Signs a Giftedness Assessment May Be Helpful

A giftedness assessment may be useful if your child:

• Learns new concepts very quickly

• Shows advanced vocabulary or reasoning skills

• Asks complex or thoughtful questions

• Demonstrates strong curiosity or deep interests

• Becomes bored or disengaged at school

• Finishes work quickly but makes careless errors

• Prefers older peers or adult conversation

• Is highly creative or imaginative

• Shows strong problem-solving skills

• Appears sensitive or emotionally intense

• Feels frustrated by repetitive or unchallenging work

Some gifted children may not appear academically advanced because their abilities are not being fully engaged or because other challenges are present.

Understanding Giftedness

Giftedness involves more than simply performing well academically. Many gifted children show unique patterns of strengths and challenges.

Some gifted children may also experience:

• Perfectionism

• Anxiety or emotional sensitivity

• Strong reactions to perceived failure

• Frustration with routine tasks

• Difficulty with motivation when work is not challenging

• Social differences from same-age peers

Some children are twice-exceptional, meaning they are both gifted and have additional learning or developmental differences such as ADHD or Specific Learning Disorders. Assessment can help identify both strengths and support needs.

What the Assessment Process Involves

A comprehensive giftedness assessment focuses on understanding your child’s intellectual abilities and learning profile.

Parent Interview and Developmental History

The assessment begins with a parent interview covering:

• Early development

• Learning history

• Academic experiences

• Areas of strength and interest

• Social and emotional development

• School concerns and observations

This information helps place assessment results into context.

Cognitive Assessment

Giftedness assessments primarily involve detailed cognitive testing to evaluate intellectual ability.

Cognitive assessment may measure areas such as:

• Verbal reasoning and understanding

• Visual-spatial reasoning

• Abstract problem-solving

• Working memory

• Processing speed

Cognitive testing identifies a child’s intellectual strengths and provides an overall estimate of cognitive ability.

Results may help determine eligibility for gifted programs or educational extension opportunities where relevant.

Academic Assessment (When Needed)

In some cases, academic testing may also be recommended to better understand your child’s learning profile.

Academic assessment may examine:

• Reading skills

• Written expression

• Mathematics skills

Academic testing can help determine whether your child is performing at a level consistent with their cognitive ability and whether additional challenge or support may be helpful.

Feedback and Written Report

Following the assessment, parents attend a feedback session to discuss:

• Assessment findings

• Cognitive strengths and learning profile

• Indicators of giftedness

• Educational recommendations

• Social and emotional considerations

You will receive a comprehensive written report that can be shared with your child’s school if needed.

Recommendations May Include

Assessment reports include individualised recommendations based on your child’s needs and strengths.

Recommendations may include:

• Academic extension opportunities

• Curriculum differentiation

• Enrichment activities

• Acceleration options where appropriate

• School-based gifted programs

• Independent learning projects

• Strategies to support motivation and engagement

Recommendations are designed to support both intellectual development and emotional wellbeing.

Possible School Supports

Where appropriate, the report may include recommendations such as:

• Access to extension or enrichment programs

• Curriculum differentiation

• Flexible learning pathways

• Subject acceleration

• Opportunities for independent projects

• Exposure to advanced learning materials

• Mentorship opportunities

Recommendations are tailored to each child’s learning profile and school environment.

Our Approach

A giftedness assessment is about understanding a child’s strengths as well as their support needs.

When gifted children are appropriately supported, they are more likely to feel engaged, confident, and motivated in their learning.

Assessment can help ensure that children receive the level of challenge and support they need to thrive.

Enquiries

If you would like to learn more about giftedness assessments or discuss whether an assessment may be appropriate for your child, please contact our practice.