How can I tell if my child is gifted?
Wavebreak Media
Though all children have their own talents, only a small percentage of children are truly gifted -- about 6 percent of K-12 students in the United States are academically gifted, according to The National Association for Gifted Children.
"Giftedness is often clear without a test," says Winner. Strong indications that your child is somewhere on this spectrum include speaking at a very young age, reading at an early age, being obsessed with math, doing mental arithmetic at a very young age or being extremely curious.
For example, an artistically gifted child will draw very realistic images at a very young age (say three years old). Their stick figure would have a head, neck, shoulders, etc.
Likewise, if your child is extraordinarily gifted in music, they will likely demonstrate an intense interest in music and may be able to mimic musical melodies after simply hearing them.
Testing for giftedness can be tricky, as traditional intelligence tests may not paint the full picture of a child's ability to learn and there aren't any standard measures of artistic or athletic abilities. Nearly all school districts have achievement, intelligence, or creativity tests for students wanting to get into gifted academic or arts programs. If you feel like your child isn't getting the education he or she needs, these tests may be a good starting point for proving your child's expertise.
Wavebreak Media
Though all children have their own talents, only a small percentage of children are truly gifted -- about 6 percent of K-12 students in the United States are academically gifted, according to The National Association for Gifted Children.
"Giftedness is often clear without a test," says Winner. Strong indications that your child is somewhere on this spectrum include speaking at a very young age, reading at an early age, being obsessed with math, doing mental arithmetic at a very young age or being extremely curious.
For example, an artistically gifted child will draw very realistic images at a very young age (say three years old). Their stick figure would have a head, neck, shoulders, etc.
Likewise, if your child is extraordinarily gifted in music, they will likely demonstrate an intense interest in music and may be able to mimic musical melodies after simply hearing them.
Testing for giftedness can be tricky, as traditional intelligence tests may not paint the full picture of a child's ability to learn and there aren't any standard measures of artistic or athletic abilities. Nearly all school districts have achievement, intelligence, or creativity tests for students wanting to get into gifted academic or arts programs. If you feel like your child isn't getting the education he or she needs, these tests may be a good starting point for proving your child's expertise.