An Aptitude Perspective on Talent: Implications for Identification of Academically Gifted Minority Students

The identification of academically gifted children from the perspective of aptitude theory is discussed. Aptitude refers to the degree of readiness to learn and to perform well in a particular situation or domain. The primary aptitudes for academic success are (a) prior achievement in a domain, (b) the ability to reason in the symbol systems used to communicate new knowledge in that domain, (c) interest in the domain, and (d) persistence in the type of learning environments offered for the attainment of expertise in the domain. Careful attention to the demands and affordances of different instructional environments enables educators to identify those individuals who are most ready to succeed in them. Although the principles discussed here are useful for all students, they are particularly important for the identification of academically promising minority students.