Is My Child/Student Gifted and Talented?
Many people confuse the terms ‘gifted’ and ‘special’ and consequently maintain that ‘all children are gifted’. It is absolutely true that every child is unique and special, and that each one has a personal profile of strengths and weaknesses. That is not to say that every child is cognitively or creatively gifted, in the same way that not all children are gifted at sport.
Giftedness is a complex concept and definitions are changing as our understanding of the nature of intelligence and brain function is improving. There are many definitions of giftedness and talent.
Francoys Gagné's Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent is currently a widely adopted definition:
“Gifted students are those whose potential is distinctly above average in one or more of the following domains: intellectual, creative, social and physical. Talented students are those whose skills are distinctly above average in one or more areas of human performance.”
Giftedness is not an indication of performance or achievement, but of potential. Whether a child is able to reach that potential is moderated by their environment – at home, at school and in their community.
G.A.T.E.WAYS aims to cater for children who are in the highly able to gifted range. This approximates the top 10 – 15% of children in the classroom. Programs are delivered at a faster pace than in the regular classroom, and are pitched around two years ahead of chronological age.
Characteristics of Gifted Children