Underachieving Gifted Students
James R. Delisle and Sandra L. Berger
ERIC EC Digest #E478, 1990
There is perhaps no situation more frustrating for
parents or teachers than living or working with children who do
not perform as well academically as their potential indicates they
can. These children are labeled as underachievers, yet few people
agree on exactly what this term means. At what point does underachievement
end and achievement begin? Is a gifted student who is failing mathematics
while doing superior work in reading an underachiever? Does underachievement
occur suddenly, or is it better defined as a series of poor performances
over an extended time period? Certainly, the phenomenon of underachievement
is as complex and multifaceted as the children to whom this label
has been applied.
Definition of Underachievement
Early researchers (Raph, Goldberg, and Passow, 1966) and some
recent authors (Davis and Rimm, 1989) have defined underachievement
in terms of a discrepancy between a child's school performance
and some ability index such as an IQ score. These definitions,
although seemingly clear and succinct, provide little insight to
parents and teachers who wish to address this problem with individual
students. A better way to define underachievement is to consider
the various components.
Underachievement, first and foremost, is a behavior and as such,
it can change over time. Often, underachievement is seen as a problem
of attitude or work habits. However, neither habits nor attitude
can be modified as directly as behaviors. Thus, referring to "underachieving
behaviors" pinpoints those aspects of children's lives which
they are most able to alter.
Underachievement is content and situation specific. Gifted children
who do not succeed in school are often successful in outside activities
such as sports, social occasions, and after-school jobs. Even a
child who does poorly in most school subjects may display a talent
or interest in at least one school subject. Thus, labeling a child
as an "underachiever" disregards any positive outcomes
or behaviors that child displays. It is better to label the behaviors
than the child (e.g., the child is "underachieving in math
and language arts" rather than an "underachieving student").
Underachievement is in the eyes of the beholder. For some students
(and teachers and parents), as long as a passing grade is attained,
there is no underachievement. "After all," this group
would say, "A C is an average grade." To others, a grade
of B+ could constitute underachievement if the student in question
were expected to get an A. Recognizing the idiosyncratic nature
of what constitutes success and failure is the first step toward
understanding underachieving behaviors in students.
Underachievement is tied intimately to self-concept development.
Children who learn to see themselves in terms of failure eventually
begin to place self-imposed limits of what is possible. Any academic
successes are written off as "flukes," while low grades
serve to reinforce negative self- perceptions. This self-deprecating
attitude often results in comments such as "Why should I even
try? I'm just going to fail anyway.", or "Even if I do
succeed, people will say it's because I cheated." The end
product is a low self-concept, with students perceiving themselves
as weak in academics. Under this assumption, their initiative to
change or to accept a challenge is limited.
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Strategies To Reverse Patterns of Underachievement
Luckily, it is easier to reverse patterns of underachieving behavior
than it is to define the term underachievement.
Whitmore (1980) describes three types of strategies that she found
effective in working with underachieving behaviors in students:
* Supportive Strategies. Classroom techniques and designs that
allow students to feel they are part of a "family," versus
a "factory," include methods such as holding class meetings
to discuss student concerns; designing curriculum activities based
on the needs and interests of the children; and allowing students
to bypass assignments on subjects in which they have previously
shown competency.
* Intrinsic Strategies. These strategies incorporate the idea
that students' self-concepts as learners are tied closely to their
desire to achieve academically (Purkey and Novak, 1984). Thus,
a classroom that invites positive attitudes is likely to encourage
achievement. In classrooms of this type, teachers encourage attempts,
not just successes; they value student input in creating classroom
rules and responsibilities; and they allow students to evaluate
their own work before receiving a grade from the teacher.
* Remedial Strategies. Teachers who are effective in reversing
underachieving behaviors recognize that students are not perfect
- that each child has specific strengths and weaknesses as well
as social, emotional and intellectual needs. With remedial strategies,
students are given chances to excel in their areas of strength
and interest while opportunities are provided in specific areas
of learning deficiencies. This remediation is done in a "safe
environment in which mistakes are considered a part of learning
for everyone, including the teacher.
