth-grade math). |
| Creativity |
The process of developing new, uncommon, or unique ideas. The federal definition of giftedness identifies creativity as a specific component of giftedness. |
| Criterion-Referenced Testing |
An assessment that compares a student’s test performance to his or her mastery of a body of knowledge or specific skill rather than relating scores to the performance of other students. |
| Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students (CLD) |
Students from diverse backgrounds, including those of black, Hispanic, and Asian descent, those learning English as a second language, and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Often, these students are considered as being underrepresented in gifted programming. Can sometimes be referred to as culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse (CLED) students. |
| Differentiation |
Modifying curriculum and instruction according to content, pacing, and/or product to meet unique student needs in the classroom. |
| English Language Learners (ELLs) |
Students who are learning English as an additional language. Special consideration should be taken to identify these students properly for gifted programming. |
| Enrichment |
Activities that add or go beyond the existing curriculum. They may occur in the classroom or in a separate setting such as a pull-out program. |
| Identification |
The process of determining students qualified for gifted or advanced programming, identification most commonly occurs through the use of intelligence or other testing. Many researchers place emphasis on using multiple pathways for identification, adding teacher, parent, or peer nominations or authentic assessments, such as portfolios of student work to the process. |
| Norm-Referenced Testing |
An assessment that compares an individual’s results with a large group of individuals who have taken the same assessment (who are referred to as the “norming group”). Examples include the SAT and Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. |
| Talent Development |
Programs, curricula, and services for gifted and talented students that can best meet their needs, promote their achievements in life, and contribute to the enhancement of our society when schools identify students’ specific talent strengths and focus educational services on these talents. |
| Twice-Exceptional |
A term used to describe a student who is both gifted and disabled. These students may also be referred to as having dual exceptionalities or as being gifted with learning disabilities (GT/LD). This also applies to students who are gifted with ADHD or gifted with autism. |
| STEM |
An acronym for the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, providing STEM curriculum is encouraged as a way to grow students’ interests and potentials in these areas. Some researchers lump the arts (STEAM) into this category of instruction |
For a full set of glossary terms, please visit the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)’s Glossary of Terms.