An Analysis of Gifted Readers and Identity Development in Early Adolescence

• In Event: Poster Session 16
  In Poster Session: Research in Gifted Education and Creativity

Abstract

Little research exists to define or substantiate what it means to be an advanced, gifted, or talented reader. This study explored the relationship between being an advanced reader and identity development. Nine participants ages 10 to 12 were identified as advanced readers and interviewed. A social constructionist view of grounded theory was used to analyze and interpret the interview data. This study indicated that being an advanced reader extends beyond cognitive metrics of reading. All nine participants shared similar cognitive traits and intellectual dispositions, but three participants stood out as advanced readers. The advanced readers used reading as a vehicle to explore their own identity through a voracious desire to read, emotional connections, and an imagining of possibilities.

Authors

• April M. Walker, University of North Texas

• Janessa Bower, University of North Texas

• Todd Kettler, University of North Texas