The idea that children learn at different paces isn’t new, but some children learn at a much faster rate than others. When a child is outperforming other students, one might infer that the child is gifted. Although this may be accurate, there are many factors to consider. There is no easy way to determine whether a child is gifted, so the best approach is to know how to test if a child is gifted. Keep reading to learn about what it means to be gifted and how to test for it.
Learning Abilities
Many gifted children exhibit a desire to learn. Although you cannot determine whether a child is gifted by mere observation, there are a few characteristics that gifted children tend to show. For example, many gifted children learn quickly. Additionally, asking questions and seeking additional information is common among gifted learners. If a child is deeply interested in a specific topic, they may become highly focus on that area of interest. A good memory is another characteristic that is common among gifted learners. Gifted children also tend to enjoy learning. Rather than dreading school, they think of learning as a fun experience. Creative thinking is a skill many gifted children enjoy because gifted students tend to be confident in their ability to think outside the box.
Emotions and Behaviors
A child that is gifted may display emotional maturity or leadership qualities. It is common for people to associate being gifted with being smart, but gifted children are also typically empathetic. Another characteristic that many gifted children display is the ability to easily relate to adults. Fast speech and high-energy are also common characteristics that a gifted child might display. Lastly, gifted children enjoy spending time alone doing activities they enjoy, such as reading, writing, or making art.
Assessment
Although identifying these characteristics can give you an idea of whether your child is gifted, it is not a concrete assessment. If you’re wondering how to test if a child is gifted, have the child complete an assessment. MAP Growth is a gifted child test onlinefor homeschool students. MAP Growth is cross-grade, making it perfect for assessing a gifted child that might be between two grade levels. Since this test is adaptive, the questions get more challenging as the child answers questions correctly. If they answer incorrectly, the following questions get a little easier. This is an ideal assessment because children that are gifted may lose interest when taking a test that is too easy.
Homeschool Boss makes testing easy for homeschooling families. If you’re contemplating whether your child is gifted, consider the MAP Growth test. It is an online and adaptive test that provides a wealth of information about your child’s academic abilities. Feel free to let us know if you have any questions.