Released November 15, 2004

HATTIESBURG -- The academic, social and emotional needs of gifted children and youth are the focus of a new series of books produced by a gifted education professor at The University of Southern Mississippi and one of her former students.

The Practical Strategies Series in Gifted Education has been designed and edited by Dr. Frances A. Karnes and Dr. Kristen Stephens. Karnes is the director of the Frances A. Karnes Center for Gifted Studies at Southern Miss, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Stephens, a former student of Karnes', is the coordinator of education outreach and editor-in-chief of the Duke Gifted Letter at Duke University.

"There are eight books in the mini-series written for teachers in regular classrooms and specialized programs for the gifted, pre-service teachers and graduate students," said Karnes.

The topics in the mini-series are "Acceleration Strategies for Teaching Gifted Learners"; "Curriculum Compacting"; "Enrichment Opportunities for Gifted Learners"; "Independent Study"; "Mentoring Gifted Students"; "Questioning Strategies"; "Social and Emotional Teaching Strategies"; and "Using Media and Technology with Gifted Learners."

Karnes and Stephens have also focused on the needs of busy classroom teachers and have produced timesaving introductions to the most important issues in gifted education. The series is published by Prufrock Press.

"Dr. Karnes, along with an outstanding group of scholars, continues to provide valuable resources for classroom teachers," said Dr. Willie Pierce, dean of the Southern Miss College of Education and Psychology.

For more information about the Karnes Center, call (601) 266-5236.

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