Key Featuresof SuccessfulPrograms for theGifted and Talented

SALLY M. REIS AND JOSEPH S. RENZULLI

Outstanding giftedprograms reflect

the special qualitiesof the people andschools involved,

but have manycharacteristics in

common.

or the past fie yecars we havcexperimented with a rici pro-gram for gifted and talented stu-

dents that has been used successfully inseveral school locations and under avariety of conditions (Renzulli, 1982.Reis and Rcnzulli. 1982, Dclisle andRenzulli, 1981; Delisle, Reis, and Gub-bins, 1981). At present, we are monitor-ing the model in over 30 school districtsin Connecticut.

The Triad/RDIM ProgramThe system combines the EnrichmentTriad Model (Rcnzulli, 1977) with arelatively ncw, plan for identification,the Revolving Door Identification Model(RDIM) (Renzulli, Reis, and Smith.,1981). Although several specific learn-ing objectives arc built into these comi-bined models, this article focuses on themodel's general program goals. )e-signed to integrate a program for gifted

_A IT

Sally M. Reis is Coordinator, Programsfor the Gifted and Talented, Torrington,Connecticut, Public Schools; and JosephS. Renzulli is Associate Director, Bu-reau of Educational Research, and Pro-fessor of Educational Psychology, Uni-versity of Connecticut, Storrs.

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP28

students with regular classroom instruc-tion, the model provides enrichmentactivities to a broader spectrum of theschool population than the usual 3 to 5percent of students identified as gifted.By extending enrichment activities tomore students, the approach minimizesconcerns about elitism and negative atti-tudes toward gifted programs, resultingin a general "radiation of excellence"(Ward, 1981) throughout the schoolenvironment.

The Enrichment Triad Model, con-sidered to be the nation's most widelyused program for the gifted and talented(Mitchell, 1981), delineates three typesof enrichment activities for students:

* General Exploratory Activities(Type I) consist of experiences and activ-ities designed to put learners in touchwith areas of personal interest. Studentsinvolved in Type I experiences are en-couraged to further explore these areasof interest and can decide to do furtherresearch on the topic or problem theyhave selected.

* Group Training Activities (Type II)consist of materials, methods, and in-structional techniques designed to de-velop high level thinking and feelingprocesses: critical thinking, problemsolving, reflective thinking, inquirytraining, divergent thinking, awarenessdevelopment, and creative or productivethinking.

* Individual or Small Group Investi-gations (Type III) provide students withopportunities to investigate a real prob-lem or topic by using appropriate inqui-ry methods. Successful completion de-

pends on the interest and taskcommitment of individual students.Type 111II activities ask students to thinkand feel like practicing professionals.Students in our programs completedmany intensive, long-range Type I1lprojects including creation of a walkingrobot, a year-long investigation of theeffects of acid rain on northwesternConnecticut, and the production of aweekly children's television program.

The Revolving Door IdentificationModel identifies a pool of approximately15 to 20 percent of the student popula-tion. These well-above-average studentsare exposed to Type I activities andreceive Type 11 process training on aregular basis. Periodically, all studentsare offered Type I and I1 enrichmentactivities. Many students whose interestsare generated through Type I or Type IItraining, or through the regular curricu-lum or the environment in general, willeventually "revolve into" the challeng-ing, optional Type III investigationswhen they show an interest and a desireto pursue advanced work.

Successful ProgramsA major goal in developing the modelwas to provide a system to purposefullytake into consideration each district'slocal resources, strengths, budgetaryconstraints, problems, personalities,scheduling procedures, and other idio-syncracies. For example, a plan forinservice training may be highly effec-tive in a district that has the benefit ofstrong administrative support, but a fail-ure in another district where administra-

"Studentscreated awalking robot,investigated theeffects of acidrain, andproduced aweeklychildren'stelevisionprogram."

APRIL 1984 29

"A thoroughunderstandingof the modelprovideseveryone with acommonlanguage foreffectivecommunication."

tive support for gifted programming isabsent. Evecr gifted program should becarefully planned swith an individualdistrict in mind.

Certain key features that tend to makesome gifted programs more effectivethan others have emerged from ourresearch and close interaction with thevarious field districts. Every feature re-lates to variables that can be changedthrough careful orientation, staff devel-opment, and the appropriate use ofbuilt-in monitoring and feedback; andall can be replicated in any school'sgifted program through careful planningand specific program monitoring activi-ties.

Key Feature 1: The Golden RuleThe golden rule simply states that themore thoroughly the instructional staff,students, parents, and administrationunderstand the overall structure of themodel, the easier it is to implement aparticular identification procedure orlearning activith. Orientation sessions,written materials, and visual displayshelp all participants to understand thegeneral and particular functions of allaspects of the model and each person'sunique role in carrying out these func-tions.

