Essay Linguistic Communication Barriers - 1831 Words

Communication Barriers Hispanic immigrants living in American are regularly faced with communication problems. When one’s native culture varies from the norm they are often the one expected to eliminate the disparity. Language barriers present for the Hispanic population living in America and their physical therapists can cause significant problems, not only for communication in general but also for diagnosis and treatment. In order to overcome communication barriers in the field of physical therapy, providers need to become more linguistically and culturally competent. When asked what was a problem that regularly frustrated her while working, Karen Hobbs, PT of Erwin NC, immediately responded, â€Å"not being able to talk to my†¦show more content†¦Inability to clearly communicate with a patient is a problem that affects the basis of what type of care that patient will receive. Multiple studies enacted by the Commonwealth Fund all lead to the same basic fact; Hispanics are more likely that any other group in the United States to have difficulty obtaining access to, and receiving quality health care. Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit medical research institution, commented that this problem is clearly â€Å"made worse by language barriers† (Uninsured). Medical research suggests that some Hispanics are discouraged from seeking any medical care because of failure to communicate. Mary Valenzuela, a Mexican native who is now fluent in English, spoke about before she knew the language; â€Å"When you don’t speak the same language, it’s very hard to explain how long you’ve been sick, where is the pain or what they’re doing to you.† She noted that even though she may have wanted to go to the doctor’s office or to see a physical therapist after an injury, she and others in her situation don’t want to put up with the hassle (Morris). The issue of lack of funding for bilingual health care is gaining steam in the nation. Various institutions and officials are urging congress to improve communications with those who don’t speak English. U. S. Surgeon General Richard Carmon said in a speech to congress and theShow MoreRelatedCharacteristic of Business Communication829 Words   |  4 PagesCommunication skills are of utmost importance in managing information and technology in any organization. List the characteristics of communication and discuss the seven barriers to effective communication. Communication in simple terms is a transfer of information between people, resulting in common understanding between them. According to Newman and Summer , â€Å" Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons† Communication has the following characteristics:- Read MoreEssay about The Relationship Between Language and Worldview1369 Words   |  6 Pagescognitive development and linguistic developments (Blum 35). After studying different languages, the researcher found a connection between linguistic and cognitive values, with the former being regarded as important in promoting the latter. This means that there is need for linguistic development, and especially in the first stages of development for the cognitive behaviors to be observed. From this hypothesis, it is clear that a worldview is influenced by linguistic traits that are developed asRead MoreQ.1 Describe Any Situation in Your Experience Where the Communication Went Wrong. Analyze the Situation by Pointing Out the Type of Barrier to Communication and Suggest How to Overcome This Barrier.[10 Marks].1070 Words   |  5 Pagesand my communication was not that good. Apart from that the room was over crowded and so many disturbances and noise was there. Later I realize there are some barriers because of which I did not performed up to the mark. After analyzing my experience there are some points I found which could be barrier for healthy communication and analysis of which are needed before coming up with ways to eliminate or minimize them. These barriers may be classified as follows – Barriers to Communication 1. EnvironmentalRead MoreFeatures of and Barriers to Communication1338 Words   |  5 Pagesare able to identify the sounds in cot as three unique sounds- each sound representative of an individual letter C, O, T, together they form the meaning of a small child’s bed. 2. Arbitrariness can be seen as a property in language where a word or linguistic form does not in any way match or relate to the object of which it refers to. In other words it is an object we are taught to perceive in a certain way opposed to something that has a literal meaning. For example traffic lights. The colour greenRead MoreThe Future Of Black English And Its Academic Impact On African American Children1291 Words   |  6 Pagesin communication in any society, culture and organization. This medium of social interaction is universal and has been passed down for centuries as a legacy. Therefore, it is imperative that the purity of the language is kept within each framework of heritage. Culture also plays a very important role in the evolution of language. It is the foundation of social engagement and personal commitment. Verbal and non-verbal communication can help define the way in which intercultural communication is conductedRead MoreDeaf : A Cultural Identity849 Words   |  4 PagesStein, 2001). According to Richardson (2004), approximately 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents. Unfortunately, without