How to identify gifted children?

Intelligence is a very decisive factor for human life. For this reason, intelligence is a concept that should be paid attention to in childhood. However, the status of “gifted intelligence” and being gifted is also a highly contentious issue. Especially when it comes to children. Today, many neurologists and neuropsychologists argue that only children with a certain IQ can be considered gifted. However, many educators and scholars from different disciplines believe that the concept of giftedness should be used in such a way that it includes children who show skills and abilities in different areas. So what is this giftedness or giftedness? How are gifted children identified, what are the signs of giftedness? Let’s see together what science has to say on this important issue…

What is the concept of giftedness?

The concept of giftedness usually refers to the fact that a person is more successful in some types of cognitive activity than their peers. However, this is a very controversial concept. Especially when it comes to gifted children, there is no common denominator for the scientific world. However, in most cases, children who pass an IQ test and score more than 97 are considered gifted.

So how are gifted children different from their peers?

To answer this question, it is useful to get to know gifted children better. Theo Costa Ribeiro, who lives in Brazil, is one of millions of gifted children. Theo said his first words when he was only 6 months old. When he was a little over a year old, he began to form logical sentences, and he was sent to kindergarten. Theo, a gifted child, learned to read and write before he was 3 years old. Realizing that Theo was not a normal child, his teachers advised the boy’s parents that their son should take an IQ test. The test results startled the Ribeiro family. According to the result, Theo’s intelligence was above the level of giftedness.

Another thing that sets Theo apart from his peers is his high intellectual and emotional level. When Theo was only 5 years old, he acted on the intellectual level of a 15 year old. For this reason, his family describes Theo as “sometimes a 5-year-old boy who likes to play with dinosaurs, sometimes he wants to watch cartoons, and sometimes a teenager who likes to have philosophical discussions.”

Another gifted child from Brazil is 8-year-old Nicole Peixoto.

Like Theo, Nicole said her first word when she was 6 months old. From a very young age, he loved most to play with paper and pencil. In the following years, Nicole taught herself to play the piano and began to do mathematical calculations well above her level…

Today, many families believe that their child exhibits mature views from an early age and therefore can be gifted.

However, this idea has no equivalent in the scientific world. For a child to be considered gifted, he or she must pass a series of tests, including an IQ test designed to measure a child’s intellectual abilities, and score above a certain level. Of course, these measurements must be carried out under the supervision of neurologists, psychologists and educators who are experts in their fields.

What are the signs of giftedness?

Although a child must pass a series of tests and score above a certain point to be considered gifted, there are some signs that may indicate that children are gifted:

• acute curiosity
• Vocabulary not by age
• high intellectual potential
• Ease of learning
• leadership, confidence
• Stability
• good memory
• Creativity
• Easy adaptation to new ideas
• Observation and ability to analyze

Some scholars argue that in order for a person to be considered gifted, they must have certain emotional and social characteristics.

Experts state that gifted people often have a high level of empathy, and they are also more sensitive than other people. In addition, a strong sense of justice, high powers of observation, and easy-to-spot details can also be signs of superior intelligence.

According to scientists, children with the potential for giftedness should be identified using appropriate tests.

Otherwise, such children may lose interest in school from an early age and these children may experience various behavioral problems. Because children are not raised properly. Neuroscientist Dr. Fabiano de Abreu on “YThere are too many gifted kids who don’t get good grades in school because they don’t get stimulated. Sometimes repetitive teaching methods or class structure make these children uncomfortable and unable to develop their abilities.” uses expressions.

On the other hand, in many countries there is no application that would formally classify gifted children. For this reason, gifted children are often noticed by their teachers, family, or friends. Accordingly, it is believed that the number of gifted children around the world far exceeds official figures.

Some experts divide gifted people into two groups

The first group includes those who are successful in school and are able to assimilate scientific data. According to some experts, these people constitute an “academic group”. Those in the other group are called “creatively productive.” So a sign of giftedness is not only academic success. Giftedness can also be seen in non-academic fields such as the arts and sports.

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