European Journal of Education Studies
ISSN: 2501 - 1111
ISSN-L: 2501 - 1111
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu
Volume 3 │Issue 4│2017
doi: 10.5281/zenodo.375954
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS:
THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
Raed Zedan1*i, Jarmas Bitar2
1,2
Ph.d., Academic College for Education, Haifa, Israel
Abstract:
The present study deals with the unique needs of mathematically gifted students. This
topic is important because of the need to understand to depth the unique needs of these
students, the learning characteristics tailored to them, as well as their preferences
regarding learning and their relationships with other students and with their teachers.
The main purpose of this study, as mentioned earlier, is to identify the unique needs of
mathematics gifted students, measure their specific preferences in various aspects of
learning, as well as about their relationships with their teachers and other students.
This, in order to establish a broad and deep background to enable a unique reference to
the population of gifted students and allow the construction of appropriate educational
programs, care and interventions tailored to their needs, while integrating the
educational staff at the school. The present study is a combined one, with a quantitative
and qualitative measures, and has two hypotheses: gifted students' perceptions of the
teachers will be different from the non-gifted students; differences will be found in the
needs of gifted students compared to non-gifted students in unique learning programs
at school. To examine the hypotheses 100 students were sampled, 50 gifted and 50 nongifted students. The instruments included a questionnaire used before in this area of
research, as well as an interview built for the purpose of the present study. The results
showed that indeed there are differences between gifted students and non-gifted
students in many ways and preferences, such as learning pace preference, preference
for collaborative learning, curriculum content preference, preference for complexity and
preference for type of interaction with the teacher. The findings are compatible with
previous studies in the field and emphasize the importance of the reference for gifted
students in a unique way.
Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved.
© 2015 – 2017 Open Access Publishing Group
236
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
Keywords: academic motivation, academic achievement, mathematically gifted
students
1. Introduction; Goals and Importance of the Research and its Contribution
Meeting the unique needs of the gifted students, and the construction of unique
programs as well as nurturing the students’ unique skills, became in the highlight of the
Ministry of Education in recent years. Different studies use different definitions for
giftedness. One of the main divisions of these approaches is the division and distinction
between the quantitative approach and the qualitative approach. According to the
quantitative approach, giftedness is defined by intelligence tests as a general intellectual
ability. In comparison to this approach, the advocators of the qualitative approach
emphasize the affiliation between the cognitive components and the social,
environmental, and emotional components, and claim that the totality of the
components sets the individual’s function level and the affinity actualization quality
between all of the components (Wargen, 2006). The Ministry of Education chose the
quantitative definition, and it manages the diagnosis system in accordance to this
approach, hence, the tests detecting gifted students check general intellectual skills and
students with a high potential for intellectualism are selected, and they are directed to
unique programs of care and enrichment compatible to their skills in this field (Wargen,
2006).
This research mainly treats the topic regarding the gifted and non-gifted
students’ perceptions of learning programs, ways of learning, and the teachers’
attitudes. This, in order to gather information about the special needs of the gifted
students, which is the main purpose of this research. The research focuses on
mathematical giftedness and examines the unique needs of the mathematically gifted
students.
In relation to the teachers’ perceptions, it seems that the perceptions of the
teachers and their interaction with the gifted students have a great affect over the
students’ experience, both in learning and from a personal aspect (2012 Wai, Makel,
Putallaz , hence, it is important to know in what way the teachers’ perceptions are
reflected in the students’ point of view and experience. Regarding the learning
characteristics of gifted students, it is also important to note that, the learning
characteristics relating to gifted students are unique and include additional aspects
beyond the regular learning characteristics in educational settings, these unique
characteristics includes, among others, learning in a different pace, further advanced
materials, a higher level of analysis and higher scholastic requirements (Dori and
Zohar, 2008).
In this view you, it can be seen that there is a special importance to the
exploration of the field of giftedness, and specifically to the mathematical giftedness, a
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
237
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
field which relatively has been little explored in recent years. The main contribution
expected from this research is identification and detection of the students’ needs and
understanding their experiences according to their testimonies as well as their feelings
and personal experiences. This research may contribute to every educational
intervention regarding the field of the gifted.
Hence, the main goal of this research is to identify the unique needs of the
mathematically gifted students, to deeply understand the learning programs fitted to
them, by examining the perception of the gifted and the non-gifted students. This is, in
the purpose of basing an extended and in-depth background in order to enable a
unique treatment to the gifted students’ population and to enable construction of
compatible teaching, nurturing and intervention programs, while combining the
school’s educational staff.
The significant of this research derived from its uniqueness and pioneer quality
both in the national spectrum (in Israel) as well as the sectoral spectrum (the Arab), so
there is nearly no extensive evaluation researches for nurture programs to gifted
individuals in Israel. Shani (2008), notes two possible reasons for the low extent of
research in the field of evaluating giftedness: First, there are almost no researchers who
specialize in the field of giftedness, as it is indicated by the small amount of academic
research papers on the subject, such as thesis and doctorate papers. A close and mutual
connection between the gifted department and the academic institutions, between the
research and actualizing practically, is one of the recommended directions for
improving education for the gifted. Second, it seems that the way of operating the
nurture programs makes the performance of extensive evaluation researches difficult.
Hence, according to some of enrichment centers’ managers whom I conversed with,
enrichment programs for the gifted in enrichment centers, almost exclusively count on
the center’s manager’s consideration, which changes from time to time. The selection of
various courses is usually not subjected to regulated instructions of the department.
Thus, this research is of a great significance.
2. Giftedness, what is it exactly?
The concept of giftedness is perceived as a concept that articulates the highest level of
intelligence determined by IQ tests. However, it is actually a much wider concept,
which refers to an alignment which is both cognitive and emotional, that includes
unique developmental aspects, as well as familial and social aspects (Tamir, 2012).
David (1997 A) noted that gifted students are children with special abilities,
characteristics and learning needs that are different from those of normal students. New
and wide definitions for giftedness were later suggested, that include more diverse
aspects of function, among these definitions, Guilford’s definition
elaborated and
included another dimension of giftedness; creativity.
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
238
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
Guilford distinguished between two thinking modes: a focused thinking and a
logical and oriented thinking, measured by intelligence tests and divergent thinkingproblem solution as a process of fluency of ideas, flexible and original thinking.
