What Are the Characteristics of a Gifted Child?

Their children are gifted Most parents ask, “Is my child gifted?” they start to think. So what is this superior intelligence? What are the signs of giftedness? We told them all in this article! Is it a chance or a challenge for families? How should parents behave and guide their children in this situation?

Who is called gifted?

People who have higher potential than their peers and can use this potential correctly are called gifted. These people can also be called high-intelligence or super-intelligent. In order for a person to be called gifted, their IQ level must be above 135.

What are the characteristics of a gifted child?

If you see superior features, ideas and actions in your child for his age, the first thing in your mind is “How can a gifted child be understood?” question will appear. So what are the symptoms of a gifted child?

Mental characteristics of the gifted child

Among the behaviors of the gifted child are the following;

• It is quite creative.
• He/she can think about the issues from multiple perspectives.
• He is more careful than his peers.
• He can grasp situations much more quickly.
• It has a long-term memory. He does not forget quickly and remembers easily.
• Begins to be interested in numbers or mathematics at an early age.
• He can learn to read at an early age and by himself.
• They memorize very easily.
• He learns quickly.
• It solves problems in many different ways.
• Asks a lot of questions.
• The desire to explore is high.
• He makes unexpected plans.
• It is self-confident.
• Can use words accurately and completely.
• They have high moral values ​​and cannot remain silent against injustice.
• He enjoys discussions.
• He likes to talk about deep topics.
• They have serious goals.

Physical characteristics of gifted child

• His health is normal.
• Usually very active. Therefore, it can be considered as hyperactive.
• He doesn’t like to sleep much.
• Their senses are highly developed.

How are gifted people identified? What is the giftedness test?

If your child has the above-mentioned signs of giftedness, you should consult a specialist immediately. Because if gifted people are not noticed at a young age and do not receive the appropriate education, these abilities can be blunted.

A gifted child must pass a giftedness test in order to be identified. So where is the giftedness test done? You can have this test done at a suitable center by contacting the Institute for the Gifted or consulting a pedagogue. According to the results of this test, you can understand whether your child is gifted or not.

This test is also known as the IQ test, and as we mentioned above, your child must get above 135 points from this test.

Is giftedness related to late speech?

Gifted children often have early speech. However, many high-intelligence children also have dyslexia . There is also the problem of speaking late in the dyslexia problem. For this reason, if your child did not start talking in time to fully understand the problem, it is useful to show it to a specialist.

How should a gifted child be educated?

These children, who have different characteristics compared to their peers, need to receive a special education. There are some schools that provide this education. These are not referred to as gifted schools in the literature, but there are classes specially opened for these children. These schools open a certain quota for gifted children every year and students can apply to these schools. However, before applying to these schools, necessary reports are made in the Guidance and Research Services (RAM) affiliated to the Ministry of National Education and the child is directed to the schools according to these reports.

For the education of gifted students, of course, gifted children are given education in private colleges and institutions apart from public schools.

Apart from these, children can also receive special education on weekends in institutions known as Science and Art Centers (Bilsem). These centers offer activities, project work and one-on-one lessons for gifted students.

Negative aspects of the gifted child

Let’s talk a little bit about the problems of gifted children.

• There may be school mismatches. Because these children are perfectionists and individuals with a high desire for success. Therefore, they may behave incompatible with their environment.
• They may feel pressured by the high expectations of their parents. But it should not be forgotten that these children also have the possibility of making mistakes.
• They may experience social difficulties. Constantly giving correct answers to questions, high success rates may cause other children to exclude them.
• They can become introverted because they can’t find people to share with. Because, as the level of intelligence increases, they cannot establish a bond with other children and find their communication insufficient.

A pedagogical support may be helpful for gifted children to overcome such problems.