Kerry Hodge and Coral Kemp
Macquarie University
Identifying intellectual giftedness by reliance on norm-referenced measures may underestimate young children who have not yet experienced formal academic teaching or who are variable in the testing situation. Teachers can detect potential giftedness by observation, especially in an environment that invites children to display their advanced abilities. Such an environment, in which the curricular dimensions of content, process, product, and learning environment were modified, was offered to 11 three-and four-year-olds who had been nominated by their parents as possibly gifted. Anecdotal records revealed a variety of behavioural indicators of potential giftedness and a diversity of individual profiles of development. Norm-referenced measures of ability and achievement generally reinforced the observations. Teachers need training in the behavioural indicators of potential giftedness and in the provision of a sufficiently challenging curriculum if the educational needs of the young gifted child are to be detected and met.
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