developing linguistic skills early on in life, the deaf are more likely use English as a second language. â€Å"Deaf individuals tend to have low-status jobs, limited education, high employment and face cultural and linguistics Education Deaf Institution versus Mainstream School They consider Deaf culture associated with self-esteem and sense of agency, and facilitatesRead MoreCode-Switching Annotated Bibliography932 Words   |  4 Pageswith recognizing and differentiating the concepts of intrasentential and intersentential, but also code-switching and code-mixing. Pagano, A. (2010). Code†switching: a korean case study. Griffith working papers in pragmatics and intercultural communication , 3(1), 22-38. The author conducted a research to see how code-switching is happening between two Korean speakers. She pays attention to how Korean culture affects English conversation since Korean interaction and conversation are based onRead MoreAnalyse the Barriers and Challenges to Communication Within Own Job Role669 Words   |  3 PagesAnalyse the barriers and challenges to communication within own job role Effective Communication is significant and a fundamental relationship-building skill in the workplace for any employee especially for managers to perform the basic functions of management, i.e., Planning, Organising, Leading and Controlling. If people dont communicate well they limit their ability to connect on any meaningful level which can create conflict. Depending on the position in workplace, others will have expectationsRead MoreCultural and Linguistic Differentiations1419 Words   |  6 PagesWe are living in a period were trade is becoming more global by the day. Taxes and economic barriers seem to be like symptoms - from a disease - that fade away, as time goes by. The ability of fast communication between people and places has boosted many companies to expand in other countries. Yet, cultural and linguistic differentiations are the most sustainable features companies need to take under consideration, in a strategic planning of setting up abroad. A firm needs to become prog ressivelyRead MoreCommunications Essay in a Health and Social Care Settings, Different Ways of Communicating.1567 Words   |  7 PagesCommunications Essay in a health and social care settings, different ways of communicating. This is essay is going to be based on the importance of communication within the broader context of health and social care, it will give you a definitive insight to different communication techniques, such as verbal and non-verbal communication. Within this essay I will also discuss how important effective communication can be and the barriers that can restrict the care practitioner from doing his/her job

Direct Instruction Models And Lecture Instruction Model

This paper explores published articles that report on results from research conducted on direct-instruction model and lecture-instruction model. The articles, however, vary in their definitions and uses. Lindsey (2014) suggest that Direct-Instruction works, providing rapid gains, gains that persist, gains that increase self-esteem because children have real skills they can be proud of. Lindseys statement, merely hits the surface of Direct-Instruction since it is best for learning specific concepts and/or skills. When delivering direct-instruction the instructor must have sound knowledge and skill that is logically organized and it is ideal that the learners already poses the prerequisite knowledge for this instruction to be most successful. This paper examines Peterson, Schwerdt and Wuppermann (2011) research in relation to three other research articles to suggest that both direct and lecture instruction models should be studied in order to determine different approaches with the two and which works better for the learners. Other articles look at this instruction model differently and, therefore, offer different results. Direct instruction was first developed by Siegfried Englemann and Wesley C. Becker. Few studies have been conducted on teaching styles, two of the instruction models that are used today is direct-instruction and lecture-instruction models. Schwerdt and Wuppermann (2011) suggest that few rigorous studies look inside the classroom to see what kinds ofShow MoreRelatedDirect Instruction As An Instructional Approach936 Words   |  4 PagesDirect Instruction is often associated with traditional lecture style teaching in the classroom and is most commonly used teaching method. Direct Instruction is an instructional approach that is teacher led either by lecture or demonstration and is structured and sequenced in nature (Hidden Curriculum, 2014). One of the fundamental characteristics of Direct Instruction is providing new material to the students’ by presenting the content into understandable and logical steps. Another characteristicRead MoreThe Direct Instruction Approach Essay678 Words   |  3 PagesDirect Instruction There are various instructional approaches but one that is widely employed by many teachers is the direct instruction approach. This is the classic teaching style that many people remember during K-12 grade school. The teacher would stand in front of the class lecturing while writing on the black board. That is why direct instruction is also known as â€Å"Chalk and Talk† (Evans, 2006). Direct instruction is not out of date and is still appropriate in many situations today. TheRead