Curious about the various dimensions of giftedness? Nuance desired!
Curious about the various dimensions of giftedness? Nuance desired!
To achieve a thorough nuance between different terms used in society regarding giftedness, we prefer to use the giftedness model of Françoys Gagné, who is a prominent expert in the field of giftedness and talent development. He is known for his Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT), a model that identifies and explains various aspects of giftedness and talent.
Gifts and talents
According to Gagné, giftedness encompasses a wide range of skills in various domains such as cognitive, creative, socio-emotional, and sensorimotor. This quality can manifest in different ways and varies from person to person. Cognitive giftedness specifically focuses on intellectual aspects, with an emphasis on abstract thinking, problem-solving skills, and processing and analyzing complex information.
Gagné emphasizes that giftedness is not solely determined by innate qualities but is also developed through a learning process into talents, influenced by environmental factors and non-cognitive characteristics. He underscores that diverse domains of giftedness can lead to different types of talents in various fields such as academics, arts, sports, technology, and so forth. Although cognitive giftedness can also develop outside traditional academic subjects, such as in arts or sports, it is often associated with academic disciplines such as mathematics, sciences, and languages. Therefore, Gagné advocates for challenging and stimulating learning environments that can unfold and harness the talents of cognitively gifted individuals, and he insists on differentiated education tailored to the specific needs and interests of gifted students.
In essence, Gagné's vision of giftedness highlights its complexity and emphasizes a holistic approach that considers both innate qualities and environmental influences. Hoogbloeier® adds that we should not only consider the cognitive aspect but also involve the individual as a whole in guidance and support.
Gifted and highly gifted
Gagné classifies someone as gifted when he or she belongs to the top 10% in a particular domain compared to peers. For the cognitive domain, this means a score of 120 or higher on an intelligence test. High giftedness, on the other hand, requires a score of 130 or higher, characterized by precocity, abstract thinking, rapid learning curves, and creative problem-solving. Exceptional giftedness involves achieving the top score on an intelligence test, often limited to an IQ of 145 in Dutch-language tests.
Strong cognitive functioning
In Flemish education, the term 'strong cognitive functioning' has recently been introduced, which encompasses more than just a high score on an intelligence test. It includes a wide range of strong cognitive and/or academic skills, influenced by both student characteristics and environmental factors. This group of students, also referred to as CSF (Cognitively Strong Functioning) students, includes both cognitively gifted and high-performing students who are not necessarily gifted. Underachieving cognitively gifted students are also included in this group. Adjustments in education are crucial for both groups. The Cognitive Talent Development Model of Project TALENT extends Gagné's giftedness model to the cognitive domain, given its significant impact on academic performance.
The primary distinction between giftedness, high giftedness, and cognitive giftedness concerns the degree of intellectual capacity and the domain in which it is manifested. Giftedness encompasses a wide range, while high giftedness indicates extraordinary intellectual capacity, and cognitive giftedness specifically focuses on intellectual aspects. Understanding these nuances is crucial for effectively supporting and challenging gifted individuals in various situations.
We often use the term "highly gifted" on our website due to frequent searches by parents of cognitively gifted children, teachers, and gifted adults. Nevertheless, we aim for the above text to provide nuances about the differences between these concepts.
References
Gagné, F. (2000). Transforming Gifts into Talents: The DMGT as a Developmental Theory. In: Colangelo, N., Davis, G.A. (2003). Handbook of Gifted Education. Pearson Education, Inc.
Gagné, F. (2004). Transforming gifts into talents: the DMGT as a developmental theory. High Ability Studies. 15(2). 119-147.
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