Extra Information - Giftedness



1. Giftedness
Testing Your Child For Giftedness

Why
IQ tests may be given to children based on recommendations from a teacher or due to their high scores on an achievement test, however these are not the only reasons for testing a child for giftedness. Testing a child for giftedness could be for the following reasons:
-       to answer questions about a child’s abilities, strengths and weaknesses
-        to help identify a child who is suited to a gifted learning program
-       to identify any learning differences or difficulties

When
Early identification is key. It is important to put in place an appropriate educational plan that nurtures a gifted child’s learning. It is also important that this happens early on, before any learning difficulties or underachievement can begin to affect academic results – and a gifted child’s self-esteem. The recommended time to test children for giftedness is between the ages of four and eight.

IQ Tests – the basics
There are several different IQ and achievement tests that are currently used to identify giftedness. These tests are not all alike and each have their own strengths and weaknesses. A problem that often occurs is ceiling effects. This is when a child’s knowledge stretches beyond the limits of the test. To properly assess the full extent of a child’s giftedness tests should include opportunities to demonstrate their problem-solving abilities. Tests should be of sufficient difficulty and ideally should begin with more difficult questions so that children don’t get tired or bored, which can cause them to make mistakes.
Educational and child psychologists can administer IQ tests. Those testing for giftedness should be experienced in working with gifted children.

Educational Options for Gifted Children
Gifted children need a curriculum that is tailored to their individual academic abilities and talents. Schoolwork should challenge, inspire and motivate them to learn.
In order to meet gifted children’s educational needs schools should make accommodations to the curriculum to ensure these students reach their potential. They should provide advanced learning opportunities, where possible.
School options include the grouping of gifted children in the classroom. Children may be grouped at school according to ability (e.g. grouped in different levels for maths and reading). Gifted children may all be grouped together in one class, known as ‘cluster grouping.’ Classes may be divided into different ‘streams,’ according to ability. Skipping grades may also be an option.
If a gifted child’s learning needs are not being met in the school environment then homeschooling is an option worth exploring.

Extra-Curricular Activities
Extra-curricular activities expose gifted children to subjects of interest that are not covered in school or allow them to study an area of passion in greater depth. These activities are not limited to music lessons and sport – summer camps, science camps, programs and tours at museums, libraries, art galleries, zoos, botanical gardens and theatres are all excellent places for children to explore their interests.

Stimulating Gifted Children At Home:
Gifted children need to explore and play. Talk and play with your child. Ask ‘What is my child good at? What do they enjoy?’ and start from there.
These are all simple activities to expand your child’s interests and foster their creativity:
-       science experiments
-       photography
-       cooking
-       making music
-       taking a nature walk
-       using computer programs or ipods to make movies, slideshows and music
-       exploring a theme: if your child is interested in the solar system, for example, get books about space, watch movies set in space, visit the planetarium, make games about space, draw pictures of the planets, and so on.
-       Ask questions that encourage creative answers – e.g. name the uses for a box, a paper clip, etc. See how many uses you can come up with.

Gifted children possess many unusual traits and quirks. Supersensitivities or ‘over-excitabilities’ in these individuals has been widely discussed by psychologists.
Gifted children are often unusually intense. They can be exceptionally sensitive, analytical, critical and perceptive. As such, it is frequently the case that the chronological age, intellectual maturity and emotional maturity of a gifted child can differ, literally by years. Upon observation, a gifted child may present as being ‘different’ from his age peers in a multitude of ways. Due to his heightened awareness of being ‘different’ to his peers, a gifted child can feel emotionally overwhelmed, and may react in an extreme manner – often viewed by teachers and parents as an ‘over reaction.’ 

The Polish psychiatrist and psychologist Kazimierz Dabrowski named these  ‘overexcitabilities' or OEs and divided them into 5 key domains: Psychomotor, Sensual, Intellectual, Imaginational and Emotional. A gifted person may display one or many of these. They may be subtle, or very clear to see, setting the person apart from their peers. This is particularly evident when children are:
-  out of stage (dealing with concepts and goals far beyond their age-peers)
-  out of phase (alienated from age-mates if they find themselves without
an intellectual peer group with whom they can relate)
-  out of synch (realising painfully that they are different, and fearing that
they will never find a group with whom they can merge without being
dismissed as strange or weird)
 
1. Psychomotor:
Psychomotor overexcitabilities are a heightened excitability of the neuromuscular system indicated by a surplus of energy. They are generally displayed in two ways: nervousness (displayed in activity such as tics, nail biting or impulsivity) and surplus energy (displayed, for example, in competitiveness and great enthusiasm for movement and climbing). Such high levels of energy can be misinterpreted as hyperactivity. However, positive use of high energy is a vital part of the emotional development of gifted children, so that boredom and frustration do not develop.
C, 4 years old, has a constant need for mental and physical stimulation. He can be very competitive. He is constantly questioning everything and has a love of debate. He tends to take risks physically and becomes irritated from prolonged inactivity. He loves to take part in fast, active games and sports.
J, 10 years old, has a need for mental stimulation and for physical activity. He is highly competitive and tends to be impulsive. He loves to argue, ask questions and negotiate issues, talking incessantly and animatedly at these times. He has great difficulty sitting still and dislikes prolonged inactivity especially when he is not engaged in the tasks at hand. J sucks his thumb or hand while watching TV or playing on the computer.
T, 5 years old, is impulsive and tends to rush into things without much forethought. He is often impatient and aggressive if forced to wait and listen to instructions. He is regretful afterwards yet has great difficulty controlling this impulsivity. He needs to move around a great deal as this seems to assist him in his thinking.

