How Do You Identify A Gifted Child?
• Define “gifted” – there are almost as many definitions of giftedness as there are children. For elementary and secondary education in the United States, the standard, federally approved definition which we will use in this article is as follows: “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 and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities” – 1972 Marland Report to Congress • Consider that this could be hereditary, as giftedness often runs in families. This doesn’t make your child gifted, necessarily, but definitely increases the possibility. • Look for signs. Gifted children often have special characteristics that set them apart from other children. These can include, but are not limited to: • Excellent/above average problem solving skills • Long attention span • Unusual/vivid
