ii.

Discuss the supports and services

for young exceptional children
COURSE TITLE: COUNSELING iii. Discuss the educational
EXCEPTIONAL PERSONS adaptations for children with
special needs
COURSE CODE: GAC 311. iv. Explore counseling needs of
exceptional persons

TOPIC ONE
Introduction to special education
Definition of terms
Categories of exceptional persons

KIBABII TOPIC TWO

Identifying and working with children who are
UNIVERSITY gifted and talented
Characteristics of gifted and talented children:
FACULTY OF EDUCATION Cognitive domain
AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Social and Emotional domain
Physical domain
DEPARTMENT OF Educational interventions / adaptations
PSYCHOLOGY AND ECD
TOPIC THREE
COURSE Learning disabilities/learning problems
OUTLINE Types of learning disabilities: By stage of
information processing, by function impaired
COURSE CODE: GAC 311. Causes of learning disabilities
Characteristics of children with learning
COURSE TITLE: COUNSELING disabilities
EXCEPTIONAL PERSONS
TOPIC FOUR
ACADEMIC YEAR: 2021/2022 Mental retardation
Classification
YEAR THREE Causes
SEMESTER ONE Assessment, adaptations

TOPIC FIVE
Purpose: To equip learners with knowledge and Visual impairments
skills in the counseling of exceptional persons Categories
Causes of impaired vision
Expected Learning Outcomes Characteristics of children with visual
disabilities
i. Explore characteristics of Interventions
exceptional persons
TOPIC SIX
1
Hearing impairments Theoretical perspectives: psychodynamic
Types of hearing losses
Causes of hearing impairments
Identification of impaired hearing (physical
signs, behavior indicators, complaints)
Interventions Course Lecturer: Dr Eunice Libusi
+254726754458
TOPIC SEVEN
Communication disorders
Aspects of oral-verbal communication
Speech and language problems INTRODUCTION
Characteristics of children with speech
impairments Exceptional children are those whose
Interventions performance and abilities differ
significantly from those of average
TOPIC EIGHT children of the same age in
Orthopedic Impairments
Neurological disorders developmental norms such as
Compulsive disorders physical, psychological, social and
Musculoskeletal disorders
cognitive development.
Interventions
The learning of exceptional children
is hindered by certain learning
TOPIC NINE
Other disabilities difficulties occasioned by their
Congenital malformations and diseases handicapped disability or exceptional
TOPIC TEN ability.
Emotional and behavioural disorders
Diagnosis criteria
Causes of emotional and behavioural
disorders Definition of terms
Interventions/adaptations
Terms used in exceptional persons
TOPIC ELEVEN
Socio-emotional challenges of exceptional include:
people
Impairment
Role in management of exceptional children:
Government, family, community, specialists and Impairment is defined as any loss or
teachers
abnormality in an anatomical
TOPIC TWELVE structure or a physiological or

2
psychological function. For example, person can have a skin or mental
if one loses a finger in an accident disorder.
that hand may not function properly.
Challenged
In this case the loss of the finger is
the impairment. This concept is used to describe
people with disabilities and who are
Disability
un able to perform activities within
Disability is the loss or reduction of the average human range for example,
functional ability to perform an the mental challenged.
activity in the manner or within the
range generally considered normal for
CATEGORIZATION OF
a human being, a disability may result
EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
from impairment. Disabilities limit
opportunities to participate in normal In an ordinary classroom most
community activities. learners do not need any
specialization. They usually perform
Handicap
tasks without much difficulty
A handicap is a condition that however a few of the learners require
significantly restricts an individual's special attention in order to cope with
participation in activities as a result of learning activities learners with
disability or society’s attitudes special needs are grouped on the basis
towards disability. Handicaps prevent of handicaps, ability or behaviour.
the fulfillment of the roles that are They include the following:
appropriate according to the age,
gender, social and cultural positions
of an individual. A. VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Disorders A visual impaired individual is one

