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Characteristic Behavior of Gifted and Talented Students: Text or PDF

Characteristic Behaviors & Traits of Gifted & Talented Students

Adapted from the work of Susan Winebrenner

Gifted students may exhibit manyof the characterics below.  When you observe a student who consistently exhibits a number of these behaviors, there is a strong possibility they are gifted.  Even if students have poor grades or average standardized test scores, they may be gifted.  If you believe a student is gifted, please refer them for evaluation by filling out the referral form.  Parents or teachers may initiate the referral process.  Call Jody at 425 204 2401 for more information.

INTERESTS

• Curious: asks endless questions ("why?", "and then what?)
• May have a "passionate interest" that has lasted for many years.
• Strongly motivated to do things that interest them; may be unwilling to work on other activities.
• Intense; becomes totally absorbed in activities and thoughts.
• Prefers complex and challenging tasks to "basic" work.
• Catches on quickly, then resists doing work, or works in a sloppy, careless manner.
• Is eager to try new things.
• Aware of global issues many age peers are uninterested in.
• Passionately interested in some topic or field of endeavor.

SOCIAL REALTIONS & INTERACTIONS

• Sensitive to beauty and other people's feelings and emotions.
• Takes the role of "class clown".
• Advanced sense of justice and fairness.
• Bossy in group situations.
• Prefers the company of older children and adults.
• Prefers to work alone; resists cooperative learning.
• Exhibits need to constantly share all they know.
• Impatient when not called on to recite or respond.
• Speaks mind without regard for consequences.
• Creates complicated play and games.

THINKING TRAITS

• Advanced vocabulary for chronological age.
• Operates on higher levels of thinking than his age peers; is comfortable with abstract thinking.
• Standardized test scores significantly better than classroom peers.
• Outstanding memory; possess lots of information,
• Ability to "track" two or more things simultaneously.
• Ability to generate many solutions.
• Transfers concepts and learning to new situtations.
• May be "street smart" while not doing well on school tasks.

CREATIVE THINKING

• Comes up with "better ways" for doing things; suggest them to peers, teachers, and other adults.
• Sees endless possibilities for various situations or uses for objects.
• Thinks brillantly, but is absentminded about details.
• Sophisticated sense of humor; loves to play with words and ideas.
• May be talented in the fine arts.
• Fluent in idea generation and development; like to experiment with ideas and hunches.
• Great imagination; frequent daydreamer.
• Values nonconformity in appearance or thought.
• Perceives subtle cause/effect relationships; sees connections between apparently unconnected ideas and activities.
• Is extremely creative-uses materials in unusual ways; makes up elaborate stories, excuses.

PERFECTIONISM

• Believes they are valued for what they can do rather than who they are.
• May cry easily in frustration that their work at school can never be perfect.
• Works very slowly in hopes that their product will be perfect.
• Discovering a mistake in their work leads to erasing until there is a hole in the paper, or crumpling up the paper and throwing it away.
• Asks for lots of help and reassurance from the teacher.  ("Is this alright?" "Is this what you want?" "Please repeat the directions.")
• Cannot take criticism or suggestions for improvement without being defensive.
• Expects challenging work for fear their struggle will be seen by others.  ("If my teacher and peers see me struggle, they will conclude that I'm not so smart.")
• Procrastinates to the point that work never even gets started.