talentit is often defined as an intellectual ability associated with an IQ of 130 or higher. However, not all gifted children excel in an academic field. Sometimes giftedness manifests as high creative, artistic, musical, and/or leadership ability compared to peers.
Giftedness can focus on a single skill or be more general. It is also important that parents and educators understand that giftedness can sometimes be accompanied by specific learning differences that affect academic performance.
In these situations, it is important to help a child develop their talents while overcoming the challenges that learning disabilities present.
In some cases of giftedness, it may be appropriate for a child to attend a special program or school specifically for gifted children. The aim is to ensure numerous opportunities for further development in a teaching environment that is sensitive to the child's needs and offers appropriate suggestions.
With access to the right resources and emotional and academic support, every gifted child can reach their full potential in school.
recognize talent
Hayvarious ways to determine giftednessand often a combination of ability and achievement tests are used, including observation and/or review of the student's portfolio of work. A child's activities both in and out of school can be considered along with cognitive abilities, creativity, and affective and behavioral habits.
It is important that all tests used to assess giftedness are exams that do not limit the amount of knowledge a student can demonstrate. In some areas, such as mathematics, special tests have been developed to identify giftedness.
IQ testscan be a first step, including Woodcock Johnson, Wescher Intelligence Scale for Children, or Stanford Binet (L-M). While an average intelligence score is 90 to 110, gifted children will generally be well above that. Giftedness can also run somewhat inherited and a child may score within 10 points of a sibling or parent.
Heprevious giftedness is determined, the most extraordinary talents can be promoted. However, parents are often advised to wait until their children are 5 or 6 years old before undergoing a formal evaluation and enrolling in a gifted program. This is because, aside from providing ongoing stimulation and learning opportunities, there aren't many kindergarten or preschool programs specifically for gifted infants and toddlers.
Remember also that even where giftedness has been recognized, not all schools have the resources to provide appropriate stimulation and challenge for extremely gifted children. This can lead to boredom and poor performance. It may be appropriate to hire a private tutor who can help challenge the child when the school cannot.
Identify gifted children
Giftedness follows a child into adulthood and each gifted person is unique. Although no two students are exactly as good, there are some traits and behaviors that parents and teachers often look for when a child is gifted:
They are curious and ask many questions.Gifted children are often curious about the world around them and perhapsask detailed questionsto quench your thirst for knowledge. This curiosity goes beyond a simple interest in a topic and can extend to aspects that seem to be outside the scope of a lesson. In a school environment, the child may not be satisfied with learning only what is necessary to do well on a test or complete an assignment. It is possible that at home there is not always the time or the previous knowledge necessary to give answers. While this can be frustrating for teachers, parents, and children alike, it is important not to discourage a child from asking questions, as it can demotivate and discourage further attempts at communication.
They approach their tasks individually.While bright students try to please the teacher and complete assignments, gifted children often have their own way of doing things. This may be due to a desire to focus on only one aspect of a topic, or a perceived lack of challenge in the task itself. For example, in a school essay, they may only partially answer the question or be sidetracked by the tangent. In a mathematics environment, a child may take a different path to solving problems than is required by the question. In both situations, it is important that teachers be tolerant and avoid blaming or punishing the child for not following directions. This can damage morale and self-esteem, and result in less effort being put into future tasks. Teachers may also find that gifted children prefer to work alone and easily get lost in thought.
They have a large vocabulary and prefer conversations with adults.One of the first things people notice about some gifted children is their vocabulary. They often understand and use more words than their peers, including abstract and figurative language. This may be due to reading habits and exposure to more advanced texts. This may also be due to increased syntax sensitivity and the ability to guess the meaning of new words that appear in context. It may also be easier for some of these children to remember words if they require less repetition to learn the language. Some gifted children feel more comfortable communicating with adults because of their advanced language skills. However, it is important to encourage a child to interact with her peers to avoid isolating and withdrawing due to perceived differences in intellectual ability.
You have original ideas.A gifted child is an original thinker and is able to access abstract thinking and bring together ideas from different fields. They can have wild imaginations and create their own clever stories, songs and/or skits. These examples of creative work may contain complex language and show an advanced appreciation for humor.
