Gifted Learners

Is My Child Gifted? 

Just as every child is unique, no two gifted children are exactly alike.  Psychologists, researchers, and experts who study giftedness have identified several formal and informal indicators to help determine if a child is gifted.

Following are common questions often asked when trying to determining if an individual is gifted:

• Does my child exhibit the characteristics and traits of giftedness?
• Are their specific domains  or levels of giftedness?
• Should my child take a test or assessment to determine if he or she is gifted?
• How is a gifted child identified?

Common Characteristics of Gifted Individuals

Because gifted children are so diverse, not all exhibit all characteristics all of the time. However, there are common characteristics that many gifted individuals share:

• Unusual alertness, even in infancy
• Rapid learner; puts thoughts together quickly
• Excellent memory
• Unusually large vocabulary and complex sentence structure for age
• Advanced comprehension of word nuances, metaphors and abstract ideas
• Enjoys solving problems, especially with numbers and puzzles
• Often self-taught reading and writing skills as preschooler
• Deep, intense feelings and reactions
• Highly sensitive
• Thinking is abstract, complex, logical, and insightful
• Idealism and sense of justice at early age
• Concern with social and political issues and injustices
• Longer attention span and intense concentration
• Preoccupied with own thoughts—daydreamer
• Learn basic skills quickly and with little practice
• Asks probing questions
• Wide range of interests (or extreme focus in one area)
• Highly developed curiosity
• Interest in experimenting and doing things differently
• Puts idea or things together that are not typical
• Keen and/or unusual sense of humor
• Desire to organize people/things through games or complex schemas
• Vivid imaginations (and imaginary playmates when in preschool)

Reproduced by permission from: Webb, J., Gore, J., Amend, E., DeVries, A. (2007). A parent's guide to gifted children. Tuscon, AZ:  Great Potential Press, www.greatpotentialpress.com. 

Common Characteristics of Gifted Individuals

Because gifted children are so diverse, not all exhibit all characteristics all of the time. However, there are common characteristics that many gifted individuals share:

• Unusual alertness, even in infancy
• Rapid learner; puts thoughts together quickly
• Excellent memory
• Unusually large vocabulary and complex sentence structure for age
• Advanced comprehension of word nuances, metaphors and abstract ideas
• Enjoys solving problems, especially with numbers and puzzles
• Often self-taught reading and writing skills as preschooler
• Deep, intense feelings and reactions
• Highly sensitive
• Thinking is abstract, complex, logical, and insightful
• Idealism and sense of justice at early age
• Concern with social and political issues and injustices
• Longer attention span and intense concentration
• Preoccupied with own thoughts—daydreamer
• Learn basic skills quickly and with little practice
• Asks probing questions
• Wide range of interests (or extreme focus in one area)
• Highly developed curiosity
• Interest in experimenting and doing things differently
• Puts idea or things together that are not typical
• Keen and/or unusual sense of humor
• Desire to organize people/things through games or complex schemas
• Vivid imaginations (and imaginary playmates when in preschool)

Reproduced from: Webb, J., Gore, J., Amend, E., DeVries, A. (2007). A parent's guide to gifted children. Tuscon, AZ:  Great Potential Press, www.greatpotentialpress.com. 

What to know more? Here is a list of resources for you:

Join National Association for Gifted Children to learn more about how to support your advanced learner. There are several parent resources available. Visit www.NAGC.org to sign up!

The following books are available on amazon or for KINDLE download:

Rigor for Gifted Learners: Modifying Curriculum with Intellectual Integrity by Bertie Kingore

This book explains the continuous learning needs of high-ability learners and offers research-based, high-yield instructional strategies, curricular modifications, assessments, and social-emotional interventions that effectively enhance gifted students’ success. 

 Psychological Foundations of the Arts: Understanding and Encouraging Artistic Expression in the Early Grades by Erin Morris Miller and Rachael Sloan.                                                  

This book provides an introduction for classroom teachers to the psychological study of the arts and how they can use this knowledge in their classroom.   

The Social and Emotional Characteristics of Gifted Students by Tracy Missett            

Presents the overall picture of positive social and emotional health for many gifted students in terms of self-perceptions, motivation, supportive relationships, and resiliency, and how high intelligence may protect against emotional challenges.