Additionally, one of the liberal definitions is that of Witty (1958). His definition is the
most inclusive and diffusive definition, according to which, a gifted child who excels in
every human activity. In the seventies, Marland (1972) suggested an extended definition
that includes six elements: General intellectual ability, a specific academic ability,
creative thinking, leadership, ability in arts and a psycho-motoric ability. According to
him, the gifted child can excel in one field or more, not necessarily in all of them. This
definition was accepted by American Ministry of Education and passed legally by the
congress.
Numerous theories in the research field about giftedness try to find other factors
beyond cognitive ability. According to these theories, the interaction between different
factors, rather than the factors themselves, is what would lead to the actualization of the
giftedness. “ccording to Renzulli’s
definition, giftedness is a product of
interaction between three clusters of qualities: 1. A high cognitive ability 2. Persistency
in tasks ability 3. Creativity. Renzulli (2004) also believe that if the gifted individual will
have the following qualities, his or her chances to actualize their giftedness will increase
and they will become great creators who contribute to society: optimism, humanism,
being attracted to a subject or self-discipline, mental and physical strengths, a vision
and a sense of mission.
The researchers Nancy Robinson and her partners (Reis, Neihart, Robinson &
Moon,
, describe in their book’s preface The Social and Emotional Development of
Gifted Children, What Do We Know? In what way gifted individuals are a heterogenic
group that comes from all ethnic, socio-economical groups, and from every nation, and
in what way they have different character qualities in temperament, the ability to dare,
internalization and externalization inclinations etc. on the other, the starting point in the
integrative and a little inclusive understanding of these children, is in the
understanding of the existence of asynchronous in the gifted child’s development,
which is based on the accelerated development of certain abilities in comparison to a
normal and average development of his or her other abilities. This situation produces
dynamic complexity, in which the accelerated abilities constitute a source for general
admiration of the child on the one, but on the other, they might create a wide internal
gap between the good parts, those admired, and the not as good parts recognized
by him and his environment.
Many parents of gifted children describe the different development process
characterizes these children right from the start, as well as their outstanding abilities
and skills (Marland, 1972). Many of them present outstanding language skills in a very
early age, including; fast speech development, usage of a rich vocabulary, a clear and
focused expressiveness, asking smart questions including a personal view,
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
239
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
conclusions etc., as well as children whom taught themselves to read different
languages, or those who deal with arithmetical challenges relatively more difficult for
their age group, such as complex addition and subtraction exercises (counting
thousands) in kindergarten, or acquiring deep general knowledge in unique content
fields such as: dinosaurs, the solar system, different countries and vehicles (Tamir,
2012).
Thus, the developmental image created, which characterizes many of these
children, is of a rapid development in any cognitive field, mostly lingual or digital, next
to a similar development in other fields, that is experienced as inferior in comparison to
other great functions. It means that in gifted children, there is a gap between a
particular mental ability that develops very rapidly, relatively to the chronological age,
and the emotional development and/or other qualities the develop averagely. This gap
is a manifestation of the non-synchronization development, which reflects the
incompatibility condition in the intra-personal level as well as in the interpersonal level
– in comparison to other children (Tamir, 2012).
Indeed, from a young age, the gifted child learns that he is being treated
differently due to his high capabilities, though often, he receives conflicting and
confusing messages regarding what is expected of him as a gifted child. Many parental
and social expectations are related to the assumption that intelligence is static and the
child is expected to maintain a succession of successes (Cross, 2011). Hence, at the intralevel the gifted child learns from a young age that there are parts of him that receive
great appreciation from society (parents, the nanny, the kindergarten teacher, let alone
grandma and grandpa
evaluation that is expressed by admiration and pride.
The early systematic researches about gifted children started in the early ’s, in
parallel to IQ tests (Knudson, 2006). The first main research was conducted by Tharman
between 1921-1960. In that research, about 1000 gifted children in the ages of 2-13
whom their IQ level, according to Stanford’s intelligence test was
up, got tested.
These children were tested by a large number of physiological, cognitive, and social
parameters. The purpose of this extensive research, as well as other studies conducted
in this field in the recent decades, was to test unique characteristics of gifted children,
who were not tested extensively earlier (Bloom, 1983). In our research, as mentioned in
the introduction, the focus is on mathematically gifted children. Hence, in the next
section we treat this specific field.
3. The gifted and the excelling
One of the most important distinctions in this context is the theoretical – empirical
distinction and that of the school system between the gifted and the excelling. The
approach used by the Israeli school system today, when it wishes to detect gifted and
excelling children, is the quantitative approach, according to which; gifted and excelling
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
240
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
children are measured by the same sequence, when the difference between the groups
derived from the percentage which they belong to. This approach is different from the
qualitative approach, according to which, as been said; gifted children present
characteristics that are qualitatively different from those of the normal students (Rogers,
1986; Nevo 1997). Deciding on the differentiating sectional point is actually arbitrary
and the majority of the essential characteristics are mostly not counted on, and thus, the
quantitative definition, as much as it is deriving from applicable needs of a large
system, it does not succeed in pointing out the essential differences between the groups,
as it can be seen in a large number of researches. For instance, the groups are
differentiated to a great extent in the aspects of; motivation, fields of interest,
intellectual creativity and achievements in school.
Renzulli (1986) differentiated between two kinds of gifted performance;
schoolhouse giftedness; characterized by how easy it is to the student to acquire
knowledge and a learning and testing skill, and it is largely evident by high grades in
school’s tests. In comparison, creative-productive giftedness includes creation of ideas
and new products that are influential in a certain field of knowledge. This
differentiation is parallel, in my view, to the distinction between the gifted and the
excelling when the excelling manifest schoolhouse giftedness, whereas the gifted are
more characterized by creative-productive giftedness. Similarly, Simonton (1996)
differentiated between students who receive expertise and dominate very well in a
certain field, acquire skills and work in accordance to the field’s rules, however they do
not go beyond that, in comparison to students who do not only dominate a certain field
and know its rules but rather they can also break the rules or create new ones creative
expertise . Here as well, the first group of students is compatible to the wide spread
concept of excelling students, while the students who are perceived as creative experts,
match to the gifted students’ characteristics. ”oth groups of students share similar
characteristics of intellectual abilities, but still, from the thinking mode aspect, there are
significant differences.
