To young to be tested for gifted?

Question

My 5 year old is really above her peers in most areas, shes reading quite well, counts, writes everything, what age should they be tested as gifted???

Answer 1

I would say that 5 is too young. You may not get any accurate score. Most schools in my state do not even test until 1st grade, unless there are definite gifted characteristics being exhibited at a younger age. My daughter too was reading by age 4 (chapter books), etc... but the school did not have her tested until 1st grade because the testing is somewhat lengthy, and they wanted to make sure it would be an accurate score. Truly "gifted" children show specific personality traits as well as academic excellence, usually in one area. When a child is tested, the person giving the test has a checklist of those characteristics and it is given even before any of the IQ test is administered. Please understand though, that just because a child can read at a very early age, etc... does NOT mean they will be labeled as "gifted". Many early readers with excellent verbal skills at a young age do not meet the criteria for the Gifted Program, and are considered high achievers who will almost always do fantastic in school. I see many gifted students in my daughter's class who are struggling with all sorts of difficulties, and quite honestly, are sometimes hard to motivate. Do not worry if your child does not make it into a program. That does not have anything to do with how smart your daughter is anyways. I would much rather have my child love school and do really well, than pass a test to be in a program that labels you. Unfortunately, our society equates "gifted" with smart, and believe me, I see kids considered to be gifted who are not what I would call smart. Some children can not handle that sort of pressure. My daughter did not even know what it meant to be in the Gifted Program until this year, because we never discussed the testing with her or anything. We did not want her to feel like a failure if she did not get a high enough score, or perhaps act superior towards the other children because she did get into the program. I would check out some info online as well as the many books on gifted children that are out there.

Answer 2

Not until at least 7, the tests are not suited for children 6 and under. Even if she could take the test, there aren't stats that will support if she is gifted or not. Since a lot of kids can't take the tests. (because they can't read)

My daughter is ahead of her peers in most areas. Just keep working with her at home. That is the best thing you can do. Some schools begin testing the classes in 1st grade, her teacher will help you out with that when they do. Most of the time the teacher can recommend some testing.

Also, putting her ahead a grade in school isn't always the best choice. When she gets into high school she will not drive when others do, she will be behind mentally, and physically. Let her be a child.

Answer 3

My 9 yr old Daughter was nominated by a Teacher to be in the Gifted and Talented program. She was in second grade. In the state of MN, where I live, they test for the program in 3rd Grade. Being Gifted/Talented does not mean they excel in just those traditional area of reading, writing an math. They look at more how a child processes ideas, their ability to solve and analyze logic problems, and if they have done particularly well in a certain form of art. My daughter dances and has become very accomplished a such a young age. She also does extremely well with logic puzzles. She was never pushed to do any of it and I never thought of her as more intelligent than other children or playmates. I did see that she looked at things differently. The only difference now is that she is able to take classes during the summer for Gifted/Talented children and she is in an accelerated math program. It can be an enormous amount of pressure if you label the child as Gifted and have expectations that are above and beyond their psychological age.

Answer 4

Yeah that is way to early. Don't pressure the kid. My 5 year old is alot smarter than her peers to. She is reading, writing words (not sentences just words), counts to 100 and even does simple addition and subtraction. I am not having her tested for the gifted program. If she is still doing this much ahead of her class in 2nd grade then I will think about it. That is when they tested, and put her sister who had an IQ of 129 at 6 years old in gifted. 5 is just to young.

Answer 5

I'd ask the counseling department in your daugher's shool about testing her. Because, if she really is above her peers, they can put her into more challenging classes. My daughter is the same age as yours and I had her tested. Now she joins the 2nd grade class for math and reading, but I have her in with the kids her age for social reasons. It's something that I will have to rethink before the next school year (move her ahead and skip a grade or not?).

But talk to the people in charge at your daughter's school. They should be able to test her!!!! Good luck!

Answer 6

Test her now. The results could mean the difference in selected school programs, depending on where you live. Each school system has a certain cryteria in labeling a child as gifted. Some go for launguage arts proficiency or science or mathematics etc .It's a tough area to get recognition in sometimes but well worth the benefits to the child. Better teachers, equipment, the whole nine.

Answer 7

Unless you are planning to send her to a magnet school for gifted children, psychologists usually like to test at 9-10 years old. At that age they can read well, educational difficulties/advancements are easily seen by teachers. A gifted child at that age will also start pulling away from their peers, and at that age some behavioural problems can start to occur too.

Earlier, and the problem of "peaking young" comes into effect - a child who can read at 4 isn't necessarly gifted - their brain might just be wired to figure out reading faster, or they might be a focused type of methodical child.

Testing later then that age is seen as bad, because gifted kids will start to dumb themselves down to their normal grade level to try and fit in [start of puberty, etc]. This can lead to depression, especially in girls.

Answer 8

Any time after she has started school seems appropriate to me, although there may not be any special programs for her until she is a little older. After I tested for gifted, my teachers started working differently with me as early as 6 years old in order to help me in that area before there were any kind of additional classes with other gifted students (those started two years later for me).

Answer 9

At my experience, when my daughter entered Kindergarten, after the first 6 wks, the teacher approached me about testing. I agreed and she was promptly tested and moved forward to 1st grade. In many aspects it has been great. She is 17, beautiful (rodeo queen) and athletic. She graduates this year and is ready for college, however, she is mature for her age. The only thing that makes me regret....my oldest is graduating from H.S...? Man do I feel old. They wouldn't test her younger brother because he wouldn't sit still long enough to take the test. However, now, he is bored to death and tests 100 on all his gateway, TCAP exams, but is still struggling because of his boredom.

This is something you have to sit down and think about. I see no harm in one grade, however, I would slightly balk on two. Kids can be so cruel these days.

Answer 10

I dont know when I was in school they did gifted testing for reading and math in second grade and then the kids that passed got put in special classes for those 2 subjects.