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As a broad definition a gifted person is someone who has demonstrated, or has the potential for demonstrating, an exceptional level of performance in one or more areas of expression. These areas include intellectual, creative, specific academic or leadership ability or in the performing or visual arts. See Gagne's Model of Giftedness. Levels of giftedness is discussed in this link to the United Kingdom's National Association for Gifted Children
Gifted Learners characteristics follow:
- often have advanced levels of language development and verbal capacity
- many varied interests and a reservoir of knowledge
- giftedness isn’t always reflected in academic learning and success
- outstanding memory, learns quickly and easily – rapid retrieval
- operates on a higher level of thinking, can analyse, abstract and reason critically
- strongly motivated to do things that interest them - intrinsic motivation. Can be persistent and demanding and will work at a single task for extended periods of time
- not easily programmed externally, for example, conventions of writing and spelling
- uneven development in areas of capacity
- have a level of empathy, maturity and understanding of emotional situation
- have high expectations often striving for perfection
- may prefer to work alone
- generate original ideas and multiple solutions, looks beyond actual situations and infers, goes beyond
- may have a sophisticated sense of humour
A more extensive list is available at New South Wales Association for Gifted Children Home Page.
Return to Gifted and Talented Homepage
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