2. Sensual:
Sensual overexcitabilities are illustrated in the extreme appreciation of a range of visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory and gustatory experiences. Those with sensual OE have an enhanced appreciation of aesthetics such as music, language and art, which could reflect their appreciation of the complex and the unusual. They derive enjoyment from tastes, smells, textures, sounds and sights. However, they may easily become overstimulated or distracted by sensory input, which they have trouble filtering out.
B has intense reactions to very loud noise, tastes, smells and pain. He has a love of beauty and appreciation for aesthetics. He also has a good sense of rhythm and a strong response to music. B is easily distracted by incoming stimuli such as sounds, smells and light patterns. He is very tactile and loves to be cuddled. His mother comments that if clothes do not feel right he does not want to wear them.
J is easily distracted by incoming sensory stimuli such as sounds, smells and light patterns. His mother comments that he can be put off by smells that others do not notice and has to have certain tart-tasting foods.
A appreciates music and had a good sense of rhythm, melody and beat. Her mother comments that she has an acute sense of smell.
H has trouble focusing on his schoolwork because his clothing tags scratch him, the bright lights and smells from the school canteen overwhelm him and the classroom noises make him lose his train of thought.
T has an appreciation for beauty and a love of music. He has eclectic taste in music and has zealous enthusiasm for certain artists. He is very affectionate and has a strong need for his mother’s touch in order to fall asleep. He loves the deep pressure of hand massages. He enjoys moulding with clay but is sometimes distracted by its smooth texture. He is extremely sensitive to pain and has intense pleasure or disgust reactions to tastes and smells.
3. Intellectual:
The gifted child craves to know and to understand how the world around them works. Gifted children commonly display a strong sense of justice. They can be altruistic and idealistic; in the classroom, for example, they may take a bullied child under their wing. However, they may also be confrontational when presented with rules they believe to be unfair. They often show early concern for ethical issues, such as death and mortality.
C is very observant and notice details. He has an excellent memory. He can become confrontational especially when he perceives injustice. C has a long concentration span when engaged and is intensely curious. He has shown an early interest in moral issues such as death. He prefers the company of older children and adults.
J shows considerable intellectual intensity. He has an exceptional memory and a long concentration span when engaged. J is often ‘too honest,’ appearing overly critical of others. He is intensely curious and has a thirst to learn when interested. J can become very confrontational especially when he perceives injustice from authority. He has trouble making friends because of his level of honesty and his tendency to ‘say it as he sees it.’
T has an advanced vocabulary and sophisticated speech patterns. He can be impatient with others who think too slowly. He has a sharp sense of observation and notices details. His mother comments that he has a photographic memory and is unbelievably observant of visual details. W can concentrate intently and can sit quietly when totally engaged such as when using a digital camera. He loves using the computer and is very interested in games of strategy, such as poker.
4. Imaginational:
Early interest in dramatic play, fantasy, storytelling, daydreaming and imaginary friends are all characteristic of imaginational OEs. Children with this OE tend to be frequently distracted or preoccupied with their own thoughts. They may mix truth with fiction and appear to be ‘lost in their own world.’
C has artistic ability and a love of colour and design. He tends to dramatise small events. He also has a deep love of fiction and fantasy. He is highly inventive with a strong sense of design. C has a vivid imagination and a love of pretend play. He has shown a strong interest in creative subjects and activities. C is often preoccupied with his own thoughts to the point of daydreaming.
J has vivid recall of dreams and nightmares. He has a deep love of fiction and fantasy and a vivid imagination, always asking ‘what if?’ questions. His mother comments that he is always in his own world.
A is often preoccupied with her thoughts. Her mother comments that she enjoys anything creative and has a strong sense of style.
B has some, seemingly, irrational fears. She also has three imaginary friends of all different ages and relationships to herself. 
5. Emotional:
Gifted children with emotional OEs frequently experience emotions at a far deeper level than other children their age. Dealing with such complex emotions, it is unsurprising that feelings of anxiety, fear, stress and depression are common in gifted children. On the other hand, emotional OEs are also reflected in compassion, empathy and concern for others’ feelings.
G is intensely sensitive and tends to ‘over react’ to stimuli others may find innocuous. He is intolerant of even mild teasing. G is resistant to change and finds departures from routine difficult. He has a strong physical reaction to stress.
J’s feelings are easily hurt and he has a strong reaction to perceived criticism. His threshold for boredom and repetition is very low. J has strong reactions when overstressed and is subject to feelings of frustration, difference and anxiety.
A shows compassion towards others. Her mother comments that she is emotionally perceptive and feels empathy for others.
T’s feelings are very easily hurt, especially when he perceives rejection. He is searching for true friends and is very social, wanting to introduce himself to everyone. His mother comments that T has an awareness of being ‘different’ from the mainstream. This is very difficult for him as he longs to play and be accepted and is not at all introverted.