The excelling present, for instance, a conventional approach to do tasks, whereas
the gifted present a creative-unique approach (Dai & Feldhusen, 1999). Hong and Aqui
(2004) claims that the gifted from a schooling aspect similarly to our definition of the
excelling , and the creative gifted students meaning our definition of gifted
differentiate from each other significantly in aspects such as cognitive and motivation
characteristics deriving from the kind and the level of the interest, and from the
curiosity they have for their environment. Finally, Hong and Milgram (1996) treated to
four differentiated central kinds of giftedness general intellectual ability gifted and
academic ability excelling general cognitive creativity, a creative talent in a specific
field. The different capabilities are not necessarily related to one another and actually
they are not measured in similar ways. The distinction between the two groups should
affect the indicators of the detection as well as on the indicators of the nurturing
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
241
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
programs. Indicators of nurturing the excelling students can be principally one
dimensional (promoting and measuring achievements), while the indicators for
nurturing the gifted, that this review particularly focuses on, are obligated to be multidimensional and to include wider aspects of intellectual capability and potential
realization.
4. Mathematically Gifted Students: characteristics and needs
Mathematical giftedness has many definitions (David, 1997B). If it is about the early
childhood, defined in literature as pre-school ages, then most of the children whom are
conventionally defined as mathematically gifted, were not officially diagnosed.
Nonetheless, a toddler of eighteen months who announces aloud when inside an
elevator each floor it gets close to, a two-year-old who counts to 20 and up with no
error, a three-year-old who understands the meaning of deduction, a four-year-old who
understands the meaning of a negative number, are not imaginary kids. From here it
seems, that at least in early age the importance of an operative definition when it
comes to mathematical giftedness is not great (Clark, 2008). Though, what is important
is that the understanding of the phenomenon by educators, parents and mental health
caretakers as well as its identification will allow to provide help and support to the
child and to his or her family when the child is not in a familial and social surrounding
that enables an appropriate treatment to his or her special needs (David, 2009).
Indications to mathematical giftedness, includes among others; an extraordinary
curiosity for numbers and mathematical information, a capability to understand and
implement mathematical concepts quickly, a distinctively high ability to recognize
patterns and abstract thinking, flexibility and creativity in strategies for problem
solution, an ability to move mathematical concept to an unfamiliar situation, as well as
tenacity in solving challenging problems (Stepanek, 1999). Bicknell and Holton (2009)
noted that mathematical giftedness can be manifested in three ways: The first is the
analytic mode; mathematically gifted students who expert in it tend to think abstractly
easily. They figure out problems by using logic and thought. The second is the
geometric mode; these gifted students will prefer to use sketches and visual aids to
figure problems. The third is the harmonic mode, which presents the gifted students
who are capable to use both ways mentioned above, the analytic and the geometric.
It is also important to mention the gender issue regarding the mathematically
gifted females. The question arises: why everything is in masculine form? Well, because
the absolute majority of the mathematically gifted are boys. Hence, the acceleration
programs of Johns Hopkins University contained 16 times more boys than girls,
regarding children younger than
who have scored
+ in the “merican S“T’s
mathematical section (Benbow, Lubinski, Shea & Eftekhari-Sanjani, 2000). The image
concerning the situation in Israel is substantially different (David, 1997A, 1997B, 2005),
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
242
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
in Israel there are significantly larger differences between genders in mathematical
achievements when it comes to the population as a whole (David, 2001, 2002).
After generally attending to giftedness and to mathematical giftedness
specifically, it is important to understand how to detect the gifted, what are the
criterions and what stages the students need to pass in order to be detected as gifted.
This will be the focus in the following chapter.
5. Questions and Assumptions of the Research
In light of the literature review presented in the chapter above, and in view of the
research’s goals, two main questions that this research inquires to answer arise:
1. What are the unique needs of gifted students?
2. Are there any differences between the needs of the gifted students and the nongifted students in relation to unique learning programs at school, and if there
are, what are they?
Based on these questions it may be assumed that:
1. Differences would be found between the needs of the gifted students and the
non-gifted regarding unique learning programs at school.
2. The gifted students’ perceptions of the teachers will be different than those of the
non-gifted students.
6. Methodology
6. The research’s population and a sample
The research’s population are gifted students who study in middle-schools. This
research sampled 100 students who were detected as having a high level of intelligence
by accomplishing high scores in intelligence tests and they are defined as gifted
students in accordance to the definition of the Israeli Ministry of Education, in contrast
and for a comparison, a control group of 100 normal non-gifted students has been
made.
6.2 Tools of the Research
This research used a structured questionnaire and a composed interview for gathering
the data.
6.2.1 The students’ preferences questionnaire: for examining the students’ preferences
regarding the school contents, learning methods and learning relations, the students’
preferences questionnaire has been used, which was also used in Kanevsky’s
research about diagnosing the gifted students’ needs. In that research, it seems that the
questionnaire is a reliable and a valid tool for measuring students’ preferences
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
243
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
regarding their learning. The questionnaire contains a variety of phrases that refer to
each of the following categories: content, learning program, learning pace, cooperative
learning, type of activities, teacher-student relationship, the teaching program in the
school. The questionnaire includes phrases that the students need to note if they agree
or disagree with the phrase. For validating the questionnaire in the chosen population,
a preliminary pilot study has been held in which the questionnaires were given to 10
gifted and normal students. The pilot research checked the extent of the compatibility of
the students’ answers to the research literature in the field. It was found that the
phrases indeed check what they are meant to check and the findings of the students’
answers are compatible to the literature in the field. In addition, the questionnaire was
presented to educators who practice teaching and educating gifted students, and these
valuators pointed out and noted the compatibility of the tool to the research’s goals as
well as to the world of content of the inquired issue.
6. . The students’ perceptions interview: In addition to the questionnaire, a semistructured interview was constructed in order to gather more experiential and
subjective data from the students. The interview included nine items that collected
personal information about the students, information about their learning
characteristics, the problems they counter, and their perception regarding the
evaluation they receive.
6.3 Examining the assumptions and the findings
Since the current research is a combined research, with both quantitative and
qualitative research tools, the method of analysis will combine the findings that came
up from the quantitative and from the qualitative analysis, and the findings will be
presented in accordance to the research’s assumptions
A. Examining the first assumption of the research
The first assumption of the research referred to the differences between gifted and nongifted students regarding their needs for the process of learning and this is while
gathering information in relation to their preferences regarding the different aspects of
the learning field. According to which: differences will be found between the needs of
gifted students and non-gifted students regarding their preferences of unique
learning characteristics at school. The findings of the questionnaire will be presented
below as divided to subfields of the students’ preferences regarding the variety of the
characteristics connected to learning and relationships within the educational
framework.
