WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HIGHLY GIFTED

Children are unique in that they each posses the ability to surprise us. However, the "gifted child" may present themselves differently than we would otherwise expect or assume. In GROWING UP GIFTED, Dr. Barbara Clark reviewed the research of Dahlber, Gross, Koppel, Lovecky, and Silverman and listed some of the characteristics of the gifted child. She said the child may have an extraordinary speed in processing information, an unusual capacity for memory, a long concentration span, an extensive vocabulary, be very argumentative, notice detail, and have a need for precision in thinking and expression. However gifted the child may be we as parents and educators must take into account that gifted children learn differently. Some do not group together well, have difficulty developing relationships and are intensely sensitive.

However, one can be reasonably certain that when it comes to the gifted child there is no universal definition. Some professionals define the gifted child as a child with an intelligence score above 130, two or more standard deviations above the norm, or the top 2.5%. Others view the gifted child based on scholastic achievement. If the child is two or more grade levels above his or her age then they are classified as gifted.

These standards, however, are far from a definition. In 1971 a report to congress from the former U.S. Commissioner of Education Sidney P. Marland Jr. stated: "Gifted and talented children are those identified by professionally qualified persons who by virtue of outstanding abilities are capable of high performance. These are children who require differentiated educational programs and or services beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society."

More recently the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND legislation created a new, achievement based definition of giftedness. This legislation is as follows: "The term "gifted and talented", when used with respect to students, children, or youth, means students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities.(Title IX, Part A, Section 9101(22), p. 544)

Some respected professionals that work within this field suggest giftedness as a asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from what is defined as normal. (The Columbus group, 1991, cited by Martha Morelock, "Giftedness: The View From Within", in Understanding Our Gifted, January 1992)

At any rate most definitions agree that gifted children have different educational needs because they have unique intellectual development. Children of IQ 169 appear in the population at a ratio of less than 1:100,000. If an elementary school teacher taught 30 students each year in a professional career of 40 years, the odds against her having such a child in her class are more than 80:1. It is for this reason that schools need to differentiate academic programs for the gifted child. Exceptionally and profoundly gifted children have a capacity to learn that is significantly advanced even beyond the average for the intellectually gifted. This of course speaks of potential and the potential to perform and the actual performance is often two very different things.

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Smith.
Click here to send author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about What it means to be highly gifted?
We want to hear your view. Write now!