There may come a time when your child’s teachers approach you and say something to the effect of “your child is not like the others in their class.” Some might initially hear this and think something negative, however, in the context that we are speaking of, we are describing a child who is gifted. A child who is bored easily by the material being taught in a traditional classroom, imaginative, curious, etc.
Giftedness is defined by the National Association for Gifted Children as an individual who “demonstrates outstanding levels of aptitude or confidence in one or more domains.” These domains include areas such as painting, dancing, sports, mathematics, language, or music. Yes – that’s right, not all giftedness is necessarily intelligence.
Within the context of school, most of the time students get tested for intellectual giftedness. This is different than someone who is gifted with creative, leadership, or artistic abilities.
In order to be labeled intellectually gifted, a student must do more than demonstrate in the classroom that they are highly advanced learners. To be given the title of “gifted” and placed into gifted classes, a student must demonstrate intellectual abilities within the top 2% when compared to other students of the same age. This typically translates to earning a standard score of 130 or more on a cognitive test, or what is otherwise known as an IQ test.
At Tampa Therapy, we provide testing services to make the determination as to whether a child or person is intellectually gifted. In reality, most children fall within the average range of a bell curve and only few fall at the very end of the bell curve spectrum. While we do see many talented and bright students, it is not the case that most are in that elite top 2%.
If your child’s teachers have come to you and suggested that giftedness might be a possibility, it is always suggested that you have your child tested. By testing your child, you are giving them the best opportunity to be placed in classes that will provide them with the highest educational opportunities.
In the short run, this will increase your child’s level of engagement in school. In the long run, this increases their chances of success in life.
What does the testing process consist of?
When performing IQ testing, we will conduct a brief clinical interview with the parents and your child/the student. This will help us to learn more about your child and to look for patterns of behavior that usually are present in gifted children. Next, we will conduct a cognitive assessment measure, which can take anywhere between 1 to 3 hours. This assessment is an objective method of determining whether your child is gifted. Additionally, even if your child is not considered gifted, this testing will precisely tell you and your child’s teachers where your child falls on the IQ spectrum.
Early identification will increase the likelihood that the child’s gifts will be developed into talents. Take for example if your child is gifted in math. By giving them the opportunity to be placed into advanced, gifted level math classes, you are providing them with the opportunity to really hone in on and refine their mathematics abilities.
However, testing too early is not suggested. Generally, researchers agree that it is difficult to make accurate IQ determinations at an early age, which is considered under 6 years old.
Gifted placement
Remember, assessments and their results are not an automatic guarantee of placement into a gifted program. Gifted program criteria is left to the district or individual school, and they follow an identification process that takes into consideration cognitive assessment scores, but this is not the only deciding factor.
After completing an IQ assessment at Tampa Therapy, we will provide you with a written report that includes recommendations that can be shared with your child’s school to assist in their process of gifted program eligibility.
Let Us Help
At Tampa Therapy, we are trained to identify and provide thorough gifted assessment. Additionally, we provide other types of assessment that can help children or adults improve and enhance their learning or work performance. We are committed to providing assessment in a comfortable, relaxing, encouraging, and non-judgmental environment to yield the most realistic and highest outcomes. Give us a call or email us today to schedule an appointment for IQ/intellectual testing.