Special Populations Network

Leadership

Beverly Trail, Chair

Claire Hughes, Chair Elect

Margarita Bianco, Newsletter Co-editor 
Joy L. Davis, Newsletter Co-editor

Mission 

The Special Populations Network will develop initiatives that will increase the recognition of special populations of gifted children and promote equitable services to address their diverse needs.  The term “special populations” refers to gifted children who have additional circumstances or characteristics that can interfere with academic achievement, social/emotional growth, and optimal development of their potential. 

Special populations of gifted children include, but are not limited to, children who are:
• From Cultural/Linguistic/Ethnically diverse backgrounds
• Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgendered/Questioning (GLBTQ)
• Twice-exceptional (2e) Gifted Children with Disabilities
• Highly and Profoundly Gifted
• Experiencing the impact of gender issues
• From Low Socio-Economic Status (SES) backgrounds
• Impacted by geographic issues, such as urban and rural settings. 

To this end, the Network’s activities include:
• Compiling and disseminating resources
• Developing a network of resource people
• Presenting sessions at conferences
• Serving as advocates
• Generating articles for various publications
• Acknowledging exemplary programs successfully serving special populations, and
• Recognizing and encouraging research with special populations.

Join Now!

If you like what you've read and want to be a member of the Special Populations Network, we'd love to have you! You must be a member of NAGC before you can become a network member, so click here to find out how.

Newsletter Archive

Some of our recent newsletters sent to network members:

More Information

"Communicating with Asian American Children and Families"

"How Minority Students Finance Their Higher Education"

"Building Academically Strong Gifted Programs in Rural Schools"

Full List of ERIC Digest Archives

Recommended reading:

Castellano, J. A., & Frazier, A. D. (2010). Special Populations in Gifted Education. Waco, TX:  Prufrock Press.

Davis, J. L. (2010). Bright, Talented & Black: A guide for families of African American gifted learners. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.

de Wet, C. F. (2005, Winter). "The Challenge of Bilingual and Limited English Proficient Students" The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.

Hughes-Lynch, C. (2010). Children with High-Functioning Autism: A Parents' Guide. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.

Kitano, M.K., & Espinosa, R. (1995). Language Diversity and Giftedness: Working with Gifted English Language Learners. Journal for the Education of the Gifted. 18 (3), 234-254.

Kogan, E. (2001). Gifted Bilingual Students: A Paradox? Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.

Slocumb, P., and Payne, R. (2000). Removing the Mask: Giftedness in Poverty. RTF Publishing.

Trail, B. A. (2010). Twice-Exceptional Children:  Understanding, Teaching, and Counseling. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press.