GIFTED ASSESSMENTS
What does giftedness mean?
Ever thought your child might be gifted and wondered what a formal assessment would reveal? For students in kindergarten to Gr. 12, Alberta Education defines Gifted And Talented as “exceptional potential and/or performance across a wide range of abilities in one or more of the following areas: general intellectual ability, specific academic, creative thinking, social, musical, artistic and kinesthetic.”
What are the main assessments used?
A psycho-educational assessment using multiple sources of information is conducted by a registered psychologist to assess the intellectual and academic aspects of this definition. Specialized testing is required and depending on the age of your child, typical tests used are the WPPSI-IV, WISC-V, WAIS-IV, Woodcock-Johnson IV, Stanford-Binet V, WIAT-III, KTEA III or Canadian Cognitive Abilities test. Giftedness is relatively rare in the general population, with only approximately 2% of the general population having a Full Scale IQ or GAI score at or above 130 to be considered intellectually gifted.
Are there special programs?
While most intellectually gifted students are provided enrichment in the context of their regular school programs, many parents are interested in applying for special programs i.e. GATE program. These programs consider multiple criteria during the intake process and focus on making learning content more abstract, complex, interrelated or even constrained. Together with flexible pacing, the goal is to more deeply engage gifted students and maximize their learning potential.
Is there a learner profile?
Each person is different with a set of unique abilities, needs, interests and learning preferences. However, there are some general characteristics and developmental issues that are associated with giftedness and have implications for learning. Typical intellectual characteristics may include:
- Advanced intellectual achievement
- High motivation and interest
- Verbal proficiency
- Excellent problem-solving ability
- Very good logical and “out-of-the-box” thinking
- Great creativity
What is twice-exceptional?
Gifted students are asynchronous in their development. It is possible for children to be both intellectually gifted and have a learning disorder and/or ADHD. If you suspect that your child is particularly bright, but is otherwise struggling with academic performance as opposed to achievement, then a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment would be required to determine the root cause of their academic difficulties. A Personal Development Plan (PDP) will support both their exceptional strengths and their exceptional needs.
Sources:
Alberta Learning (2012). Teaching students who are gifted and talented. Edmonton, AB. Silverman, L. K. (2013). How to use the new IQ tests in selecting gifted students.
