How Do I Know If My Child Is Gifted?

The common characteristics of gifted children:

~ Rapid learner with very good memory; may be impatient with slowness of others; may resist mastering foundation skills; resists practice or drills		~ Large vocabulary and complex sentence structure; advanced comprehension of word nuances, metaphors, and abstract ideas
~ May be frustrated or bored at school; may not perform to potential		~ Unusual emotional depth; intense feelings and reactions; highly sensitive; may feel different and alienated; emotional and intellectual development may be out of sync
~ Concern with social and political issues and injustices; may become discouraged or overwhelmed with the problems of the world; may be highly critical of self and others		~ Longer attention span, persistence and intense concentration when interested; may neglect duties or people during periods of focused interest
~ Asks probing questions; goes beyond what is being taught; may ask limitless questions; may be strong-willed; argumentative		~ Tendency to put ideas or things together in ways that are unusual or not obvious (divergent thinking); may disrupt plans or reject what is already known
~ Keen and sometimes unusual sense of humor; sees absurdities of situations; may become “class clown” to gain attention		~ (adapted from: “A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children”, Webb, Gore, Amend, DeVries, 2007)