How the Gifted Brain Learns » (2nd Edition)

David A. Sousa, Ed.D., is an international educational consultant. He has made presentations at national conventions of educational organizations and has conducted workshops on brain research and science education in hundreds of school districts and at several colleges and universities across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Sousa has a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Massachusetts State College at Bridgewater, a master of arts in teaching degree in science from Harvard University, and a doctorate from Rutgers University. His teaching experience covers all levels. He has taught junior and senior high school science, served as a K—12 director of science, and was Supervisor of Instruction for the West Orange, New Jersey, schools. He then became superintendent of the New Providence, New Jersey, public schools. He has been an adjunct professor of education at Seton Hall University, and a visiting lecturer at Rutgers University. He was president of the National Staff Development Council in 1992. Dr. Sousa has edited science books and published numerous books and articles in leading educational journals on staff development, science education, and brain research. He has received awards from professional associations and school districts for his commitment and contributions to research, staff development, and science education. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award and an honorary doctorate in education from Bridgewater (Mass.) State College. He has appeared on the NBC Today show and on National Public Radio to discuss his work with schools using brain research. He makes his home in south Florida.

Now from the author of the best-selling How the Brain Learns and How the Special Needs Brain Learns comes a new book dealing with gifted and talented students. How the Gifted Brain Learns helps you turn research on the brain function of intellectually and artistically advanced students into practical classroom activities and strategies.

David Sousa shows how the brain processes information and offers both simple and complex strategies that will help identify and challenge gifted students in your classroom. Building on the latest discoveries in neuroscience, learning, and the nature of intelligence, this book examines why traditional talent-identification techniques are inadequate (and often inaccurate), and presents methods that will allow you to identify giftedness and talent potential with greater accuracy than ever before.

This book will help answer such questions as:

• How are the brains of gifted students different?
• What kinds of strategies are particularly effective for students with particular gifts?
• What can be done to adequately challenge gifted students in our schools?
• What can we do to identify and help gifted students who are underachievers?
• How can we identify and help students who are both gifted and learning disabled?

Schools have a responsibility to provide for the needs of gifted and talented students--to challenge them so that they may reach their fullest potentials. Offering real strategies for real classrooms, How the Gifted Brain Learns is an indispensable tool for all educators--school administrators, teachers, staff developers, preservice students, and evenparents who want to better understand their gifted children, and help them reach exceptional levels of performance.

About the Author: David A. Sousa, Ed.D., an international educational consultant, has conducted workshops in hundreds of school districts on brain research and science education at the elementary, secondary, and university levels. He frequently presents at national conventions of educational organizations and serves as a consultant to regional and local school districts across the United States, Canada, and Europe.

See David A. Sousa's How the Brain Learns, The 4-Book Collection

Introduction 1

What Do We Mean by Gifted and Talented? 1

Gifted and Talented Programs in Today's Schools 4

About This Book 5

Ch. 1 What Is a Gifted Brain? 9

Understanding Intelligence 9

Theories of Intelligence and Giftedness 13

Characteristics of Giftedness 22

Social and Emotional Characteristics of Giftedness 31

Impact of Praise on Gifted Students 33

Ch. 2 Challenging the Gifted Brain 45

Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction 45

A Supportive Learning Environment 47

Curriculum Content Initiatives for Gifted Learners 48

Instructional Processes for Gifted Learners 53

The Products of Gifted Learners 60

Gifted Visual-Spatial Learners 61

Avoiding the Pitfall of Academics Versus the Arts 62

Ch. 3 Underachieving Gifted Students 87

What Is Underachievement? 87

Some Causes of Underachievement 87

Identifying Gifted Underachievers 91

Underachievement Among Gifted Minority Students 94

Reversing Patterns of Underachievement 100

Ch. 4 The Twice-Exceptional Brain 111

Identifying Twice-Exceptional Students 111

Giftedness and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 115

Giftedness and Autism 117

Hyperlexia 122

Ch. 5 Language Talent 141

Sources of Language Ability 141

Identifying Students Gifted in Language Arts 146

Developing Language Ability 147

Ch. 6 Mathematical Talent 165

Number Sense Is an Innate Capability 165

Mathematical Thinking and the Brain 165

Identifying the Mathematically Gifted 169

Teaching the Mathematically Gifted 172

Ch. 7 Artistic Talent 189

The Arts for All Students 189

Musical Talent 190

Reading and Memorizing Music 196

Developing Musically Talented Students 199

Dance Talent 204

TheatricalTalent 207

Visual Art Talent 209

Ch. 8 Putting It All Together 225

Identifying Gifted Students 225

Developing the Learning Environment 228

Strategies for the Gifted in the Inclusive Classroom 229

Where Do We Go From Here? 232

Conclusion 238

Glossary 249

References 253

Resources 267

Index 273