Study Guide

Field 032: High Ability
Sample Multiple-Choice Questions

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The following reference material will be available to you during the test:

Objective 0001
Foundations of Gifted and Talented Education (Standard 1)

1. Which of the following best describes the purpose of each Indiana school district's Broad Based Planning Committee?

  1. to plan documentation and assessments for the high-ability programs in each district and formulate a report for the Indiana Association for the Gifted
  2. to enable educators and administrators to develop goals for high-ability programs in their district over a two- to five-year period
  3. to bring together a diverse group of parents/guardians, educators, students, and community members to design programs for high-ability students
  4. to formulate a parent/guardian group to oversee long-term financial planning and support for high-ability programs in the district
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of state laws and policies related to the field of gifted and talented education. According to Indiana Code (Title 20, Article 36, Chapter 2: Programs for High Ability Students), "a governing body shall develop and periodically update a local plan to provide appropriate educational experiences to high ability students in the school corporation in kindergarten through grade 12. The plan must include the following components: (1) The establishment of a broad based planning committee that meets periodically to review the local education authority's plan for high ability students. The committee must have representatives from diverse groups representing the school and community." The representatives from diverse groups on an Indiana school district's Broad Based Planning Committee may include parents/guardians, educators, students, and community members.
Objective 0001
Foundations of Gifted and Talented Education (Standard 1)

2. Ramiro is a fifth-grade student who has transferred from another country to an Indiana school that has a program for students with high ability. In the course of working with him during some full-class enrichment activities related to the physics of flight, Ms. Jackson, the teacher of students with high ability, notices that Ramiro is doodling constantly in a notebook during instruction. Upon examination, the doodles represent birds, planes, balloons, and clouds—all drawn with incredible detail and accuracy. When Ms. Jackson suggests that Ramiro may have high ability, the classroom teacher is concerned because Ramiro's English and math skills are not at grade level. Which of the following actions would be most effective for Ms. Jackson to take to ensure Ramiro's fair assessment for entrance into the high-ability program?

  1. offering to test Ramiro using creativity scales to gauge his strengths in the arts
  2. giving the teacher an article from a professional journal to read on multiple intelligences
  3. attempting to find a translator to test Ramiro using traditional measures but in his primary language
  4. finding a tutor for Ramiro to help improve his math and English scores
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of the definition and identification criteria of gifts and talents, including those of students with backgrounds that are culturally diverse. Various scales are designed to assist school districts in the identification of students as gifted. These scales may assess the areas of general intellectual ability, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, creativity, and leadership. Each area is assessed at home and at school. Creativity scales would be a fair assessment to use to determine if Ramiro is gifted because they measure various components of creative giftedness, including talent in the arts, which may not be revealed through academic assessments.
Objective 0002
Professional Roles and Responsibilities (Standard 9)

3. In which of the following situations should a teacher of students with high ability break confidentiality with regard to a high school student's personal circumstances?

  1. A student comments to the teacher that her parents are getting a divorce and may not be able to support her financially with college.
  2. A student expresses his concerns to the teacher about an underage peer he saw drinking at a weekend party.
  3. A student explains to the teacher that she has fallen asleep in an AP class because she is tired from working the late shift at her job.
  4. A student tells the teacher that he feels depressed and has recently been thinking a lot about suicide.
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to apply knowledge of legal and ethical guidelines for maintaining student confidentiality. Teachers in Indiana must adhere to an ethical code, which includes maintaining student confidentiality as mandated by law. However, Indiana law also requires all teachers, counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers to report child abuse and situations in which students are a danger to themselves or others. If a student tells a teacher that he or she is considering suicide, then the student is a danger to himself or herself and the situation provides sufficient grounds for the teacher to break confidentiality in order to obtain help for the student.
Objective 0003
Development and Characteristics of Students with High Ability (Standard 2)

4. Marcus, a second-grade student, was identified by his teacher as having high ability and was quickly placed in the school's full-time high-ability program. Marcus's classmates in the high-ability program are appropriately challenged by the enriched curriculum. However, Marcus remains bored, earning perfect scores on every assignment with minimal effort or interest. His parents are history professors, and Marcus often spends recess happily absorbed in their college textbooks. Which of the following actions would be the most appropriate for the teacher of students with high ability to take in this situation?

  1. recommending additional testing for Marcus because he may be exceptionally or profoundly gifted, with educational needs different from those of his classmates
  2. giving Marcus more time to adjust to his new environment in the program because sooner or later he will encounter new material that is challenging and engaging for him
  3. planning additional enrichment activities for Marcus because he likely needs an independent activity or the opportunity to design and carry out more creative projects
  4. asking Marcus's parents to make sure they are not teaching him at home because they may be giving him too much independent instruction, disrupting his learning process at school
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of special populations of students with high ability, including students who are exceptionally gifted. Within a group of students who have been identified as gifted, there may be a wide range of abilities that cannot be addressed fully with the same teaching strategies. An important step in meeting the needs of students who may be exceptionally or profoundly gifted is to use assessments with a high ceiling to gain an accurate measure of their true abilities. Students who are exceptionally or profoundly gifted require additional levels of differentiation to address their specific learning needs.