MoreThe Flipped Classroom Model Of Instruction2656 Words   |  11 PagesAbstract The flipped classroom model is the brainchild of chemistry teachers Bergman and Sams who coined this term in a publication in 2012. Both of these teachers experimented with their teaching style by assigning videos of their classroom lectures for homework and using classroom instruction time to work interactively with students who were either having difficulty understanding the material or had the ability to work ahead. After reporting on their success, others have tried this method inRead MoreA Curriculum Model Of Delivering Educational Content1238 Words   |  5 Pagesworld is going through a continuous process of transformation from standardized to technologybased education. A flipped classroom (FC) is a new pedagogical model of delivering educational content. This model employs the most varied means to deliver a message to the most varied audience – students. In the flipped classroom the control of instruction is no longer solely in the hands of a teacher. The increased level of independence in the ways how and when to study new material attracts students, theyRead MoreProcter Gamble Essay1138 Words   |  5 Pagespercent of women use tampons. There are some concerns about losing ones virginity, and that tampons are often considered unnatural products that block the menstrual flow. In Cluster 3, the most challenging, there is the virginity issue, and the instruction issue where Tambrands must tell women how to use a tampon without making them feel uneasy. Tambrands goal of its global advertising plan was to â€Å"market to each cluster in a similar way† because by clustering based on resistance instead of locationRead MoreEssay On Needs Analysis1222 Words   |  5 Pagesis to determine the familiarity with, and opinions regarding blended learning of the teaching staff of Timberlane Middle School and to determine the viewpoints of 6th grade students of Timberlane Middle School towards their preferred methods of instruction and classroom organizati on. To ascertain this information, I conducted two short surveys via Google Forms, one for the staff (Appendix A) and the second for the students (Appendix B). The staff survey was sent to the teaching staff of TimberlaneRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Flipped Classroom1411 Words   |  6 PagesUnlike the traditional lecture format of teaching, the flipped classroom model, is a learner-centered model in which the order of the coursework is generally switched.   What is traditionally done in class is completed outside of the classroom and what’s usually completed as homework is completed during class with teachers offering more guidance and student interaction during class (Bergmann Sams, 2012).   Correlations have been made between the benefits of the flipped classroom model and students’ achievementRead MoreOutline Of A Paper On Flipped Classrooms2525 Words   |  11 PagesMathTV, Brightstorm, and even teacher-created Youtube channels. Now that techno logy is essentially available and affordable for all, how can we utilize these devices for our benefit? Before the flipped classrooms, there was team learning, peer instruction, inquiry learning, Just-inTime Teaching, and blended classrooms. Educators are forever experimenting and innovating; as society changes and adapts so much education. â€Å"A central theme in all of this activity is the idea that active learning worksRead MoreStudent Centered Instruction And Teacher Centered Essay1557 Words   |  7 Pages†¢ What are student-centered (indirect) instruction and teacher-centered (direct) instruction? Describe each type of instruction, including the benefits and limitations of each. Also include several examples of effective student-centered instruction and effective teacher-centered instruction in your content area. Effective teachers alternate instructional strategies in consideration of the most appropriate pedagogical methods for a specific task. Instructional strategies that are used in the classroomRead MoreFunctional Skills : Instructional Strategies And Curriculum932 Words   |  4 Pagesthe information is presented. For example, in math class the teacher will spend more time on presentation, questioning, manipulatives and working examples; in contrast to a short lecture with worksheets to follow. An example in reading class would be, using small steps to teach a strategy for summarizing a paragraph and model the process aloud. The second strategy is daily review. Daily review as an instructional strategy strengthens the learning from the day before. It is important to make connections

Examine the dramatic devices employed to create tension during Act three Scene one of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay Example For Students