Giftedness with Learning Difficulties
It is time to dispel the myth that to be identified as ‘gifted,’ a person must excel academically, and in all areas. Many gifted individuals throughout history do not fit this traditional view of giftedness. Leonardo Da Vinci was believed to have struggled with dyslexia. Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Winston Churchill each had disabilities, as well as extraordinary intellectual ability. Each made a huge contribution to their society and an impact on the history books.
Therefore, it is quite feasible for a child to be simultaneously gifted and have learning difficulties. In fact, the occurrence of these children is widespread enough that they have been given a number of labels over the years: G/LD (gifted and learning disabled), dual manifestations, conundrum kids (Vail, 1987) and smart kids with school problems. More often than not, gifted children with learning difficulties are referred to as ‘twice exceptional.’ (Little, 2000). The common signs of such a child are an exceptional talent or ability, yet also a discrepancy between expected and actual achievement. Signs of processing difficulties may also be present.
If one defines giftedness as being ‘able in learning’ or ‘academically able’ it is difficult to comprehend that a person could be both gifted and learning disabled. Yet gifted children usually show an asynchrony in their developmental rates. This simply means that the rates of their cognitive, emotional and physical development vary considerably. It is often the case that their chronological age, intellectual maturity and emotional maturity can differ, literally by years. If we view gifted children in this way – as having a gap between their mental and chronological age - it becomes easier to understand that a very bright child could also have difficulties with spelling, reading or writing. It is, in fact, quite possible for a child to have superior communication, problem-solving and abstract thinking skills, but also have difficulties with memory and organisation – the important areas for school achievement.
Furthermore, there is a variety of reasons for academic difficulties, such as visual or auditory processing problems, or difficulty crossing the midline. For example, gifted children may be cognitively ready to read at a young age; yet, their eyes and eyesight may not have developed at the same rate.
Recognising gifted children – who also have learning difficulties – can be troublesome. Educators may overlook their advanced abilities in certain areas, preventing these children from reaching their full potential. Teachers may be impressed by a student with high verbal skills and an advanced vocabulary, for example, but be thrown by their below-average spelling and handwriting.
Sadly, these children often learn to compensate for areas of weakness – which hides the fact that they are really struggling, and also obscures their giftedness. It is easy to understand that a child who can converse with adults in complex jargon (about topics such as evolution or dinosaurs) would be embarrassed about his inability to add numbers together, and try to hide his difficulty. Children like this commonly use their cleverness to work overtime, in order to compensate for (and hide) their weaknesses. Thus, it could be said that their ‘abilities and disabilities mask each other.’ 
It is crucial to nurture and emphasise the talents and strengths of these children, providing support and fostering confidence, to help them forward. We must allow these children to work and learn from these strengths in order to boost their (often low) self-esteem.
To give an example: a non-gifted student who has learning difficulties may benefit from remedial reading, gaining confidence in their ability to accomplish reading tasks and deal with challenges. However, such an approach will be unlikely to work with a gifted child. Because they are so far advanced in other areas, they will view such basic remedial tasks as being beneath them. In short, they do not perceive remedial work as being challenging enough, and thus be hesitant to try it. It can be very demoralising for a child when they have superior intellect, yet struggle to keep up with their peers in classwork.
Homeschooling can be a beneficial option for gifted children with learning difficulties, as it allows each school subject to be taught at different levels, to accommodate both a child’s talents and their weaknesses.





Giftedness – The Importance of Mentors
Gifted children can benefit significantly from a mentor – that is, a creative and productive person who can facilitate a child’s enrichment and development through teaching, and inspiring, providing counsel, vital resources and access to new knowledge.
Anyone can be a mentor to a gifted child. Mentors play an important role in supplementing a gifted child’s education by providing valuable experiences.
personal mentor can be anyone who the child sees as a role model; who captures their interest and is willing to impart their time, talents, skills and knowledge. This could be a dedicated teacher, parent or other relative, a neighbour or friend.
resource mentor may be someone from the community with specific expertise, such as a musician, author or archaeologist. Another excellent source of resource mentors is a university or college, where professors and others at the top of their fields can help to fully develop the talents and passions of gifted children.
If planning to choose a mentor for your gifted child, it is critical to find one who is appropriate in every way:
  • Their area of expertise and passion must match the interest of the gifted child. It is important that they derive joy and excitement from their area of skill, to foster enthusiasm in the child.
  • Their teaching style should be suited to the child’s learning style. They should be understanding and sensitive to the specific needs of the gifted child. They should be flexible and provide intellectual stimulation.
  • Above all, their interest should be in the gifted child as an individual. A mentor should encourage confidence and self-esteem. For older children and adolescents, the right mentor can have a maturing effect, helping them to focus on personal success and future career decisions.