Is My Child Gifted?

This is a very important question. Often parents and educators alike may have some misconceptions as to what gifted means. Some even believe that it is the straight “A” student. This just isn’t so.

Dr. Bertie Kingore is a national consultant and author who has worked with gifted students, their teachers, and their parents for over 30 years. She has developed an inventory that can help educators and parents to better identify gifted learners.
She has identified 7 characteristics of gifted learners. They are as follows:

• Advanced language.Children with gifted potential unassumingly use verbal comparisons and words with multiple syllables, such as the four-year old who explained: I know that seems obvious...
• Analytical thinking.They surprise us with the complex, in-depth insights and relationships they express: If we just took it apart, I bet we would find...
• Meaning motivation.They are little experts who know more than many adults about one or more topics.
• Perspective.They interpret what influences or motivates others: What he meant was... They often draw from an unusual angle, such as a bird's-eye view or the view from behind a person.
• Sense of humor.They laugh at humorous incidents that peers do not understand, such as the young child who winked at his teacher when the other children did not understand the teacher's humor.
• Sensitivity.They verbally or nonverbally exhibit intense concern for human and animal issues and want action taken to correct the problem. A young gifted child's face may reveal empathy for a character in a read-aloud story or for a peer in the classroom.
• Accelerated learning.They often master a new skill with unusual speed. Particularly watch for unexpected math applications since math talent is less influenced by cultural or language differences. A bilingual kindergartner asked his teacher: Tell me about the numbers that come before zero. I know they call them 'negative.”

It is just as vitally important that we meet the needs of this population as it is any other in our schools. Below are some suggestions for the classroom:

• Call on advanced children proportionately to other students. They should not dominate class discussions nor should they be ignored. All children need our acceptance and encouragement.
• Provide fast-paced instruction. Children with advanced potential learn well and stay more mentally engaged with minimum repetition of skills and concepts.
• As children work, talk with them about what they are doing to provide a window to their high-level thinking.
--How did you figure that out?
--What is another way to do that?
• Young gifted children often want to talk with adults not because they can't socially fit in with their age-mates but because they seek idea-mates who understand what they are interested in discussing. They enjoy someone who gets their jokes!
• Acquire a range of materials for every segment of learning you plan. When students demonstrate understanding at one level, enable them to continue learning rather than repeatedly practice what they already know. Ask a librarian or media specialist to help.
• Provide diverse activities. Make sure that there are a variety of different ways for the students to express their knowledge.
• Provide non-fiction materials. Advanced readers have a voracious appetite for reading about their interests.
• Use different peer learning groups. Gifted students need to work with other advanced students some times, with a mixed-range of learners some times, and by themselves some times.
• Encourage and honor diverse ideas rather than expect only simple, right-answer responses:
--Tell me what you mean?
--Why do you think that?

A great website to visit to find out more is: http://www.bertiekingore.com/articlesed.htm