Examine the dramatic devices employed to create tension during Act three Scene one of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay Romeo and Juliet is a conventional play; and yet an un-conventional play. It is based around tried and tested Shakespearian themes, such as love, tragedy and death. However, it is the only play penned by Shakespeare to begin with a prologue, this itself signifies some importance. The romantic tale begins with a description of how two star-crossed lovers are trapped between two warring families in Italian Verona; From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, A pair of star-crossd lovers take their life; Whose mis-adventured piteous overthrows, Do with their death bury their parents strife. From the prologue, which acts as an informative text rather than an intriguing introduction, you would possibly feel somewhat cheated as we are told the ending. However, more powerful questions are sparked, the most intense being why? To move onto Act three, Scene one, we have just seen the marriage of the two main characters, and we pick up the tale at the point in the play where the audiences attentions are beginning to wane: I pray thee, good Mercutio, lets retire: The day is hot, the Capulets are abroad And, if we shall meet, we shall not scape a brawl For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring. Here the premise of a fight scene immediately captures the audiences interest. Shakespeares language is incredibly figurative, his use of patheticfallacy in The day is hot is necessary because of the total lack of props and scenery, and so every detail of the surroundings needs to be described in the dialogue. The pre-modifier good acts as a pacifier, but of course the spectators hopes are now set on a dramatic show-down to close the play. At this point the tension is quickly mounting, through the use of Benvolios heated and claustrophobic language, and Mercutios repetition of quarrel. However, in the script there is the simple stage direction Enter TYBALT and others, we must appreciate this as a play to see as well as hear. Though costumes were almost non-existent, and there was no such thing as dramatic lighting or music, but the audiences anticipation of a fight would have given energy to the performance. Tybalts register and tone is quite a contrast to the Tybalt we meet earlier in the play. Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you is much more civilised than the angry Tybalt of the party scene. Benvolio, the mediator, again attempts to sooth the situation; Either withdraw unto some private place, And reason coldly of your grievances, Mercutio as good as accuses Benvolio of looking for brawls in the street, but from the evidence above, that is a total reverse. Furthermore, Mercutio actually initiates the fight with Tybalt, even though he pleads his case for innocence to Benvolio only moments before. Romeo enters this tense scene just as the pressure is about to over flow. His deliberate characterisation is yet another dramatic device employed by Shakespeare to create even more tension in an already over excited scene. For example, Shakespeare deliberately contrasts Romeo and Tybalt by showing Tybalt as a strong and forceful speaker, with his use of dynamic verbs such as hate, and his clear denotative language. In comparison, Romeo is deliberately portrayed as an effeminate and calming character; I do protest, I never injured thee, But love thee better than thou canst devise, Till thou shalt know the reason of my love: And so, good Capulet, which name I tender As dearly as my own, be satisfied. .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa , .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa .postImageUrl , .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa , .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa:hover , .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa:visited , .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa:active { border:0!important; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa:active , .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1b66c0942526879188c7d749d58a2bfa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: What are our expectations for the play to come? EssayJuliet has quite clearly pacified Romeo; making him the less impulsive and irrational character he was at the start of the performance. We begin to identify with Romeo as he pleads with his now cousin-in-law; as we can see that he has shrugged off the impetuousness of youth, to become a rounded character. Romeos influence on Tybalt helps to slow down the action, while also allowing the tension to momentarily dip, and let the audience take a metaphorical breath before the next burst of action. If the play was put onto a graph, there would be high points and low points, but if the play was to remain at permanently high tension, the following action from Romeo and Tybalt would not seem as dramatic as it would if the graph dipped just before. The stage direction they fight cannot be fully explored on the page, especially how every rendition of Romeo and Julie, hereafter puts a new spin on the declarative they fight. Shakespeares use of humour closely links in to his use of puns. Mercutios Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch helps to alleviate dramatic tension with comic relief, so too with the famous pun; ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man After the vivid flash of violence from Romeo he claims he is fortunes fool, which makes the audience feel pathos and further identify with Romeos impossible position. This all helps to calm down the action, so allowing the tension to mount again for a dramatic final climax. Act three, Scene one is vital to Romeo and Juliet. It captures the audience as effectively as the prologue, and stops the viewers from feeling restless during the closing stages of the play. It invigorates the audiences after a relatively bland middle stint, and so gives the audience a thirst for the final resolution, and gives the actors the energy to provide it.

