Characteristics of Giftedness
Exceptionally bright students come from all economic, cultural, geographic and linguistic backgrounds. They may have trouble fitting in because they are able to learn more or at a faster pace than most of their age peers. Some exceptionally bright students are physically or learning disabled, some have divergent learning styles, and some have emotional or social problems. Some may be a year ahead of their age peers in a particular subject; others may be four or five years ahead. Some may make straight A's and others may drop out of school.
Awareness of bright children's individual differences is necessary so that they can be identified and have their unique needs addressed.
Exceptionally bright, gifted, high-ability, very able...
Exceptionally bright students are called "gifted" in most countries. In England they sometime use the phrase "very able" and in Nebraska they use the phrase "high ability learners." Some states use the phrase "gifted and talented" to indicate that they are including students with exceptional abilities outside core academics, such as visual and performing arts and leadership. In Tennessee, special education law requires that districts identify and provide services for "intellectually gifted" students, but districts are free to expand the state's definition to serve more students in general education programs. Most Tennessee school districts serve bright children using a mixture of options in special and regular education.
Academic potential is not the only aspect of being exceptionally bright; there are social and emotional aspects, including those associated with fitting in with peers and experiencing life in different ways. To capture these aspects, Dr. Martha Morelock, a psychologist in Tennessee, co-developed the following definition of giftedness: "Giftedness is asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally."
Identifying characteristics and behavior
An exceptionally bright child may have several, but usually not all, of the following characteristics. Many times children learn to hide these traits to please teachers or parents, or to fit in with other children. Some characteristics may be masked by mild learning disabilities. That's why proper assessment is so important -- it can reveal hidden intellectual abilities and deficiencies that informal observation can miss.
Also see the lists by RISAC and the CEC (self-scoring).
Economically disadvantaged
There are significant numbers of economically disadvantaged students who do not meet traditional criteria for gifted programs. These students sometimes lack the home support and educational enrichment -- and in extreme cases adequate nutrition, sleep, and housing -- to perform as well as advantaged students in school and on tests. In 1998, Tennessee changed it gifted identification criteria to be more flexible so that more gifted students who are economically disadvantaged can be identified.
Racially, culturally, & linguistically diverse
Some of the tests used to identify gifted students are biased against cultural minorities and limited English proficient students. Test companies have made great strides in recent years to make their tests culturally fair. Several nonverbal tests are also helping to identify more students who do not speak English well. In 1998, Tennessee added gifted assessment categories that reduced the importance of traditional IQ and achievement tests, adding measures of creative potential.
Recent research indicates that high-ability behaviors exhibited by students who are in a racial, cultural, or linguistic minority reflect their sociocultural upbringing. Additional training for school psychologists and teachers may be required to increase identification of these students for gifted programs.
Low-incidence/highly gifted
Highly gifted children tend to be those who demonstrate severely asynchronous development. Due to their high cognitive abilities and high intensities they experience and relate to the world in unique ways. These children are often found as a result of extremely high scores on individually scored IQ tests, generally above the 140 IQ range. Current research suggests that there may be higher incidence of children in this high range than previously thought. Due to their unique characteristics, these children are particularly vulnerable. Highly gifted children need a specialized advocacy because very little has been done to develop appropriate curriculum and nontraditional options for these children.
Underachievers
Bright students are susceptible to underachivement. Test may show they have mastered a subject area or have high abilities, but they do not bring home good grades or the the quality of their work is poor. Sometimes they "coast" for too many years and lose their study habits. Sometimes they try to fit in with their age peers and "dumb themselves down." Bright, underachieving students could have a learning disability or an attention problem. Occasionally bright students struggle with social or emotional concerns that are getting in the way of their school performance.
Gender differences
Boys and girls often have different attitudes about academic work. Teachers and parents sometimes expect more from girls or boys, and children change their behavior to fit these expectations.
Visual-spatial learners
Some children think more in pictures than in words, and receive information more efficiently in pictures. This means that the traditional classroom which emphasizes verbal instruction is not the optimal educational environment for these children. Many of the world's greatest scientists, artists, and scholars did poorly in school for this reason.
Bright and disabled
Twice-exceptional students are gifted students with physical or learning difficulties. These students are often overlooked because their learning disabilities mask their potential.
Rural/isolated
Rural students face challenges that don't exist in more populated areas. When schools have few students, it is difficult to justify a "special" class for advanced students. Often rural districts emphasize vocational education instead of college preparatory academics. Fewer AP and honors classes are offered, and high school courses such as Algebra 1 are not always offered in middle school. Rural students need to use distance learning options, home schooling, grade-skipping, and dual enrollment to access advanced instruction.
Social/emotional issues
Exceptionally bright children sometimes are extremely introverted and sensitive. Others may have trouble forming friends among age peers and as a result may feel isolated. Perfectionism is a problem for many bright children. These children will need additional support from parents and teachers.