What Language Discourse Tells us about Bilingual Adolescents: A Study of Students in Gifted Programs and Students in General Education Programs

Abstract

the latino/a population of the United States continues to increase dramatically; consequently, educators face the challenge of how best to provide educational services for those whose primary language is Spanish. the purpose of this study was to examine student discourse between bilingual students in gifted programs and bilingual students in the general education programs in an urban middle school. this study suggests a minor language advantage for the bilingual students in the gifted program. the overall conclusion seems to indicate that bilingualism, language abilities, and giftedness involve many variables and that the relationships are not necessarily direct.

Comparing Apples and Oranges

“…(Wu & Elliott, 2008, p. 233) Ackerman (1997; Ash and Huebner (1998); Bain and Bell (2004); Brice et al (2008); L. K. S. Chan (1996); Dai (2001); Gentry et al (2000); Hawkins (1997); Klein and Zehms (1996); Lea-Wood and Clunies-Ross (1995); Maksic (1997); Shaunessy et al (2007); Shaunessy et al (2006); Shavinina and Kholodnaja (1996); Shaywitz et al (2001); Thornton et al (2006); Threlfall and Hargreaves (2008); Tong and Yewchuk (1996); Udvari and Rubin (1996); Wu and Elliott (2008); Zeidner et al (2005) Additional sources of evidence "Students who said that they had been identified as gifted in high school and had taken Advanced Placement courses were considered high-ability for the purposes of this experiment." (Nikolova & Taylor, 2003, p. 208) Ackerman (1997; …”

“…(a) parent, teacher, or peer referral" (Brice et al, 2008, p. 13) Ackerman (1997; Brice et al (2008); L. K. S. Chan (1996); Gentry et al (2000); Klein and Zehms (1996); Shaunessy et al (2007); Shaunessy et al (2006); Shaywitz et al (2001); Udvari and Rubin (1996) Extracurricular activities "In addition to a high IQ, students must have outstanding academic achievements in science or mathematics or in the artistic domain. Based on an interview prior to the experiment, the students could be classified into three groups: (1) Six students were talented in the field of literature; they had published poems, short stories, or novels;…”

“…;Arffa (2007);Bain and Bell (2004);Brice, Shaunessy, Hughes, McHatton, and Ratliff (2008);Calero, Garcia-Martin, Jimenez, Kazen, and Araque (2007); L. K. S Chan (1996)Cho and Ahn (2003);Crim, Hawkins, Ruban, and Johnson (2008);Ferri, Gregg, and Heggoy (1997);Field et al (1998);Gallucci, Middleton, and Kline (1999);Gaultney (1998);Gottfried and Gottfried (1996);Hannah and Shore (1995);Holling and Kuhn (2008);Hunt (1996);Jausovec (1996);Jausovec (1997);Johnson, Im-Bolter, and Pascual-Leone (2003);Klavir and Gorodetsky (2001);Klein and Zehms (1996);Li and Adamson (1995a);Li and Adamson (1995b);…”

“…1) Abelman and Gubbins (1999); Ackerman (1997); Alborzi and Ostovar (2007); Ash and Huebner (1998); Bain and Bell (2004); Bouchet and Falk (2001); Brice, Shaunessy, Hughes, McHatton, and Ratliff (2008); D. W. Chan (2001); L. K. S. Chan (1996); Cobley, McKenna, Baker, and Wattie (2009);Crim, Hawkins, Ruban, and Johnson (2008); Delcourt, Lyn, and Rejskind (1997); Estell et al (2009);Field et al (1998); Fisherman (2001); Ford and Harris (1997); Gaultney (1998); Gentry, Gable, and Springer (2000); Gottfried and Gottfried (1996); Greene, Moos, Azevedo, and Winters (2008); Hawkins (1997); Heng (2000); Johnson, Im-Bolter, and Pascual-Leone (2003); Kher-durlabhji, Lacina-Gifford, Carter, and Lalande (1997); Klavir and Gorodetsky (2001); Klein and Zehms (1996); …”

Applied Practice for Educators of Gifted and Able Learners

“…This escalates as gifted students mature (Van Tassel-Baska, 2002), with neural networks impacting both visual and sound representation in both hemispheres of the brain (Katzir & Pre-Blagoev, 2006). Their comprehension in verbal and written communication, with application to reading, discourse, morphology, interpretation, and the use of advanced syntax are important aspects of high ability in language arts (Brice et al, 2008;Tyler, 2005), and require differentiated approaches to teaching gifted children in order to maximize verbal potential.…”