Supporting
GIFTED Learners How parents can advocate for academically gifted kids in a meaningful way.
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BY RONNIE KOENIG
he term gifted is often thrown around when it comes to high-achieving kids but what does it really mean? Having a gifted child means your learner shows above-average ability that can result in intellectual and creative achievements at a young age. Gifted children are capable of high levels of performance, but many are also in need of special attention, especially when it comes to their social and emotional development. Some gifted kids may perform above average in one area but lack skills in another.
IDENTIFYING GIFTEDNESS “It is actually up to the child’s school district to identify each student for gifted services,” says Lynne Henwood, president of the New Jersey Association for Gifted Children. “Each district has their own identification process based on the needs of their student population. This process should consist of different types of assessments (portfolios, observations, creativity tests, etc.) and not just testing.” It’s important that parents understand that a label of “gifted” should not be the end goal, Henwood says. “The goal should be matching learning needs with services,” she says. “If a child is exhibiting gifted behaviors as a preschooler, the best course of action for a parent is to harness interests and curiosities by exposing them to new experiences, providing an environment that invites inquiry, reading to their child and allowing them to experiment and explore.” “The ideal timing for a child to be evaluated clinically for giftedness is during early childhood, beginning at four years of age, if possible,” says D’Arcy Natale, managing director of The Gifted Child Society in Ramsey. Natale says it’s important to note that although early identification is ideal, a child may be evaluated for giftedness at any time between the ages of 4 and 16. “This is particularly helpful for parents or educators who may not be aware of or recognize traits
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NEW JERSEY FAMILY
BIG BOOK OF EDUCATION
of giftedness in children until later developmental stages.” Clinical cognitive assessments administered by psychologists are the ideal means of identifying giftedness, says Natale. “These assessments are conducted one-one-one with licensed or certified psychologists and can take up to 1.5 hours for a screening or 2-3 hours for an in-depth assessment.” Natale notes that test scores and grades alone do not accurately define a gifted child, as their individual challenges and gifted traits can create obstacles to their success in the classroom. Finding an IQ score is not always the necessary course of action, since it can be an expensive pursuit and doesn’t always tell the whole story of the child, says Henwood. “An IQ score that is not in the gifted range does not mean that a child doesn’t have gifted potential or abilities, and a school does not need to accept outside testing in their identification process.”
GIFTED THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEARS Gifted programming differs from school to school, as well