The key to eventual success lies in the willingness of parents
and teachers to encourage students whenever their performance or
attitude shifts (even slightly) in a positive direction.
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Participation in Gifted Programs
Students who underachieve in some aspect of school performance,
but whose talents exceed the bounds of what is generally covered
in the standard curriculum, have a right to an education that matches
their potential. To be sure, a program for gifted students may
need to alter its structure or content to meet these students'
specific learning needs, but this is preferable to denying gifted
children access to educational services that are the most accommodating
to their abilities.
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Role of the Family
The following are some broad guidelines - representing many viewpoints
- for strategies to prevent or reverse underachieving behavior.
*
Supportive strategies. Gifted children thrive in a mutually respectful,
nonauthoritarian, flexible, questioning atmosphere. They need reasonable
rules and guidelines, strong support and encouragement, consistently
positive feedback, and help to accept some limitations - their
own, as well as those of others. Although these principles are
appropriate for all children, parents of gifted children, believing
that advanced intellectual ability also means advanced social and
emotional skills, may allow their children excessive decision-making
power before they have the wisdom and experience to handle such
responsibility (Rimm, 1986).
Gifted youngsters need adults who are willing to listen to their
questions without comment. Some questions merely preface their
own opinions, and quick answers prevent them from using adults
as a sounding board. When problem solving is appropriate, offer
a solution and encourage students to come up with their own answers
and criteria for choosing the best solution. Listen carefully.
Show genuine enthusiasm about students' observations, interests,
activities, and goals. Be sensitive to problems, but avoid transmitting
unrealistic or conflicting expectations and solving problems a
student is capable on managing.
Provide students with a wide variety of opportunities for success,
a sense of accomplishment, and a belief in themselves. Encourage
them to volunteer to help others as an avenue for developing tolerance,
empathy, understanding, and acceptance of human limitations. Above
all, guide them toward activities and goals that reflect their
values, interests, and needs, not just yours. Finally, reserve
some time to have fun, to be silly, to share daily activities.
Like all youngsters, gifted children need to feel connected to
people who are consistently supportive (Webb, Meckstroth, & Tolan,
1982).
*
Intrinsic strategies. Whether or not a gifted youngster uses
exceptional ability in constructive ways depends, in part, on self-acceptance
and self-concept. According to Halsted (1988), "an intellectually
gifted child will not be happy [and] complete until he is using
intellectual ability at a level approaching full capacity.... It
is important that parents and teachers see intellectual development
as a requirement for these children, and not merely as an interest,
a flair, or a phase they will outgrow" (p. 24).
Providing an early and appropriate educational environment can
stimulate an early love for learning. A young, curious student
may easily become "turned off" if the educational environment
is not stimulating; class placement and teaching approaches are
inappropriate; the child experiences ineffective teachers; or assignments
are consistently too difficult or too easy. The gifted youngster's
ability to define and solve problems in many ways (often described
as fluency of innovative ideas or divergent thinking ability) may
not be compatible with traditional gifted education programs or
specific classroom requirements, in part because many gifted students
are identified through achievement test scores (Torrance, 1977).
According to Linda Silverman (1989), Director of the Gifted Child
Development Center in Denver, Colorado, a student's learning style
can influence academic achievement. She contends that gifted underachievers
often have advanced visual-spatial ability but underdeveloped sequencing
skills; thus they have difficulty learning such subjects as phonics,
spelling, foreign languages and mathematics facts in the way in
which these subjects are usually taught (Silverman, 1989). Such
students can often can be helped by knowledgeable adults to expand
their learning styles, but they also need an environment that is
compatible with their preferred ways of learning. Older students
can participate in pressure-free, noncompetitive summer activities
that provide a wide variety of educational opportunities, including
in-depth exploration, hands-on learning, and mentor relationships
(Berger, 1989).
Some students are more interested in learning than in working
for grades. Such students might spend hours on a project that is
unrelated to academic classes and fail to turn in required work.