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
244
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
2
Table 1: Comparison between gifted and non-gifted in accordance to
their learning pace preferences
I like
Answer
Segmentation (%)
Gifted
(100)
Non-Gifted
(100)
To do a task with a partner of my choice
Agree
Disagree
85%
15%
80%
20%
0.866
To do a task with a partner that learn at the
same speed as mine
Agree
Disagree
25%
75%
65%
35%
32.30***
To do a task with a partner that learns
much more quickly than me
Agree
Disagree
17%
83%
78%
22%
74.60***
To sit in the corner away from everyone
and do the tasks
Agree
Disagree
21%
79%
73%
27%
54.30***
***p<0.001
Inspection of the table above indicates that 85% of the gifted students and 80% of the
normal students, report on their preference to learn with students on the same pace as
them, without a distinct difference between the groups ( = 0.866,N.S). Seems that
there is a distinct difference between the gifted students (25%) and the normal students
(65%) that agree on the extent of difficulty and time duration when learning a new term
2
( =32.30,p<0.001). Thus most of the gifted students report that they do not need a long
time to think on a new term that is difficult to understand; moreover, only 17% of the
gifted students in comparison to 78% of the normal students agree about the need to
make a lot of practice in order to understand a new and difficult term, with a distinctive
2
difference between the groups ( = =74.60,p<0.001), gifted student do not need a lot of
2
practice. Finally, 21% of the gifted students in comparison to 73% of the normal
students expressed agreement on the preference of thinking a long time on ideas before
beginning to work on a certain task, with a distinctive difference between the groups (
2 = 54.30, p<0.001), meaning, gifted students do not need a long time to think about
ideas before they begin to work on a certain task.
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
245
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
Table 2: Comparison between gifted and non-gifted students in accordance
to their preferences regarding cooperative learning
I like
Answer
Segmentation (%)
Gifted
(100)
2
Non-Gifted
(100)
To do a task with a partner of my choice
Agree
Disagree
68%
32%
56%
44%
3.06
To do a task with a partner that learn at the
same speed as mine
Agree
Disagree
88%
12%
61%
39%
19.20***
To do a task with a partner that learns
much more quickly than me
Agree
Disagree
24%
76%
18%
82%
1.08
To sit in the corner away from everyone
and do the tasks
Agree
Disagree
76%
24%
59%
41%
6.59***
**p<0.01,***p<0.001
The table above shows that there is not a distinctive difference between the gifted
students and the normal students regarding the preference to do a task with a partner
of his choice. Though there was a difference regarding the preference to do a task with a
partner that learns at the same speed of the students, hence, the gifted students rated
their agreement (88%) to this saying higher than non-gifted students (61%) with a
2
(
=19.20,p<
distinct difference between them
0.001). Furthermore, no distinctive
difference has been found regarding the students’ preference to study with a partner
that learns faster than them. But a distinctive difference has been found in their wish to
2
=6.59,p< 0.01) , gifted students are more agreeable
sit in the corner and to do tasks (
to sitting in the corner away from everyone and to do the task.
Table 3: Comparison between gifted and non-gifted in accordance to
their preferences of the school program
I like
Answer
Segmentation (%)
Gifted
(100)
2
Non-Gifted
(100)
To do a task with a partner of my choice
Agree
Disagree
91%
9%
24%
76%
91.80***
To do a task with a partner that learn at the
same speed as mine
Agree
Disagree
89%
11%
83%
17%
1.50
To do a task with a partner that learns
much more quickly than me
Agree
Disagree
99%
1%
63%
37%
42.10***
To sit in the corner away from everyone
and do the tasks
Agree
Disagree
19%
81%
73%
27%
58.70***
***p<0.01
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
246
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
Tablet 3 indicates that there is a distinct difference between gifted students (91%) that
prefer to learn new subjects that are not included in the school program whereas non-
2
gifted students (24%) much less (
= 91.80,p<0.001). In addition, there is a distinct
difference how the gifted students prefer much better (99%) in comparison to normal
2
students (63%) regarding the understanding of how and why things happen (
=42.10,p<0.001). Regarding teaching the material from a book there is a distinct
difference between gifted students (19%) in comparison to normal students (73%) in
2
relation to their level of agreement to this characteristic of learning (
=58.70,p<0.001).
There was no difference between the groups regarding their preference in relation to
the combination of computers and technology within the school program.
Table 4: Comparison between gifted and non-gifted in accordance to
their preferences regarding solving complicated problems
I like
Answer
Segmentation (%)
Gifted
(100)
2
Non-Gifted
(100)
To do a task with a partner of my choice
Agree
Disagree
84%
16%
3%
97%
120.00***
To do a task with a partner that learn at the
same speed as mine
Agree
Disagree
91%
9%
63%
37%
22.10***
To do a task with a partner that learns
much more quickly than me
Agree
Disagree
69%
31%
53%
47%
5.38
To sit in the corner away from everyone
and do the tasks
Agree
Disagree
78%
22%
39%
61%
31.30***
***p<0.01
Inspection of table 4 reveals a wide gap between the two groups regarding the
preference to find different solutions to difficult problems, thus 84% of the gifted
students prefer to find different solutions to difficult problems while only 7% of the
2
normal students prefer it, hence, it is a distinctive difference (
= 120.00,p<0.001 ).
Another difference has been found between the gifted students (91%) in comparison to
the normal (63%) regarding the preference to learn how to solve one problem in various
2
= 22.10,p<0.001). Moreover, a distinct difference has been found between the
ways (
students regarding the preference to discover independently explanations to
misunderstandings, so that gifted students presented much more agreement (78%) than
normal – non-gifted students (39%) (
2 =31.30,p<
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
0.001). Regarding the preference to
247
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
solving problems that are solved in various ways, a difference was not found between
the groups.
In conclusion, the first research assumption was largely validated. The findings
show that differences have been found between the gifted students and the non-gifted
students in most preferences regarding the examined learning characteristics.
B. Examining the second research assumption
The second research assumption referred to the differences between gifted students and
non-gifted students in all that is related to their perceptions regarding the interaction
between them and their teachers and the teachers’ attitude towards them. “ccording to
which: The gifted students’ perceptions regarding the teachers would differ from
those of the non-gifted students.
