#gtchat Archive
Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT is a weekly chat on Twitter that takes place on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT and 5 p.m. PT in the U.S. For one hour, parents, educators, advocates and experts in the field of gifted and talented gather to share resources, links, authentic life experiences and insights about gifted issues.
Tuesday September 27, 2016
For the next hour I’ll be joining others at ( ) ~ please pardon the heavy stream or better yet; join us!
Welcome to Global & Chat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented
Hi Folks,
Barry Gelston
Mr Gelston's One room Schoolhouse
Our topic today is “What Does It Mean to Be Verbally Gifted?”
Our guest today is Carol Bainbridge
Carol Bainbridge from Indiana. Mom to gifted young adult - and advocate for verbally gifted kids!
Thanks for coming out! Let's take a minute to introduce ourselves. Share who you are & where you’re from! https://t.co/OzVd8bTQcA
Hi, from Flower Mound, TX
Hi Lisa! Hi Barry! Hi Carol! It's Carolyn K., from here in cool, comfy Pennsylvania
I’m Lisa Conrad ~ advocate, presenter, blogger, Parent Editorial Board member & mother of 2 gifted young adults in Pittsburgh
Heather Vaughn, Advanced Academics Coordinator @ University of Texas High School
Hi to all participants from Dylan. Special welcome to host
Denise Estelle ~ high ability reading teacher grades 1-5 Central Indiana
Hey Lisa, thanks for hosting us again.
New to ? We use a Q1) / A1) format for questions & answers
Don’t forget to add the hashtag >>> to each tweet so others can see them!
Hello this is Melissa from Katy TX. GT science teacher & mother of GT child.
Hi. Gail Post from Gifted Challenges. Psychologist, mom, blogger.
Greetings Jonathan Bolding, 2015-16 Javits-Frasier Scholar, exp. MS G/T educator in TN, always a pleasure to participate in
I have enjoy Carol's responses here, I look forward to this chat.
Tracy from No Texas...P of a verbally gifted son in college... I'll be in and out tonight. Conflicting meeting.
Question 1 is coming up; let’s get started!
Hi !! Popping in because the topic tonight is near and dear to my heart...I have been blessed with the gift of gab!! Intro coming..
A1) Acquire language skills at an early age, before age-mates. Proficient with language “symbols” – letters - words
Verbally gifted students often have a high vocabulary
Hi , I'm Karen and my 14-yo is gifted.
A1) Last week we chatted about ‘little lawyers’; I think of verbally gifted children as ‘little linguists’.
does early reading always come with strong verbal skills.
I'm Andrea, an elementary teacher turned full-time Social Studies Whisperer!! GT/ELL certified + GT mama
A1 I find a verbally gifted student has a vivid expression of word and a large vocabulary Sound very mature for their age
A1 not only advanced speech/vocab but able to play with words/language: puns, jokes, unusual phrasing
Good question. Most verybally gifted kids are early readers.
A1 - Speak in complete sentences early! 12-18 mos https://t.co/RwWGrnyxfN
Verbally gifted students often have a high vocabulary
A1) Verbally gifted children can have interests from studying language itself to an array of traditional ELA endeavors.
Many of my GT students that are verbally gifted hate to write but love to debate & give speeches.
A1: IMO, a child is able to express themselves using higher level vocab. and figurative language
We'll have the links in our weekly blog post! ;)
A1 To be verbally gifted means to have strong language skills: listening, speaking, writing, reading & grammar. Many at an early age
a little late but here. I'm Jacque with a 2nd grade gifted kid
A1) love to read, write, play with words - scrabble, word games, crosswords - words are fun!
Q2) Why have some called the verbally gifted “the most neglected group in American schools”? https://t.co/lX1h1jNgPY
A1) I would add that GT Ss write well too, since Ts often assess RWSL together.
Jeremy, parent from Connecticut sneaking into ....
A2) Because they present as over talkers and don't seem to need help??
A1) Tangherlini & Durden (1993) note verbal talent in oral express., reading, foreign Lang, creative writing, & gen verbal reasoning
A2: As a former teacher, we spend so much time telling kids to be quiet, be quiet. They don't get a chance to shine.
A2) Don’t understand what it means to be verbally gifted
A2) Too many educators assume the verbally gifted will do fine with only minimal intervention/accommodation.
A2 often Ts do not provide diff opp for these skills to be shared. Creative voice verbally can be stifled if not used
Recent emphasis on STEM, decline in humanities from elementary through college
A2) Those who don't write well or excel in some other way aren't even recognized as being gifted.