They are cognitively advanced and capable of self-learning new skills.Gifted children can teach themselves to read and write before going to school. They often have advanced cognitive abilities and a good memory. Some estimates suggest that an average student needs to hear something 8-15 times to acquire it, while a gifted child only needs to encounter a word, fact, or idea 1-2 times. In math class, these children are able to use logic and reasoning to solve problems before they are introduced to the concept of goals. They may be quick learners and may not need as much practice as other children to develop new skills. They can easily get bored with a repetitive lesson and this can cause them to shut down. Gifted children can often benefit from a condensed curriculum that covers more material in less time.
They are sensitive to their surroundings.Even at a young age, the gifted child is highly attentive and in tune with their surroundings. Some have keen concentration skills and can easily focus on a task. By interacting with new stimuli, they can develop cognitively. Therefore, it is important that gifted children receive adequate support, especially in school environments that offer a lot of space for development.
You have strong feelings.These children can be quite stubborn and have strong feelings about issues that are important to them. You may also become more aware of other people's opinions and feelings. However, this does not necessarily mean that you know how to handle this information through the appropriate social channels. You can be very emotional. Because some gifted children are extremely self-assured, this can lead them to become introverted and feel like they don't belong. This is one of the reasons parents choose to transfer a child to a gifted program where they have other intellectually advanced children in addition to their peers.
What is gifted education?
The need forgifted and talented educationit was first recognized in the late 19th century, shortly after the development of intelligence tests. The first school for the gifted opened in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the turn of the 20th century, and today there are classes, programs, and schools for the gifted throughout the United States.
While most schools require students to be in the top 97% of their peers to be consideredgifted and talented services, the definition of giftedness varies by state and county.
Typically, students are nominated for an assessment, assessed to determine their skill level and areas, and then placed in an appropriate program. It is important to note that not all children show up as gifted on an IQ test. The National Association for Gifted Children reports that EAL/ESL children learning their second language may be an underrepresented group among gifted programs, along with minorities and children from low-income families.
Gifted children and learning difficulties
There are also cases in which gifted children stand outarmacademic achievement. This often comes as a surprise to parents, as many people assume that giftedness is always associated with high achievement.
However, it is possible for a learning disability to overshadow the giftedness. This is especially true if a child has ADHD or dyslexia. There may be an ability in one subject such as math, but a learning disability that affects performance in other areas of the curriculum.
Gifted children can also become easily bored if they find schoolwork unchallenging and are misdiagnosed with ADHD. learn more aboutADHDIn this article.
Helping the 'twice extraordinary' boy
Children with learning disabilities and gifted children can benefit from programs that help them focus and stay on task while building vocabulary and literacy skills. Touch-type Read and Spell is a touch-typing program that uses a phonics-based approach to strengthen literacy skills and teach English typing and vocabulary to children and adolescents, including those with children.Dyslexia,dyspraxia,dysgraphiaand ADHD.
Extremely bright as an illustrative exampledyslexic childrenthey can be articulate but have difficulty writing in a way that reflects the range of their knowledge or vocabulary. They may choose the shortest and easiest way to express themselves in writing because they are overwhelmed with the number of directions their composition can take.
They may also have trouble with handwriting, which requires a variety of skills such as: B. Confidence in letter direction and muscle coordination and pen-holding skills to create work that is legible to themselves and for others.
Learning to write can make it much easier for these children to write words on a page. For gifted kids struggling with dyslexia, it also makes spelling easier, which is stored as muscle memory in the hands. learn more aboutkeyboard and dyslexiaYImprove writing skills.
motivation and encouragement
The TTRS program helps build student confidence through incremental learning and can improve computer skills. Computer skills are important for gifted children, as they can use the Internet as a tool to explore ideas in depth.
Learn more
It's important to remember that giftedness is often first noticed when children start school. A child can easily earn a grade or two above her level, particularly in a particular subject, but still remain at the same level of social and emotional development as her peers.
While a child may be independently confident and motivated, they may still need a lot of encouragement and understanding from teachers and peers who "get" them.
If you don't send your child to a gifted school, you can still find online support groups, including forums, where kids and parents can make friends and share ideas. learn more aboutmotivate children to learnYencouraging exceptional students.