Use the information below to answer the three questions that follow.

A kindergarten teacher has been asked to identify students in his class who would benefit from high-ability enrichment services. He identifies four students and presents their profiles to Ms. Carlton, the school's teacher of students with high ability. The profiles are shown in the table below.


Objective 0003
Development and Characteristics of Students with High Ability (Standard 2)

5. According to the information in the table, which of the students would it be most appropriate for Ms. Carlton to identify as having high ability in critical thinking?

  1. Andy
  2. Brenna
  3. Derek
  4. Carrie
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of academic and affective characteristics of students with high ability in various domains. According to Dressel and Mayhew, critical-thinking abilities include defining the necessary parts of a problem, selecting pertinent information needed to solve a problem and realizing what information is unnecessary, recognizing assumptions, formulating and checking hypotheses, and drawing valid and adequate conclusions. It would be most appropriate to identify Brenna as having high ability in critical thinking because her ability as a kindergartener to understand others' points of view, reason analytically, and resolve disputes demonstrates advanced aptitude in this area.
Objective 0008
Learning Environments (Standard 5)

6. The kindergarten teacher mentions to Ms. Carlton that Andy has repeatedly attempted to express his enthusiastic expertise about insects to all his classmates, regardless of whether they want to listen. The kindergarten teacher expresses concern that Andy has begun to withdraw socially and appears increasingly confrontational toward his peers. The kindergarten teacher asks Ms. Carlton for suggestions about how to help Andy. Which of the following would be the most appropriate first strategy for Ms. Carlton to suggest?

  1. pairing Andy with Brenna in class to give him a role model for successful communication with peers
  2. referring Andy to the school psychologist to evaluate him for possible emotional issues
  3. arranging a parent-teacher conference to determine whether Andy is experiencing any stress at home
  4. discussing the situation with Andy to brainstorm constructive ways for him to share his interests
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate the ability to design learning environments that encourage students' active participation and meaningful engagement in individual and group activities to enhance positive relationships with peers. Research shows that students with high ability need a peer group who accepts, understands, values, and challenges them. In this scenario, Andy needs to find an outlet for expressing his passion for insects, but also needs to discover ways to relate to peers who may not be interested in insects. In a conversation with Andy, the teacher of students with high ability could help him identify settings and opportunities, such as an independent project, where it would be appropriate for him to share his knowledge about insects. The conversation would also allow the teacher to help Andy develop strategies for interacting positively with his classmates.
Objective 0009
Curriculum and Instruction (Standard 6)

7. Ms. Carlton reviews the profiles and agrees with the kindergarten teacher that these four students should be provided with services. Ms. Carlton will be collaborating with the kindergarten teacher to develop an enrichment curriculum for these students. Which of the following recommendations would it be most appropriate for Ms. Carlton to make?

  1. "We should group Brenna, Derek, Carrie, and Andy in pairs to accommodate their diverse interests and domains of high ability."
  2. "Since they are all high-ability students, Derek, Carrie, Andy, and Brenna would definitely benefit from cluster grouping."
  3. "Let's evaluate Andy, Brenna, Derek, and Carrie individually to see what kind of topics and activities would be most appropriate for each."
  4. "We need to provide Carrie, Andy, Brenna, and Derek with an environment that encourages open-ended inquiry and creative expression."
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate the ability to apply research-supported strategies for providing and implementing differentiated instruction. To address the needs of all students, including those with high ability, teachers must differentiate instruction on the basis of learners' varying needs. The teacher of students with high ability should use a variety of measures to identify each student's strengths, needs, and interests. This process and an analysis of the information gathered enable the teacher of students with high ability to develop an appropriately differentiated and challenging enrichment curriculum for each student.
Objective 0004
Assessment (Standard 3)

8. Which of the following would be the most appropriate criteria for school districts to consider when seeking to identify students from culturally diverse backgrounds for inclusion in high-ability programs?

