DEFINING GIFTEDNESS
WHAT MAKES GIFTEDNESS
CHARACTERISTICS OF
GIFTED CHILDREN
IDENTIFYING GIFTED CHILDREN
PRECOCIOUS READER
Who Are The Gifted? Defining giftedness has long been a challenge.
Historically, the progression of definitions has ranged from
"conservative," which focused on high intelligence and the top
1% of the population as measured by IQ tests to more
"inclusive" definitions which included multiple abilities,
creativity, and contributions to society; and comprised the top 20
percent of the population. The literature on giftedness reflects
continuous efforts to construct a more exacting and accepted set of
traits that define the constructs of giftedness. However, the
commonalities found among definitions of giftedness can be used to
develop an operational definition of gifted individuals. Generally,
giftedness is defined in terms of a type and a degree of
exceptional ability that is coupled with high levels of motivation and
creativity. Quantitatively, the top 3 to 5 percent of the population are
thought to be gifted, although some suggest as high as 20 percent of the
population may be "gifted."
Above average ability is the first criterion for identifying gifted
persons. General intellectual ability is measured by tests of general
aptitude or intelligence with scores ranging in the 95-98 percentile or
two standard deviations above the norm. In terms of an intelligence
quotient, the gifted are those individuals having an IQ of 130 or
higher. Sources commonly cite IQ scores and their corresponding labels
as follows:
- 85-99 Lower normal
- 100-114 Upper normal
- 115-129 Bright
- 130-144 Gifted
- 145-159 Highly gifted
- 160-above Profoundly gifted
Traditionally, persons with general ability are referred to as
"intellectually gifted" individuals. Persons with specific
ability, or the capacity to acquire knowledge and skill of a specialized
kind and within a restricted range, are referred to as
"talented" individuals. All individuals who demonstrate above
average general abilities or specific talents, and whose potential for
accomplishment is so exceptional or developmentally advanced, require
special provisions to meet their unique needs.
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In order to identify high potential, educators and
parents should be knowledgeable about the characteristics of gifted
children. Many of the characteristics are exhibited at a early age.
A
gifted child may manifest many, but not all of the characteristics.
Some
of the characteristics, such as task commitment and creativity, are
characteristics that can be developed. Listed below are some of the
characteristics of gifted children (including some of the problems
that may be present).
Learning Characteristics
-
Learns rapidly and easily; may resist
doing routine work or works in careless manner
-
Prefers complex and challenging tasks rather
than basic work; may resist challenging work for fear his/her struggle will be
seen by others
-
Knows about many things of which other children
are unaware, retains knowledge
-
Verbally proficient, exhibits advanced
vocabulary for age or grade level
-
Reads with comprehension at an early age
-
Skilled in problem solving
-
Recognizes relationships
-
Questions critically
-
Displays curiosity about many topics, keenly
observant
- Transfers learning to new situations
Motivational Characteristics
-
Has passionate interests, easily absorbed in
activities and thoughts; may be unwilling to do other activities
-
Persistent in seeking task completion
-
Prefers to work independently, requires little
direction; may dislike cooperative learning
-
Assumes and discharges responsibility; may
dominate others
- Strong beliefs, opinionated
Creative Characteristics
-
Displays intellectual playfulness; asks many
"what if" questions; may be a nonconformist
-
Challenged by new ideas
-
Enjoys experimentation; invents new methods or
solutions to tasks; may daydream, be absentminded,
loose work
-
Displays a keen sense of humor or sees humor in
subtle situations; may be the class clown, make jokes or comments at
inappropriate times
- Sensitive to the aesthetic characteristics and
value of things
Social-Emotional Characteristics
-
Has strong sense of justice; may assertively
oppose injustices
-
Self-confident; may believe he/she is valued
for what he/she can do rather than who he/she is; may fear loss of regard from others
if exceptional ability is lost
-
Prefers older companions
-
Tend to be perfectionists; may be self-critical
and critical of others, may work slowly, procrastinate
-
Bases friendships on similarity of interest
rather than age
-
Adjusts easily to new situations
-
Is conscientious and truthful
- Friendly, helpful
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How can exceptional ability be identified? Identifying signs
of giftedness is not an exact science. Nevertheless, good identification
procedures yield information about students who have needs beyond the
standard curriculum and would benefit from enrichment options.
Multiple criteria
Multiple criteria should be used for finding students with special
needs. Objective indices such as standardized tests or IQ tests
used in combination with subjective judgments such as teacher
observation and parent nomination provides the best means of developing
a talent pool of potential. Parents, although not always completely
object, are adept predictors of giftedness.
Formal testing
Formal testing was once considered the absolute measure of
giftedness. While IQ tests
are only one measure of intellectual abilities at a given point in time,
and they should not be used alone, IQ tests still remain the single most
effective predictor of academic success. Individual tests rather than group intelligence tests significantly
increase the chance of accurately identifying bright students. Group
intelligence tests are not recommended for screening before the third
grade. Testing can be particularly useful in finding areas of strength.
Any intelligence test should be thought of as assessing a minimal
level of ability. Research indicates, however, that other factors must
be considered in the selection process because gifted behaviors can be
developed in persons who are not necessarily those who earned the
highest scores on standardized tests. Today, testing is considered to be
only one way of measuring and verifying giftedness.
Early identification
Some aspects of the gifted child can present a challenge to the
classroom teacher. Finding exceptional abilities can be especially
difficult among very young children, in children who are introverted or
shy and less skilled in revealing their thoughts, or among children from
poverty and minority backgrounds. Identification of young, gifted
children can be further encumbered because of asynchronous
development; that is, being out of sync
with what is developmentally expected behavior for their age group.
Generally, asynchronous development is a trait of gifted individuals. In
young children, this trait can be particularly pronounced. Extraordinary
precocity can be coupled with gaps in physical, social, and emotional
development. However, being young and gifted does not mean the child is
in a state of "quasi-adulthood." The
adult support role for the gifted child must not wane when child-like
behaviors accompany advanced cognition. These challenges not
withstanding, early identification is a crucial factor in the
development of ability.
Most screening processes
do not reach into the primary level and very few actively seek out kindergarten or preschool children.
While
gifted children exist within these age groups, they have not yet been
able to take the necessary tests which would allow them to demonstrate
achievement and/or potential ability. Thus, the instrument most often
used for identifying young, gifted children remains the individual IQ
test. Some professionals maintain that a formal identification process
would not be essential for elementary students if:
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