What is a Gifted Child? - trying to define the beast

A good question to start with. The word "gifted" has been defined differently by different academics and practitioners and is often considered by many to be an unfortunate term, but it has become generally associated with a child whose potential in one or more areas of skill would place him or her in the top 2-5% of children of the same age. Notice that this does not assume a narrow view of academic intelligence - the areas of skill can be traditionally academic, or creative, intrapersonal etc.

You can read the following general introduction or check out these pages which cover the main different models of giftedness:

• Gagne's Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent
• the Columbus Group's Asynchronous Model of Giftedness
• Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences
• Renzulli's Tri-factor Model of Giftedness

The same source suggests demonstrated achievement or potential ability can be in:

This idea of different types of gifts has been developed by Howard Gardner in his theory of multiple intelligences. The key point is to realise that gifts and gifted children don't all come in the same box, their gifts and talents may be across many fields or particular to one. And gifted children can have learning difficulties or disabilities too. A child may have an extraordinary talent in reading and comprehension but need remediation in mathematics or therapy to assist writing skills. Indeed some of the more difficult (perhaps tragic) cases of finding an educational fit for a child occurs when they are gifted and suffer specific learning difficulties at the same time. These Gifted Learning Disabled (GLD) children often have neither of their needs met - their erratic performance is neither superior enough or depressed enough for them to gain them access to special provisions that might alleviate their frustrations and often low self-esteem.

Gifted and talented students can show the same diversity of personalities and learning styles as other groups of students. They too, for example, can be inhibited and slow to respond. Some may be exceptionally or profoundly gifted in one or more areas. Consequently the "gifted" label covers a wide range of student abilities and needs and any one standard "gifted program" may well not meet a particular gifted child's needs - an appropriate program should start with an appraisal of the needs of that child.

Taking the many areas in which gifts and talents might lie into account possibly some 10-15% of the overall population could be considered "gifted" in one or more areas. Gifted children are not rare. Highly gifted children are rarer, and exceptionally and profoundly gifted children much more so - and may not have their needs adequately met even when gifted programs exist.

Particularly if you are new to the concept of gifted children, there are a number of myths that need to be dispelled. These are myths that have grown up over time, sometimes in the form of attack on these children. The myth about gifted children...

Identification

• Characteristics
• IQ testing

Meet some gifted children

• "Lizzie"
• "Chris"
• "Lachlan"
• "Julian"
• "Lisa"

 © NSWAGTC 2007

Jump to... Top | Info Centre

Suggestions? | Like to Help? | Disclaimer | Webmaster | Site maintained for the NSWAGTC by Austega