FAQs
7 signs of a gifted child? ›
Giftedness falls into one or more of the following areas: intellectual, academic, creative, artistic and leadership.
What are the first signs of a gifted child? ›- Ability to comprehend material several grade levels above their age peers.
- Surprising emotional depth and sensitivity at a young age.
- Strong sense of curiosity.
- Enthusiastic about unique interests and topics.
- Quirky or mature sense of humor.
Giftedness falls into one or more of the following areas: intellectual, academic, creative, artistic and leadership.
Are gifted children born or raised? ›Gifted children are born with natural abilities well above the average for their age. If your child is gifted, you might notice these natural abilities in the way they're learning and developing. Children can be gifted in any area of ability, and they can also be gifted in more than one area.
How rare is a gifted child? ›Most people use terms like “bright,” “gifted,” “exceptional,” “remarkable,” and “talented” interchangeably, but when a psychologist uses the term “gifted,” we're usually talking about something that is statistically quite rare. About 3 to 5 out of every 100 children could be considered gifted.
At what age does giftedness appear? ›When do signs of giftedness appear? Signs of giftedness can appear as early as infancy and continue during the toddler and preschool years. Testing for giftedness and high IQ, however, usually takes place around age 5.
How do you know if your child is gifted or just smart? ›- They are curious and ask a lot of questions. ...
- They take their own approach to assignments. ...
- They have a large vocabulary and prefer adult conversation. ...
- They have original ideas. ...
- They are cognitively advanced and able to self-teach new skills. ...
- They are sensitive to their environment.
They're called “twice-exceptional,” or 2e, which means that they have exceptional ability and disability. They are gifted but they also face learning or developmental challenges. Children who are both gifted and challenged can be tough to understand.
What is the most common profile of gifted learners? ›One of the most common characteristics of gifted students is their ability to learn things early and rapidly. Many gifted students have excellent memorization skills, which aids in their ability to connect previous knowledge with new information, thus accelerating their acquisition of new concepts.
Are gifted children harder to parent? ›Giftedness can create problems and conflicts; being a gifted child can also mean difficulty socializing with age peers, thinking styles that don't always mesh well with the demands from the environment, even children who see themselves as little adults, challenging teachers and parents.
Do gifted kids have different brains? ›
Specifically, existing research indicates that gifted individuals have: Increased regional brain volumes. Greater connectivity across brain regions. Brains that operate more efficiently.
Does giftedness run in families? ›Research reflects that giftedness does “run in families”: for a gifted child, their genetically-related relatives — siblings and/or parents — are likely to also be gifted, though there are plenty of exceptions.
Are gifted kids good at everything? ›Multipotentiality is a fancy way of saying “good at many things.” It's a defining trait of gifted kids, and you've probably seen it in action. A student writes beautifully, masters a musical instrument, excels in math, and gets picked first in PE.
Do gifted people have autism? ›While giftedness and autism are two types of neurodivergent groups that are often confused, a child can absolutely be gifted and on the autism spectrum.
Do gifted children have problems? ›Without understanding and support, gifted kids face an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, along with social and academic problems. Currently, experts estimate that up to 1 in 50 gifted kids drop out of school, while many more fail to live up to their full academic potential.
Do gifted kids struggle as adults? ›Certain types of mental health issues present differently in gifted adults. For example, they might present as clinical or major depression, when in fact, it is existential depression. The same is true for positive disintegration as clients progress through healing and self-actualization.
How do you spot giftedness? ›- Unusual alertness in infancy.
- Less need for sleep in infancy.
- Long attention span.
- High activity level.
- Smiling or recognizing caretakers early.
- Intense reactions to noise, pain, frustration.
- Advanced progression through the developmental milestones.
- Extraordinary memory.
Gifted abilities can be overlooked when twice-exceptional concerns (such as anxiety, learning disabilities, speech or motor delays, or signs of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder) coexist along with giftedness.
What is gifted kid syndrome? ›Years of depending on academic approval for motivation turns into burnout when a gifted child looks around after being rewarded for performing higher than their peers for their entire life and sees the people they left behind all those years ago at the same level as them.