whose vision interferes with his or her
A disorder is a disruption of normal
optimal learning and achievements
physical, social, psychological and
unless specific adaptation is made.
emotional functions. For example, a
Faulty visual interpretation may result
3
from a defect in the brain, inadequate ii. Diseases - such as rubella or
experience or a defect eye. German measles, venereal
Adaptation is made in the method of diseases such as syphilis,
presenting learning experiences. trachoma, diabetes, cataracts or
cancer of the brain or eye.
Visual impairments can be classified
as follows: iii. Inadequate nutrition
especially lack of vitamin A
i. Totally blind
iv. Accidents, for example sharp
A totally blind individual is one who
object piecing the eyes or
has no ability to use vision.
damaging the brain
Therefore, people who are totally
blind use special education tools such v. Environmental factors such
as Braille. as air pollution, poor water
and sanitation facilities,
ii. Low vision (seeing in part)
contact with substance from
The National Eye Institute defines plants such as latex or pollen
low vision as a visual impairment not grains.
correctable by standard glasses,
Factors necessary for a successful
contact lenses, medication or surgery
integration include:
that interferes with the ability to
perform activities of daily living. -An acceptable and flexible
classroom teacher.
Causes of visual impairment
-Peer acceptable and interaction.
i. Hereditary factors - this is by far
the most common cause of -Available support personnel
visual impairment. For example,
-Adequate supply of equipment,
short sightedness' (myopia),
for example, Braillemachines, books
long sightedness (hyperopia),
and low vision devices.
retinitis pigmentosa (night
blindness) and colour blindness. -Provision for active
involvement in leaning
4
Characteristics of children who are attenti
visually impaired: on to
visual
The following are characteristics of
objects
children who are visually impaired:
or
• are generally slow in tasks
movement such as
lookin
• rely on the sense of hearing
g in
and touch
the
• tilt the head towards sources of picture
the sound. s or
• hold objects close to the eyes readin
or move close to the objects. g

• take a longer time to complete  are

reading assignments. clumsy
or
• lack letter formation skills awkwa
• blink excessively. rd in
games
• rub their eyes constantly or
• squint. sports
that
• display sensitivity to bright require
light. eye-
• roll their eyes especially those hand
who are blind or eye-
foot
• are unable to focus
coordi
 do not nation.
pay
5
 • frequently complain about  Allow children who have
headaches and dizziness. albinism as well as other
visually impaired children to
• have a poor perception of
wear tinted glasses to avoid
colour.
glare and hats to avoid direct
• shut or cover one eye when sunlight.
reading.
 Use individualized
. instruction and sighted
Intervention measures learners to help the visual
challenged children to keep
The assistance given to visual up with their schoolwork.
impaired children is determined by
the degree of visual disability. The  Use books and maps with
teacher counsellor can assist visual large prints
impaired children in various schools  Use large prints on the
in the following ways: chalkboard
 Notify the parents to seek  Use concrete substance
medical attention for the which the learners can
children in good time manipulate.
 Use audio- instructions  Integrate knowledge by
materials exposing the children to
 Encourage the child to different experiences and
develop and use their explain their relationship.
listening skills.  Allow the children to learn
 Use appropriate seating by doing
arrangement  Encourage the use of
 Ensuring that there lighting teaching and learning
in the classroom has no glare. materials which are adapted
for visual impairment
6
 children such as tactile charts There are three types of hear
templates and maps impairment depending on the part of
ear affected. These are:
Conductive hearing impairment
Referral
This is when the damage or infection
Children who are totally blind should
is either in the outer or middle part of
be referred to a special schools such
the ear. It results in mild and
as Thika school for the blind where
moderate hearing loss with residual
they can use facilities such as Braille's
hearing. A child can hear and
machines and materials
understand spoken language with the
help of sustainable hearing aids
B. HEARING IMPAIRED
Sensory-neural impairment
A hearing-impaired child is one who
This is when the damage or infection
suffers from a certain degree of
is the inner ear. This results in severe
hearing loss. This may be a result of
and profound hearing loss with little
damage or infection to the ear. There
residual hearing left. Children born
are four types of hearing impairment
with this type of hearing impairment
depending on the degree of hearing
usually do not acquire or use spoken
loss. These are:
language children who suffer this
 Mild hearing loss type of impairment when they have
acquired spoken language will retain
 Moderate hearing loss
the spoken language.
 Severe hearing loss
Mixed hearing impairment
 Profound hearing loss
This refers to a combination of
Hearing impairment can be conductive and sensory-neural
classified on the basis of the hearing impairment.
following criteria:
The age of onset
The part of the ear affected
7
There are two types of hearing Causes of hearing impairment can be
impairments depending on the age on classified depending on whether they
which the hearing loss set in. occur before (prenatal) or after birth
(post-natal).
These are:
-Prenatal causes include:
 Pre-lingual deafness
which is deafness occurring at  Prolonged delivery or
birth or before the child develops labour resulting in oxygen
speech or language. deficiency to the baby's brain.
 Post lingual deafness  Premature birth
occurs after the child has
 Low birth weight
developed speech or language,
usually after the age of three.  Misuse of delivery
instruments such as
The degree of hearing loss
forceps.
Regardless of the cause of the hearing
 Venereal diseases in the
loss, children with hearing
mother
impairments fall in to two groups:
 Accidents that affect the
foetus.
-The hard of hearing-these are
Post-natal causes include:
children who have residual hearing
that is enough useful hearing to them  Diseases such as
to hearing to enable them to hear meningitis, malaria,
speech and acquire spoken language measles, mumps and
meningitis, chronic otitis
-The deaf- these children have severe
hearing loss and cannot hear or Media.......
understand speech, even with the use
 Use of ototoxic
of hearing aids.
medications such as
Causes of hearing impairment certain types of
8
 chemotherapies and - have difficulty in participating
antibiotics in group discussion especially in
noisy surroundings
 Accidents such as
head/neck injuries and - have difficulty in hearing and
brain damage saying high frequency speech
sounds such as the sound letters
 Brain and ear tumours
s, sh,t,k and ch.
 Exposure to excessive or
- misunderstand others since they
prolonged noise
cannot comprehend all that is
 Exposure to poisonous said
substances.
- are not able to monitor their
 Blockage of external voice hence, speak either too
auditory canal loudly or softly.
 Old age - avoid participating in oral
activities
- cup the ears in the direction of
Characteristics of children who are
sounds
hearing impaired
- appear confused and do not
Characteristics of children who are
respond to instruction
hearing impaired include:
- have poor vocabulary for their
- frequently ask for repetition of
age
what has been said
- withdraw from others
- have frequent hear infection
- are unable to respond to calls
- have poor articulation of
sounds particularly in omission Intervention measures
of consonant sounds