The Underrepresentation of Minorities in Gifted Education free essay sample

Abstract Society has consistently overlooked minorities in identification of gifted and talented education over the past few decades. The purpose of this research paper is to show these consistencies do, in fact, exist and try to give some explanation as to why they exist and how we can overcome the negative tendencies of Underrepresentation of minorities in the school programs that are meant to identify gifted students regardless of the socio-economic background and race.The Underrepresentation of Minorities in Gifted Education Introduction L. T. Anguiano stated that gifted and talented education student is defined as â€Å"any student who has the potential to perform at a higher intellectual capability than other students of the same age. These students may demonstrate high intelligence, artistic ability and/or creativity. Specific selection procedures measure a student’s academic and intellectual abilities which will result in the possibility of placement into the gifted program† (Anguiano, 2003).Students who are identified as gifted and talented usually possess a talent for having higher-order thinking skills and become somewhat bored when waiting on their fellow classmates to catch up to their learning. We will write a custom essay sample on The Underrepresentation of Minorities in Gifted Education or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Anguiano alludes to the fact that if these students are not properly identified, the will risk not achieving their â€Å"academic and social potential† (Anguiano, 2003). Significance of the Problem Gifted and Talented Education comes under the program of special education because it serves students with special needs.Each student nominated for the gifted program is given a specific test that the school uses and if the student should qualify, he/she will be placed in the program. Certain state mandates govern how each program will be implemented within a district and yearly state applications are submitted to keep the program in compliance with state standards. What are the causes of underrepresentation of minorities in gifted education?Researchers, as well as educators, have known for decades that African American students are not well represented in gifted programs; however, not much attention has been given to fact minorities include students other than African Americans. The same educational opportunities should be afforded to all students regardless of race or socio-economic background. Underrepresentation of minorities in gifted education is a debated issue that is hard to understand today. This issue has been studied by the National Academy of Science.One of the many issues that were being studied by that panel was why were there so few minority students in programs for gifted students (Sarouphim, 2004)? There clearly were fewer minority students in programs for gifted when compared to the student body as a whole. The one exception was the Asian population. But what did that difference mean? Since IQ scores were the chief means of identification of the gifted it means that ethnic minority students scored lower on the measures of intelligence than did the typical white students as a group.At the same time, one should remember that some of the minority students scored at the highest levels of these tests (Gallagher, 2005). In the Roeper Review (2005) Gallagher stated that since it is politically incorrect to think that such a disparity would represent such an idea as academic disproportion among races, a search was initiated to determine optional explanations. One of the searches found that IQ tests were assumed to be racially biased and there was a need to locate measurers that would make the results come out even. These measures were found to be non-existent.The measures showed the same differences among the races (Gallagher, 2005). Gallagher also added that another search found that programs for the gifted were viewed by some critics as being somewhat discriminatory. They felt that gifted classes stood in the way of true equality in education. That is one of the reasons, Gallagher says, that many political supporters of educational reforms or initiatives turn against the gifted and talented programs (Gallagher, 2002). But one does not have to believe in some great political scheme to believe in these results, nor to the genetic differences among the races.Where does the truth lie? The truth seems to be that both measured intelligence and academic performance are a complex combination of cognitive inheritance plus opportunity and practice in the development of abstract language and thinking. (Gallagher, 2005) If a minority group in our society has very little opportunity, or low motivation to master the development of language in the early developmental years then who should be shocked that these minorities are later found to be unequal in academic achievement or IQ scores in comparison to majority groups? Summary of Supporting Research L. T.Anguiano’s research on underrepresentation of minority students in gifted education discusses what gifted education is and why minorities have been continuously underrepresented in GT programs. She also gave significant approaches to promote a high-qu ality education for all students regardless of ethnicity or socio-economic status. Anguiano said that minorities have been underrepresented in gifted education because of the lack of education opportunities available to minorities because of language barriers and socio-economic status (Anguiano, 2003). L. M. Cohen’s research shows that many students come from various cultural groups.These students were shown as having certain skills that are likely to be disregarded by the majority of teachers because of their background and the opportunities afforded to them. Procedures for identifying GT students should be developed for language delayed students and the procedures were documented throughout the study shown in this article. It also explores the debate with the legitimacy of the testing instruments used to identify GT students (Cohen, 2000). M. R. Coleman’s article on the identification of students who are gifted discussed the fact that very few areas in the education of children with ultural differences are as divisive as the identification of students who are gifted. She showed the pros and cons of labeling the students. This specific digest discusses the identification of students who are gifted, the difficult process of identification and practices, and procedures for helping GT administrators with identification (Coleman, 2003). James Gallagher discussed the role of race in gifted education in his article. He explained a study that was done by the National Academy of Science. One issue that was investigated and studied was why there were so few minority students in GT programs across the United States. The results indicated a serious