They should be strongly encouraged to pursue their interests, particularly
since those interests may lead to career decisions and life-long
passions. At the same time, they should be reminded that teachers
may be unsympathetic when required work is incomplete. Early career
guidance emphasizing creative problem solving, decision making,
and setting short- and long-term goals often helps them to complete
required assignments, pass high school courses, and plan for college
(Berger, 1989). Providing real-world experiences in an area of
potential career interest may also provide inspiration and motivation
toward academic achievement.
*
Praise versus encouragement. Overemphasis on achievement or outcomes
rather than a child's efforts, involvement, and desire to learn
about topics of interest is a common parental pitfall. The line
between pressure and encouragement is subtle but important. Pressure
to perform emphasizes outcomes such as winning awards and getting
A's, for which the student is highly praised. Encouragement emphasizes
effort, the process used to achieve, steps taken toward accomplishing
a goal, and improvement. It leaves appraisal and valuation to the
youngster. Underachieving gifted students may be thought of as
discouraged individuals who need encouragement but tend to reject
praise as artificial or inauthentic (Kaufmann, 1987). Listen carefully
to yourself. Tell your children when you are proud of their efforts.
*
Remedial Strategies. Dinkmeyer and Losoncy (1980) caution parents
to avoid discouraging their children by domination, insensitivity,
silence, or intimidation. Discouraging comments, such as "If
you're so gifted, why did you get a D in _____?'' or "I've
given you everything; why are you so _____?'' are never effective.
Constant competition may also lead to underachievement, especially
when a child consistently feels like either a winner or a loser.
Avoid comparing children with others. Show children how to function
in competition and how to recover after losses.
Study-skills courses, time-management classes, or special tutoring
may be ineffective if a student is a long-term underachiever. This
approach will work only if the student is willing and eager, if
the teacher is chosen carefully, and the course is supplemented
by additional strategies designed to help the student. On the other
hand, special tutoring may help the concerned student who is experiencing
short-term academic difficulty. In general, special tutoring for
a gifted student is most helpful when the tutor is carefully chosen
to match the interests and learning style of the student. Broad-ranged
study-skills courses or tutors who do not understand the student
may do more harm than good.
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Conclusion
Some students, particularly those who are highly capable and participate
in a variety of activities, appear to be high achievers when learning
in a highly structured academic environment, but are at risk of
underachieving if they cannot establish priorities, focus on a
selected number of activities, and set long-term goals. On the
other hand, some students appear to be underachievers but are not
uncomfortable or discouraged. They may be quite discontent in middle
or secondary school (in part because of the organization and structure),
but happy and successful when learning in an environment with a
different structural organization. They may handle independence
quite well.
Underachievement is made up of a complex web of behaviors, but
it can be reversed by parents and educators who consider the many
strengths and talents possessed by the students who may wear this
label.
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References
* Berger, S. (1989). College planning for gifted students. Reston,
VA: The ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education.
* Davis, G. A. and Rimm, S. B. (1989). Education of the gifted and talented
(2nd Ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
* Dinkmeyer, D. and Losoncy, L. (1980). The encouragement book. Englewood Cliffs,
NJ: Prentice-Hall.
* Gardner, H. (1985). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences,
(rev. ed.). New York: Basic Books.
* Halsted, J. W. (1988), Guiding gifted readers - From preschool to high school.
Columbus: Ohio Psychology Publishing.
* Purkey, W. W. and Novak, J. A. (1984). Inviting school success (2nd Ed.).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
* Raph, J. B., Goldberg, M. L. and Passow, A. H. (1966). Bright underachievers.
New York: Teachers College Press.
* Rimm, S. (1986). The underachievement syndrome: Causes and cures. Watertown,
WI: Apple Publishing Company.
* Silverman, L. (March, 1989). Spatial learners. Understanding Our Gifted,
1 (4), pp. 1, 7, 8, 16.
* Silverman, L. (Fall, 1989). The visual-spatial learner. Preventing School
Failure, 34 (1), 15-20.
* Torrance, E. P. (1977). Encouraging creativity in the classroom. Dubuque,
IA: William C. Brown.