9
The teacher counsellor can assist the Learners with profound hearing loss
hearing-impaired learners in ordinary should be referred to special schools,
schools in the following ways: such as Kiambu School for the deaf,
Mumias, St Anthony in Webuye and
- Advice parents to seek medical
others, where they will receive special
help for any infection in the ear,
attention.
nose or throat
- Combine use of oral and written
C. PHYSICALLY
learning activities
CHALLENGED
- Utilize peers to assist the learner
People with physical challenges have
with class routines such as
conditions that make it hard for them
sharing notes.
to move or manipulate the physical
- Use visual aids as much as environment, interact freely or
possible communicate easily.
- Advice parents to have the Physically challenged children can be
learner fitted with suitable classified into two major groups:
hearing aids
1. Children with orthopaedic
- Give the learner preferential challenges
seating in the class room
These are the children with
- Face the learner when talking motor impairments resulting from
to him or her problems related to the bone and
muscle systems. Examples of such
- Encourage the learner to
impairments include:
observe basic ear hygiene.
-Amputees- amputation refers to
- Teach the learner to use
the condition where limbs are
communication skills such as
greatly reduced in size, missing at
sign language and non-verbal
birth or lost in the course of one's
cues
life
Referral
10
 - Brittle bone disease - brittle sudden loss of consciousness or
borne disease is an inherited seizures.
disease characterized by defective
 Cerebral palsy which is a
development in the quality and
disorder of the brain. It occurs
quantity of bones. They are brittle
as result of brain damage or lack
and easily broken.
of development in the part of
- Muscular dystrophy-muscular brain that controls movement
dystrophy is a condition in which and posture
the muscles of the body become
 Spina bifida which is a
progressively weaker and wasted
congenital condition in which
without any disease in the central there is a defect on the spinal
nervous system. The cause is not cord. The membrane that should
very clear but is assumed to be cover the spinal cord fails to
hereditary. The mother who is develop or close properly while
usually the carrier transmits the in the womb hence leaving the
disorder mainly to male children. spine exposed.
The wearing and weakening of
 Hydrocephalus which is a
muscles begins in the shoulder
condition caused by abnormal
and progresses to the hip and
accumulation of fluid in the
thereafter spreads to other
brain and nerve cells. This may
voluntary muscles.
result in developmental
2. Children with other disability, fits and occasional
neurological challenges paralysis of the feet.
These are motor problems which are  Poliomyelitis which is caused
associated with the nervous system. by a virus which attacks the
Some of these problems include: spinal cord and the nerves
which control movement. It is
 Epilepsy which is a brain characterized by paralysis in the
problem characterized by fits, legs and affects either one or
both legs.
11
Causes of physical challenges  have no bladder or bowel
control.
Physical challenges may be caused by
the following:  experience stiffness or rigidity
in some of the body parts, for
 Congenital defects
example, the ankles.
 Severe infections
 have poor balance posture
 Accidents or trauma
 have awkward gross movement
 Cancer such as smiling or chewing.
 Drugs such as thalidomide when  have speech problems due to
taken during pregnancy. difficulty in controlling the
muscles required to produce
 Diseases such as cerebral
speech
malaria and meningitis
 experience difficulty when
 Brain damage due to trauma and
trying to sit or stand.
tumours.
 a hump may develop on the
spine
Characteristics of physically
 may have paralysis of the lower
challenged children
limbs
The following are characteristics of
physically challenged children:  may have club feet