Table 5: Comparison between gifted and non-gifted in accordance to
their preferences to the sort of the interaction between them and the teacher
I like
Answer
Segmentation (%)
Gifted (100)
2
Non-Gifted
(100)
To do a task with a partner of my choice
Agree
Disagree
58%
42%
47%
53%
2.43
To do a task with a partner that learn at
the same speed as mine
Agree
Disagree
37%
63%
59%
41%
22.10***
To do a task with a partner that learns
much more quickly than me
Agree
Disagree
41%
56%
34%
66%
1.05
To sit in the corner away from everyone
and do the tasks
Agree
Disagree
83%
17%
39%
61%
31.30***
***p<0.01
Table 5 is indicating that there is a distinctive difference in the gifted students’
preference (37%) to discover explanations to things they do not understand by the
teacher’s help in comparison to normal students
% , thus, non-gifted students
expressed a much higher preference to use the teacher’s help in order to reveal
2
explanations to misunderstandings (
=9.70,p<0.01). Another distinctive difference
was found regarding the preference that the teacher will allow the students to explore
and follow on an interesting idea, so that gifted students preferred this sort of teacher’s
2
=40.70,p<0.001). a
attention better (83%) in comparison to non-gifted students (39%) (
difference was not found between the gifted students and the non-gifted students in
their agreement regarding the teacher’s effort to understand them, or regarding the
wish to receive the teacher’s encouragement to conceive a new idea. In conclusion, the
second assumption was validated only partially. It seems that the more important part
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
248
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
to the students in their relationship with the teacher is the ability to explore and
discover explanations.
C. Qualitative analysis of the research interviews
In addition to the questionnaire passed between 100 students, as mentioned, 10
students were randomly selected with whom in-depth interviews were held. In this
section these interviews’ findings will be presented, when half of the students were
gifted and the other half were not gifted. The findings will be presented as divided to
categories according to themes, and to gifted and non-gifted. The analysis is
accompanied by examples of quotes from the interviews with the students.
Table 6: Qualitative analysis to the research’s interviews
Category
Personal
details
Doing
tasks
in
accordance
to the
teacher’s
demands
Doing
task with
others
Normal (non-gifted)
students
Five gifted students from 8th
grade, 2 girls and 3 boys
Normal students talked
about
doing
what
is
required of them by the
teacher. But in contrast to
gifted students, normal
students mentioned that in
many cases they are not
able to do what is required
and need help I am willing
to do what is required but
not always can.
All of the gifted students
expressed a preference to
work alone
I rather
working by myself because
working with others holds
me back
I don’t have the patient to
wait for the other I rather to
work alone
Gifted Students
Integration
Five non-gifted students –
normal from 8th grade, 3
girls and 2 boys
Gifted
students
talked
about a high capability and
willingness to do the tasks
required of them. Beyond
that, regarding their selfcapability, all of them noted
that they can do more than
what is required I have
high levels of abilities and I
can do difficult tasks
I am expecting to be
subjected to high demands
from the teacher
Among the normal students
the opinions are divided; 2
of them expressed a neutral
stand regarding working
with others, while the three
remained
expressed
a
preference to work with
others working with others
can be interesting and even
helpful
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
Seems that there is a
difference between gifted
students and non-gifted
regarding doing the tasks’
requirements according to
the teacher’s instructions.
Both in term of the ability to
perform as well as the
willingness to do so
It seems that there is a
significant between the two
groups
regarding
the
willingness to do a task
with others. The gifted
students rather to study
alone than with others, in
contrast to normal students.
249
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
Disturbance
when
learning
with others
Learning
problem
solving
A failed
attempt in
solving a
problem
What disturbed the gifted
students in group work is
when there are students
who work slower and
cannot keep up with them.
Additionally, three of the
gifted students expressed
lack of content to explain
things to others in the
group because it detains the
work. working with other
slows me down and can
detain my work pace
When
countering
a
problem, the gifted students
talked about the preference
to try to look for the
solution by themselves by
independent learning. One
of the examples is solving
by turning to the library to
search for books in a
particular
subject
the
student countered while
doing the problem, reading
and finding a solution.
Gifted students noted that
the few times in which they
relinquish are when they
are facing
a difficult
problem and fail to solve it.
But a few of them
mentioned that when they
try to learn adult learning
material they sometimes
counter problems of a very
high level, they try to solve
and cope with it but
without success.
What disturbed to the
normal students was in a
case in which there is
someone that is faster than
them and working in a
quicker pace and then they
get frustrated, lose their
thinking mode, and cannot
work properly.
In contrast to the gifted, the
normal students expressed
a preference to receive help
from the teacher or the
parent, some of them have
mentioned to get help from
a friend I always ask for
help
One of the examples is
when during a group
activity all of the students
were in an average level
and only one of them was in
a high level. The normal
students in the low level
expressed frustration and
inability to cope with the
gap between the levels
which lead to a single
solution and to a failure,
from their part, in being a
part of the group and
solving the problem.
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
Regarding the reason that
learning with others disturb
or do not disturb to
students, it was found that
both groups notes the pace
issue as something that
interrupts to the group
learning,
but
in
two
different aspects. So that
gifted students mentioned
the working pace in groups
as holding them back and
slows down their operation.
While normal students
noted that a too fast pace of
one of the team members
can be frustrating
Regarding the preference to
the way of dealing with a
mathematic problem, the
students from both groups
report on different ways.
Gifted students prefer to
solve the problem alone
while
normal
students
prefer to ask for help and
get it from the teacher, the
parent or a friend.
The students of both groups
note events accompanied by
a
failure
in
solving
problems. ”ut the students’
answers indicate that the
gifted students expressed
higher
motivation
to
overcome difficulty before
giving up.
250
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
Preparing
for exams
Dealing with
peculiar
and disliked
subjects
Evaluation
as a
reflection of
knowledge
All of the gifted students
stressed that they go over
the material only a little
because
they
grasp
everything in class and in
the rest of the time the solve
questions and practice the
test’s material, even in
combination of questions of
a higher level compatible to
higher grades. They also
noted that their learning is
independent and they don’t
need help.
Normal students expressed
a need for help while
preparing for tests, from the
teacher or a parent or
sometimes from friends. In
addition, they also noted
that they have a need to go
over the material a few
times and only then practice
exercises.
It seems that there is a
difference
between
the
systems for preparing for
exams between the groups.
In comparison to normal
students, gifted students
less tend to go over and
over the material, and more
tend to solve exercises.
Moreover. Gifted students
noted more willingness to
learn
independently
without receiving or asking
for help, in comparison to
normal students.
Gifted students expressed
their curiosity to learn
peculiar subjects however
they did not prefer to learn
disliked subjects, but rather
to study new subjects that
they are interested in more
deeply.
