Understanding underachievement

Abstract

Up to 50% of gifted children underachieve at some point in their school career; therefore, it is an important issue for parents and educators to address. Underachievement affects children from high as well as low socioeconomic groups. It affects urban as well as rural students. In this chapter, I review factors associated with underachievement and suggest strategies to address the underachievement of gifted children. While no single strategy works with all underachievers, a combination of counseling and instructional interventions show the greatest promise.