Differentiated+Model+of+Giftedness+and+Talent

=Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT)=

This model was first developed by **Françoys Gagné** in 1985, but has been consistently reworked since then. It centres on the difference between giftedness and talent, and how to move a student from one to the other. Much of this information is drawn from //A differentiated model of giftedness and talent// (Gagné, 1997), or it is indicated otherwise.

The pdf file which follows is a diagram of the DMGT model. The first page is the original model, while the second is a revised version of the model. It is useful to refer to when reading the information below.

Gifts
Gagné describes giftedness as **potential** inherent in a person of achieving at levels significantly beyond one's age-peers. Gagné suggests that approximately 10% of the population possess giftedness in one or more of the cognitive, creative, socio-affective or sensori-motor domains. In a modification of the model he introduced the additional domain of "others". The key to the view is that it focuses on natural ability and aptitude, rather than performing well in a domain, thus it recognises the existence of the gifted underachiever.

Talents
Talent, then, relates to the realisation of this potential. It is defined by Gagné as **achievement** or **performance** at levels significantly beyond one's peers. Giftedness in any particular domain may lead to talent in several fields, for example a person with sensori-motor giftedness may become a great rugby player or a great dancer. Some fields may require giftedness in more than one domain; success in mathematics is likely to require both intellectual and creative natural ability. Talented persons also account for approximately 10% of the population, however, critically, these **may not be** the same 10%.

Catalysts
Giftedness is translated into talent through the presence or absence of a number of catalysts. These catalysts may effect students positively or negatively, and while for many of them there is a strong element of chance, others can be controlled to an extent by a classroom teacher. Gagné groups these into two clusters - intrapersonal catalysts and environmental catalysts.

These are the attributes of the students personality that may affect their learning process. Of particular importance are the following:
 * Intrapersonal Catalysts**
 * **Motivation and perserverance** - The students ability to start work, and to keep working. Many gifted students who do not realise their potential may have found school unmotivating due to a lack of challenge in their schoolwork.
 * **Confidence and awareness** - The students must know of, accept and be proud of their abilities and gifts. Tall Poppy Syndrome may be a factor in the presence of this catalyst.
 * **Organisation and concentration** - This is the ability to manage the work that needs to be completed, and to focu on the task at hand. Many gifted students lack the skills of concentration, as they did not previously require it for schoolwork they found too easy.

Many studies have been undertaken to show the relationship between environmental factors, and students chance of success. These may include:
 * Environmental Catalysts**
 * **Milieu** - The surroundings in which a child lives. This includes those on a macroscopic level (the state of the economy, the skills valued by the nation...) and those on a microscopic level (family size and wealth, access to resources...).
 * **Persons** - Significant persons in ones life can greatly impact learning. These include parents siblings, teachers, peers, and school and community leaders. Lack of interest in a students talents may be as detrimental as active opposition.
 * **Undertakings** - This is the resources and provisions made available to a student during their schooling. Some schools have a variety of extra-curricular programs, and teachers who carefully differentiate - preparing suitable enriching or accelerating activities for their high ability students.
 * **Events** - Significant events can have a strong effect on the direction of ones life. Winning an award, a family crisis, a major illness, or finding an inspirational mentor can strongly influence whether a gifted student realises their potential.

Significance for teachers
It is a teachers responsibility to actively search for students who are gifted, but not yet showing talent. For these students it is critical to work to identify and accentuate the positive catalysts already present in the students life, and to lessen or eliminate the influence of negative catalysts. Although chance is a strong influencing factor, teachers have the ability to create greater chances of success for students in unfortunate situations through a suitable classroom environment where work is engaging and high achievement is accepted and encouraged.