Gifted and Talented

 

ERIC Clearing House of Handicapped on Handicapped and Gifted Children (1985) cites three types of characteristics of gifted children: general behavioral, learning, and creative characteristics. A few of these characteristics are listed here, but to learn more, please contact any SISD administrator.

 

Gifted children’s behavior differs from that of their age-appropriate peers in the following ways:

 

•May learn to read early, with better comprehension of the nuances of the language

•Often read widely, quickly and have large vocabulary

•Commonly learn basic skills quickly with less practice

•Like to learn new things and willing to examine the unusual; highly inquisitive

•Usually respond well to parents, teachers, and other adults

 

Learning Characteristics:

•Have keen observation and can identify important details

•Take great pleasure in intellectual activities

•Readily see cause/effect relationships

•Often display a questioning attitude and seek information for its own sake

•Often skeptical, critical, and evaluative. Quick to spot inconsistencies

•Often attack complicated material by separating it into components for systematic analysis

 

•Fluent thinkers, able to generate possibilities

•Flexible thinkers, able to use different alternatives to solve problems

•Original thinkers, seeking new, unusual or unconventional associations

•Less intellectually inquisitive than their peers

•Often disagree spiritedly with other’s views

 

For more information see www.txgifted.org.

 

Testing for Gifted and Talented nominees is generally in the spring for the following school year.  If you have any questions pertaining to testing or nominations, please contact Sherry Rasmuson at 254-968-4664 ext. 6745.