A2) Many learning environments & communities have made it their mission to silence the verbally gifted
So much focus on math and science makes us sometimes lose the humanities that many verbally students benefit from
A2) can they be verbally gifted and introverted at the same time? If so, is that a conflict? https://t.co/ipSuCG7aPz
Q2) Why have some called the verbally gifted “the most neglected group in American schools”? https://t.co/lX1h1jNgPY
Ss need to be able to demo knowledge in many ways verbally is such an important way for these Ss to express themselves
Little late, sorry, Tanya Morret, educator from PA passionate about growing advanced learners
2) Schools see language study as a tool, not as content to be studied on its own.
A2) It's often assumed that S will be fine on their own & they can be persistent/tiring for P/peers who don't wish to include them.
A2 I use a lot of debates, speeches, and group share in science classes to make sure all learning styles are represented
YESSSSSSSS! Students need the opportunity to express their creativity no matter what form!! https://t.co/CRTXbK7jaK
A2 often Ts do not provide diff opp for these skills to be shared. Creative voice verbally can be stifled if not used
A2 teaching to the test, 5-paragraph essays - deplete creativity for verbally gifted
A2) Courses for advanced language learning ebb and flow with the rise and fall of school budgets.
A2) Verbally students may be viewed as rude or over the top when expressing their opinions and ideas https://t.co/TwPohuEYly
A2) Many learning environments & communities have made it their mission to silence the verbally gifted
https://t.co/3AAKyYy1VI
A2) because they are seen as early learners and not gifted. As if their peers will catch up so they just need to "wait"
Preaching to the AMERICAN HISTORY super fan choir right here!! SS seems like a lost art!! https://t.co/S5tyfhkuD1
Recent emphasis on STEM, decline in humanities from elementary through college
I am a GT Teacher in San Antonio- 1 1/2 yrs. in GT, 17 teaching..my past exp is most of resources went to kids who struggled w/rdg&m
A2) Some may feel exceptional verbal talent can't easily be quantified w/in growth & achievement structures &a place less emphasis
A2) Kids engaging in verbal play in class are seen as disruptive; kids who correct teacher’s grammar are considered disrespectful.
Or Ts teach the text, not the underlying components
unfortunately many teachers want a quiet room. Not me I love the chattering collaboration of self-expression
Q3) Why does current language arts instruction fail to meet the needs of verbally gifted kids? https://t.co/VytL1w6Wpr
I certainly can't be still and quiet all day so I never expected kids to be when I was in the classroom https://t.co/EHb838p8Dv
unfortunately many teachers want a quiet room. Not me I love the chattering collaboration of self-expression
A3: In my experience the focus is on TEST TAKING, not the speaking and listening standards that are just as impt.
It is designed around writing & reading & written reflection not on verbal communication skills.
A3 Not enough emphasis on creative expression, independent exploration rather than prepping for tests
A3) Most instruction is geared toward the ‘mean’; needs of verbally gifted kids are obscured by their abilities.
A3) All of our education is suited to get everyone to the middle.
I'm Susan Gehr, Linguistics MA, working in Karuk language revitalization, archives, linguistics ed., parent, archivist
A3) Little is offered for verbally gifted kids. Creative writing for those who like to writebut some hate to write
A2) Even in STEM, verbally students can thrive if given avenues that are their strength to show their STEM learning
So true...."high flyers" often get left to fly alone... https://t.co/mAqYlhR7Hy
A3) Most instruction is geared toward the ‘mean’; needs of verbally gifted kids are obscured by their abilities.
Yesssss! I am noisy by nature and I love to share ideas & chat so my room is designed for that too.
A3) •Most language arts instruction consists of grammar lessons – same stuff for 12 years
A3 Absence of ability grouping does not allow them to have dialogue with like-minded peers about what they read
A3) Some place an overemphasis on written expression or accelerated reading ops
We’re already half way through our chat! Thanks for all the great sharing.
I feel very fortunate as a mom to live in a county/state that requires services for GT
A3) Lots of memorizing and identification of parts of speech, sentence structures, punctuation rules.
A3) Lack of recognition that verbally gifted have needs that require advanced coursework leads to unfulfilled potential.
A3 Overemphasis on accuracy and something written to grade, the development of the thinking involved
A3: maybe teachers aren't able to meet the needs of the few due to lack of time/resources or interest
Is it possible that they are also intimidated? https://t.co/pBdO6dhrOo
A3: maybe teachers aren't able to meet the needs of the few due to lack of time/resources or interest
A3) I found it hard to balance the asynchronous dev of my Ss w/ text selections & relevant perf. tasks to maintain engagement
A3) These students are often given the option to read more when they complete classwork
A3) My 7th grader said tonight that her honors LA was virtually the same as regular except for the lack of reading logs. Not sure...