 have difficulty walking or  may have low intelligence as a

inability to walk result of delayed growth. This
may affect their academic work.
 have stunted growth
Intervention measures
 have weak bones that break
easily

12
Teacher counselors can assist determine whether they should be
physically challenged learners in the referred for special attention, for
following ways: example, rehabilitation. They can join
special schools such as Dagoretti
 Provide facilities such as
children's Home or Joy Town School
crutches that will enhance
in Kisumu.
performance in
learning tasks
D. MENTALLY
 Advise parents to take their
CHALLENGED
children for check-ups
Mentally challenged children are also
 Allow these learners extra time referred to as children with
to complete their tasks, if need intellectual disability. Intellectual
be disability (ID), once called mental
 Adapt physical education retardation, is characterized by
activities for them to ensure below-average intelligence or mental
maximum fitness and exercise ability and a lack of skills necessary
for day-to-day living. People with
 Ensure safety in the classroom intellectual disabilities can and do
and the school environment. learn new skills, but they learn them
 Help the learners to understand more slowly. There are varying
and accept their conditions so degrees of intellectual disability, from
that they can take care of mild to profound. The term "mental
themselves. retardation" is no longer used, as it is
offensive and has a negative tone.
 Adapt the curriculum to suit
their needs Intellectual disability

Referral Someone with intellectual disability

has limitations in two areas. These
Children who are severely physically areas are:
challenged will need assessment to
13
  Intellectual functioning. Also intellectual disability can only be
known as IQ, this refers to a pinpointed about a third of the time.
person’s ability to learn, reason,
make decisions, and solve The most common causes of
problems. intellectual disability are:
 Adaptive behaviors. These are
 Genetic conditions. These
skills necessary for day-to-day
include things like Down
life, such as being able to
syndrome and fragile X
communicate effectively,
syndrome.
interact with others, and take
 Problems during pregnancy.
care of oneself.
Things that can interfere with
IQ (intelligence quotient) is measured fetal brain development include
by an IQ test. The average IQ is 100, alcohol or drug use,
with the majority of people scoring malnutrition, certain infections,
between 85 and 115. A person is or preeclampsia.
considered intellectually disabled if  Problems during childbirth.
they have an IQ of less than 70 to 75. Intellectual disability may result
if a baby is deprived of oxygen
To measure a child’s adaptive during childbirth or born
behaviors, a specialist will observe extremely premature.
the child’s skills and compare them to  Illness or injury. Infections like
other children of the same age. meningitis, whooping cough, or
Things that may be observed include the measles can lead to
how well the child can feed or dress intellectual disability. Severe
themselves; how well the child is able head injury, near-drowning,
to communicate with and understand extreme malnutrition, infections
others; and how the child interacts in the brain, exposure to toxic
with family, friends, and other substances such as lead, and
children of the same age. severe neglect or abuse can also
Causes of intellectual disability cause it.
 None of the above. In two-
Anytime something interferes with thirds of all children who have
normal brain development, intellectual disability, the cause
intellectual disability can result. is unknown.
However, a specific cause for
14
  give positive feedback when the
Diagnosis of Intellectual Disability child does something well or
• interviews with parents masters something new
• observation of the child
• testing of intelligence and  get the child to be involved in
adaptive behaviours group activities – art class,
scouts
A child is considered intellectually
disabled if they have deficits in both  parent to get to know other
IQ and adaptive behaviours. If only parents of intellectually
one or the other is present, the child challenged children for advice
is not considered intellectually and emotional support
disabled.