The "golden rule" presents a greatopportunity for creativity on the part ofteachers and students. In some districts,students have developed movies or slide/tape presentations explaining the pro-gram. In other districts, bulletin boardsin prime locations display the model insimple, eye-catching graphics, whichmake it easily understood by even theyoungest students.

A thorough understanding of themodel provides everyone with a com-mon language for effective communica-tion. It enables us, for example, toinform a parent that his or her childrevolved into a Type III activity onfilmmaking as a result of a Type Ipresentation by a local cinematogra-pher. Students must also understand theplanned, purposeful connections be-tween Type I, II, and III activities. Theyneed to be aware that the purpose of acinematography presentation is to stim-ulate new interests and ideas, and thatthe model provides advanced level fol-low-up (Type III111) activities that will

emphasize creative and productive in-volvement.

Understanding the language of themodel also aids in planning and orga-nizing activities according to their cate-gorical function, emphasizing the pur-pose of particular staff developmentsessions, and allocating time and moneyfor each major type of enrichment.Evaluation reports are more easily pre-pared and understood when everyoneinvolved has a common understandingof all program components and theinterrelated role they play in the overallmodel.

Key Feature 2: Planning Prior toProgram ImplementationA frequently cited reason for the successof Triad/RDIM programs is the carefulplanning that occurred prior to imple-mentation. In each district a planningteam was established to make decisionsabout how the model would be tailoredto accommodate the unique characteris-tics and resources of each participatingschool. The planning team (which con-sisted of both volunteers and personsselected by administrators) includedclassroom teachers, school psycholo-gists, media specialists (when available),parents, principals, and central officeadministrators. Quite often the teamalso included a faculty member whohad been an outspoken critic of giftedprogramming. Appointing outspokenand negative facult'. members to a plan-ning team can divert negative energyinto a more positive channnel, therebyeliminating potential problems.

The principal functions of the plan-ning team are to determine the gradelevels to be included in the program, thesize of the talent pool, and the criteria tobe used for forming the talent pool. Theteam also selects methods for trainingclassroom teachers in nomination pro-cedures and for planning further inser-vice and orientation for teachers andparents. By carefully determining dur-ing the spring before implementationwhich grade levels are to be involvedand how they are to be selected, studentnominations may be completed by staffmembers who have had nearly a com-plete academic year to become ac-quainted with their students' strengthsand interests.

30EUAINLLAESI30 EDUCATIONAL LF.ADERSHIP

In several of our research districts,parents of students who had been in-volved in traditional gifted programswere invited to a meeting designed toexplain the differences between tradi-tional programming and Triad/RDIM.By carefully addressing the concerns ofparents (such as expanding the currentgifted program to involve 15 to 20 per-cent of the student population), educa-tors can resolve problems of misunder-standing before implementing theprogram.

Key Feature 3: Inservice andAdministrative SupportFor any new program to be successful,carefully organized inservice trainingmust be provided for all persons whowill be involved. In our experience, themost successful programs includedschool administrators in the inservicetraining. Principals need to know howto answer basic structural questionsabout the program. They should under-stand the major categories of serviceavailable to talent pool students withouthaving to know the specific details. Alladministrative and instructional staffshould be able to explain the maincomponents of the program to parentsand to answer basic questions. Manycomplaints about gifted programs stemfrom the frustrations experienced whenteachers and administrators are unableto answer a question.

Three types of inservice should beused to familiarize faculth and adminis-trators with Triad/RDIM. Formal inser-vice, which most teachers are familiarwith, consists of short sessions focusingon specific topics and skills related to theprogram's implementation. At leastthree formal inservice sessions should bescheduled and each should address aspecific topic. Sequential subjects to becovered include a detailed structuraloverview of the entire system; a defini-tion of giftedness and resulting identifi-cation procedures; the specific roles andresponsibilities of classroom and re-source teachers; and, finally, an in-depth session on compacting or stream-lining the regular curriculum to ensurethat students have an adequate chal-lenge in the regular classroom as well asthe time to participate in the giftedprogram.

Informal inservice refers to the regu-lar interactions that any teacher of thegifted will have with other staff mem-bers, parents, or community members.Informal inservice consists of the posi-tive program reinforcement that teach-ers of the gifted communicate throughconversations with other staff members.These conversations mav occur in thehallway, the cafeteria, or the teachers'lounge. Positive but casual commentsabout individual student's work orplanned enrichment experiences cansometimes do more to enhance thegifted program than a multitude of for-mal inservice sessions. Another type ofinformal insenrice consists of arrangingfor program personnel (teachers of thegifted, principals) to be available forquestions. This may be accomplished atfaculth meetings through brief presenta-tions or progress reports. Any' opportuni-ty to clarify the objectives of the pro-gram should be used. This visibilityoften helps to make the program moreacceptable even in its earliest stages ofdevelopment.

