How to tell if a child is gifted?

[2ppaamm]

lovekidsverymuch:

thanks 2ppaamm for consolation!!

I am not consoling you. I am sincere. It doesn't mean that early developers will become great in school. There are some that develop slower, and learn faster in school and go on to top the school.

If you had been hothousing your kid, he should be miles further, but I wouldn't do that, because it will kill his interest in learning in P1 and above. Consequently, he will be bored and behavioral issues will set in. Which would you rather have? Given the kind of mother you sound to me LKVM, I know you will help him along in P1 and above. He will do well. And he will do even better than those that started earlier. At least that's my observation.

Not trying to suan you lah!

[autumnbronze]

2ppaamm:

autumnbronze:

You see, I believe that because they are gifted, they can still thrive in EL or CL (if they lack in either one or any of the the lang skills) when they are given the opportunity, no matter when. They will pick it up by listening, interacting and thru exposure to reading, and v quickly too. Thats the edge they have compared to the others.

Yes, a gifted child must be exposed to stimulus where his giftedness is given the opportunity to develope, but it doesn't always have to start in the academic or in a specific lang area . And a gifted child can only be identified young if the parents are aware what signs to look out for.

Ultimately, the attainment of lifeskills should complement the need to further nurture a child who has been identified/thought of as gifted.

Wah, you summed up my views better than me leh... :goodpost: :goodpost:

Might be abit OT here ...

2ppaamm,

I truly believe in what I wrote.

I do not know if my child is gifted, but he possesses some qualities for a 2 and a half yr old that amazes us many times over :D.

The point is, I came into this conclusion (of what I wrote in reponse to you earlier) because there was a period of time when I really contemplated 'hothousing', only because I wanted him to have the opportunities/best, that I never had. But common sense prevailed in the end and I realize what you know already - that kids need love and a 'healthy' environment to thrive in - that would be the best of the best

For instance, why enroll him in a particular course which will dictate his learning process ie those memory improvement classes? I am not giving him the OPPORTUNITY to develope his learning process, I am programming HOW it shd be developed. And he is but a toddler - let a child be a child.

I wrote somewhere in this forum many mths back that my first priority for him is to pick up life-skills. I brought him to visit an orphanage aft his first bday in Thailand to educate him how lucky he is, albeit the fact that he was too young (not to us, but to many others and implied we were wasting our time) and there are many other examples ...

To sum up, the other day, aft dropping him off at PIL's and while walking past a road construction site back to the car, DS told me, \"mummi, be careful!\" - think you get the drift.

p.s: I dare say that I feel that one can also be considered gifted if one's life-skills are 'sound'

JMOHO

[sleepy]

tamarind:

sunflower,
There is no need, and no point to have your girl tested. Just believe in your instincts.

Remember that what defines giftedness, is not how much the child already knows. It is how quickly and easily she can learn new things on her own, without the need to be taught. A gifted child only needs resources, not teachers.

sunflower

I second that. It is not necessary to test your child.

IQ report is meant for MOE. Unless you are seeking early admission to P1 or to skip levels, then the IQ report is relevant because MOE needs to see some 'extreme' numbers. But it's rather difficult to get clearance for early admission or to skip levels. So that IQ report usually ends up as white elephant even if your child is certified gifted.

As parents, we don't need an IQ report to tell us whether our children are gifted, we KNOW Continue to develop her at home regardless of her IQ score.

[jedamum]

i know this is definitely OT already, so mods (not me la ), pls move if needed...(maybe under P1 preparation or some sort).

lovekidsverymuch:

I also like your part about killing the interest, yes I guess you are right sometimes when kids know already how to do things he doesnt enjoy the school and teachers complain he lost somewhere... just dunno wat is exactly right and wrong.

sometimes when kids already know how to do things, he doesn't enjoy the school anymore; but personally a bored kid due to 'already know how to do things' vs a kid bored cos he cannot catch up, which situation is worse?
i never let my ds2 did seatwork until late last year (near to his 3rd birthday) when his PreN teacher feedback that i should get him started cos more seatwork is expected in Nursery. Currently, although he still has problem remaining seated when class is conducted, his current teacher noted (maybe actually relieved cos it becomes one less area of concern for her) that he can catch up with class curriculum despite the short attention span. I have been teaching him all his numbers and revising his phonics at home.
i am not saying to the extend of 'hothousing', but adequate preparation for P1 is still essential cos of the big jump between K2 and P1, academical and social expectations, it can shape how the kid feel towards school for a very long time.
JMHO.