Normal students expressed
lack of favorability to learn
subjects that they dislike
and are peculiar to them
and preferred to focus on
subjects they are familiar
with and to study them
well.
Differently than normal
students, gifted students
expressed willingness to
learn peculiar subjects. But
similarly,
to
normal
students gifted students
expressed unwillingness to
learn disliked subjects as
well.
All of the gifted students
talked about a lot of
appreciation towards them
but sometimes also a lack of
appreciation when they to
go too much further in a
subject that the rest of the
class is not interested in.
moreover, sometimes there
is a lack of appreciation
when the teacher does not
address to all of the
knowledge they have but
only to some of it.
Normal
students
felt
appreciated most of the
time by the teachers, and
that the teachers do address
their knowledge. though
they also mentioned that
sometimes the teachers do
not
address
to
the
additional
material
the
bring from home and they
rather to hear only about
things related to the
material taught in class.
Both groups noted they
receive a lot of appreciation
from the teachers. However,
both normal and gifted
students express lack of
content
with
teachers;
evaluation
of
a
new
material the bring or their
will to go deep in a certain
subject.
The findings that arise from the interviews with the gifted and normal students indicate
differences mostly in the ability and self-capability to do the requirements and the task
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
251
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
asked by the teacher and by his or her instructions; it seems that there is a difference in
the self-capability regarding the execution as well as the willingness to do so. The gifted
students expressed a lack of readiness to work cooperatively and peer learning, thus all
of the gifted students showed a preference to work alone, student “ said I rather study
by myself because working with others holds me back , another student marked I don’t have
the patient to weight for the other, I rather work alone , in contrast, normal students were
divided in their opinions and preferences, so some of them expressed willingness and
readiness to work cooperatively and to cooperate with others, a normal student say:
working with others can be interesting and even helpful , and others expressed reluctance
to do so. Regarding a disturbance when learning cooperatively, gifted students
complain about the others’ slow pace claiming that slowness holds them back; a gifted
student claimed working with others can slow me down and detain my working pace . The
opposite is true regarding the normal students who noted that the thing which usually
disturbs them is a fast working pace of a member in the group, a normal student claims:
It is hard for me to work with someone with a faster working pace than mine, I fail to follow,
and sometimes lose my interest in learning and cooperating with the rest of the group .
When countering a problem in school the gifted students talked about a
preference to try and look for the solution by themselves via independent learning. One
of the instances is solving by turning to the library to search for books about a certain
subject in which the student has trouble with, reading them and finding a solution. In
contrast to the gifted students, the non-gifted group of students preferred to get help
from the teacher or a parent, some have noted on receiving help from a friend, a normal
student marks I ask for help all the time” the gifted students mostly try to cope with
problems and make several attempts in order to accomplish their task, but normal
students feel frustration and inability to cope with the gap between the levels which
eventually lead to a singular solution and to a failure, from their part, in being a part of
the group as well as in solving the problem. Another difference stood up in relation to
preparation to tests , it seems that there is a difference between the groups when it
comes to the methods of preparing to tests. In comparison to non-gifted students, gifted
students do not tend to go over and over the material but rather to solve more exercises.
In addition, gifted students noted more about willingness to learn independently and to
not ask for help, as opposed to non-gifted students.
Regarding the coping with peculiar and disliked subjects , gifted students
demonstrated curiosity to learn peculiar subjects but did not preferred to learn disliked
subjects, they rather to go really deep into new subjects they are interested in, a gifted
student pointed out I really fond of school challenges, I want to know many new things . In
contrast, non-gifted students expressed a lack of preference in learning unfamiliar or
disliked subjects and preferred to focus on subjects familiar to them and to study them
well, for instance student “ claimed I only deal with tasks given by the teacher, I do not
favor to look for new information that is not relevant to the classes .
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
252
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
Both of the students’ groups note that they receive great appreciation from the
teachers. But nonetheless, gifted students as well as non-gifted students express
discontent with the teachers’ evaluation of new materials they bring or regarding their
willingness to go deep into a certain subject.
7. Conclusion of the findings
An integration between the quantitative and qualitative findings, indicates the unique
needs and different preferences of the gifted students in comparison to normal (nongifted) students. The gifted students expressed different preferences regarding; the
school program, the type of problems and solutions, learning with or without others, a
different treatment by the teacher. Some of their answers also indicate that the gifted
students prefer singular learning, with a possibility to receive challenging problems and
to solve it by themselves in their own ways. They also expressed a need to receive an
evaluation from the teacher that is suitable to their needs – a unique and customized
evaluation.
8. Discussion
The goal of this paper is to check for differences between the needs of the gifted
students and the non-gifted students, to identify these differences and to understand
them. This examination is of a significant theoretical contribution to the corpus of the
field of giftedness, as well as practical, in relation to constructing school programs and
educational interventions in all that is related to gifted students. Similar studies in the
field of giftedness (David, 1997A, for instance) showed that gifted students have unique
abilities, characteristics, and educational needs that are different from those of normal
students that are not gifted. In this chapter of the discussion a reference to the findings
presented in the previous chapter will be done, in accordance to the research’s inquiries
and assumptions that were presented in the previous chapters, and this will be done
while attempting to explain them and to combine the former researches’ findings and
theories in the field in order to check the compatibility between this current research’s
findings and earlier findings. As presented in the literature review chapter, two
assumptions were assumed in this research. The first is about the differences between
gifted students and non-gifted students in relation to their needs in all that concerns the
school programs and educational preferences. From the raised findings regarding the
differences in the perception of needs among gifted students and non-gifted students, it
may be concluded that the gifted group rather to learn with students who learn at a
similar pace as them, an accelerated pace that is compatible to their ability to produce
knowledge in great quantities and efficiently. The research explored the relations of the
students detected as gifted toward cooperative learning and has found a connection
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
253
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
between the partner and the students’ enthusiasm to learn cooperatively, meaning,
gifted students enjoy solving certain problems cooperatively only if the partner is of
their choice and learns at the pace as them.
The findings are compatible to Kanevsky’s research
11), which emphasized
that gifted students require an option to work independently, acceleration, and learning
with those who have similar capabilities and compatible learning pace. The findings
emphasize the need to establish unique frameworks for gifted students (Worgen, 2006)
that include students with the same learning level, the same need to learn certain
contents, the same pace of progress, and to work cooperatively with other students of
the same level.
