underachiever_bibliography

By: Alex Moore Back to Home Page

Here we offer a plethora of resources pertaining to the population of gifted underachievers. For the benefit of the viewer we have the resources listed under the headings of identification and characteristics, strategies, minority, systems and models, counseling, mathematics, science, social studies, and reading. Some of these resources can be classified under many heading and, thus, will appear multiple times. This organization was chosen to be efficient in locating specific information. There are a total of 30 resources presented on this page.
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One of the most prominent problems in gifted education today is the identification process. With such a wide variety of gifted students (e.g. minority, underachieving, SES, etc…) one identification process is not likely to include all gifted students. Gifted underachievers are neither teacher pleasers nor do they demonstrate their abilities. Thus, gifted underachievers tend to be overlooked. The following resources give information on how we can identify those underachievers that are gifted and help in preventing the large number of gifted students who are overlooked by the current processes. By efficiently and effectively identifying the population of underachieving gifted students we can reduce the number of underachievers, improve current gifted programs, and improve teachers of the gifted.
 * Identification and Characteristics **

Whitmore, J. R. (1985). Underachieving gifted students. //ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children, Reston VA.// Retrieved from []

Hunter-Braden, P. (1998). Underachieving gifted students: a mother's perspective. //NRC/GT 1998 Spring Newsletter.// Retrieved from @http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/nrcgt/newsletter/spring98/sprng986.html

Dowdall, C. B., and N. Colangelo. (1982). "Underachieving gifted students: review and implications." GIFTED CHILD QUARTERLY 26: 179-184.

Shoff, H. G. (1984). The gifted underachiever: definitions and identification strategies. //ED:// 252 029.

Whitmore, J. R. (1980). Giftedness, conflict, and underachievement. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Davis, G.A., Rimm, S. B., Siegle, D. (2010). //Education of the Gifted and Talented// (6th Edition). New York: Prentice Hall.

Bachtold, L. (1969). Personality differences among high ability underachievers. //The Journal of Educational Research, 63//(1). 16-18.

Birdsall, P., & Correa, L. (2007). gifted underachievers. Leadership, 36(4), 21-23. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Kim, K. (2008). Underachievement and creativity: Are gifted underachievers highly creative?. Creativity Research Journal, 20(2), 234-242. doi:10.1080/10400410802060232

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Hoover-Schultz, B. (2005). GIFTED UNDERACHIEVEMENT oxymoron or educational enigma?. Gifted Child Today, 28(2), 46-49. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Knowing and recognizing traits and characteristics and identification are only the first few steps. Teachers and staff must also be able to provide services and teach these underachieving students. As one might expect, it can be very difficult and any number of problems and issues can arise working with these students. Teachers and staff must be able to work with and provide solutions to these problems while also being proactive in teaching this special population of students. The following resources give information about effective strategies for teaching these students, problems and issues that may arise and some solutions to these problems. These are not the only effective strategies for this population of students but can work as a starting point for the devoted teacher.
 * Strategies**

Carolyn, K. (1997). Hoagie's gifted education page: the "all things gifted" page. Retrieved from @http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/underachievement.htm Delisle, J. & Berger, S. L. (1990). Underachieving gifted students. //ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children, Reston VA.//Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%;">[]

<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 110%; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Davis, G. A., Rimm, S. B., Siegle, D. (2010). //Education of the Gifted and Talented// (6th Edition). New York: Prentice Hall.

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%;">Kaufmann, F. (1987). The courage to succeed: A new look at underachievement. Unpublished paper presented at the 12th annual Northern Virginia Conference on Gifted/Talented Education, Fairfax, VA.

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%;">Raph, J. B., Goldberg, M. L. and Passow, A. H. (1966). //Bright Underachievers//. New York: Teachers College Press.

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%;">Rimm, S. (1986). //The Underachievement Syndrome: Causes and Cures//. Watertown, WI: Apple Publishing Company.