The third type of inservice is easilyaccomplished but has far-reaching ef-fects on present and long-term programsuccess. We advocate the distribution ofbnef but specific materials that havebeen referred to in previous formal andinformal inservice sessions. Overly tech-nical materials should not be used. Dis-

tributing written materials to teachenenables them to do something specificwith their students (a suggsted plannedenrichment activitv, the st-epby--epprocedures for cumculum compating,and so on), and allows them to answerquestions for themsclves or for parentswho have concerns about the pgram.Above all. backup materials should bebrief, to the point, and practical. Wehave prepared "executive summaries- ofthe major books on The ErnidlnmafTriad Model (Renzulli. 19i7), The Re-volving Door Identification Modd (Ren-zulli. Reis. and Smith. 1981). and otherfull-length descnptions of major pro-gram components. The more compre-hensive books are. of course, madeavailable to persons ewho prx aninterest in detailed coverage of paritcu-lar topics.

Faculth aid and support should beactivelv recruited at initial insesic ses-sions. Bv including teachers and otherstaff members and by seeking their help.the responsibility for students who willparticipate in the program is shared byboth the classroom teacher and the re-source teacher.

Key Feature 4: The SehoolwideEnrihment TeamOne of the most innovative and eward-ing key features to emerge from our fieldstudies was the development of Enrich-

APRIL 1984

Figure 1. The Enrichment Triad Model

I31

ment Teams. These teams generallyconsist of the principal, the resourceteacher, three or four classroom teach-ers, some parents, and in some cases, astudent. Every effort is made to encour-age principals to be working, collegialmembers of the teams rather than per-sons who delegate responsibility to oth-ers.

In addition to participating in plan-ning and implemention, EnrichmentTeams help to put into practice anessential part of the philosophy underly-ing Triad/RDIM programs: the totaleducational experience of all studentsshould include varying amounts andlevels of enrichment. It is nothing shortof ridiculous to maintain that only iden-tified gifted students should have accessto enrichment activities and that allother pupils should be denied the op-portunity for challenging and rewardingschool experiences. It is precisely thisattitude that has caused the gifted childmovement to be viewed as elitist and hasresulted in the oftentimes irreconcilableschisms that exist between regular andspecial programs and personnel.

Enrichment team activities are manyand varied. The team:

* Serves as a planning agent andclearinghouse for visiting speakers; fieldtrips; artistic performances; and othergrade level', schoolwide, and interestgroup activities that are designed toexpand the scope of the overall schoolexperience.

* Reviews a wide array of enrichmentmaterials and determines where withinthe regular curriculum these materialsmight be most effectively integrated.

* Recruits faculty members and com-munity resource persons who might pre-sent enrichment sessions or serve asmentors to individuals or small groupswho are involved in advanced levelresearch investigations or creative pro-ductions.

* Reviews television guides, summerprograms, science fairs, literary compe-titions, publishers who accept childrens'work, and opportunities for participa-tion in hobbies, theater, and local his-torical societies.

This information is shared with stu-dents, parents, and teachers, and fol-low-up is arranged with the help ofparent team members. The team also

plans staff development activities relatedto the enrichment program and helpsdesign evaluation and monitoring pro-cedures. Most of all, it helps to achievethe "radiation of excellence" objective,which is a major schoolwide goal ofTriad/RDIM programs. EnrichmentTeams have had a profound effect onthe overall curriculum of their schools,and yet, team members have never beenrequired or even asked to engage in theburdensome task of "writing curricu-lum." In some cases, team members didin fact take pen in hand to developcurricular materials; but whenever thishappened, it was the result of personalinterest and program commitment.

Key Feature 5: Program OwnershipWe define program ownership as strate-gies purposefully designed to make theentire school staff aware that everybodyhas a stake in the gifted program and animportant part to play in the total rangeof services provided to program studentsas well as to the total school population(Reis, 1983). In addition to careful pro-gram planning, informative inservice,and the formation of EnrichmentTeams, program ownership can be en-couraged by specific strategies that at-tempt to utilize the talents of facultymembers whenever possible.