This research’s findings show that even when the gifted person is of a quick
thought and understands new ideas and concepts effortlessly. These findings seem to
show that the mentioned characteristics of the gifted student help him or her to deal
with complex problems, which is manifested by gap between the findings of the gifted
and those of the normal students regarding their preference to develop solutions to
difficult and complex problems that are solved in different ways, hence, I’ve concluded
that the learning preferences of the students detected as gifted are different from those
of the students who were not detected as gifted and they were differentiated in ways
that are compatible with the cognitive characteristics.
In accordance to these findings, David (1997A) discussed the uniqueness of a
school program of gifted students, their will to solve complex problems. In addition, he
discussed the need to provide these students with suitable conditions to their cognitive
growth, to evoke interest by providing several problems in a level that is compatible to
theirs and even higher, and to intrigue several problems related to different aspects of
the student’s life, challenge and self-realization. In this context, Kanevsky (2011) also
discussed the need of the gifted students for a daily challenge in the field they are gifted
in.
Thus, in my research I’ve concluded that gifted students have unique needs and
they need to be provided steadily with a school program that is compatible to the gifted
student’s accelerated learning pace, content of the school program that is compatible to
his cognitive level and to provide him with an opportunity to connect and learn with
capable students in order to challenge their potential. These findings are compatible
with previous researches’ findings in the field that have shown that gifted have higher
cognitive level than others in the same age group, they can be more persisted in doing
tasks and are more capable to creativity than others (Renzulli, 1987).
Findings of researches addressing to gifted students’ needs are compatible to this
research as well, Kanevsky’s for instance, which shows that gifted students have unique
learning needs that include; opportunity to work independently, accelerated pace,
constantly provided with challenging problems, and learning with students who share
similar abilities as theirs. In relation to working pace, Winebrenner (2000) has shown
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
254
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
that gifted students are accustomed to finish the tasks quickly and are objected to
working in a manner that slows them down. This finding is also found in this research
when the gifted students reported the wish to work in rapid pace and without delays.
Also in this context, several of researchers (Shviv, 1999, for instance) have reported the
need of these school programs to gifted students will be distinguished than those of the
non-gifted students. This uniqueness includes; providing challenging materials, a
possibility to a critical, analytical, and creative thinking. Additionally, the need to
provide a database and an option to work in a pace that is comfortable to them when
exercising complex problems. Thus, this research’s findings are compatible with the
theories emphasized in the literature regarding the gifted students’ needs and abilities
in educational frameworks. These abilities and characteristics of the gifted can explain
the differences in their preferences regarding educational contents, learning methods,
and types of interaction.
The second research assumption referred to the students’ perceptions of their
interaction with their teachers, as well as the teachers’ attitude towards them. In this
context, it was assumed that there will be differences between the gifted students’
perceptions and the non-gifted perceptions. The findings regarding the teacher-student
interaction provide information that the gifted prefers a teacher who encourages
positively and takes the student’s thoughts and comments under consideration these
characteristics increase the student’s interest in the studied content. This finding is also
compatible with findings raised in other researches such as that of Makel, Putallaz ans
Wai (2012), which tested the connection between the students-teacher interaction and
the gifted students’ approaches towards learning. In the same research, as it was found
in this research as well, it seems that there is a connection between the teacher’s
behavior and the student’s perception of the learning experience. Gifted students
searched for teachers with a supportive and friendly approach that encourages
positivity and enjoyment when learning a subject. Shviv (1999) also mentioned that the
teacher’s treatment influences the student’s wish to learn a certain subject, so there is a
special importance to the investigation of the student-teacher interaction as well as the
students’ perceptions of this interaction.
”eyond examining the research’s assumptions, it is very important to note that
the giftedness subject is a subject that was greatly dealt and discussed within the school
system. Kanevsky (2011), for example, mentioned the importance of combining interests
and preferences of the gifted students regarding the school program in order to
produce maximum efficiency and progress in the field they are gifted in. in addition,
combination of the students’ preferences sends a message of the teacher’s caring
attention and his interest in the students and their needs. Hence, in order for the school
program to be efficient in educating the gifted, a unique compatibility is required
between the school program and the gifted students’ needs who have the ability to
learn new material in lesser time than others in their age group, as well as perceiving
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
255
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
and abstracting complex ideas and concepts easily, in comparison to their colleagues.
They are passionately interested in specific subjects and continue further until they feel
satisfied when achieving learning that is compatible to their abilities, and are capable to
operate in various levels of simultaneous concentration so it is possible to follow
activities in the classroom without focusing on them (Krofnik- Gottlieb and Idrgor,
2012).
Finally, from a personal stand point, this paper fascinated me, highly enriching
by both gathering, writing and reading materials, and collecting data and orientating in
the field with the students and hearing their stand points and experiences they decide
to share. This paper has greatly contributed to my knowledge both theoretically and
practically. Via this paper I could go deep into a subject that interesting me greatly and
the knowledge I’ve acquired can assist me with my future practices. Moreover, I could
practically experience the gifted students and their experiences as it is manifested in the
field, and to learn through the paper the ways to deal with gifted students and their
unique needs.
The research’s findings inform about the unique needs of the gifted students,
thus, it is highly recommended that teachers who educate gifted students will be
exposed to the information about these students’ unique requirements and preferences.
Adjusting the school program of different subjects to the students’ preferences is
recommended as well. One of the main recommendations of this research is; inserting a
change in the ways of evaluating the gifted students, it is important to combine
alternative methods and evaluation tools that will assess the diversity of the gifted
students’ abilities and skills.
References
1. David, H (1997A). Educating Gifted Children in Special classes or Regular Classes?
Papers, Journal for Review, Research and Development of Programs for Training
Teaching employees, 25, 126-149. Inside (1198), A. Ziv (editor), Giftedness and Special
Talents – Reader (P 331-353). Tel-Aviv, Open University Press.
2. David, H. (1997B). Mathematical Giftedness. Talpiot College Yearbook, T, 147-169.
3. David, H (2001). Differences Between Genders in Math Studies in SeventhTwelfth Grades. Part I: Differences between genders in Math according to the
results of international researches. J.O.M - Journal of Mathematics education at
High School, 27, 55-69.
4. David, H (2002). Differences Between Genders in Math studies in SeventhTwelfth Grades. Part II: Gender differences in matriculation exams and the
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
256
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
psychometric test in mathematics. J.O.M - Journal of Mathematics education at
High School, 28, 35-51.
5. Davis, H
. The Religious Gifted Girl. On the website
Hebrew
Psychology . The state of Israel, Ministry of Education, Department of Talented
and Gifted Students.
