The number of gifted persons is not very large, but the problem is how to define or know who is gifted. A child whose IQ is 137 or above is considered gifted, determined based on a standardized intelligence test. This rule of thumb may differ slightly from culture to culture. Somehow or other IQ only did not appeal to modern researchers as the sole characteristic of the gifted. In this article, you will get to know in detail, “What is a gifted child“, and “Characteristics of gifted children“.
Giftedness has some interchangeable terms. Those are Intellectual giftedness, academic giftedness, creativity, and talent. Intellectual giftedness children have an unusual ability to deal with abstract and symbolic learning. They may or may not do well in school. Academic giftedness children possess the skills and abilities necessary to perform well in school-related tasks. These skills and abilities are memory, logical reasoning, and the ability to make meaningful associations of facts and ideas. These children have convergent thinking. Creativity refers to an original or unique creation of products or ideas. Talent can be identified as an unusually high aptitude, ability, or level of performance in a particular field. I:e; art, music, literature, social, etc. Gifted children make a superior mental ability group.
What is a Gifted Child?
Gifted children cognitive abilities place them in the upper 3 to 5 percent of the population. The academically gifted child possess the IQ of 130 or above. The gifted children have superior cognitive ability, creativeness in thinking and production and superior talent in special areas. The gifted child potential and intellectual powers are high in both productive and evaluative thinking which can be reasonably assumed. If adequate educational experiences would be provided, they could be the future problem solvers, evaluators and innovators of the culture.
The combined efforts of the family, school, and community require to develop the potentiality in gifted children. The incidence of giftedness is equally present in males and females.
Gifted child is academically superior in learning ability. They usually learn faster, remember it for longer time than the average or normal children. They are highly motivated and have strong drive or initiative in undertaking challenges in intellectual work. Their language and communication is high. The mathematical and reasoning abilities are of superior standard besides creative arts and experimenting nature. They often ask curious questions. They have more of persistence and concentration.
Gifted Students
The gifted child possesses a more adjusted nature at home and school. They are emotionally stable and self-confident. They display a positive self-concept. Their play and leisure time activities are wide and varied. They are more resourceful.
The gifted children are well accepted in the class. They have a better socio-metric index. In most cases, they display more talents in arts, music, painting, etc. Giftedness is found without variation in sex.
The gifted students are free from serious maladjustment problems. However, some of the most talented children may have adjustment difficulties. They are readily accepted for their social behaviors. The gifted child will more co-operate with peers and teachers. They participate in many & different social activities.
Gifted students like companions who are slightly older than them & of their level. They have interests in every field throughout their lives. These students are interested in various hobbies and leisure time activities. They are not reclusive, introverted, and disinterested in their communities.
In the learning field, their rate of learning is fast, and remembering is for a longer time. Their language development is refined and elaborated. They display independent and original thinking and high problem-solving ability. They exhibit novelty in expression. These children can delay gratification. They have a greater range of interests. The gifted child displays superior abilities from different cultural backgrounds. Let’s discuss “50 Characteristics of a Gifted Child“.
Characteristics of Gifted Children
Common Characteristics of Gifted Children
- Performance is better in specific problem-solving tasks.
- Most reasoning ability displayed in problem-solving.
- Action-oriented.
- More productive in individual situations and small groups.
- High aspiration for prestigious occupations, High motivation for physical activities.
- Learning in visual mode is better than in auditory mode.
- Display goal-oriented behavior.
- Preservance is very high.
- Analytic perceptual ability.
- The level of learning of these children is equivalent to or expected of the older students.
- Reading starts at an earlier age.
- Awareness of uncommon things.
- High ability for symbolic thinking.
- Curiosity behavior.
- Large vocabulary for the age level.
- Matured and expressive ability.
- Ability to apply knowledge in unfamiliar situations.
- Good problem-solving ability.
- Longer attention span.
- Disliking for a rigid schedule.
- Annoyance with details.
- Intensive interest in one area.
- Diverse interests.
- High energy level.
- Self-critical and higher aspiration level.
- Thinking is faster.
- Poor study habits lead to careless work in certain cases.
- Requires fewer trials to learn.
- Extraordinary memory.
Physical Characteristics of Gifted Children
- Greater weight, height, strength of grip, and shoulder and hip width.
- Early walking and talking.
- Earlier pubescence.
- Early precious detention in the stage of development.
- Better than average nutrition.
- Superior motor ability.
- Less defective hearing and mouth breathing.
- Less stuttering and nervous symptoms.
Learning Characteristics
- Advanced vocabulary for age and grade level.
- Independent reading habits prefer advanced-level books.
- Quick mastery and recall of factual information.
- Grasp of underlying principles, ability to make valid generalizations.
Motivational Characteristics
- Self Starting
- Persistence in task completion
- Striving for perfection
- Bored with routine tasks
Creativity characteristics
- Greater curiosity among many things, originality in problems solving
- Less concern with conformism
Leadership Characteristics
- Self-confidence and success with peers
- Ready shouldering of responsibility
- Easy adaptations to new situations and changes in timetable
Conclusion
No child reveals all these above-identifiable behaviors. But these are by and large present in the gifted child. Some can be observed more readily and in informal settings. However, giftedness is identified using testing procedures from quite an early age. Early identification is necessary.