Another way a resource teacher of thegifted can promote ownership in thegifted program is to share resources withclassroom teachers. Many resourceroom activities, games, and materials(including creative and critical thinkingskills, independent study skills, and oth-ers) are appropriate for all children.These materials should be circulated toclassroom teachers for use with studentswho complete regular classroom workmore quickly than their peers and forany other students who express an inter-est.

Enrichment experiences planned as apart of the gifted program should beshared with other teachers and studentsin the school whenever possible. Whenan enrichment activity is planned, theEnrichment Team and the resourceteacher should determine whether theactivity can serve a wider audience thanthe talent pool. This determination isgenerally made on the basis of severalfactors: level of difficulty, relationship of

"Programownership canbe encouragedby specificstrategies thatattempt toutilize thetalents offaculty memberswheneverpossible."

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP32

the activihs to topics covered at certaingrade leels. high Icels of interest in thetopic oni the part of non-talenlt poolstudents, and practical considerationsrelated to scheduling and the amount oftime and space available for the activity.

B! opening up certain enrichmentsessions and inviting as many students aspossible to listen to a lecture or toparticipate in a workshop on creativedramatics, all children benefit at certaintimes from the special program. Pro-gram owuncrship is thus extended tostudents outside the talent pool, andevervone has a better appreciation ofand a more positive attitude toward itsvery existence ''his approach also rc-duces the \alid charge of "elitism."which so malan gifted programs rightful-lv earn bh limiting enrichment experi-enccs that are appropriate for all chil-dren to those identified as gifted.

Examining the regular curriculumwork of students in the talent pool is stillanother essential sa!y to create programownership. Resourcc and classroomteachers should work together to assessstudents' areas of academic strength sothat the!- may! agree on a "compacted"version of the regular curriculum. Inmost of the field districts, a "compactor"form was used individually or by groupsto analyze the needs of identified stu-dents. This approach allowed studentsto co-cr curricular material at a pacethat was appropriate for their abilitslevels. and helped to avoid the possibili-ty of repetition. Resource and classroomteachers mav then plan accelerationand/or enrichment options during thetime made asailahle by- compacting.

Key Feature 6: Student OrientationTalent pool students should be given anunusuall- detailed orientation about thesernices and opportunities available tothem because of their inclusion in theprogram. In soime of the Triad/RDIMfield test districts, students had not "re-volved into" anl advanced level IType IIIinvestigation simply because they hadn'tknos n thes could. Students shouldthoroughl unlderstand the program'sdefinition of giftedness, the program-ming model. the ways in which theycan become involved in the differentenrichment types, and the methods bywhich they 'ill be evaluated. They

should also understand the rigors anddemands of a Type III investigation andthe responsibilities they have to boththeir classroom teacher and the teacherof the gifted for completing work andfulfilling obligations.

In this wa., responsibilith for partici-pation in the program, and possibly inan advanccd lesel Type Ill investiga-tion. becomes the domain of the re-source tcacher as well as the student.Talent pool students in the most suc-cessful field test districts were aw-are oftheir options for different levels of pro-gram insvolemient.

Key Feature 7: Communication withPrime Interest GroupsThe communication devices that wereused to keep various prime interestgroups informed about ans and all as-pects of the program that might berelevant to a particular group were an-other characteristic of successful pro-grams. 'lhe prime interest groups con-sisted of parents. classroom teachers,students, administrators, school boardmembers, and the general public. Com-munication was achieved in several dif-ferent s'avs including initial parent.teacher, and student orientation sessionsabout the gifted program, and frequentprogress-report correspondence With in-volved parents. Newsletters to parentsand teachers detailed enrichment expe-riences and included periodic inmita-tions to sisit the resource room, to seecompleted T!pc I11 products. or to at-tend a Type III Fair at the end of theschool sear.

Key Feature 8: FlexibilityChange is not only hard to effect: it isalso difficult for some people to accept.The attitudes of those involved in agiven building must be constantly con-sidered Scwhen implementing a nce pro-gram. Each school senriced by the pro-grain has its oswn "personalitv"' andshould reflect the individual differencesof its administration, staff, and students.The flexibility of resource teachers toadapt and mold the model to fit eachsituation swill greatlh influence the sub-sequent success of any program.

Triad/RDIM is a general organiza-tional approach to programming rather

'The flexibilityof resourceteachers toadapt the modelto differentsituations cangreatlyinfluence thesuccess of anyprogram."