6. David, H (2009). Mathematical Giftedness in Childhood: Comments and Commentaries
Derived from the Practice. ”e’er
electronical version . Hebrew Psychology
http://www.hebpsy.net/articles.asp?id=2127
7. Dori, Y and Zohar, A (2008). Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Among
Gifted Girls. Research report submitted to the OCS. The Ministry of Education,
Jerusalem.
8. Worgen (2006). Nurturing Gifted Students in the School System. Served to the
Committee of Education, Culture and Sports, Research and Information Center,
the Knesset.
9. Krofnik- Gottlieb, M. Idrgor, H.
. “rab and Jewish Teachers’ Perception of
the Differences Between Gifted and Excelling Students and the Teaching
Methods in These Frameworks. Authority for Research and Evaluation, Oranim
College.
10. Shviv A. (1999). Characteristics of School Programs to the Gifted. The Department of
Talented and Gifted Students.
11. Shani, A. (2008). Indicators Relating to the Gifted Student Population in the
School System. Interdisciplinary Research Centre of emotions, University of
Haifa.
12. Tamir, D. (2012). Gifted Children- The Special Indicator that Becomes the
Differentiator. Psychology of Current Affairs newspaper.
13. Benbow, C. P., Lubinski, D., Shea, D. L., & Eftekhari-Sanjani, H. (2000). Sex
differences in mathematical reasoning ability: Their status 20 years later.
Psychological Science, 11, 474-480.
14. Bicknell, B, & Holton, D. (2009) Gifted and Talented Mathematics Students. In R.
Averill & R. Harvey (Eds.) Teaching Secondary School Mathematics and Statistics:
Evidence-Based Practice, Volume One (pp. 173 – 186). Wellington: NZCER Press.
15. Bloom, B. S. (1983). Developing Talent in Young People. New York: Ballantine
Books.
16. Clark, B. (2008). Growing Up Gifted: Developing the Potential of Children at
Home and School (7th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.
17. Cohen, P.A. (1982). Educational Outcomes of Tutoring: A Meta-analysis of
Findings. American Educational Research Journal 19, no. 2: 237-48.
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
257
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
18. Cross, T.L. (2011). On the Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Children, Prufrock
Press Inc. Waco, Texas.
19. David, H. (2005). Learning mathematics in the Israeli junior high school: The
gender issue and beyond it. Women and Mathematics Learning: A Feminist or an
Economic Question? Gifted Education International, 20(3), 348-355.
20. Galbraith, J. (1998). The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide for Ages 10 and Under.
Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
21. Guilford, J.P. (1956). A Factor-analytic Study of Verbal Fluency: Studies of Aptitudes
of High-level Personnel. University of Southern California.
22. Hong, E., & Aqui, Y. (2004). Cognitive and motivational characteristics of
adolescents gifted in mathematics: Comparison among students with different
types of giftedness. Gifted Child Quarterly, 48, 191-201.
23. Holton, D. & Daniel, C. (1996) Mathematics. In D. McAlpine and R. Moltzen
(Eds.) Gifted and Talented: New Zealand Perspectives. pp. 201 – 218. Palmerston
North, New Zealand: ERDC Press.
24. Hong, E., & Milgram, R. M. (1996). The structure of giftedness: The domain of
literature as an exemplar. Gifted Child Quarterly, 40, 31-40.
25. Kanevsky, L. (2011). Deferential Differentiation: What Types Of Differentiation
Do Students Want. Gifted child Quarterly, 55(4), (279-299).
26. Karnes, F.A., & Bean, S.M. (2005). Methods and Materials for Teaching the Gifted
(2nd ed.). Waco, TX: Prufrock Press
27. Knudson, D. (2006). Gifted Education in New Zealand Primary Schools 18782005. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.
28. Makel, M. C., Putallaz, M., & Wai, J. (2012). Teach students what they don't know
but are ready to learn: A commentary on "Rethinking giftedness and gifted
education." Gifted Child Quarterly, 56, 198–201.
29. Marland, S., Jr. (1972). Education of the gifted and talented. (Report to the Congress
of the United States by the U. S. Commissioner of Education). Washington, DC:
U.S. Government Printing Office.
30. Reis, S.M., Neihart, M. Robinson, N. & Moon, S.M. (2002). Social and Emotional
Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know?.
31. Renzulli, J. D. (1987). Point-counterpoint. The positive side of pull-out programs.
Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 10, 245-254.
32. Renzulli, J. S. (2004). Developing the giftedness and talents of young people: A
New Zealand perspective on a critical national priority. In D. McAlpine & R.
Moltzen (Eds.), Gifted and Talented: New Zealand Perspectives. Auckland, NZ:
Kanuka Grove Press.
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
258
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
33. Sheffield, L.J. (2003). Extending the Challenge in Mathematics: Developing
Mathematical Promise in K-8 Students. Thousand oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
34. Stepanak, J. (1999) Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students: Differentiating Mathematics
and Science Instruction. United States of America: Northwest Regional
Educational Laboratory.
35. Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society. M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E.
Souberman (Eds.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
36. Winebrenner, S. (2000). Gifted students need an education, too. Educational
Leadership, 58(1), 52–56.
37. Winebrenner, S. (2001). Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom: Strategies and
Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs of the Gifted and
Talented. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
38. Witty, P. A. (1958). Who are the gifted? In N. B. Henry (Ed.), Education for the
gifted, (pp. 42-63). The fifty-seventh yearbook of the National Society for the
Study of Education, Part II. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
259
Raed Zedan, Jarmas Bitar
MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS: THEIR CHARACTERISTICS AND UNIQUE NEEDS
Creative Commons licensing terms
Author(s) will retain the copyright of their published articles agreeing that a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) terms
will be applied to their work. Under the terms of this license, no permission is required from the author(s) or publisher for members of the community
to copy, distribute, transmit or adapt the article content, providing a proper, prominent and unambiguous attribution to the authors in a manner that
makes clear that the materials are being reused under permission of a Creative Commons License. Views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this
research article are views, opinions and conclusions of the author(s). Open Access Publishing Group and European Journal of Education Studies shall
not be responsible or answerable for any loss, damage or liability caused in relation to/arising out of conflicts of interest, copyright violations and
inappropriate or inaccurate use of any kind content related or integrated into the research work. All the published works are meeting the Open Access
Publishing requirements and can be freely accessed, shared, modified, distributed and used in educational, commercial and non-commercial purposes
under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
European Journal of Education Studies - Volume 3 │ Issue 4│ 2017
260