problem that should not be overlooked or refused but was being denied because of lack of knowledge on the part of the administrators and community on how to deal with these issues (Gallagher, 2005). He gave suggestions on how to deal with the lack of fair testing instruments and identification procedures. (Gallagher, 2005). Gallagher’s second study reviews the policies in place for gifted education. It included a description of the policy making in identification of GT students, placement into the program, and accountability for the program guidelines.The rules discussed are the rules that are handed down by the government by way of court decisions, administrative rule making, and professional standards (Gallagher, 2002) and the problems that concern discrimination in today’s society. It ends with new policies that the Gallagher felt were needed to make sure our gifted students are served equally (Gallagher, 2002). In Promoting Sustained Growth in the Representation of African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans Among Top Students in the United States At All Levels of the Education System, L. S.Miller uses GPA, class rank and standardized test scores show a pattern of underrepresentation among minorities (Miller, 2004). This study showed that many students from minority groups had parents who did not complete high school. She recommended that several new research studies be created concerning the development of a program helping to improve the schools and help them better serve underrepresented areas. It was highly recommended that these studies be done within new non-profit organizations or universities so they would have the freedom and independence needed to their research (Miller, 2004).Addressing the Achievement Gap Between Minority and Nonminority Children by Increasing Access to Gifted Programs by Olszewski-Kubilius, Lee, Ngoi and Ngoi discussed a three year project EXCITE that is used in a university based gifted center that is designed to prepare gifted minority students for advanced classes in math and science (Olszewski-Kubilius, Lee, Ngoi Ngoi, 2004). It was found that 30% of the minority students qualified for advanced classes in grade six after two years in the program (Olszewski-Kubilius, Lee, Ngoi Ngoi, 2004).The Journal for the Education of the Gifted had an article by M. Sanders describing a community-based study/project that centered on the use of creativity as a tool help with the social problems within the minority groups. Urban Odyssey is a camp for adolescent GT students designed to provide inner-city students with opportunities to use creativity to help them learn to deal with racism and other ethical issues (Sanders, 2004) Sarouphim wrote Discover in Middle School: Identifying Gifted Minority Students.The journal article discussed an investigative program using Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and DISCOVER (Discovering Intellectual Strengths and Capabilities through Observation while allowing for Varied Ethnic Responses). DISCOVER is a performance-based assessment. The study did not show any significant diffe rences in performance due to gender or ethnicity. This program is being utilized to help identify more minorities as gifted since no one area of the giftedness applies to everyone (Sarouphim, 2004). The Teaching Commission discusses the current No Child Left Behind Act that President Bush endorses.Teaching At Risk: A Guide To Action gives information on the act and is informative about the current awareness of students being left behind in education due to their diverse backgrounds. The No Child Left Behind Act is mandated to make education attainable to all students not just the elite (The Teaching Commission, 2004). Proposed Solutions Proposed studies showed that both measured intelligence and academic performance are a complex combination of learning abilities. Student’s background, opportunity and motivation are major factors in academic achievement.Since many minority groups lack the opportunities that majority groups are offered, it only seems likely that they will perform at a less desirable level than those who are m ore fortunate in the same areas of education (Olszewski-Kubillius, Lee, Ngoi Ngoi, 2004). It was pointed out by Gallagher that four actions can help improve the intellectual development of the minority groups and they include identifying the talent early, organizing the instruction to fit the student’s individual needs, making available diverse adult role models from the community, and developing the skills needed by being willing to give 100% daily to be successful. Gallagher, 2002) Educators should be willing to help these students reach their full potential. No Child Left Behind is intended to guarantee a superior education to all students, especially those at risk for failure (The Teaching Commission, 2004). Over time, this program expects to reduce the gap between low and high performing groups by making schools and teachers more accountable for the education of students through test scores. Schools are being held responsible for this endeavor resulting in a multitude of state take-overs of schools that do not pass the cut-off score that the state dictates.T he assessment tools used for gifted and talented identification have been under a microscope since its inception. Testing tools are not always adequate for identifying students from diverse backgrounds. The norming of these tools may reflect a different population from that of the student’s. When these measurements are culturally biased, it puts the minority student at a disadvantage. The language barriers that are more prevalent today may cause a disadvantage for the tested student. Current measures are being strongly encouraged to provide testing and other pertinent information to be available in languages other than English.As the number of minority students continues to increase rapidly in the United States, diversity needs to be viewed in a positive sense. Parents also need to be connected to the school and community to avoid fears of alienation. Conclusion Bringing the issue of underrepresentation of minorities in gifted education to the forefront allows the community and schools to make positive changes that will be beneficial to all students. Offering suitable gifted and talented programs for students from culturally diverse backgrounds is a challenge that school districts face.Because culturally diverse students represent a rising percentage of the total school population, meeting the educational needs of these students is crucial (Cohen, 2000). Every student should be allowed to rise above the negative connotations that have been dealt to them in the past. References Anguiano, L. T. (2003, Fall). Underrepresentation of minority students in gifted and talented education. Retrieved September 23, 2006, from http://find. articles. com/p/articles/mi_ga3935/is_200310/ai_n9322277 Cohen, L. M. (2000, April 20).