APRIL 1984

"Regular use ofthe evaluationand monitoringsystemcontributes tohigh levels ofprogram qualityby pinpointingareas ofdeficiency."

than a prescription for delivering serv-ices to gifted and talented students. Amo-model without this built-in flexibility iseventually doomed to failure because itwill ignore the uniqueness of individualschools and the initiative and creativityof persons at the local level. There is nosuch thing as a "pure" Triad/RDIMprogram, because it emphasizes flexibil-ity rather than prescription. Many excit-ing innovations in the model have beencontributed by persons who have adapt-ed it for use in their schools. I

Key Feature 9: Evaluation andProgram MonitoringHigh-quality programs do not happenby accident. In addition to careful plan-ning and schoolwide commitment, asystem for evaluating and monitoringmust be built into the overall program-ming model. The schools in our fieldstudies agreed to participate in a wide

varietv of information-gathering proce-dures. In addition to providing datanecessary for research, these proceduresenabled us to refine and further developa softhare package, which is now beingused for ongoing evaluation and pro-gram monitoring. The software packagecontains structured forms used to docu-ment major program activities, ques-tionnaires for members of prime interestgroups. and instruments designed toassess growth in cognitive and affectirvethinking processes. An instrument forevaluating 15 specific dimensions ofstudents' Type III projects is also includ-ed.

Each evaluation instrument is relatedto one or more of the major goals ofTriad/RDIM. Regular use of the evalua-tion and monitoring system in and ofitself helps to contribute to high levels ofprogram quality. In other words, theitems included in the monitoring systemserve as a set of "friendly enforcers" inthe pursuit of desirable program out-comes. It is one thing to know and topursue the obiectives of a given pro-gram, but it is quite another to showevidence that the goals are beingachieved. And of course, if we arefalling short of one or more major pro-gram objectives, the monitoring systemhelps us pinpoint areas of deficiency andtake appropriate action.

Summary'The effects of implementing the Triad/RDIM program in various school sys-tems are as diverse and complex as arethe program participants. In summary,outstanding gifted programs tend to ex-hibit many of the basic characteristicslisted below. Generally, succesful pro-grams:

* Open doors to all interested stu-dents as enrichment experiences areplanned

* Reflect the excellence of students'hard work and intense interests

* Display that excellence, therebychallenging other students both withinthe program and in regular classes toemulate it

* Create the opportunity for motivat-ed nonidentified students to participatewithout the constraints of predeter-mined I.Q. or achievement cut-offscores

* Allows all teachers and students toshare their interests and expertise withother interested students and teachers

* Relieve students of the burden ofengaging each day in repetitious, boringtasks and assignments of previously mas-tered material by responding to the indi-vidual needs of students.

IPrograms using this mIodel hasc dcxcl-oped a national Triad/RDIM Network News-letter. wihich is solely dexoted to cxchanlginigmaterials. resources, and inuloatice ap-proaches to prograniming Persons interestedin the Newsletter miad wi rite the senior authorfor additional inforiiiation

References

Delislc, I R. and Rcniulli. J.S "TheRevolving Door Identification and Prograrm-ming Model: Correlates of Creative Produc-tion." Gifted Child Quarterly 26, 2 (19821:89-9

Delislc. J.R. Reis, S M.; and Guihbins,E.J. "The Rceolhing Door IdentificationModel and Programminig Model" Excep-tional Children i()ctober 1981): 152-1 6

Mitchell, B.M. "Al Update on the Stateof Gifted/Talented Education in the U.S."Phi Delta Kappan iJanuary 1981 ) 35,7-358

Reis. S.M "Creating )Os.nership in Gift-ed/Talented Programs" Roeper Review 3(April-May 1983) 20J-23.

Reis, S.M., and Renzulli, IJS "A Casefor the Broadened Conception of Gifted-ness" Phi Delta Kappan 63 11982): 619-620.

Rerizulli, J.S "The Enrichment TriadModel: A Guide for Developing DefensiblePrograms for the Gifted and Talented"Mansfield Center. Conn.: Creative LearningPress, 1977

Renzulli, J.S.. ed "Technical Report ofResearch Studies Related to the RevolvingDoor Identification Model." Storrs: Bureauof Educational Research, Unisersiht of Con-necticut. 1983.

Renzulli. J.S.; Reis, S.M., and Smith,L.H. "The Rcvolving Door IdentificationModel." Mansfield Center. Conn.: CreativeLearning Press, 181.

Renzulli. J.S; Smith. L.H., and Reis.S.M. "Curriculum Compacting: An Essen-tial Strategs' for Working with Gifted Stu-dents " Elementary School Journal (Januarv1982): 185-194.

Ward, V S. "Basic Concepts " In Psychol-ogy and Education of the Gifted. 3rd edEdited bv W.B Barbe and J. S. RenzulliNesw York: Irvington Publishers, 1981

EDUCATIONAL LEADF.RSHIP34

Copyright © 1984 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. All rights reserved.