* Webb, J., Meckstroth, E., & Tolan, S. (1982). Guiding the gifted child.
Columbus, OH: Ohio Publishing Company.
* Whitmore, J. F. (1980). Giftedness, conflict and underachievement. Boston:
Allyn and Bacon.
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Resources for Students
* Adderholdt-Elliott, M. (1987). Perfectionism. What's bad about
being too good? Explores the problem of perfectionism, explains
the differences between healthy ambition and unhealthy perfectionism,
and gives strategies for getting out of the perfectionist trap.
* Bottner, B. (1986). The world's greatest expert on absolutely everything...is
crying. New York: Dell Publishers. Deals with how perfectionism affects interpersonal
relationships.
* Delisle, J., & Galbraith, J.(1987). The Gifted Kids Survival Guide II.
Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit. Helps students understand the meaning of giftedness,
how to take charge of their own education, how to handle other people's expectations,
how to make and keep friends. This book is a sequel to Galbraith, J. (1983),
The Gifted Kids Survival Guide (for ages 11-18). Free Spirit Publishing Co.,
123 N. Third St., Suite 716, Minneapolis, MN 55401.
* Dinkmeyer, D. and Losoncy, L. (1980). The encouragement book. Englewood Cliffs,
NJ: Prentice-Hall. Provides a plan, strategies, hints, and tips for helping
discouraged students.
* Ellis, D. (1994). Becoming a master student (7th ed.). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.
Written primarily for college students, this book provides dynamic ways of
teaching study skills, time-management, and goal-setting. Students are encouraged
to try innovative approaches to academic and life management skills. Available
from Houghton-Mifflin Co., Wayside Road, Burlington, MA 01803.
* Galbraith, J. (1984) The Gifted Kids Survival Guide, Ages 10 and under. Support
and practical suggestions for gifted youngsters who are struggling with typical
problems such as school work, peer relationships, and community expectations.
Free Spirit Publishing Co., 123 N. Third St., Suite 716, Minneapolis, MN 55401.
* Halsted, J. W. (1988), Guiding gifted readers - From preschool to high school.
Columbus: Ohio Psychology Publishing. A guide to using bibliotherapy and an
excellent annotated list of books to use with gifted students.
* Harvey, J. & Katz, C. (1986). If I'm so successful, why do I feel like
a fake? The impostor phenomenon. New York: Pocket Books.
* Heide, F. & Chess, V. (1985). Tales for the perfect child. New York:
Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books. Presents a funny look at what would happen
if children were perfect.
* Manes, S. (1987). Be a perfect person in just three days. New York: Bantam/Skylark
Books. A student decides that he wants to be perfect and finds a book on the
topic.
* McDermott, G. (1980). Sun flight. Soquel, CA: Four Winds Press. Shows students
how aiming too high with unrealistic standards can be self-defeating.
* McGee-Cooper, A. Time management for unmanageable people. P.O. Box 64784,
Dallas, TX 75206. Provides a "right-brain" method for work/study
skills and time-management. Suggestions include "reward yourself first
and then do your assignments."
* On being gifted. (1976). New York: Walker and Co. Written by students (ages
15 to 18) who participated in the National Student Symposium on the Education
of the Gifted and Talented, this book is an articulate presentation of student
concerns such as peer pressure, teacher expectations, and relationships.
* Smith, D. (1978). Dreams and drummers. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Publishers.
The story of a perfectionist who learns that we cannot always be Number One
at everything.
* Zadra, D. (1986). Mistakes are great. Mankato, MN: Creative Education. Provides
examples of famous mistakes and how they can be turned into positive learning
experiences.
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Credits
Prepared by James Delisle, Coordinator of Gifted Education, Kent
State University, Kent, Ohio and author of Gifted Children Speak
Out; and Sandra L. Berger, author of College Planning for Gifted
Students.
This publication was prepared with funding from the Office of
Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education,
under contract no. RI88062007. The opinions expressed in this report
do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of OERI or
the Department of Education.