A3) Reading material that is of no interest and not much room for creativity. My son is in a GT program now, it's life-changing
Hi! Jo Freitag from Gifted Resources and Sprite's Site Victoria Australia Sorry I am late for My computer insisted on updating!
I hope not. Lack of differentiation makes me sad. GT often gets overlooked. They need rigor & grit not more work
I hate when that happens!
"I'm done." "Just read." All day every day in classrooms.They need other options https://t.co/3ty5wxUKDn
A3) These students are often given the option to read more when they complete classwork
A4) Grammar is prescriptive – gives rules for how language SHOULD be used.
4) Linguistics is descriptive – describes how language is actually used.
A2) kids who write in other, more powerful formats than that being taught are also seen as uncooperative and disrespecful
A4) Linguistics is a broad study of language whereas grammar relates to one specific language & the rules for delivering it.
Good sign? How different could outstanding Language programs possibly be?
MAKE THAT !! I have typed that EVERY TIME and caught it 99%. https://t.co/1614hnw3es
YES! Lots of probing, out-of-nowhere questions from them. My strengths are verbal/writing but in math I felt that way.
We saw that with our kids all the time! All.the.time.
Grammar is sentence structure and rules. Linguistics is inter -connectedness of words and dialogue
Yes...linguistics is a science. Anyone see some potential here for verbally gifted kids who hate science?
absolutely! Grading writing pieces alone is exhausting
Exploration of Gifted Subtypes Differentiated Across Standardized Cognitive Variables (pdf) https://t.co/Kg2AW9pb6K
at open house at middle school last night, I did ask directly what the difference was. They supposedly dig deeper.
Grammar is about specifics while linguistics is about language in a broader aspect
A4) Grammar is what most ELA curriculum covers in a general ed classroom; linguistics delves into every facet of language.
It is disappointing that I didn't learn what linguistics was until college.
A4) I did graduate study in linguistics so I could read the grammar in the book "The Karuk Language."
Linguists ask science questions: What is it? What is it made of? Where does it come from? How does it work?
Linguistics sounds like Michael Clay Thompson curriculum... the curriculum I wish my kids had, and I wish *I* had!
Ss love Latin & Greek meaning in science where words originate, prefixes etc. My students love linguistics.
Thompson is great! But the science of language goes beyond what he does.
Love MCT! https://t.co/FuyjFWIPR9
Linguistics sounds like Michael Clay Thompson curriculum... the curriculum I wish my kids had, and I wish *I* had!
I really didn't have a full understanding until I took the ESOL endorsement 3 years ago! https://t.co/JuvErXqolk
It is disappointing that I didn't learn what linguistics was until college.
the link to the study says it's a bad URL :-(
What's the difference?
o“Verbally gifted children read well.”
o“Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.”
it's 1 kid's perception barely 4 weeks into the school year, so we'll see. Peers compare with one another, I guess.
A4: explore linguistics by examining how the masters communicate similar ideas...the interplay of words?
and what MCT does goes SO far past what my kids (and I) learning in L.A.
Oops! Will fix for blog post & later today!
that was one of the things I Loved about MCT stuff.
For me, grammar is way less interesting than linguisticst
not sure. It's honors that doesn't have the logs. Presumably because they're all good readers anyway?
When I introduced my students to latin root words and the evolution of the current Romance languages from Latin, they were intrigued
A4: My break it down to basics for littles terms: linguistics-where words came from, grammar-how words function or look on a page
Not just more rigor and challenge, but more interest, more variety, too!
Can anyone explain what's wrong with this sentence: Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
A5) study of all aspects of words is important! Where they come from, how they can be arranged and used, what they accomplish, etc.
that's one way to look at it. But they wouldn't have honors for nothing, would they? Maybe to group like-minded peers.
Many gifted programs include study of etymology, which is great, but verbally gifted kids want to know more about language.
Amen! Choice choice and to help focus interests and passions.
Sleep is generally not furious, but instead calm and relaxing. ??
and these are kids from innercity Detroit. when they can connect bio-, anti-, socio- with words they know, they feel empowered
A4) I'm interested in what inspired this question. I could answer it in all kinds of ways personally interesting, though.
A4) Grammar is a pain in the butt because of all of the exceptions. There are a limited number of origins of a word though
A5) Every student is different; every verbally gifted student as well. Many feel compelled to understand the nature of language.
"translating" classics into inner city language can be empowering. Romeo and Juliet vs. West Side Story, etc.
A5 They now have tools to use in honing their innate abilities.
A5. Verbal comprehension figures prominently in the instruments school districts typically reference in gifted ID procedures.
