Preparing Teachers to Work with Secondary High-Ability Youth

Secondary teachers frequently do not have formal preparation or licensure in gifted education. Developing their knowledge and skills in teacher preparation programs should be guided by the teacher preparation standards for the field developed jointly by the Council for Exceptional Children—The Association for the Gifted and by the National Association for Gifted Children. We review selected research studies on teacher characteristics, teacher beliefs, and teachers&s; responses to formal training at the pre-service and in-service preparation levels. Special emphasis is given to the implementation of classroom practices to develop talents in secondary classrooms. Selected resources aligned with the standards are recommended for integration into teacher preparation and licensure for secondary teachers.