  1. personal interviews with potential students
  2. teacher recommendations and student-prepared portfolios of work
  3. standardized achievement test scores
  4. family nominations and community member recommendations
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to apply nonbiased and equitable processes and procedures for identifying students with high ability and placing them in high-ability programs, including students from diverse racial, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Students from diverse backgrounds are often underrepresented in high-ability programs, in part due to bias that stems from traditional assessment measures. Teacher recommendations and student portfolios are important tools in the identification of these students for high-ability programs because they provide evidence of student performance that helps present a more comprehensive picture of a student's abilities and experiences.
Objective 0005
Communication Skills and Social and Emotional Development (Standard 7)

9. Fourteen-year-old Caroline is a student with high ability who has cerebral palsy that makes it difficult for her to fully control her motor functions. She works with a speech-language pathologist and is able to express herself verbally, though the effort is great and her thoughts flow much faster than she can put them into words. She has known many of her classmates since kindergarten, and she is liked and accepted by her peers, many of whom have participated in fund-raising walks to raise money for cerebral palsy research. Lately, Caroline has expressed an interest in telling her story and communicating with greater fluidity than speech alone can give her. The teacher of students with high ability would like to help Caroline meet her goals. Which of the following steps should the teacher take first in this situation?

  1. arranging for a news reporter to interview Caroline and her family members as part of a feature story
  2. meeting with Caroline's parents to get her medical history and a realistic overview of her abilities and limitations
  3. arranging for Caroline to meet with the school counselor to discuss her long-term academic and career interests
  4. meeting with Caroline's speech-language pathologist to investigate and implement the acquisition of assistive technology
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate knowledge of resources, technologies, and strategies for enhancing the communication skills of students with high ability, including students who have disabilities that interfere with communication. Effective programs for students with high ability and a disability view the student as gifted with needs for special assistance to fully express their gifts and talents. Collaborating with a student's specialists can help the teacher of students with high ability develop appropriate strategies to help the student communicate effectively. Specialists have broad knowledge of the many types of assistive technology and compensatory devices that exist to facilitate communication for students with special learning needs. By working together, the specialists and the teacher of students with high ability can determine which technology or device would be most useful for the student.
Objective 0006
Transitions (Standard 8)

10. Carla is a sixth-grade student with high ability in science and mathematics. Her individual learning plan includes provisions for Carla to receive accelerated instruction in these areas through a pull-out program for one class period each day. Carla also demonstrates well-developed social skills and strong leadership potential. The teacher of students with high ability wants to integrate leadership experiences into Carla's learning plan. Which of the following experiences would best complement Carla's strengths and abilities?

  1. guiding Carla in planning and leading a class project that addresses an area of need for the school
  2. arranging for Carla to interview prominent members of the community about their leadership activities
  3. suggesting that Carla pursue an independent study project on world leaders of the twentieth century
  4. helping Carla explore recreational programs related to her interests that would provide leadership opportunities
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate the ability to provide students with opportunities to present sophisticated products to audiences outside the classroom. According to Dorothy Sisk, an expert in the field of gifted education, "Leadership training for gifted students can provide leaders who have both the intellectual and creative potential to lead." Guiding Carla in planning and leading a class project that addresses an area of need for the school integrates academic, social, and leadership skills. The tasks involved in planning and leading such a project would help Carla develop her leadership abilities. The project would also provide Carla with opportunities to interact and work with members of the school and local community and enable her to share her strengths and ideas with a broader audience.
Objective 0007
Program Planning and Implementation (Standard 4)

11. Jack, a third-grade student with high ability in reading, has a passion for the Civil War time period because he is distantly related to an important Civil War hero. He receives services to support his reading ability in class, but the teacher of students with high ability observes that Jack is becoming frustrated because his favorite topic is so little developed and addressed in class. The general education classroom teacher reports that Jack is inattentive in class and barely completes his work in any academic area. Which of the following actions by the teacher of students with high ability would likely be most effective in addressing Jack's needs in this situation?

  1. having Jack complete an interest inventory so that topics other than the Civil War can be identified
  2. obtaining a mentor with Civil War expertise with whom Jack can correspond upon completion of class assignments
  3. allowing Jack to attend classes in the upper grades when Civil War history lessons are being taught
  4. compacting the core curriculum for Jack and allowing him to pursue his Civil War interests independently during class
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate familiarity with community resources that can support differentiation, including content specialists. A mentorship typically involves an older expert working with a younger but talented individual in an area of mutual interest. For students with high ability whose skills and interests are beyond the scope of the school's curriculum and resources, a mentorship can be an effective means of meeting their specific needs. Matching an interested student with an established expert provides the student with appropriate challenge and encouragement to pursue areas of interest. Mentors may also possess knowledge of and access to relevant resources elsewhere in the community that would be beneficial to the student's learning.
Objective 0007
Program Planning and Implementation (Standard 4)

12. A teacher of students with high ability has just completed the first year of a pilot program at an elementary school. To assess the success of the program as well as to obtain suggestions for the next year, the teacher's best option would be to:

