Transforming gifts into talent: the DMGT theoretical model—a response

This paper by Françoys Gagné represents a substantial effort to examine a large body of research and theory related to human abilities and interpret it from the perspective of his Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent. While the DMGT is highly speculative and tries hard to relate its message to technical conceptions of giftedness and talent, he has nevertheless done an excellent job of drawing in much of the most relevant theory and research. One major problem with the paper is his efforts to define ‘giftedness’, a term used very little outside of the professional field of gifted education: high ability, natural ability, precocity, talent, aptitude—which should it be? And then he goes on and tries to give us frequency or numbers or percentages for ‘giftedness and talent’ reflecting a continuing and often seemingly arbitrary and fruitless quest for the magic numbers. Of course, in the area of school practice where special programs are offered and enrollment is limited, some criteria for admission are necessary, but in many such programs like Advanced Placement classes, early admission to school, or enrollment in one of the state academies, no special effort to certify a student as ‘gifted’ may be carried out. However, I should acknowledge that in his definitions , he does offer us the alternative of ‘outstanding aptitude’ as synonymous with ‘gifts’. The section on intrapersonal catalysts is especially weak in its failure to include the work of Bandura, Schunk and Zimmerman on self-efficacy, self regulated learning, self motivation and their roles in talent development. Similarly, dismissal of the work of Snow, while offering three major references to Snow’s work on aptitudes, is puzzling. Furthermore, offering three old Sternberg references dated in 1985 and 1986 is surely a failure to deal with the much more current research and theory development of a major abilities scholar of our time, and one who is now a leader in the field of ‘gifted education’. I also plead my own cause when I complain about the one