E: COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
Interventions and Referrals
A child with a communication
 speech therapy disorder has trouble communicating
with others. He or she may not
understand or make the sounds of
 occupational therapy
speech. The child may also struggle
 with word choice, word order, or
 physical therapy sentence structure.

 family counseling There are several types of these
 disorders. They are:
 training with special assistive
devises  Mixed receptive-expressive
 language disorder. A child has
developmental delays and
 nutrition services
problems understanding spoken

language and speaking.
 encourage child’s
 Expressive language
independence. Let the child try
disorder. A child has
new things on his own

15
 developmental delays and palate, emotional or psychiatric
problems speaking. disorders, and developmental
 Speech-sound disorders. A
disorders
child has a hard time expressing
words clearly past a certain age. Boys tend to be diagnosed with these
 Childhood-onset fluency disorders more often than girls.
disorder. This is also known as Researchers don’t know why.
stuttering. It starts in childhood Children with these conditions often
and can last throughout life. have other mental health problems.
 Social communication
disorder. A child has trouble with Symptoms of communication
verbal and nonverbal communication disorders
that is not caused by thinking
problems. Each child may have different
symptoms. But these are the most
common symptoms in a young child:
Causes of communication disorders
 Not speaking at all
Communication disorders may be  Limited word choice for his or
developmental. Or they can be caused her age
by:  Trouble grasping simple
directions or naming objects
 Physical problems such as a
problem in brain development  Most young children with these
 Exposure to poisons (toxins) disorders are able to speak by
during pregnancy, such as street the time they enter school. But
drugs or lead they still have problems with
 Gene problems communicating.
 School-aged children often have
Some other communication problems understanding and
problems include: hearing loss, making words. Teens may have
neurological disorders, brain injury, more trouble understanding or
vocal cord injury, autism, intellectual expressing abstract ideas.
disability, drug abuse, physical  repetitive sounds.
impairments such as cleft lip or  misuse of words.
16
  inability to communicate in an in a manner which affects one or
understandable way. more cognitive processes related to
 inability to comprehend learning. These processing problems
messages. can interfere with learning basic
skills such as reading, writing and/or
INTERVENTIONS
math.  They can also interfere with
Treatment will depend on your higher level skills such as
child’s symptoms, age, and general organization, time planning, abstract
health. It will also depend on how reasoning, long or short term
severe the condition is. memory and attention.  It is
important to realize that learning
A speech-language pathologist will disabilities can affect an individual’s
work with the child to improve his or
life beyond academics and can
her communication skills. Treatment
impact relationships with family,
is often a team effort. Parents,
teachers, and mental health experts friends and in the workplace.
may also be involved. Treatment may Learning disabilities are also
include: connected to processing deficits.
When students have a processing
 Individual or group support
 Special classes deficit, they have trouble making
sense of sensory data. This makes
it hard for students to perform in a
traditional classroom without
F: LEARNING DISABILITIES
instructional supports. These
deficits are most often auditory or
A learning disability is a disorder visual, and they can make it hard
that inhibits the ability to process for students to distinguish and
and retain information. remember important information
that is needed to succeed.

