Helps readers understand how the brain functions and how giftedness can be nurtured by explaining the latest research on how we learn, how the brain develops, and how intelligence can be enhanced.

Ensures educators understand all aspects of the gifted learner by devoting sections to common  characteristics found in the gifted learner population, methods of ensuring social-emotional growth and ways to integrate creativity and giftedness.

Discusses how to develop giftedness in classrooms and how to achieve excellence and equity using strategies for optimizing learning, a responsive learning environment, and latest methods for assessment and identification.

Helps educators consider the impact of gender, race, ethnicity, and poverty on gifted education by devoting chapters to gifted learners with disabilities, issues of underachievement, and culturally responsive teaching and giftedness.

Highlights a variety of programs, models, structures and organizations of gifted education by comparing level of involvement, types of inclusive classrooms, and models such as enrichment, acceleration and grouping.

Emphasizes what makes an effective program for gifted and talented students by including an example of an effective program (Optimizing Learning; Using Brain Research in Elementary and Secondary Classrooms–Chapter 10) and outlining assessment and evaluation techniques.

Updated research on the brain as it applies to intelligence and learning (Chapters 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10), provides the latest information on how the brain learns and ways to use this data to improve teaching tools and experiences for gifted students.

Revised Chapter 7 incorporates new practices and models related to culturally responsive teaching and giftedness and addresses a wider variety of programming possibilities for gifted learners in minority and underserved populations. 

Revised Chapter 9 includes more information on how to create an alternative school for adolescent gifted learners and new models such as RtI by exploring different ways to better serve gifted learners and meet their learning needs.