Gifted learners are often no different from their peers; however, in many situations they can be very different and may not fit the perceived idea of a typical student. Gifted students often show characteristics of their giftedness in one or more areas. Some common characteristics of gifted learners in the categories of intellectual & academics, creativity, and social-emotional are shared below. It is important to note that not all gifted students think alike. It is also important to note that there can be both positive and negative aspects. Noting these characteristics of giftedness may help parents, students, and educators address the needs of the learner.
In the list below, easily recognizable and/or desirable characteristics are highlighted in GREEN. Often overlooked and/or less desirable characteristics are RED.
Intellectual and Academic Characteristics:
Superior comprehension, high level thinking skill
Long attention span, can become fixated on idea or topic
Curiosity, asks how and why to a variety of topics
Multiple interests, is highly capable in several areas
Insightful, applies knowledge to new and different situations
Difficulty making age appropriate friends
Unequal mental development; advanced / gifted in only a specific area
Creative Characteristics:
Solves problems creatively; out of the box thinking and reasoning
Developed sense of humor, understands sarcasm
Curiosity, not afraid to take risks when trying new approaches to thinking
Enjoys alone time, likes to complete tasks without interruption
Impulsive, needs answers immediately
Careless, hurries through work to get to more interesting task
Social & Emotional Characteristics:
Honesty, concern for justice and what is right
Compassion, sensitive toward others, empathy
High motivation, likes to be active in and out of school, displays perseverance
Independent, high self-concept, self-starter, often works alone
Personal reflection, actions imitate beliefs, evaluates thoughts and decisions
Frustation, when not successful at first attempt
Self-Criticism, takes things personally
Prefers adults, difficulty identifying with same-age peers