Learning disabilities are due to Learning disabilities should not be

genetic and/or neurobiological confused with learning problems
factors that alter brain functioning which are primarily the result of
17
visual, hearing, or motor handicaps; can be equally difficult to overcome.
of intellectual disability; of emotional These disabilities are known as
disturbance; or of environmental, dysgraphia. Dysgraphia can be
cultural or economic disadvantages. related to the physical act of writing.
These students often cannot hold a
pencil correctly, and their posture
Generally speaking, people with may be tense while trying to write.
learning disabilities are of average or This leads them to tire easily, causing
above average intelligence. There discouragement that further inhibits
often appears to be a gap between progress. Dysgraphia can also refer to
the individual’s potential and actual difficulty with written expression.
achievement. This is why learning With this type of disability, students
disabilities are referred to as “hidden have trouble organizing their
disabilities”: the person looks thoughts coherently. Their writing
perfectly “normal” and seems to be a may be redundant or have obvious
very bright and intelligent person, yet omissions that affect the quality and
may be unable to demonstrate the readability of the text. Dysgraphia
skill level expected from someone of may also cause students to struggle
a similar age. with basic sentence structure and
A learning disability cannot be cured grammatical awareness.
or fixed; it is a lifelong challenge.
However, with appropriate support
and intervention, people with 3. Dyscalculia
learning disabilities can achieve
success in school, at work, in A specific learning disability that
relationships, and in the community. affects a person’s ability to
understand numbers and learn math
facts. Math is another major area of
4. Dysgraphia concern when it comes to learning
A specific learning disability that disabilities. While difficulty with
reading can affect a student’s ability
affects a person’s handwriting ability
in math, some students also suffer
and fine motor skills.
from dyscalculia, which is a disorder
While reading disabilities receive the that specifically affects one’s math
most attention, writing disabilities capabilities. Dyscalculia can range
18
from an inability to order numbers 1. Dyslexia
correctly and extend to limited
strategies for problem solving. A specific learning disability that
Students with math disorders may affects reading and related language-
have trouble performing basic math based processing skills. Dyslexia is
calculations, or they may have perhaps the best known learning
difficulty with concepts like time, disability. It is a learning disorder that
measurement or estimation. impedes the student’s ability to read
and comprehend a text. There are a
. ADHD variety of ways in which this
disability can be manifested. Some
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity people struggle with phonemic
Disorder has affected more than 6.4 awareness, which means they fail to
million children at some point. While recognize the way words break down
there is some debate as to whether or according to sound. Similar problems
not ADHD is a learning disability in can occur with phonological
the most technical sense, there is no processing, wherein students cannot
doubt that it is a common learning distinguish between similar word
impediment. Students who have sounds. Other issues relate generally
ADHD have difficulty paying to fluency, spelling, comprehension
attention and staying on task. These and more. Students may experience
students can be easily distracted and one reading issue or multiple issues
often have difficulty in traditional when struggling with dyslexia.
school settings. Experts link ADHD
with the structure of the brain, and Non verbal learning disabilities
there is evidence that ADHD may Has trouble interpreting nonverbal
have a genetic component as well. cues like facial expressions or body
Unlike typical learning disabilities, language and may have poor
which need instructional coordination.
interventions, ADHD can be
successfully treated with medications
and behavioral therapies.

19
There is a developing body of developmentally advanced that they
research that indicates approximately require special provisions to meet
5 percent of individuals with learning their educational programming needs.
disabilities display the cognitive and
academic difficulties that are “Gifted and talented children”
associated with nonverbal learning means those persons between the
disabilities.
ages of four and twenty-one whose
Research indicates that nonverbal abilities, talents, and potential for
learning disabilities are associated accomplishment are so exceptional
with impairment in three broad areas, or developmentally advanced that
including motoric skills, visual-spatial they require special provisions to
organizational memory, and social
meet their educational programing
abilities.
needs. Children under five who are
Individuals with this type of learning gifted may also be provided with
disability have a well-developed early childhood special educational
vocabulary, as well as strong reading
services.
recognition ability and rote language
skills.

