Gifted students often fail to achieve at a superior level in one or more academic areas. In this reply to an article by Assouline, Nicpon, and Whiteman, the author reviews various explanations for this phenomenon, including motivation/interest, learning opportunities, and error in measuring students’ ability—achievement discrepancies. The author also describes different methodologies for investigating whether learning disabilities are overidentified among gifted students and, more broadly, considers the appropriateness of a learning disability diagnosis in students with average achievement. The author concludes with thoughts on the proper interpretation of Assouline et al.’s results.
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