Highly Gifted
Ree Aguirre, Amy Roark, Lynda Rowe and Melissa Sanford
Levels of Giftedness
● Gifted/moderately gifted (G or MG)
○ Score between 130 and 145 (132-148
SB-4) on Full Scale IQ score WISC-III,
WPPSI-R, SB-4, SB L-M
○ Tend to well in regular classroom with
differentiation, gifted pull out program
or mild acceleration in areas of
strength.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/highly_profoundly.htm
● Highly gifted (HG)
○ Score between 145 and 160 (148-160
SB-4) on Full Scale IQ score WISC-III,
WPPSI-R, SB-4, SB L-M
○ Tend to do well in congregated gifted
classes which are offered in a few large
districts in the U.S.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/highly_profoundly.htm
● Exceptionally gifted (EG)
○ Score between 160 and 180 (SB L-M
only) on Full Scale IQ score WISC-III,
WPPSI-R, SB-4, SB L-M
○ May do well in schools using a
combination of congregated gifted
classrooms and accelerated curriculum.
○ Commonly homeschooled for part of
their education.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/highly_profoundly.htm
● Profoundly gifted (PG)
○ Score of 180 and above (SB L-M only)
on Full Scale IQ score WISC-III, WPPSI-R,
SB-4, SB L-M
○ May do well in schools using a
combination of congregated gifted
classrooms and accelerated curriculum.
○ Commonly homeschooled for part of
their education.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/highly_profoundly.htm
Infancy and Toddlerhood
Research study group findings from the
Gifted Development Center indicate common
threads and trends among the highly gifted.
• Mothers tended to be older than the norm.
Mean age at time of birth = 30.8
• 94% were very alert as infants
• 91% showed early language development
• 99.4% have an extensive vocabulary
Infancy and Toddlerhood
• The mean age at which the children spoke
their first word was 9 months.
• The mean age the children can sight read an
easy reader was before the age of four.
• 99.3% have excellent memory
• 95.9% have an excellent sense of humor
• 99.3% reason well
• 96.1% are mature for their age at times
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/whatisgifted/pg.htm
Infancy and Toddlerhood
• 93.8% have a keen sense of observation
• 93.4% have a vivid imagination
• 89.4% have facility with puzzles and legos
• 88.3% are perfectionistic
And socially…
• 93.5% have compassion for others
• 90.3% are concerned with justice and fairness
• 84.1% question authority
• 90% were described by parents as “sensitive”
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/whatisgifted/pg.htm
The Early Years of Highly Gifted
Students
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Frequently placed at risk in early years.
Sometimes try to conceal ability to be
accepted by peers.
Teachers are not usually trained and
therefore not aware of giftedness.
Parents are more successful than teachers
in identifying giftedness in the early years.
One of the most powerful indicators of
giftedness in the early years is reading
before the age of 5.
http://giftedkids.about.com/od/extremelygifted/Extremely_or_Profoundly
_Gifted_Children.htm
Myths of Highly Gifted Students
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Gifted students should be with students
their own age.
Gifted students are better off if they spend
their entire school day with same age ,
heterogeneous classmates.
Being perfectly well rounded should be the
primary goal for gifted student
development.
Being gifted is something with which you
are just born with.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/highly_profoundly.htm
Myths of Highly Gifted Students
•
Almost everyone involved with gifted
education is an expert on the social and
emotional development of gifted students.
• Adults know what gifted students
experience.
• Being too smart in school is a problem,
especially for girls.
• All kids are gifted, and no kids are
gifted.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/highly_profoundly.htm
Social Issues of Highly Gifted
Students
• Being gifted can make a child feel
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different. It is important to get them
together with other gifted children who
understand them.
Can deal with abstract concepts
intellectually, but not emotionally. This
can lead to concerns about issues such as
death and the future.
Perfectionism may lead to frustration
when trying to complete a physical task.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/highly_profoundly.htm
Social Issues of Highly Gifted
Students
• Can be argumentative and/or
manipulative.
• Advanced vocabulary and sense of humor
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can cause gifted children to be
misunderstood.
Perfectionism can lead to fear of failure
which can cause them to refuse to try
certain tasks.
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/highly_profoundly.htm
Educating the profoundly gifted
student
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Acceleration in one or more subject areas
A mentor in an interest area
Homeschooling
Individualized, self paced program in one or
more subjects.
● Exploring topics of individual interest
● Early admission to gifted program
● Cluster grouping with other gifted children
in a regular classroom
http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10162.as
px#challanges in education needs
Characteristics of Highly Gifted
• An extreme need for constant mental
stimulation
• An ability to rapidly learn and process
complex information
• A need to study topics in depth
• Insatiable curiosity; endless questions
and inquiries
http://www.davidsongifted.org/Article/About_Us_318.aspx
Characteristics of Highly Gifted
• Ability to focus on a subject of interest
for long periods of time
• Inability to focus on a subject not
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intellectually challenging even if
presented in small chunks
A need for precise thinking and
expression-answer questions with “that
depends…”
http://www.davidsongifted.org/Article/About_Us_318.aspx
Characteristics of Highly Gifted
• Early development to think abstractly to
a high degree
• Ability to visualize models and systems
• Unusual capacity for memory
• Ability from an early age, and prefer, to
think in metaphors and symbols
• Emotionally Sensitive
• Unusual intensity and depth of feeling
http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10299.aspx
Characteristics of Highly Gifted
• Highly developed morals and ethics and
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unusual and early insight into social and
moral issues
An extraordinarily high energy level
A need for the world to be logical and
fair
Conviction of correctness of personal
ideas and beliefs
have extensive vocabulary
http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/What_is_Gifted/pg.htm
http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10299.aspx
Parents Providing an
Enriched Environment
• provide positive emotional support
• provide a nutritious diet with adequate
vitamins, minerals, calories and protein
• provide a stimulating environment that
encourage learning in a fun way by
exploring and peeking curiosity
http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10299.aspx
Parents Providing an
Enriched Environment
• provide a stimulating environment
without undue stress and pressure
• include activities that are cognitive,
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physical, affective, and intuitive to
ensure well balanced brain growth
allow the child to be an active
participant rather than passive
http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10299.aspx
Davidson Institute
• Founded by Bob and Jan Davidson
• Founded to help gifted and talented
students who might be underserved
• Davidson Young Scholars was developed
to recognize profoundly intelligent
students and provide services based on
particular needs.
http://www.davidsongifted.org/default.aspx