In NYC, they went with the OLSAT so they could identify cheaply across the whole city. Anyone could take it, it was free -- though I do not know how well it identifies.
Anyway, the result was that there were less kids identified as "gifted" in the low socio-economic groups. Asians do the best, whether in low income groups or not though. In fact, because so many kids did not qualify in lower socio-economic groups, they had to close some of the classes they had before the OLSAT testing, where they just relied on putting "smart" kids in them. So here is an experiment to identify kids in a very large urban environment. And the testing goes from pre-K through elementary grades.
And if challenge is an acquired taste, then isn' it a matter of habit and confidence. I know my kid would rather play with friends than do homework or practice piano but that is not an option. And when kids are encouraged and build their confidence, they rise to challenge, whatever their IQ. What does giftedness have to do with it?
Ren