Supporting gifted and talented

G: GITED AND TALENTED children

The gifted and talented are “Children If as a teacher or parent, you notice
and young people with one or more that a child develops skills much
abilities developed to a level quicker than children of a similar age
significantly ahead of their year group or excels in a particular area, they
(or with the potential to develop those may be regarded as 'gifted and
abilities).” talented'.
Gifted and talented children” mean
those persons between the ages of 'Gifted and talented' describes
children with the ability or potential
four and twenty-one whose abilities,
to develop significantly ahead of their
talents, and potential for peers:
accomplishment are so exceptional or

20
  'gifted' learners are those with  Deep, intense feelings and
abilities in one or more reactions
academic subjects, such as
mathematics or English  Highly sensitive
 'talented' learners are those who
have practical skills in areas  Thinking is abstract, complex,
such as sport, music, design or logical, and insightful
creative and performing arts
 Idealism and sense of justice at
Skills and attributes such as early age
leadership, decision-making and
organisation may also be taken into  Concern with social and
account. political issues and injustices
Common Characteristics of Gifted  Longer attention span and
Individuals intense concentration
 Unusual alertness, even in  Preoccupied with own thoughts
infancy.
 Rapid learner; puts thoughts —daydreamer
together quickly.  Learn basic skills quickly and
 Excellent memory.
 Unusually large vocabulary and with little practice
complex sentence structure for  Asks probing questions
age.
 Advanced comprehension of  Wide range of interests (or
word nuances, metaphors and extreme focus in one area)
abstract ideas.
 Enjoys solving problems,  Highly developed curiosity
especially with numbers and
 Interest in experimenting and
puzzles
doing things differently
 Often self-taught reading and
 Puts idea or things together
writing skills as preschooler
that are not typical

 Keen and/or unusual sense of humor

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  Desire to organize people/things through games or complex schemas

 Vivid imaginations (and imaginary playmates when in preschool)

No gifted individual is exactly the same, each one has his own unique patterns
and traits.   There are many traits that gifted individuals have in common, but no
gifted learner exhibits traits in every area.  This list of traits may help you better
understand whether or not your child is gifted:

Cognitive Creative Affective Behavioral

Keen power of Creativeness and Unusual Spontaneity
abstraction inventiveness emotional depth
and intensity Boundless enthusiasm
Interest in Keen sense of
problem-solving humor Sensitivity or Intensely focused on
and applying empathy to the passions—resists changing
concepts Ability for feelings of others activities when engrossed
fantasy in own interests
Voracious and High expectations
early reader Openness to of self and others, Highly energetic—needs
stimuli, wide often leading to
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 feelings of little sleep or down time
frustration
Large interests Constantly questions
vocabulary Heightened self-
Intuitiveness Insatiable curiosity
awareness,
Intellectual
Flexibility accompanied by Impulsive, eager and
curiosity
feelings of being spirited
Power of critical Independence in different
thinking, attitude and Perseverance—strong
skepticism, self- social behavior Easily wounded, determination in areas of
need for importance
criticism
Self-acceptance emotional support
Persistent, goal- and unconcern High levels of frustration—
for social norms Need for particularly when having
directed
consistency difficulty meeting
behavior
Radicalism between abstract standards of performance
Independence in values and (either imposed by self or
work and study Aesthetic and personal actions others)
moral
Diversity of commitment to Advanced levels Volatile temper, especially
interests and self-selected of moral judgment related to perceptions of
abilities work failure
Idealism and
sense of justice Non-stop talking/chattering

Cognitive Traits That Signal Giftedness

Is your child very observant, extremely curious or prone to having intense

interests? Then, he might be gifted. Think about whether your child notices things
that fellow children, or even adults, would overlook. That's a sign of being
observant. And if your child annoys you by constantly peppering you with
questions about everything from why he has to eat a particular meal to why
there's war in the world, you might have a gifted kid on your hands.

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Consider how passionate your child is about his interests as well. When he gets a
new hobby can he spend hours on it? Does he seem to think or talk of nothing
else? This indicates intense interest.

 Other cognitive traits that make gifted children stand out include having an
excellent memory, long attention span, excellent reasoning skills and well-
developed powers of abstraction, conceptualization, and synthesis.

