- Key People:
- Lewis Terman
- Related Topics:
- human intelligence
gifted child
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What is a gifted child?
A gifted child is naturally endowed with a high degree of general mental ability or extraordinary ability in a specific sphere of activity or knowledge. While an intelligence quotient (IQ) of 130 or above is a common definition, schools increasingly use multiple measures to assess a wide variety of talents, including verbal, mathematical, spatial-visual, musical, and interpersonal abilities.
Gifted children may show a greater drive to achieve, along with greater mental and social adjustment, though some may experience boredom and rejection by their peers. Variability of development is another characteristic observed in gifted children; that is, their mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities may all develop at different paces.
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How do psychologists identify if a child is gifted?
Psychologists use multiple measures to identify gifted children, moving beyond just a high intelligence quotient (IQ) score of 130 or above. They assess various talents, including verbal, mathematical, spatial-visual, musical, and interpersonal abilities.
Fair identification considers diverse behaviors indicating giftedness, as tests vary in validity across ages and cultures. Psychologists also consider school achievement, personality, and a child's adjustment in regular classes. While IQ tests are common, other intelligence and creativity tests are also used. Assessments are made by psychologists who, in most cases, certify a childās eligibility for special programs.
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What are some common traits of gifted children?
Gifted children often exhibit a high degree of general mental ability or extraordinary talent in specific areas such as verbal, mathematical, spatial-visual, musical, and interpersonal skills. While an intelligence quotient (IQ) of 130 or above is a common criterion, schools increasingly use multiple assessments to identify giftedness.
These children often display a greater drive to achieve; however, they may experience boredom or rejection from peers due to their differences. Variability in development is another characteristic, with mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities developing at different paces.
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How can gifted childrenās needs be different from other childrenās?
Gifted children often exhibit unique needs beyond intellectual ability. Psychologist Lewis Terman observed a greater drive to achieve and better mental and social adjustment in gifted children, while Leta Hollingworth noted that highly gifted children can be sensitive to their differences, which may cause boredom or peer rejection.
Variability in development is another key characteristic; their mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities may develop at different rates. Special education approaches include acceleration, enrichment, and differentiation to cater to their advanced learning pace.
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What challenges might gifted children face at school or with friends?
Gifted children may face challenges at school and with friends despite their high intellectual capabilities. Psychologist Leta Hollingworth's early 20th-century study found that highly gifted children, with IQs greater than 180, were sensitive to their differences from others and often experienced boredom and peer rejection.
Gifted children's varied development may result in asynchronous development of their mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities.
To address the educational needs of gifted children, schools may use acceleration, enrichment, and differentiation strategies. Special classes and instruction methods can be adapted to each student's needs, motivating them to put forth their best effort.
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How can families and teachers support the emotional and academic growth of gifted children?
To support the emotional and academic growth of gifted children, families and teachers can implement strategies like acceleration, enrichment, and differentiation within the regular classroom. Teachers can adapt instruction and materials to suit individual needs, fostering motivation and effort by grouping bright children together to provide greater opportunities for challenge and intellectual development.
It is crucial to recognize that gifted children may experience asynchrony, where their mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities develop at different paces. Some gifted children may be very sensitive to their differences and struggle with boredom or peer rejection. By considering school achievement, personality, and adjustment, psychologists can determine a childās eligibility for specialized programs.
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gifted child, any child who is naturally endowed with a high degree of general mental ability or extraordinary ability in a specific sphere of activity or knowledge. The designation of giftedness is largely a matter of administrative convenience. In most countries the prevailing definition is an intelligence quotient (IQ) of 130 or above. Increasingly, however, schools use multiple measures of giftedness and assess a wide variety of talents, including verbal, mathematical, spatial-visual, musical, and interpersonal abilities.
In countries that make special provision for educating gifted pupils, the prevailing method of selection consists of written tests. Although standard IQ tests are the most commonly used means of identifying gifted children, other tests of both intelligence and creativity are also used. Tests vary widely in their validity and reliability for different ages and cultures; therefore, fair identification procedures always take into account a wide variety of behaviours that may be signs of giftedness.
It is generally agreed that gifted children differ from their peers in ways other than intellectual ability alone. Evidence of this was found by the American psychologist Lewis M. Terman, who in 1921 initiated a study of more than 1,500 gifted children with IQs higher than 140. Following the study participants as they aged, Terman observed a greater drive to achieve, along with greater mental and social adjustment, among the gifted group as compared with nongifted children. In another early 20th-century study, which focused on children with IQs greater than 180, psychologist Leta Hollingworth found that individuals within this group were very sensitive to the ways in which they differed from others and often suffered from problems such as boredom and rejection by their peers. Variability of development is another characteristic observed in gifted children. In the late 20th century, the term asynchrony was used to describe the developmental characteristics of gifted children; that is, their mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities may all develop at different paces.
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In theory, there are three ways of educating children who are intellectually and academically more advanced than their peers: (1) acceleration, whereby the gifted child is allowed to learn material at a more rapid pace or is promoted more rapidly through grades; (2) enrichment, whereby the gifted child works through the usual grades at the usual pace but with a curriculum supplemented by a variety of cultural activities; and (3) differentiation, whereby gifted children are accelerated or enriched within the regular classroom.
Special schools or classes enable gifted children to progress at an accelerated pace. The instruction, method, and materials can be adapted to the needs of each student, and, because the children work and study with others who are bright, each is motivated to put forth his best effort. Despite the opposition many educators have to special provisions for gifted children, research shows that grouping gifted children together is best for them, that this does no harm to average children, and that acceleration in these groups provides greater opportunity for challenge and intellectual development than does enrichment alone. See also creativity; genius; prodigy.