ABSTRACT
Gifted learners who persistently exhibit a significant discrepancy between their perceived potential and their actual performance are often referred to as underachievers. Research defines one group of underachievers as “selective consumers,” or students who underachieve on tasks that do not interest them but excel in areas of specific curiosity. Some bright learners with learning differences or disabilities, linguistic or cultural differences, and those who attend schools in high poverty areas may be forced to underachieve because the environment in which they attend school lacks appropriate funding, resources, trained teachers of the gifted, and services for advanced learners. Factors that may lead to underachievement include interpersonal factors and social relationships, environmental factors, psychological issues, undiagnosed learning disabilities, and low teacher expectations. This chapter provides an overview of the literature on the challenges gifted underachievers face in school and practical implications for educators.
