Conceptions of Giftedness and Talent in Adolescence

Talented students go through adolescence just as any teenager goes through this developmental period. However, it may be more prolonged because of their career paths, which may require more economic dependence on family. In this chapter, we provide a brief overview of the developmental tasks of adolescence, then review some of the conceptions of giftedness and talent development that have been developed by leaders in the field of gifted education and discuss their relevance to gifted adolescents. Finally, we offer a framework for gifted education at the secondary level that focuses on the developmental tasks facing high-ability students during the adolescent period. Through cognitive, social, and personal components, we propose a way of meeting the needs of gifted adolescents by examining their strengths and their needs.