A gifted student (also known as a “gifted and talented” or “high-achieving” student) demonstrates a strong likelihood that he/she will be able to achieve more than his/her average classmate in one or more subject areas. For example, a gifted student may be able to read books that are several reading levels above grade level, or the student may be able to solve algebra problems while classmates are practicing multiplication tables. According to the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) (2008), there are approximately 3 million academically gifted students in the United States, which is about 6% of all students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

The characteristics gifted students demonstrate differ from one to another. Some traits often seen in gifted students include excellent performance in one or more subject areas, exceptional creativity and imagination, excellent vocabulary skills, skill in using technology, great memory or attention span, insightful reasoning and problem-solving skills, insatiable curiosity about things, lots of energy, observant nature and good judgment, and an ability to learn skills quickly without a lot of effort. Gifted students require more challenging schoolwork to stay interested and focused. The lack of a challenge may cause the student to become disruptive, even withdrawn and detached from classroom and school activities. Additionally, your child may be an “A” student academically and still not qualify as gifted because his/her reasoning and problem-solving skills are at the average level.

If you think that your child may be gifted, talk to his/her teacher about further testing. In order to be placed in a gifted program, a student usually must have an evaluation and extensive testing by the school psychologist or private center. However, qualifications for placement in gifted programs differ from state to state and even between local agencies; therefore, services for students identified as “gifted” may vary greatly. Be sure to check with your child’s school about the policies in your area. Keep in mind that testing very young students for giftedness during preschool is not as reliable as for older students.

It is possible for gifted students to have a learning disability or other disability as well. These students are “twice-exceptional” students. For example, some twice-exceptional students may be gifted in math but struggle with reading. Other twice-exceptional students may have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), dysgraphia (difficulty with writing), or other disabilities. Many gifted students have speech impairments. Gifted students with disabilities are sometimes overlooked because their learning disabilities often balance with their giftedness, making them appear as intellectually average students. To learn more about giftedness, go to www.nagc.org .