Giftedand talented children may also be able to quickly and easily see
relationships between ideas, objects or facts and have fluent and flexible
thinking. Gifted children's thinking tends to be elaborate and original, and they
have excellent problem-solving skills. They learn concepts quickly and with less
practice and repetition than their peers need.

And if a child has an unusual or vivid imagination that sometimes lands him in
hot water, consider that another sign of giftedness.

Social and Emotional Traits perfectionistic, energetic and have a

well-developed, if not quirky, sense
Gifted children stand out from their of humor. They are usually
peers by developing interests in intrinsically motivated, meaning they
philosophical and social issues. They set goals and challenges for
are also very sensitive, both themselves rather than to get the
emotionally and physically. They approval of others. While they may
may cry over things that other relate well to parents, teachers, and
children shrug off or complain about other adults, they also question
tags in their clothes or the seams in authority out of curiosity or when
their socks irritating their skin. they believe an injustice has occurred.

  Language Traits

In addition, gifted children exhibit The language traits of gifted children

deep concern about fairness and set them apart as well. They tend to
injustice. They tend to be have extensive vocabularies and may
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read earlier than their peers. Even if 3. Has a wide range of interests,
they read at the standard age, they often of an intellectual kind;
tend to read rapidly and widely. They develops one or more interests
also love to ask "what if" questions. to considerable depth.
4. Is markedly superior in quality
Additional Traits of Gifted Children and quantity of written and/or
spoken vocabulary; is interested
The gifted child enjoys learning new in the subtleties of words and
things. She enjoys the intellectual their uses.
activity and displays intellectual 5. Reads avidly and absorbs books
playfulness. She'll likely prefer books well beyond his/her years.
and magazines meant for older 6. Learns quickly and easily and
children and adopt a skeptical, critical retains what is learned; recalls
and evaluative attitude. Gifted important details, concepts and
children tend to have asynchronous principles; comprehends readily.
development, meaning they may be 7. Shows insight into mathematical
mentally very astute but emotionally problems that require careful
react to situations like a child their reasoning; grasps mathematical
age, or even younger, would. concepts readily.
8. Shows creative ability or
Behavioural characteristics of imaginative expression in such
gifted and talented things as music, art, dance,
1. Shows superior reasoning drama; shows sensitivity and
powers and marked ability to finesse in rhythm, movement,
handle ideas; can generalize and body control.
readily from specific facts and 9. Sustains concentration for
can see subtle relationships; has lengthy periods of time and
outstanding problem-solving shows outstanding
ability. responsibility and independence
2. Shows persistent intellectual in classroom work.
curiosity; asks searching 10. Sets realistically high
questions; shows exceptional standards for self; is self-critical
interest in the nature of man and in evaluating and correcting his
the universe. or her own efforts.
11. Shows initiative and
originality in intellectual work;
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 shows flexibility in thinking and be considered as well as their
considers problems from a academic progress.
number of viewpoints.
12. Observes keenly and is The school management of a primary
responsive to new ideas. school can decide if the child should
13. Shows social poise and an transfer to a post-primary school a
ability to communicate with year earlier than normal.
adults in a mature way.
14. Gets excitement and
pleasure from intellectual References
challenge; shows an alert and Woolfolk, A. (2012). Educational
subtle sense of humor. Psychology. Prentice Hall.
School support for the gifted and
talented Parke, R.D., Gauvain, M. &
Schmuckler, M.A.(2010). Child
A school has the responsibility to Psychology: a contemporary
meet the educational needs of all their viewpoint(3rd
learners and teachers should set tasks
that take account of the varying Canadian ed).Whitby, ON: Mcgraw
abilities of children.   hill. Ryerson.
If a learner is considered to be gifted
and talented, their teachers should Carr, A. (2001). Abnormal Psychology.
provide greater challenges in lessons, Psychology. Psychology Press.
and perhaps offer further ISBN9781841692425
opportunities for them to develop
their gifts or talents outside of the Clark, B. (2008). Growing up gifted
normal timetable. (7th ed.)   Upper Saddle River, NJ: 
Pearson Prentice Hall.
If the child is in primary school and
shows that they have the abilities to
fully take part in the next school year
group, the principal may consider
moving the child into that group. The
child’s emotional and social
development levels and needs should
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