Identification of Intellectually Able Disadvantaged Filipino Children

Abstract

This study represents the first phase of research being undertaken in the Philippines on gifted disadvantaged children. The subject of this paper focuses on the assessment tools and procedures employed for the screening and identification of intellectually able or “fast learners” among preschool Filipino children from disadvantaged urban communities. Preliminary screening involved nominations made by daycare teachers using checklists for giftedness. Parent ratings on giftedness were also obtained as a secondary data source for the final selection of fast learners. Children nominated by teachers were subjected to individual testing and evaluation. Results showed that over the two-year period of screening, three to four percent of the entire population of daycare children qualified as fast learners on the basis of teacher nominations and performance on two standardized tests of intelligence. Data also indicated that a greater percentage of children passed the Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (RCPM) percentile ranking of 75 and above compared to the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) Short Form IQ of 110. Findings further suggest the potential usefulness of the RCPM as an identification tool for fast learners among this population of children.