Signs of a Gifted Child

Wondering what exactly is considered “giftedness”? Interested in knowing what points to a child with exceptional abilities? UPC’s Gifted Committee provides the following information about various signs of giftedness you may see in your child (taken from "Stand Up for Your Gifted Child" by Joan Franklin Smutney):

Advanced Intellectual Ability

rapid learner
advanced reader
precise and detailed memory
curiosity

Creativity (= thinking differently, not specific talent)

fluency (good brainstormer)
flexibility (looks for alternatives)
originality (reviews all possibilities)
elaboration (applies discoveries to new situations)

Heightened Sensibilities (= ability to be deeply internally involved)

extreme sensitivity (multiple and complex sensations)
unusually empathetic responses
intuition (exceptional insight beyond their years)
probes beyond surface, tries to interpret differently
perfectionism

Asynchronous Development (intellectual development differs from physical and emotional development). Gifted children do not necessarily display advanced reading and writing!

e.g., talks like an adult, has temper tantrums
e.g., thinks of projects, lacks motor skills to do them

Other factors affecting how/whether your child is perceived as gifted:

twice exceptional (e.g., ADD, learning disability, etc.)
school fails to identify until later (e.g., third grade)
girls/boys – gender stereotyping

Federal and state law recognize giftedness and the need for special instruction and services:

No Child Left Behind defines gifted and talented children as those 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 or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities." (Title IX, Part A, Section 9101(22)).
Arizona legislation defines a gifted child as one who, due to advanced learning ability, is not "...afforded an opportunity for otherwise attainable progress and development in regular classroom instruction and who needs special instruction or special ancillary services, or both, to achieve at levels commensurate with the child's intellect and ability." (ARS 15-761)