Calvin Taylor’s Multiple Talents Model

1. Calvin Taylor’sMultiple Talents Model By: Jodi Adams and Angie Mason

2. This is a strategy/ method created by Calvin Taylor in the 1960’s and is based on Guilford’s research • It is based on the idea that students can be gifted in different ways and that nearly ALL students have a talent • Focuses on functional “real world” thinking processes integrated within subject content

3. It assumes students’ knowledge will grow more if the multiple talent approach is used • Taylor refers to gifted as those who are at the top in any identified talent and talented are those between average and gifted in any talent area. ** Talent Totem Pole • Focuses on 6 talent areas: creativity, foresight, planning, communication, decision making, and academics

4. Creativity… • Defined as being able to put pieces together and come up with something new • 3 sub-talents: fluency (quantity) ,flexibility (many points of view), and originality (unique). The Teaching Process: • Present a problem • Allow student think time • Provide a setting for sharing and refining ideas • Have students select their best idea/ solution • Carry out the idea/ solution

5. Foresight… • Defined as being able to predict future events using cause and effect sequences. They can easily see patterns. They are good predictors. The Teaching Process: • Present a hypothetical situation • Ask students to make predictions • Ask for reasons to support their predictions • Ask what conditions would be necessary to make it come true • Reach a conclusion

6. Planning… • Defined as the ability to plan effectively • Involves skills in 3 areas: 1. elaboration 2. sensitivity to problems 3. organization • It is developmental The Teaching Process: • Allow opportunities to plan out activities, projects, and assignments • Give them opportunities to have organization tools

7. Communication… • Defined as the ability to communicate effectively in a verbal and/or nonverbal message The Teaching Process: • Offer opportunities to debate or act as a mediator • Activities the encourage the use of words like in writing stories and poetry, or reporting

8. Decision Making… • Defined as the ability to evaluate data carefully before making judgments. The Teaching Process: • In a group, discuss and carefully consider all aspects of a situation. Like to ask “What if…” • Weigh pros and cons to each possible decision • Assign a weight/ rating to each argument • Reach a conclusion by considering the rating • Defend or support the decision

9. Academic… • Defined as your “book smart” students. They pick up facts and skills easily The Teaching Process: • Taylor believed that this was already being developed naturally in schools through regular teaching

10. Conclusion: Although Calvin Taylor’s Multiple Talent Approach as a whole may not be appropriate as an isolated gifted program (because of the belief that all children are talented in one way or another), parts of this model would benefit any gifted program or regular educational classroom.

11. Resources: • Talents Unlimited. A Critical and Creative Thinking Skills Model Awareness Packet published by Talents Unlimited 1995 • http://www.richmond.k12.va.us/schools/fisher/talentsunlimited.html • http://thomasarmstrong.com/articles/geniuses.htm “Little Geniuses” • ‘Calvin Taylor: Multiple Talent Approach’ (chapter 9) in Maker, C.J. and Nielson, A.B., Teaching Models in the Education of the Gifted (second edn: Texas, Pro-Ed)