Characteristics of Giftedness
The NCSD in alignment with OARs identify exceptional students in three categories: intellectually gifted,
academically talented in mathematics, or academically talented in reading. Many of the following characteristics
are common to gifted students across the nation regardless of cultural, ethnic, social or economic influences.
When looking for characteristics of giftedness in a student, it is important to understand that talented and
gifted students rarely display all those listed, and some may be considered negative rather than positive.
Intellectually Gifted
• Divergent thinker
• Scores high on mental abilities test
but may not be high on
achievement tests
• Tries to discover the how and why
of things
• Problems with time management
• Strong connections to persons,
living things, & places
• Underachievement/doesn’t enjoy
school
• Unorganized - needs to create own
organizational system
• Discrepancy between intellectual
functioning & social skills
• Mental quickness
• Mental flexibility
• Becomes absorbed & involved in
own interests
• Heightened need to seek
understanding & truth, to gain
knowledge, to analyze, & to
synthesize
• Penchant for probing questions,
problem solving; preoccupation
w/ logic & theoretical thinking
• Has high expectations of self
& others which may lead to high
levels of frustration with self,
others, & situations
• Rebels against irrelevant learning
requirements
• An independent thinker & seeks
to act independently
• May tend to be a loner, doesn’t
work well w/others
• Explores special interests not
usually associated w/peers &
relates well w/adults
Math Talent
• Derives solutions & conveys
thinking through the use of
mathematical equations & words
• Grasps concepts; makes quick
valid generalizations
• Likes logic & problem-solving
games; can anticipate ahead
• Likes collecting data
• Persistent & willing to do assigned
tasks
• Tends to be organized
• Advanced computation skills
• Acquires basic skills rapidly &
with minimum practice
• Tends to be achiever & enjoy
school
• Is impatient with detail & drill,
which may result in gaps in basic
skills
• Usually appears attentive
• Able to focus on more than 1 task
at a time
• Wants to know “right way” or
“right answer”
• Convergent thinker (logical &
analytical)
• Prefers complex tasks & processes
information in complex ways
• Concrete, sequential learner
• Generates many ideas & multiple
solutions to problems
• May withdraw & not be the “brain”
affects friendships
• Demonstrates good decision
making/ evaluation skills
• More conventional learner
• More task or product orientation
Reading Talent
• Chooses to read a variety of
challenging materials
• Demonstrates comprehension by
making inferences, analyzing
content, applying materials read
through life experiences, &
seeking author’s purpose
• Silent reading for extended
periods of time
• More conventional learner
• Tends to be an achiever & enjoy
school
• Extends vocabulary with new
words encountered in print
• Uses appropriate self-correction
skills
• More task or product orientation
• Scans, skims, or reads carefully as required by the reading task
• Expresses self fluently, clearly, &
forcefully with words, numbers,
& creative products
• Reads advanced materials beyond
age & grade expectancy
• May demonstrate unusual writing
ability
• Convergent thinker (logical,
analytical)
• Tends to be organized
• Concrete, sequential learner
• Not a risk taker
• Demonstrates good decision
making/evaluation skills
• Able to focus on more than 1 task
at a time
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