SIGNS OF GIFTEDNESS

They're interested in everything
.. and always ask "why?"
 
 

Gifted kids focus really well
..for long periods of time
 
 

They learn things quickly
..and solve problems on their own
 
 

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Of every 100 children, at least two can be classified as outstandingly high in intellectual, creative or social ability. Giftedness knows not creed, colour or class. The gifted learn quickly. As infants, gifted children pass the early milestones rapidly, talking early and learning to read before starting school. They have a thirst for knowledge of unusual subjects, and ask questions with insatiable curiosity.


These children are tomorrow’s leaders, scientists, artists, musicians and managing directors; their potential represents a national asset we cannot waste. We should take action to ensure that these national assets are identified and developed.

The National Association for Gifted Children, Malaysia (NAGCM) grew out of a National Symposium and Workshop on Gifted Children, jointly organized by the Faculty of Education, University of Malaya and the Malaysian Mensa Society in March-April 1986.

The Symposium and Workshop gathered together all those concerned with the identification and development of gifted children, to discuss the techniques and strategies required to solve the problems faced by the parents and teachers of these gifted children. The response was overwhelming. For the first time in the country, parents of gifted children realised that they were not alone, and could also give voice to their problems and frustrations. They also decided that something could be done to help themselves. A unanimous decision was taken at the conclusion of the Workshop to form a national association for gifted children, and a pro-tem committee was immediately elected. An inaugural meeting was held in July 1986, and the Association was registered in May 1987.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, IN A NUTSHELL
(Source cited below)

1. Gifted children have SPECIAL NEEDS. They are NOT like other children and ignoring their giftedness leads to later emotional problems. This is because gifted development is asynchronous, meaning different aspects of the child's development progress at different rates - for example, a particular 7 year old child may be reading at the level of an average 10 year old, doing maths at the level of an average 14 year old, but only have the emotional maturity of a typical 4 year old. This uneven development can lead to serious problems if not understood and handled correctly. It is therefore important to identify your gifted child as such.
2. Giftedness is not limited to only child prodigies and the profoundly gifted. Another big area of misunderstanding about giftedness is we tend to think of the gifted as those prodigies or those profoundly/exceptionally gifted - however, "gifted" typically applies to the top 2% of the population, with a "qualifying IQ" of 130. This means that statistically 1 in 50 are gifted, not such a rare occurence after all - but also not so common considering there still remain 49 out of 50 not classified as such.
3. Mildly, moderately, highly and profoundly gifted children are as different from each other as mildly, moderately, severely and profoundly retarded children are from each other, but the differences among levels of giftedness are rarely recognized.
4. When one child in the family is identified as gifted, the chances are great that all members of the family are gifted.
5. Giftedness can be observed in the first three years by rapid progression through the developmental milestones. These milestones should be documented and taken seriously as evidence of giftedness. Early identification of advanced development is as essential as early identification of any other exceptionality. Early intervention promotes optimal development.
6. Gifted children's IQ scores become depressed at approximately 9 years of age due to ceiling effects of the test. The ideal age for testing is between 4 and 8.
7. Gifted children often have hidden learning disabilities.
8. Children in the top and bottom 3 percent of the population have atypical developmental patterns and require differentiated instruction. Children in the top and bottom 10 percent of the population are not statistically or developmentally different from children in the top and bottom 15 percent, and it is not justifiable to single them out for special treatment.