Most students in my talented and gifted classes were highly-abled. At times, these students exhibited traits of giftedness in a subject area. At other times, it may have been their creativeness or problem solving ability. Knowing the characteristics of highly-abled students will help teachers modify curriculum to develop strengths and address student needs.
- has an excellent memory
- has a large vocabulary
- Uses complex sentence structure for their age
- reads earlier than peers
- enjoys problem-solving
- demonstrates logical thinking
- concerned with social and political issues
- asks probing questions, inquiring minds, curious
- has original ideas
- enjoys and initiates own learning
- is organized
- can concentrate for lengthy periods of time
- tends to be persistent and motivated
- can be impatient and intolerant
- has a wide range of interests
- may have an extreme focus in one interest
- has a deep knowledge base
- often highly sensitive
- has sophisticated sense of humor
- transfers learning to new situations
- makes connections between different activities and ideas
- works well independently
- enjoys spending time with older students or adults
(Source: National Association for Gifted Children (https://www.nagc.org/)