How do I know if My Child is Gifted?
Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 November 2011 06:18
Signs of giftedness become evident very early in life. In fact, for the informed observer, and barring any birth or health complications in the child, the first couple of years of life will probably provide the most reliable clues to a child’s intellectual ability.
The following table has been collated from a range of research studies and articles that identify traits of children who are intellectually gifted. Rarely will a child exhibit all of these traits. However one would expect to see half to two-thirds in a gifted child. The possible negative manifestation for each trait may or may not be present. It is important to be aware of these, however, as they may mask giftedness, especially in school settings. If a particular negative manifestation is pronounced and/or enduring, it may suggest an accompanying learning challenge such as a specific learning disability, ADHD, an autism spectrum disorder, warranting further investigation.
|
Gifted Characteristic |
Possible Negative Manifestations |
|
Advanced development through infancy and toddler years – eg unusual alertness from birth, decreased need for sleep, early developmental milestones – sitting, standing, walking, talking, assembling complex puzzles |
The infant’s unmet need for constant mental stimulation and novelty can lead to fussiness and crying that is hard to interpret, frustrating and exhausting for the new parent |
|
High energy and drive; embraces new challenges with enthusiasm and a “rage to master” (Winner, 1996); goal-oriented and fiercely determined |
Always ‘on the go’; needs constant stimulation; may continually seek new, high-risk activities; low tolerance for failure |
|
Learns quickly and easily; advanced reasoning and problem-solving ability; exceptional memory for what is observed or learnt |
May be impatient with the slowness of others; may resist routine or unchallenging tasks; may cope with boredom by acting out or disrupting peers |
|
Highly curious; asks probing questions; has wide-ranging interests and/or obsessive interest and deep knowledge in specific area |
May asks questions relentlessly or inappropriately; may be totally fixated on a topic for a prolonged time and to the exclusion of all else |
|
Reads early and/or well above year level; may read voraciously |
May read at inappropriate times, eg under the desk to avoid class work, or at recess/lunch, neglecting peer interactions |
|
Extensive and rich vocabulary for age – uses language fluently and expressively; argues logically and persuasively |
May argue too forcibly or for argument’s sake; may monopolise discussion and intimidate others with their superior verbal skills |
|
Has a sharp or sophisticated sense of humour that may be quirky; gets jokes that bypass their age peers; may be quick-witted |
May use humour in ways that disrupt or offend; may get carried away with a joke and have a hard time knowing when enough is enough |
|
Sets high standards for self (and others) in everything they do; perfectionistic; strives for excellence / achieves well above age-level, often with minimal effort |
May set unrealistic expectations for self and others; may be overly self-critical and intolerant of own mistakes; may display disabling perfectionism |
|
Highly creative and imaginative; intellectually playful; finds unusual strategies and solutions; may be less motivated by marks |
May daydream, go off on tangents, have poor follow-through; may ask (what seem to be) unrelated questions; may be unaccepting of the status quo. |
|
Independent thinker, self-sufficient and self-directed; may display leadership qualities |
May resist input of others; dislikes group work, prefering to work alone; may be non-conformist; may be perceived as single-minded or bossy |
|
Strong sense of justice, advanced moral reasoning, eg will stand up for peers thought to have been unfairly treated; early interest in social and existential issues; shows deep compassion for suffering of people or animals |
May display an honesty or frankness that is not tempered by diplomacy; may pull up teachers or parents for inconsistent application of rules or for not ‘walking the talk’; may overreact to perceived injustices |
|
Supersensitivity; heightened awareness and intensity; highly intuitive; feels everything personally and deeply |
May have trouble regulating their emotional responses, eg anger, frustration, hurt. Overly sensitive to criticism. May be hypersensitive to environmental stimuli such as light or noise, which makes social settings, like school, difficult. |
|
© Compilation by Rosemary Hammerton, 2009 |
|
