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AD/HD, ASD: SHARED GENETIC RISK. A new study has found that some genetic variants may be common between AD/HD and autism spectrum disorders. This could explain why some traits seem common in both conditions. Furthermore: "The research results could be reassuring for clinicians who may see characteristics of different neuropsychiatric conditions in their patients -- such as ASD-like social problems in a child with AD/HD -- but are concerned that they are over-interpreting these traits." Read more. KIDS AND FACEBOOK. Time Magazine reports that kids who use Facebook frequently may earn lower grades, be more narcissistic, and be more prone to anxiety and depression. On the other hand, researchers have also noted beneficial effects on self-identity and empathy. Find out more. RTI WORKING? A study indicates that response to intervention is widely used and can be effective in identifying -- and ameliorating -- LDs early. Read more, and find a link to the report "National Assessment of IDEA." FINDING GIFTED UNDERACHIEVERS. The Victorian Association for the Gifted and Talented Children is holding its biennial conference in Melbourne on September 8-0. The theme: "Unmasking the possibilities." Find out more. SHYNESS. Got a shy and gifted kid? NPR recently aired a program dealing with shyness. From the blurb for the program: "Medical treatment and therapy is widely available for social anxiety, but some argue that shyness is not a sickness. They say shy people listen better and have higher levels of empathy. A look at shyness, its evolutionary basis, and why it might be an asset." Find the program. AND FINALLY, THIS. As the parent or educator of a gifted kid, you're probably interested in out-of-the-box thinking, perhaps because of the way you've been exposed to it by that child. Technology columnist David Poque writes about an assignment he gave to a business school class: invent a better, more usable digital watch. You might enjoy some of the creations. Read the column.
THE AAP, KIDS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA. Recognizing the increasing importance of all types of media in their young patients’ lives, pediatricians often hear from parents who are concerned about their children’s engagement with social media. To help address the many effects—both positive and negative—that social media use has on youth and families, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued a new clinical report, “The Impact of Social Media Use on Children, Adolescents and Families” in the April issue of Pediatrics (published online today, March 28). The report offers background on the latest research in this area, and recommendations on how pediatricians, parents, and kids can successfully navigate this mode of communication. Find the report.
FOOD DYES AND AD/HD. Whether artificial food dyes may trigger hyperactive behavior in kids with a predisposition may get a look from the US Food and Drug Administration. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has petitioned to have certain food colorings banned from foods. Is hyperactivity a problem in that gifted kid you raise or teach? Find out more about the issue.
TREAT KIDS AS IF THEY'RE SMART is the premise of a North Carolina program for at-risk students. At the beginning of the study, no third-graders in the program had been identified as gifted. But when 5,000 K-12 students were taught and treated as if they were gifted (by specially trained teachers), it turned out that by third grade 15 to 20 percent were evaluated as gifted. Seems to us that this study is not only a validation for training teachers in gifted education techniques, but also (perhaps) for playing on strengths. Read more.
VISUALIZING HOW WE READ is the title of a new article at the Dana Foundation site. The article describes what imaging tools can tell about the way the brain works as it processes letters and language sounds. The article notes differences among dyslexics in terms of brain structure and the probability of reading improvement, and calls for more research on "how neuroscience can inform education." Find the article.
EDUCATION WEEK is offering two free online chats tomorrow, Thursday the 24th. One is on Response to Intervention; the other is on using digital tools to personalize learning for student strengths and weaknesses. Find out more or sign up for a reminder at the respective links. DO THE JAVITS JUMP. CEC points out that some members of congress are campaigning to save Javits funding for gifted education, in the tug of war that seems to take place periodically (we'd swear this seems to happen monthly). Find out more about what's going on and how you can act at the CEC site. GIFTED LISTSERV. A Mensa listserv is the home of many discussions by parents (mostly mothers) of gifted kids on various aspects of giftedness, and occasionally on twice-exceptionalities. Recent topics: success stories in public schools; a request for advice on challenge and enrichment for a second-grader; reflections by the participants on challenges growing up at the extreme end of the bell curve; gifted preschoolers; summer camp; and what to do with a DS10 who won't stop talking. The site is public but registration is required; it is moderated. Find out more and subscribe. DIVERSE LEARNERS. More than 90 percent of all middle and high school teachers surveyed in the new MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Preparing Students for College and Careers say that strengthening programs and resources to help diverse learners with the highest needs meet college- and career-ready standards should be a priority in education. Among that group, 59 percent say helping diverse learners "must be done as one of the highest priorities in education." Find the report "Teaching Diverse Learners" at the MetLife site. WORKING MEMORY: THREE LAYERS. If your gifted but disorganized child has you paying attention to articles on executive function and working memory, check out a write-up on a recent study of working memory -- its three components and their functions. AND FINALLY, THIS. A study in Australia shows that lots of relatively young kids (95 percent of those 7-10 in the study) use social media, and that many of them feel there isn't much risk in social networking; this in spite of the fact that "the majority of surveyed students (72.4 per cent) indicated they had received unwelcome or unpleasant contact by strangers via their social networking profile," according to a report on the study. Find out more, and why do kids always do stuff that worries their parents!?