A5 I think very impornt b/c GT Ss love to see how things conn & why things are the way they are. Ling helps them w/ both.
A5) It is critical to the continued development of the verbally gifted learner & avoids regression in latter yrs (e.g kinder to mid)
A5) study of language allows students to dig deep into word beginnings, looking at trends and patterns in our language
I have to dig deeper before judging. I mentioned what the teacher said at open house & that was my daughter's reply.
A5) Verbally gifted kids tend to be holistic or global learners – like to understand the big picture before tackling the details
Green would not be colorless and ideas seldom sleep furiously or otherwise?
A5) The importance of studying language for verbally gifted may ultimately affect achievement; their love of learning.
A5: I think it's impt. bc they are more inclined to be interested in it and it may spark new ideas, connections to other words
A5) Most schools focus on details then on the whole picture.
Why words are structured & language is meaningful comes from finding a connection to words & meanings
A5 These students already know and love language. Take that love and build on it.
you're making me think of good questions to ask about the class.
A5) allow unusual use of language. Graphic novel format instead of essay, poetry, verse, etc.
yes! And if forced to learn in a linear fashion they may just shut down
That WHY factor and insatiable curiosity!! I before E except after C-WHY? Um, because. The end. Comma here.… https://t.co/FLQDjcmUki
Many gifted programs include study of etymology, which is great, but verbally gifted kids want to know more about language.
A5 I find GT Ss want to discover meanings not just memorize vocab- seeing origins helps with context & memory
Q6) How might teachers with no experience in linguistics teach it to verbally gifted students? https://t.co/0ne2n7Fy28
A5) Having my child really want answers for what does this mean, how does this work has really made me look at those things anew.
Some verbally gifted kids enjoy learning a foreign language, but they want to know why "book" in French is "livra." Why? Why?
A6) the way parents teach our kids things they want to learn and we don't know...look it up together! Or guide them to study it.
A6) Educators of verbally gifted students must understand their need to be challenged even in areas of strength.
A5-Necessary so we don't rob Ss of the joy one feels when "nailing it" eloquently and inspiring deeper thinking from one's audience
A6 Focus on the deeper mng. Make it a journey of sights & sounds not definitions Words are visual & auditory embrace both
YESSSS! My brain thinks in connections, connections, connections https://t.co/2gUIVDjt4e
A5 I find GT Ss want to discover meanings not just memorize vocab- seeing origins helps with context & memory
A6) Be the Ms Frizzle of language science: Get messy! Make mistakes! (And you don't really have to get messy.)
or even learning how to storytell aloud. some research shows the way it builds brain power
A6) Educators of young verbally gifted students need to know students’ individual abilities; match with appropriate curriculum.
A6) Explore language as a science, not just as an art.
A6 Provide opportunities for verbal comm like debates & speeches & verbal self- exp like skits, raps, poems read-alouds
Ms. Frizzle of language... I can just picture her dress!
A6) find a mentor, make friends with Pinterest/ Google and get on . No excuses in the digital age. Follow the kid's interest.
A6) find a mentor, make friends with Pinterest/ Google and get on . No excuses in the digital age. Follow the kid's interest.
The more chances for Ss to collaborate & share w/ their peers the more successful all Ss will be at verbal communication
Loved Ms Frizzle!
RT Ms. Frizzle of language... I can just picture her dress!
Definitely Forensics! Our mid schl gifted teacher had it as an after-school activity, and my kids learned SO much!
A6. Language tasks are open-ended by nature and needn’t impose ceilings on challenge as long as very able Ss have choice as needed.
We’re nearing the end of today … final thoughts/takeaways?
This will be archived at & the link will be shared via later today
Yes. I have quiz bowls, Future City & STEM competitions all requiring verbal communication
I love this! Mrs. Frizzle of language!
This has been a wonderful learning experience for me, a math educator. Thank you.
Verbally gifted kids need to learn at their own levels, too... and there are so many options, it's a wide, wild world of words!
Please join me in thanking our guest ~ Carol Bainbridge ~ for joining us today!
Suggestions for the youngest verbally gifted kids? (6 yr old)
Every student is unique. Provide opportunities for them to collab & grow every day. Encourage student voice & choice
Thanks to Carol and Lisa for this great !
Thanks to the extraordinary staff for their awesome support; we couldn’t do it without them!
This was fun... I hope everyone is thinking about language as science for these kids now!
Thanks to the Advisory Board:
Thanks, Carol - and Lisa - for a really interesting topic
I don't know if I was verbally gifted. I do know that I would "write down" when I could write better. Eventually I opened up.
Thank you This was a fun chat full of insight & thoughtful ideas. Thank you everyone.
Grow your by following some of the new friends you met here today at !
