Behavioral characteristics prototypes of academically talented students: Implications for educational interventions

Abstract

Gifted and talented students must be identified for teachers to be able to help students realize their potential. The Malay version of Renzulli's Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students (SRBCSS) has been used by teachers to rate behavioral characteristics of 33 academically talented students. The data obtained were analyzed by multi-dimensional scaling analysis to yield two prototypes of behavioral characteristics of those students. The first prototype demonstrated high ratings in Dramatic, Artistic, and Musical characteristics. The second prototype showed high ratings in Expressive Communication, Precision Communication, Leadership, Motivation, Learning, Creativity, and Planning characteristics. Academically talented students need appropriate teaching and learning strategies to improve the behavioral characteristics for which they received low ratings.