How early can you tell if a child is smart? ›“How do I know if my 6-year-old is gifted?” You may ask yourself questions like this. Although you can test your kid as early as 2 years and 6 months of age, you can not achieve accurate results at this age. Between the ages of 5 and 8 is the best time to understand your child's giftedness.
What to do if you think your child is gifted? ›
If you think your child might be gifted, you can see an educational psychologist for an IQ test and a report on your child's advanced learning. This report is likely to focus mostly on academic learning but often includes notes about social and emotional gifts too.
Do gifted kids talk a lot? ›Some gifted kids like to talk a lot. They love to share their knowledge with others. They are highly verbal, and may possess an advanced vocabulary for their age. When talking to students, pay attention to not only how much they talk but also to the vocabulary used in daily conversation.
Do gifted children talk to themselves? ›Especially for gifted folks with learning differences (twice exceptional or 2e), self-talk is a powerful tool for motivation as they manage their complex brains.
What are the 5 Overexcitabilities? ›There are five forms of overexcitability. These five forms are psychomotor, sensual, emotional, imaginational and intellectual.
What are three traits that may suggest that a child is gifted? ›They can see beyond the moment, recognize patterns and have the ability to abstract and problem solve. They're able to perceive authenticity in people and as result, often have a great sense of humor early on.
How do gifted kids think differently? ›Social development and skills: gifted and talented children
Gifted children can think faster and/or more deeply than other children their age. So they're often good at imagining what it's like to be in somebody else's situation. Sometimes these qualities mean your gifted and talented child gets along well with others.
Ideally, gifted students require three components to maximize their potential: a safe and flexible learning environment, proper academic rigor, and dual focus on social-emotional learning.
How can a teacher identify a gifted child? ›IQ Testing
Often, districts will use the IQ tests like Woodcock-Johnson IV (WJ IV), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), or Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales as a first step in identifying students for gifted programs.
LISTEN & UNDERSTAND
Leave the door open to further conversations. Ask if they have questions. Encourage them to feel comfortable discussing giftedness with you. Provide insight as to how others may perceive their giftedness and abilities.
Intellectually gifted students learn at a faster pace than their classmates, sometimes, for example, needing two repetitions of a math concept instead of 30. Not only do they process concepts more quickly, but they also make complex connections.
Do gifted kids struggle socially? ›
Social Skills
The problems gifted children sometimes face with socializing often stem from their asynchrony and educational setting. Asynchronous development, or uneven development, is often considered a core trait of giftedness.
Giftedness has an emotional as well as intellectual component. Intellectual complexity goes hand in hand with emotional depth. Just as gifted children's thinking is more complex and has more depth than other children's, so too are their emotions more complex and more intense.
Do gifted children have poor social skills? ›Gifted kids often have advanced intellectual skills that allow them to perform at high levels and solve complex problems. But this intelligence is not always accompanied by high social and emotional skills. Socially and emotionally, gifted kids often develop at the same rate or even slower than their peers.
Do gifted kids have mental disorders? ›While gifted children may not be any more susceptible to mental health issues as other adolescents, there are certain aspects of giftedness that may influence or amplify a gifted child's experience of mental health issues.
Do all gifted kids have ADHD? ›While many experts agree that these children do exist, there is currently no formal criteria to identify giftedness in children who are ADHD or to identify ADHD in children who are gifted.
How common are gifted kids? ›While we like to think everyone is special, some people have extraordinary abilities — intellectual, artistic, social, or athletic. Many experts believe only 3 to 5 percent of the population is gifted, though some estimates reach 20 percent.
Are there common traits associated with giftedness? ›Social and Emotional Traits
They also can be perfectionistic, have high expectations of themselves and others, and have a well-developed, if not quirky, sense of humor. Gifted kids also tend to be intrinsically motivated, meaning they set goals and challenges for themselves rather than to get the approval of others.
Many gifted children are highly sensitive individuals. 1 They may take things personally and become upset by words and deeds that other children may easily ignore or get over quickly.
Do gifted kids struggle in school? ›In addition to pressures from academic and family expectations, students who are gifted may struggle in school because of social issues. Some of the issues these students can face in school include: Embarrassment for being different or standing out. Bullying from peers due to their intelligence or differences.
