A child with high abilities may exhibit some or most of these characteristics. The characteristic may or may not be manifested in problematic behavior. From: Identifying Students with High Abilities in Indiana, Indiana Department of Education, Division of Exceptional Learners (2004).
Characteristic --------> Possible Problematic Classroom Behavior
Early reading and/or quick mastery of reading --------> May be impatient with reading instruction, resist doing worksheets, and insist on reading own material which is years above grade level.
Learns new things quickly and easily --------> May exhibit boredom and frustration with repetition and not being allowed to move on or do something else.
Has extensive vocabulary, background knowledge, or memory --------> May dominate discussions and refuse to listen to others’ contributions. May argue in a sophisticated way.
Grasps math concepts quickly; solves problems involving critical thinking; enjoys logic and puzzles --------> May resist doing repetitive computation drill needed by others. May correctly or incorrectly jump to an answer without careful attention to detail. May make careless errors, be sloppy out of boredom, refuse to do homework, and incorrectly assume all will be too easy. May work problems in unconventional ways.
Has a more intense energy level, activity level, or ability to concentrate; may talk fast --------> May seek active inquiry or be so completely involved with a task that he/she becomes frustrated with having to change tasks. Could seem overactive, stubborn or uncooperative with poor self-regulation.
Extremely sensitive and/or introverted --------> May cry easily, prefer to work alone, may not readily participate orally, and may (incorrectly) appear to be immature in social development. May be upset by student cruelty to others or to teacher becoming upset.
Thinks differently; is creative --------> May appear different and/or rebellious or may experience social isolation. May be a day dreamer. May ask tangential questions and seem off track. May question authority.
Great sense of humor --------> May be the class clown or use humor sarcastically.
Curious, observant --------> May be off task and have difficulty disengaging to change activities.
Perfectionist --------> May set unrealistic standards for self and others, be overly concerned with details, be rigid in work routines. May find true-false or multiple choice questions frustrating in their lack of precision; may be argumentative and correct every small error made by others.
Displays interest in complex games, fantasy, non-fiction --------> May prefer to play with older children or adults. (May also prefer to play with younger children whom he/she can organize into activities.)
Sensitive to environment --------> May object to loud noises, bright lights, odors, or have many allergies.
“Identification of gifted students is clouded when concerned adults misinterpret high achievement as giftedness. High-achieving students are noticed for their on-time, neat, well-developed, and correct learning products. Adults comment on these students’ consistent high grades and note how well they acclimate to class procedures and discussions. Some adults assume these students are gifted because their school-appropriate behaviors and products surface above the typical responses of grade-level students. Educators with expertise in gifted education are frustrated trying to help other educators and parents understand that while high achievers are valuable participants whose high-level modeling is welcomed in classes, they learn differently from gifted learners. In situations in which they are respected and encouraged, gifted students’ thinking is more complex with abstract inferences and more diverse perceptions than is typical of high achievers. Articulating those differences to educators and parents can be difficult.”
(from High Achiever, Gifted Learner, Creative Thinker, Bertie Kingore, Ph.D.)
All necessary information and forms for this process can be found here.
Provided that they continue to be successful in the high ability curriculum, there is no need to re-qualify from year to year.
Parents can always request an exit from the program. Please contact your child’s teacher for assistance.
In some cases, the HA placement may not be successful for a child. Our procedures in these situations are to involve parent(s), teacher(s), administrators to consider school-based interventions which may improve the child’s chances for success, to monitor responses to these interventions, and—if necessary—to change the student’s placement. Even in situations when a child has been exited from the program, they are still eligible for placement in future years.
WLES: Mrs. Sara Delaney - delaneys@wl.k12.in.us
WLIS: Mrs. Margaret Psarros - psarrosm@wl.k12.in.us