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 What is the main topic or theme of the podcast episode?

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 What is the main topic or theme of the podcast episode?

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The episode’s central focus is rethinking how gifted education is defined, identified, and implemented in schools. It challenges traditional IQ-based, elitist models and advocates for a broader, more inclusive, and equitable approach to supporting gifted students — including those who are twice-exceptional (gifted with disabilities).

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Welcome to The Psychology Podcast with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, where we give you insights into the mind, brain, behavior and creativity. Each episode will feature a guest who will stimulate your mind, and give you a greater understanding of yourself, others, and the world we live in. Hopefully, we'll also provide a glimpse into human possibility! Thanks for listening and enjoy the podcast.

1. All Episodes

2. 164: Scott Peters on Rethinking Gifted Education

Today it's a great pleasure to have Dr. Scott Peters on the podcast. Dr. Peters is an associate professor of educational foundations and the Richard and Veronica Teller Endowed Faculty Fellow of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he teaches courses on measurement and assessment, research methodology, and gifted education. His research focuses on educational assessment, gifted and talented student identification, disproportionality within K-12 education, and educational policy. He is the first author of Beyond Gifted Education: Designing and Implementing Advanced Academic Programs and the co-author (along with Jonathan Plucker) ofExcellence Gaps in Education: Expanding Opportunities for Talented Students, published by Harvard Education Press.

In this episode we discuss:

Advocates vs. scientists in the field of gifted education

Does teacher training in gifted education have any effect on self-reported teaching in the classroom?

How the desire for good advocacy in gifted education can bias good science

The real need to advocate for kids who aren't being challenged in the regular classroom

The absurdity of teaching children based solely on how old they are

Is there room at the table for all different perspectives in the gifted education field?

The problem with the "gifted" label

How can you balance excellence with equity?

How to close the "excellence gap" in gifted education

What domains should be included in gifted education?

The importance of "frontloading" opportunities in school

Acceleration vs. enrichment

What happens when addressing underrepresentation is the main goal of gifted education?

The value of using local norms for gifted student selection

Is complete excellence gap reduction a reasonable goal of gifted education?

Scott's plan for addressing excellent gaps in gifted education

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The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman

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164: Scott Peters on Rethinking Gifted Education

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Today it's a great pleasure to have Dr. Scott Peters on the podcast. Dr. Peters is an associate professor of educational foundations and the Richard and Veronica Teller Endowed Faculty Fellow of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he teaches courses on measurement and assessment, research methodology, and gifted education.

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What are the key concepts or ideas discussed?

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What are the key concepts or ideas discussed?

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Giftedness is multifaceted: It should not be limited to IQ scores but should include creativity, motivation, talent in diverse domains, and asynchronous development.

Limitations of traditional identification: Standardized tests can be biased and fail to identify underrepresented or twice-exceptional students.

Enrichment + Acceleration: Combining deeper learning experiences with flexible pacing is more effective than one-size-fits-all tracking.

Social-emotional needs: Gifted students may struggle with perfectionism, anxiety, or isolation — supports should address the whole child.

Equity in access: Schools must adopt fairer identification processes and culturally responsive practices to reach all gifted students.

Policy rethinking: There’s a call for policy change away from rigid models toward flexible, student-centered approaches.

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What evidence or examples are provided to support the ideas discussed?

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What evidence or examples are provided to support the ideas discussed?

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Research citations: Dr. Peters references studies on how single IQ cut-offs exclude many capable students.

Real-world examples: The episode highlights how portfolio assessments, teacher recommendations, and performance-based tasks can uncover hidden talents.

Case examples: They discuss twice-exceptional students who excel intellectually but need supports for ADHD, autism, or dyslexia.

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What are the perspectives or viewpoints presented in the podcast?

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What are the perspectives or viewpoints presented in the podcast?

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Dr. Peters: Current gifted education is too narrow, inequitable, and outdated. He advocates for multi-measure, inclusive identification.

Dr. Kaufman: He shares his own experience as a student once labeled as “learning disabled” yet later recognized as gifted, underscoring the need to see the whole child.

Both experts argue for moving away from gatekeeping models toward systems that cultivate all students’ potential.

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How does the podcast content relate to current trends or issues in special education or community?

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How does the podcast content relate to current trends or issues in special education or community?

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There’s growing recognition that giftedness and disability can co-exist. The podcast aligns with trends toward Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and culturally responsive teaching.

The conversation reflects wider debates about equity, overrepresentation of privileged students, and the need to dismantle barriers for marginalized groups.

It connects to community discussions about how schools serve diverse learners without stigma.

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What implications does the podcast content have for practice in special education or other applicable setting?

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What implications does the podcast content have for practice in special education or other applicable setting?

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Educators should use multiple measures — portfolios, performance tasks, creativity checklists.

Teachers and counselors must address social-emotional needs and perfectionism in gifted students.

Collaboration across general education, gifted programs, and special education is essential for supporting twice-exceptional learners.