Do gifted kids have more anxiety? ›Studies show that gifted children have a higher risk of experiencing mental health issues, like anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. Because gifted children have different capabilities than their peers, other children may find them intimidating.
Do gifted children get bored? ›
For gifted students, who pick up new skills more quickly than their peers and may even already know the material before a lesson ever begins, that can lead to frustration and being bored at school.
Do gifted people have sensory issues? ›"As many as one-third of gifted children may exhibit sensory processing disorder features, significantly impacting quality of life."
Are Asperger's gifted? ›Over the years, researchers have fre- quently noted that many individuals with exceptional gifts manifest autistic-like behaviors. Further, an increasing number of individuals with autism or Asperger's are identified as being gifted. These twice-exceptional learners are in good company.
Do gifted people have Asperger's? ›The Disorder
There is no doubt that a gifted child can have Asperger's Disorder and that this combination has a profound impact on both social interactions and schooling (Amend & Schuler, 2004; Cash, 1999; Neihart, 2000).
Gifts become talents when they're developed and nurtured.
Many things influence whether a gifted child's natural ability becomes a talent. These things include family values, educational opportunities, personality and motivation, health and chance opportunities.
The research shows that while children are born with the potential to be gifted, the environment and nurture plays an important role in developing those innate abilities. In fact, researchers estimate conservatively that environmental influences can add 20-40 points on measured intelligence.
Are gifted children more defiant? ›Gifted kids are not naturally more defiant than typical learners. However, when they are, it's a sight to see (preferably from the duck-and-cover position). Many of the readers of this site are gifted adults, and friends, we're not always awesome at handling defiant kids.
What are three signs that a child may be gifted? ›- Unusual alertness in infancy.
- Less need for sleep in infancy.
- Long attention span.
- High activity level.
- Smiling or recognizing caretakers early.
- Intense reactions to noise, pain, frustration.
- Advanced progression through the developmental milestones.
- Extraordinary memory.
Early and rapid learning
One of the most common characteristics of gifted students is their ability to learn things early and rapidly.
If you think your child might be gifted, you can see an educational psychologist for an IQ test and a report on your child's advanced learning. This report is likely to focus mostly on academic learning but often includes notes about social and emotional gifts too.
How do you discipline a gifted child? ›
- Present Limited Options. For many gifted children, part of the gift involves being able to see an endless set of possibilities. ...
- Provide Adequate Stimulation. The bane of existence for a gifted child is to be bored. ...
- Impart Strategies for Emotional Self-Control.
In general, gifted children and adults tend to: Stand-out intellectually, with sophisticated thinking styles that integrate generalizations and complexity. Learn quickly and deeply (and do not need as much practice) Be independent thinkers, who do not automatically accept decisions.
Does a gifted child feel different? ›Giftedness has an emotional as well as intellectual component. Intellectual complexity goes hand in hand with emotional depth. Just as gifted children's thinking is more complex and has more depth than other children's, so too are their emotions more complex and more intense.
What type of thinkers are gifted students? ›Hence, we conclude that gifted learners have divergent thinking.
Are gifted children talkative? ›Some gifted kids like to talk a lot. They love to share their knowledge with others. They are highly verbal, and may possess an advanced vocabulary for their age. When talking to students, pay attention to not only how much they talk but also to the vocabulary used in daily conversation.
Can a gifted child have behavior problems? ›Gifted children may be under-stimulated or bored in typical social or education settings, [which] may result in behavior challenges like school refusal, tantrums, distractibility, or general acting out.
Which is a negative characteristics of a gifted child? ›| Characteristic | Positive Behavior | Negative Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Highly sensitive, passionate | Emphasizes fairness, and morality, compassionate | Over-reacts to situations |
| Views with a different perspective | Observes across boundaries, makes connections | Resists limitations and narrowly focused content |
- Self-esteem issues. Not only do gifted kids have to live with the stigma of being “different,” but their sensitivity can also make them appear vulnerable. ...
- Perfectionism. ...
- Emotional and sensory sensitivity. ...
- Boredom at school. ...
- Problems with attention and organization.