Children who are reading fluently before beginning first grade are likely to be perceived by both parents and teachers as intellectually gifted. This precocious mastery of a complex skill certainly merits the label “gifted” and calls for differentiated programming.
Common Characteristics of Gifted Children:
Strong sense of curiosity. Enthusiastic about unique interests and topics. Quirky or mature sense of humor. Creative problem solving and imaginative expression.
Gifted and highly gifted children can usually recognize common signs and words before they are three years old, some as early as two years, and many of these children in the higher Levels of Gifted move from reading simple children's books by age four or five to reading anything that interests them by age six (usually ...
Gifted children possess many unique qualities, among which is the ability to read prior to direct instruction; this usually occurs in first grade at approximately six years of age. There are many more such children in the population than ordinarily assumed (Salzer, 1984).
According to the Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education and Talent Development, these students may share characteristics such as: Reading earlier than their peers. Spending more time reading. Reading a greater variety of literature, even into adulthood (Collins & Kortner, 1995; Halsted, 1990)
Identification of a gifted child is a collaborative process among teachers, parents, and school psychologists and typically occurs when a child is school-aged. However, there are indicators of giftedness that parents may be able to observe prior to the start of school.
Some children may begin reading at an exceptionally early age because they are especially adept at breaking the code of print. These same children are not always especially well endowed with the aspects of verbal intelligence that underlie comprehension of sophisticated texts.
Hyperlexic children are often fascinated by letters or numbers. They are extremely good at decoding language and thus often become very early readers.
They love to read.
Many gifted children learn to read quickly and earlier than other children their age. They enjoy reading for meaning and pleasure as well as for more detailed knowledge or interest in their favorite topic.
Reading fluency occurs when a child has developed the knowledge and skills to recognize words automatically, accurately and quickly. This usually develops at ages 7 to 8. For a child who can read fluently, their brain is able to perform multiple tasks at the same time.
Prolonged exposure to blue light from screens disrupts sleep patterns, which can affect memory, focus and the ability to process new information – all vital for literacy growth. Experiences like holding a book and turning its pages help develop cognitive and motor skills that screen reading alone cannot provide.
At around two years old, toddlers may be able to memorize the numbers 1 through 10. They might even be able to say them in sequential order, but they may not understand the meaning of the numbers. This is called rote counting.
Children are typically considered early readers between the ages of 4 to 8 years old. However, individual development can vary widely, with some children starting earlier or needing more time to develop early reading skills.
In population-based studies, maternal IQ is the single greatest predictor of child IQ [17]. Maternal IQ reflects not only genetic influences, but also incorporates environmental factors affecting the child.
Gifted characteristics can often be seen at an early age and may include:
Signs of Giftedness in Children Include:
a need to explore subjects in surprising depth. an insatiable curiosity, as demonstrated by endless questions and inquiries. ability to comprehend material several grade levels above their age peers. surprising emotional depth and sensitivity at a young age.
If you think your child might be gifted intellectually, you can see an educational psychologist for an IQ test and a report on your child's advanced abilities. This report will focus on your child's academic potential, but it might include information about your child's social and emotional gifts too.
Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren's 1940 classic How to Read a Book emphasized the four main levels of reading: elementary reading, inspectional reading, analytical reading, and syntopical reading.
12 Signs of Gifted Students
The early reader as a stereotype is absolutely untrue and harmful. Some gifted children do read early. And other precocious kids read late. Late readers are usually highly perfectionistic and believe that reading is magic, and they do not think they need to “learn to” read.
“Every book teaches me something new or helps me see things differently. Reading fuels a sense of curiosity about the world, which I think helped drive me forward in my career/work,” says Bill Gates. 20 Inspiring books recommended by Bill Gates.
The symptoms of a learning disorder in a child can include:
No one is born a reader. In fact, neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf and author of Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain (Harper Perennial, 2007) said that “humans were never born to read.” Reading is a human invention, and, therefore, readers are made.
Children who read early (hyperlexia) or speak late (Einstein Syndrome) have something in common. Both are often mistaken for autism, and much to relief of many parents, both have a good outcome. There are three kinds of hyperlexia: Hyperlexia 1 consists of bright, neurotypical children who simply read early.
But most gifted preschool and kindergarten age children don't fit this stereotype. Even before they start school, gifted children are bright, curious, imaginative, “out of the box” thinkers who sometimes challenge their parents. They ask questions, make messes, and have endless energy.