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Period: to
History of Gifted Education
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Binet & Simon Intelligence Test
The intelligence test was designed by two Frenchman and later brought to the U.S.A. by Terman. This series of tests aids in the identification of an individual's intelligence. The tests look at: knowledge, quantitive reasoning, visual spatial processing, working memory, and fluid reasoning. It is still used today. -
Genetic Studies of Genius
Lewis Terman began a longitudinal study of over 1,400 children that were gifted. In April of 1925, his first volume of Genetic Studies of Genius was published (with four more volumes to follow). He concluded that gifted students were socially the same as their counterparts and that giftedness was hereditary and dependent on education. His work drew some criticism in that 90% of his participants were white and from upper/middle class families. The study remains in effect at this time. -
Brown V Board of Education
The courts ruled on this day that separate but equal was in fact a violation of the fourteenth amendment. This allowed for all students - regardless of color or sex - to receive the same quality of education, the same experiences. -
Sputnik
With the launch of the Soviet Union's Sputnik, the United States began to fear that students in the U.S.A. were falling behind. This lead to low interest loans for college students focusing on math and science as well as an increased interest in engineering and technologies. This shift in power to the Soviets' was considered worrisome and polls showed that Americans feared that the Soviets were more tech-saavy. -
Public Law 94-142
Education for all Handicapped Children Act. This law sought to offer fair services available to all students with special needs. It included the expectation of management, auditing, and federal funds. The gifted students, however, were not protected or included in this law. -
National Excellence: A Case for Developing America's Talent
This research focused on a "quiet crisis" that was/is happening in our country - that the top students were/are not being challegned. The study spoke of resources (gifted students) being squandered with low academic expectations and less rigorous curriculum compared with other industrialized nations. -
A Nation Deceived
A Nation Deceived was a study that reported findings regarding acceleration of gifted students - or the lack thereof. The study reported that the lack of acceleration of students was occurring because there was a lack of familiarity within the community and a lack of familiarity among educators. In addition, those that knew of acceleration had a lack of confidence in it. They found that the focus /argument was for students being an appropriate age, not readiness.