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Are there any new strategies, resources, or approaches mentioned that could be useful in special education settings?

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Are there any new strategies, resources, or approaches mentioned that could be useful in special education settings?

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Flexible grouping and cluster classrooms — instead of rigid tracking.

Tiered interventions: Providing opportunities for enrichment to all students, not just a select few.

Mentoring programs: Pairing students with adult or peer mentors to support both talent development and social-emotional growth.

Culturally responsive identification tools — e.g., nonverbal assessments.

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How does the podcast challenge or expand your understanding of special education or disability?

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How does the podcast challenge or expand your understanding of special education or disability?

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It challenges the artificial divide between “gifted” and “disabled,” emphasizing that students can be both — and schools must plan for that overlap.

It broadens the idea that high ability can exist in forms that standard tests miss — creativity, leadership, or problem-solving.

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What questions or areas of further exploration does the podcast raise for you?

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What questions or areas of further exploration does the podcast raise for you?

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How can schools practically implement fair, multi-measure gifted identification at scale?

How do we train teachers to spot and nurture underrepresented gifted students?

What are best practices for balancing enrichment with social-emotional supports?

How can parents advocate for twice exceptional students?

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How does the podcast content relate to your own experiences or professional goals in your future career or personal life?

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How does the podcast content relate to your own experiences or professional goals in your future career or personal life?

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This podcast strongly connects to my work as a secondary science teacher because it reinforces the idea that giftedness goes far beyond test scores and can show up in many ways in the science classroom. Many of my students demonstrate curiosity, creativity, and deep problem-solving skills even if they struggle with traditional assessments, and the episode reminds me to look for and nurture those hidden strengths. It also highlights the importance of supporting twice-exceptional students—those who may be brilliant scientific thinkers but need accommodations for ADHD, autism, or other learning differences. The discussion about balancing enrichment and acceleration aligns with how I already try to offer extensions like independent research or science fair projects to challenge students at different levels. It pushes me to reflect on whether I’m truly reaching all students, especially those from underserved backgrounds who might not be recommended for advanced classes but could thrive with the right encouragement. Overall, the episode motivates me to keep finding diverse ways for my students to show their abilities and stay engaged in authentic, meaningful science learning.

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Scott Barry Kaufman, psychologist/host

Dr. Scott Peters, Associate Professor of Educational Foundations at University of Wisconsin‑Whitewater; expert in gifted education, measurement, policy

gifted education—identification, program design, disparities, policy, and broader conceptions of giftedness.

Traditional programs often depend heavily on one standardized test score.

This can unfairly exclude kids from disadvantaged backgrounds who may have potential but lack exposure or test prep.

Using a rigid cutoff (e.g., IQ ≥ 130) ignores measurement error and human variability.

Black, Hispanic, Native American, and low‑income students are consistently under‑identified.

Systemic inequities, school resources, and teacher referrals often play a bigger role than ability itself.

Peters advocates comparing students to peers in their own school, not national averages.

This helps identify top students in under‑resourced schools who’d otherwise be overlooked.

Single test scores shouldn’t dictate access.

Multiple data points — test scores, teacher observations, work samples — provide a fuller picture.

Equity over elitism.

The goal is to expand opportunity, not gatekeep access.

Talent is distributed equally; opportunity is not.

Flexible services

Different students need different support: some thrive with enrichment, some need acceleration.

There’s no one-size-fits-all gifted program.

Acceleration is underused

Grade-skipping and subject acceleration can be highly effective.

Families and schools often hesitate out of fear of social consequences, but research shows most accelerated students do fine socially.

Enrichment alone isn’t enough:

Pull-out programs that meet once a week aren’t sufficient for many advanced learners.

Meaningful challenge should be embedded daily.

Barriers to Improvement

Political sensitivity

Labeling some students gifted can spark pushback from parents and communities.

Some see it as elitist or unfair if not equitably done.

Misconceptions

Many assume gifted kids will be fine on their own. Research says otherwise — they need just as much support to stay engaged.

Many schools lack funding to expand programs or train teachers for differentiation.

Peters supports screening all students at certain grades rather than relying only on teacher nominations.

Teacher bias — conscious or unconscious — limits referrals for marginalized students.

Families

Families unfamiliar with gifted programs might not advocate for testing.

Schools should actively inform parents and communities.

Schools can help shift the narrative from “gifted vs. not gifted” to “matching services to students’ needs.”

Giftedness is not fixed trait.

Gifted shouldn’t mean innate genius.

Potential grows with support.

Potential is dynamic

Early labels can limit kids who develop on a different timeline.

Good gifted education models help raise expectations and quality for all students.

Advanced learning opportunities should be accessible, not exclusive.

The episode challenges listeners to question old ideas about intelligence. It calls for practical, equity-focused reforms in how schools serve students with advanced learning needs.

Ultimately, the conversation supports seeing every child’s potential as worth developing with the right opportunities and support.