Gifted how many

What even chart-busting toddlers and preschoolers don't need are special "gifted" programs or learning tools such as flash cards, educational DVDs or brain-building computer games.

There's no evidence that this "edu-tainment" does anything to boost children's intellectual ability. Most educators believe that kids don't benefit from academically oriented preschools, either. Far more important is having opportunities to explore without constraint -- and teachers and parents who know how to keep learning fun. Neuroscience research confirms that pleasure is what makes our brains want to repeat and remember an activity, and it's that kind of natural repetition that fuels learning.

This helps explain why play is everything to young children. It's how they learn, experiment, tinker, express creativity, work through feelings, practice socialization, develop language and math skills, and see the world in new ways. Pre-schools should mainly be play schools, centered on this kind of discovery learning and the teaching of basic social skills.

Many parents want their kids to start kindergarten being able to read Dr. Seuss, write their names and count to But a kid who can do all that is actually going to have a harder time than his peers in school if he can't also sit still and listen, take turns, share and follow directions. Those are the real skills teachers expect kindergartners to have.

If, for example, your child is very verbal, "you can make your language a little more complex, use more adjectives," said Nancy Robinson, Ph. She credits talking to month-old Seth and reading to him from infancy for his big vocabulary. I tell him what we're doing, what we're eating, where we're going," she said. Now he wants to "read" the books to her. Building on ability is known as "scaffolding. For example, if your child asks about a stop sign, you can describe the sign and explain its meaning.

Point out the letters S-T-O-P. Later, you can point out an "S" on a store name and then ask if she can find some more. Another idea for a curious, verbal child: Make Question Books. Scatter three or four notebooks around the house. If your child asks a question you either don't know the answer to or are too busy to answer, say, "Let's write it down. Enrichment doesn't have to cost money. There's learning in practically everything you do with a young child. Ultimately, the relationship between a child and his parents and teachers shapes his attitude toward learning.

Aim to be a gentle guide, not a high-pressure coach. Cecilia Jerkatis says her son Kyle, 3, keeps her on her toes as she looks for stimulating activities for him. Yet at the same time that the mom in Albuquerque, New Mexico, wonders whether her clever, verbal boy is gifted, she also wonders whether the label matters.

If initial screenings indicate potential giftedness, then a psychologist administers a full-scale IQ test or other aptitude evaluation. If initial screening does not indicate potential giftedness, parents can appeal the decision and request further testing, or even pay for private testing themselves.

Parents who pay for their own testing should make sure to find out if the results will be accepted by school officials. In many schools, students who are not deemed gifted by initial or full screenings can be re-evaluated after a year. Some schools consider a student with an IQ score of or more to be gifted. Other schools require students to meet multiple criteria. If a student meets his or her school's criteria for gifted education, goals are created for that student in what is usually called a gifted individualized education plan GIEP.

Many states require that parents or guardians, teachers, and administrative staff meet to develop an instruction plan that covers:. In many states, GIEPs may call for parents or guardians, teachers, and administrative staff to meet annually to review progress and possibly revise the plan.

Each GIEP is customized to each child's individual abilities, because gifted students can vary greatly in their strengths. For example, some may be gifted in math, but not in language arts, while others may have strengths in multiple subjects. GIEPs may include long-term and short-term goals that can include accelerated curriculum or instruction above the student's grade level. In states that do not require meetings and instruction plans, gifted students are usually given opportunities to work on enrichment projects or above-grade-level assignments outside the classroom, usually with gifted peers.

Progress is monitored on through regular report cards. In some schools, special teachers are responsible for implementing and monitoring the education of gifted students in small groups or one-on-one sessions.

When one child in the family is gifted, it is quite possible that others may also be gifted. Early identification is recommended ages 3 through 8 because it permits early intervention, as important for gifted as for any other children with special needs.

Download and Print This Table. Hoagies' Gifted Resource Site updates its Gifted page often and is an excellent resource for parents of newly identified gifted children and for those parents who need a refresher or are seeking more information. View the Gifted resource. This article from the National Association of Elementary School Principals publication Principal highlights the characteristics of gifted students, documents the identification process and addresses common myths about gifted students.

Early use of advanced vocabulary: The ability to express thoughts readily and clearly is often a characteristic of a gifted child. Retention of a variety of information: A gifted child often amazes parents and teachers by learning new information quickly and remembering the details over long periods of time.