A gifted student can be generally defined as an individual exhibiting outstanding achievements and capabilities in one or several areas, including intellectual, creative, artistic, or physical areas of performance.
Since the definitions and criteria for the operationalization of giftedness are multifaceted (and often reductionist), it is difficult to present an exhaustive list of gifted and talented students’ characteristics. However, according to Chapter 15, there are both positive and negative characteristics (Hardman et al., 2017). Among positive ones, there are unusual alertness, rapid language development as a child, superior language ability, enjoyment of learning, superior reasoning, abstract, logical, insightful thinking, advanced interests. Among negative characteristics, the researchers mention uneven mental development, underachievement in uninteresting areas, nonconformity, excessive self-criticism.
If Shin was a student in my first-grade class, I, as a teacher, would anticipate difficulties with both provision of an appropriate environment for Shin’s socialization and adequate opportunities for him to develop his capabilities. At the same time, I would need to balance his development in different areas, since one of the core traits of gifted people is underachievement in uninteresting areas.
Shin’s school addressed the disparity between his cognitive functioning and his chronological age with the idea that “a child should remain a child”. The school provided conditions for his successful socialization and ensured that activities commonly shared among Shin’s peers were included in his everyday life.
If teachers were unable or unwilling to provide out-of-contract service, Shin’s school could have addressed his needs in two possible ways. First, the teachers could modify and enhance the curriculum, thus enriching his learning process without spending extra hours. Second, it could have referred Shin to an educational institution designed specifically for gifted children. It could be either full-time schooling or additional education activity.
Reference
Hardman, M. L., Egan, M. W., & Drew, C. J. (2017). Human exceptionality: School, community, and family. Nelson Education.