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%;">Rimm, S. (2006). //When Gifted Students Underchieve and What You Can Do About It.// Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Rayneri, L. J., Gerber, B. L., & Wiley, L. P. (2003). Gifted Achivers and Gifted Underachievers: The Impact of Learning Style Preferences in the Classroom. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 14(4), 197. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Seeley, K. (2004). Gifted and Talented Students at Risk. Focus on Exceptional Children, 37(4), 1-8. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Thompson, D. D., & McDonald, D. M. (2007). Examining the Influence of Teacher- Constructed and Student-Constructed Assignments on the Achievement Patterns of Gifted and Advanced Sixth-Grade Students. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 31(2), 198-226. Retrieved from EBSCOhost<span style="font-family: 'Segoe UI','sans-serif'; font-size: 12px;">.

Minority gifted underachievers are even more difficult to identify since many minority gifted students are commonly overlooked. This presents quite a conundrum. It is even more important to be aware of and understand the signs of gifted underachievement among minority students. The resources below contain information for traits and characteristics, identification, and strategies for aiding this special population of gifted students.
 * Minority Gifted Underachievers**

Ford, D. Y. & Thomas, A. (1997). Underachievement among gifted minority students: problems and promises. //ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education:// Reston VA. Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%;">[].

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%;">Ford, D. Y. (1995). A study of achievement and underachievement among gifted, potentially gifted, and regular education black students. Storrs, CT: The University of Connecticut, National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 115%;">Ford, D. Y. (1996). //Reversing Underachievement Among Gifted Black Students: Promising Practices and Programs//. New York: Teachers College Press.

Numerous studies have shown the need for counseling of these gifted students. Due to the open-mindedness, emotional development, and superior academic ability, gifted students need counseling to help them settle their emotion instability and understand their own giftedness. Also, counseling helps gifted students plan and make decisions about their future. However, the counseling of gifted students can be very difficult. An even more difficult population to counsel are the gifted underachievers. The following resources will help both teachers and counselors assist gifted underachieving students and provide services needed for these students.
 * Counseling**

Bleuer, J. C. & Walz, G. R. (2003). New perspectives on counseling underachievers. Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Bleuer, J. C. (1987). Counseling underachievers. Greensboro, NC: ERIC Counseling and Student Services Clearinghouse. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 286 112)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Mandel, H.P., & Marcus, S. I. (1995). "Could do better:" Why children underachieve and what to do about it. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Identifying gifted students is only part of the game. The next phase is to deliver appropriate services to these students. These services may include, but are not limited to, advanced coursework, independent studies, mentorship opportunities, and counseling. The challenge with these services is that schools must be organized. This next resources gives numerous gifted program models and systems to aid teachers and schools to deliver the necessary services to their students. Some of these models are most effective in elementary school and some are most effective in high school. There are some that work best in small and rural schools while others work best in large and urban schools. There are many different programs and approaches and each of them is worth the read.
 * Systems and Models**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: normal;">Renzulli, J. S., Gubbins, E. J., McMillen, K. S., Eckert, R. D., & Little C. A. (2009). //Systems and models for developing programs for the gifted and talented// (2nd ed). Mansfield Center, CT: Creative Learning Press.

Many times we find that students excel in some subjects but not in others. Similarly, students can underachieve in one subject but not in others. Below we have four resources, one for each of the four main academic subject areas, for subject specific assistance: reading (language arts), science, social studies, and mathematics. Underachievers show many of the same signs and symptoms over all subjects yet some signs are subject specific. These resources are here to aid teachers in assisting underachievers in their subject areas. These resources contain characteristics, traits, and identification techniques. These resources are not all inclusive but give teachers an overview of this special population of underachievers and how one might aid their gifted underachieving students.
 * Subject Specific Underachievers**

Quatroche, D. J. (2000). Helping the underachiever in reading. //ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading English and Communications:// Bloomington, IN. Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">[]
 * Reading**

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Wolfe, L. F. (1990). Teaching science to gifted underachievers: a conflict of goals. //Canadian Journal of Special Education, 6//(1), 88-97.
 * Science**

Unknown author. (unknown year). Underachievers (social science). //What, When, How: In Depth Information.// Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">[]
 * Social Studies**

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">Stoeger, H. & Ziegler, A. (2005). Evaluation of an elementary classroom self-regulated learning program for gifted mathematics underachievers. //International Education Journal, 6//(2), 261-271.
 * Mathematics**