Characteristics of Gifted Students

Specific Academic Field In this area, gifted and talented students exhibit potential or demonstrated accomplishment in one specific field of study, such as language arts, mathematics, social studies, or science. Researchers have identified general and specific characteristics for these academic fields (Feldhusen, Hoover, & Sayler, 1990; Gilliam et al., 1996; Piirto, 1999; Rogers, 2001; Tannenbaum, 1983): General (demonstrated within field of interest)

Has an intense, sustained interests.
Has hobbies/collections related to field.
Attracted toward cognitive complexity, enjoys solving complex problems.
Prefers classes/careers in the academic field.
Is highly self-motivated, persistent.
Has a broad base of knowledge.
Reads widely in an academic field.
Learns information quickly.
Has an inquisitive nature, asks good questions.
Examines and recalls details.
Recognizes critical elements and details in learning concepts.
Analyzes problems and considers alternatives.
Understands abstract ideas and concepts.
Uses vocabulary beyond grade level.
Verbalizes complex concepts and processes.
Visualizes images and translates into other forms—written, spoken, symbolic—music notation, numbers, letters.
Sees connections and relationships in a field and generalizes to other situations, applications.

Math/Science

Is interested in numerical analysis.
Has a good memory for storing main features of problem and solutions.
Appreciates parsimony, simplicity, or economy in solutions.
Reasons effectively and efficiently.
Solves problems intuitively using insight.
Can reverse steps in the mental process.
Organizes data and experiments to discover patterns or relationships.
Improvises with science equipment and math methods.
Is flexible in solving problems.

Social Studies/Language Arts

Enjoys language/verbal communication, communication skills.
Engages in intellectual play, enjoys puns, good sense of humor.
Organizes ideas and sequences in preparation for speaking and writing.
Suspends judgment, entertains alternative points of view.
Is original and creative—has unique ideas in writing or speaking.
Is sensitive to social, ethical, and moral issues.
Is interested in theories of causation.
Likes independent study and research in areas of interest.
Uses these qualities in writing: paradox, parallel structure, rhythm, visual imagery, melodic combinations, reverse structure, unusual adjectives/adverbs, sense of humor, philosophical bent (Piirto, 1999, p. 241).

Creative Area

The key characteristic that is often associated with creativity is divergent thinking. As opposed to convergent thinking (arriving at a single conclusion), divergent thinking requires the gifted and talented student to produce many ideas or ideas that are different from the norm.
Coleman and Cross (2001) suggest that the comparison group, “whether to self, others, a situation, a point in time, a field of study, a cultural group, or a combination of these,” determines how narrowly or broadly creativity is defined (p. 241). Psychologists tend to agree that creativity is not the same as intelligence, but that creative individuals tend to have a threshold intelligence score of about 120 (Getzels & Jackson, 1962).
Psychometrically, test developers have defined creativity as fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration (Guilford, 1950; Torrance, 1974). Cognitive scientists have identified characteristics of creative individuals by studying the methods they use in solving complex problems (Perkins, 1981; Sternberg, 1988), while other researchers have identified characteristics by examining case studies of creators and how they generated ideas over longer periods of time (Goertzel & Goertzel, 1962; Gruber, 1982). Taking a case study approach,
Gardner (1993) suggests that creative production emerges only after 10 years of concentrated study in a specific field. For this reason, teachers clearly would be observing creative potential in gifted and talented students during their school years.