  1. craft vision and mission statements for the program and provide copies to parents/guardians and staff at the school's open house.
  2. host a program open house at the school at which students, parents/guardians, and staff can give feedback.
  3. send a survey to parents/guardians, staff, administrators, and students who have been involved in the program.
  4. publish a request for information in the school newsletter and solicit opinions about the program on the school's homepage.
Answer
Correct Response: C.
This question requires the examinee to apply strategies for collaborating with students with high ability, their families, general and special educators, and other school staff members to articulate a comprehensive educational program for students with high ability. Effective evaluation of gifted programs can have a direct effect on the continuation of programs, decisions about budgetary allocations, and program modifications. In evaluating a high-ability program, it is important to identify the stakeholders who have a vested interest in the outcome of the evaluation and determine their knowledge and opinions about the program. In this scenario, the parents/guardians, staff, administrators, and students are the stakeholders who have been most closely involved in the program and can provide important information from their varied viewpoints.
Objective 0007
Program Planning and Implementation (Standard 4)

13. Mr. Ahmed's sixth-grade class is studying ancient Egypt, a unit in the ancient world history curriculum. Charlene and Laetitia, two high-ability students in the class, are ancient history enthusiasts, and Mr. Ahmed is aware that the course material will seem very elementary to them. Charlene and Laetitia propose building a model pyramid with a trap door, creating a model mummy for each class member, and then teaching a workshop on hieroglyphics so that every student will be able to write his or her name on the mummy's body before entombing it in the pyramid. Mr. Ahmed is excited by the idea, but he wants to be sure the students' special project has a meaningful structure and ties in with and enhances the unit for the entire class. Which of the following strategies would likely be the most effective way for Mr. Ahmed to use the project in this situation?

  1. scheduling a meeting with Charlene and Laetitia in which they work with him on creating a plan that includes specific goals for their workshop
  2. consulting with the teacher of students with high ability about the appropriateness of permitting students to undertake a special workshop for peers during class time
  3. arranging for Charlene and Laetitia to pretest out of the planned instructional unit before devoting time to the side project of creating a workshop
  4. providing Charlene and Laetitia with a workable plan and giving them a list of vocabulary and concepts he wants them to cover during their workshop
Answer
Correct Response: A.
This question requires the examinee to apply strategies for involving students with high ability in planning, implementing, and evaluating their own educational programs. In this scenario, the project Charlene and Laetitia propose is an example of an independent study. Independent study projects enable students with high ability to take responsibility for their learning, pursue a topic in greater depth, and learn at their own pace. Though he allows the students to take the lead in developing the project, Mr. Ahmed is responsible for ensuring that the project is consistent with curriculum goals and for monitoring students' implementation of the project.
Objective 0008
Learning Environments (Standard 5)

14. Mario is a second-grade student in a general education class who is reading at the sixth-grade level. He has been identified as a high-ability student, and his education plan consists of small-group pull-out programming twice each week for an hour at a time with a reading specialist. Which of the following describes the most significant limitation of this type of programming?

  1. Mario is missing classroom lessons during the time that he is out of the room with the reading specialist.
  2. Mario is being singled out from his classmates by being in the pull-out program rather than in a more inclusive setting.
  3. Mario is not receiving as much instruction in a small-group pull-out program as he would with one-on-one tutoring.
  4. Mario is working at his reading level during the time he spends in the pull-out program but not during the rest of his time at school.
Answer
Correct Response: D.
This question requires the examinee to demonstrate the ability to plan, manage, and adapt the learning environment to address the characteristics and needs of students with high ability and to maximize opportunities for students with high ability. This scenario describes pull-out programming, a model in which services are provided outside the general education classroom. Without additional modifications to the learning environment in the general education classroom, pull-out programming is often insufficient for meeting the learning needs of students with high ability. In this situation, Mario is participating in an appropriately challenging learning environment for only a very small amount of time each week.
Objective 0009
Curriculum and Instruction (Standard 6)

15. Which of the following steps should a teacher of students with high ability take first in supporting student research projects?

  1. modeling the process of narrowing down a topic, writing topic statements, and creating an outline
  2. having students fill out surveys and interest inventories to obtain information about their interests and talents
  3. preparing note cards, journals, and blank research templates to provide students with structure for their research
  4. generating a list of real-world mentors for the research projects who are willing to donate time and support
Answer
Correct Response: B.
This question requires the examinee to apply strategies for providing opportunities for students to explore, develop, or research their areas of interest or talent. Surveys and interest inventories allow teachers of students with high ability to gain additional insight into their students' activities and interests in school as well as outside the classroom. These tools can also help the teacher engage reluctant learners by tapping in to their interests and passions. To help students become excited and motivated about research projects, it is beneficial to discover what they are interested in and find ways to integrate these interests into assignments.