A recent posting asked for information concerning research on gifted programs and ability grouping. The 1998 Winter Newsletter from the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (located at the University of Connecticut, 362 Fairfield Road, U-7, Storrs, CT 06269- 2007, phone: 860-486-4676) has an article entitled "Distinguishing Myth From Realities: NRC/GT Research" by Marcia Gentry and Karen Kettle. (The newsletter permits reproduction as long as you include the statement: This article has been reproduced with the permission of The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. It's a great mailing list to be on.)

Some highlights:

Mixed-ability cooperative learning should be used sparingly for students who are gifted and talented, perhaps only for social skills development programs. (Rogers, 1991)

Both general intellectual ability grouping programs (such as School Within a School, Gifted Magnet Schools, Full-time Gifted Programs or Gifted Classrooms) and full-time grouping for special academic ability (such as Magnet Schools) have produced marked academic achievement gains as well as moderate increased in attitude toward the subjects in which these students are grouped. (Rogers, 1991)

When using cooperative learning, student achievement disparities within the cooperative groups should not be too severe. (Robinson, 1991)

Cooperative learning in the heterogeneous classroom should not be substituted for specialized programs and services for academically talented students. (Robinson, 1991)

It is a myth that ability grouping has negative effects on student achievement. Youngsters of all achievement groups benefited from ability grouping programs when the curriculum was appropriately adjusted to the aptitude levels of the groups. If schools eliminate grouping programs with differentiated curricula, the damage to student achievement will be great. (Kulik, 1992)

Bright, average and slow youngsters profit from grouping programs that adjust curriculum to the aptitude levels of the groups. (Kulik, 1992)

The cited research is:

Kulik, J.A. (1992). "An analysis of the research on ability grouping: Historical and contemporary perspectives" (RBDM 9204). Storrs, CT: University of Connecticut, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.

Robinson, A. (1991). "Cooperative learning and gifted and talented student" (RBDM 9106). Storrs, CT: University of Connecticut, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.

Rogers, K.B. (1991). "The relationship of grouping practices to the education of the gifted and talented learner" (RBDM 9102). Storrs, CT: University of Connecticut, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented.

A complete listing of NRC/GT publications and abstracts of selected publications are available at http://www.gifted.uconn.edu