[sleepy]

2ppaamm:

I am no expert. But if this is absolutely what she is doing. Then, you might want to get her IQ tested as early as possible so that she can get some intervention if required.

Just curious, what sort of intervention?

[2ppaamm]

sleepy:

tamarind:

sunflower,
There is no need, and no point to have your girl tested. Just believe in your instincts.

Remember that what defines giftedness, is not how much the child already knows. It is how quickly and easily she can learn new things on her own, without the need to be taught. A gifted child only needs resources, not teachers.

sunflower

I second that. It is not necessary to test your child.

IQ report is meant for MOE. Unless you are seeking early admission to P1 or to skip levels, then the IQ report is relevant because MOE needs to see some 'extreme' numbers. But it's rather difficult to get clearance for early admission or to skip levels. So that IQ report usually ends up as white elephant even if your child is certified gifted.

As parents, we don't need an IQ report to tell us whether our children are gifted, we KNOW Continue to develop her at home regardless of her IQ score.

I largely support that. However, there are some cases where the kid is really brilliant. So, if you think that's your kid, go test it out. We're talking about 145 or 160 on the WISC IV. That's like 1 in a year in Singapore.

Rare, but not extinct.

I agree we don't need an IQ test, we'll love our kids exactly the same, won't we?

[2ppaamm]

sleepy:

2ppaamm:

I am no expert. But if this is absolutely what she is doing. Then, you might want to get her IQ tested as early as possible so that she can get some intervention if required.

Just curious, what sort of intervention?

Start school earlier, skip grades, IEP, dual enrollment, subject escalation. A lot more lah...

If the child is truly exceptionally gifted, give him an earlier start can be good. Many bored kids develop behavioral problems.

[2ppaamm]

tamarind:

I will only call someone a genius, after he/she has developed something that will truly benefit all of mankind.


I find it strange for anyone to call a child a genius. Giftedness does not mean genius. It just means that a child has the ability to learn new things much faster than others, and they do so effortlessly. Yes it does not apply to all things.

I like that definition. How fast you learn and not what you already know. Genius has many different definitions, some go by statistics and others by what they have achieved.

To me, a genius is someone who contributes to the world, too. I agree. What's the point of being a genius and invent a walking toothbrush? What's the use? I share Tamarind's definition of genius. But again, there are just too many definitions out there. If anyone wants to call your child a genius, by all means! Then give it your own definition!

[2ppaamm]

wiimum:

Please do not think diploma level means \"lower class\". I know of many high IQ people who have not got higher qualification, think of our ancestors who did not have the opportunity to get formal education.


Just continue to enrich her and I am sure she will be doing really well.

Yep, why is Poly 'lower class'? Less education means less gifted? Education to some extent measures opportunity. Giftedness measures what God has given. At least that's what it is to me.

So, you don't know your IQ, not that it is low. Let me explore this: Go to the polyclinic and ask them for a referral to Child Guidance Clinic at IMH. Perhaps you can get the IQ test done. Call IMH first to see if this route is possible. That way, the test will be subsidized.

Again, I will only do this if I am at least 99.9% sure my kid is way above average on the brains department. Way above means the #1 in the year he/she is born. Otherwise, that piece of paper is useless. MOE won't use it.

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

[quote]Go to the polyclinic and ask them for a referral to Child Guidance Clinic at IMH. Perhaps you can get the IQ test done. Call IMH first to see if this route is possible. That way, the test will be subsidized. [/quote]
Even through polyclinic, after subsidy it cost $500.

2ppaamm, drop you a pm.