The ability to think abstractly about subjects at a young age can be a sign of giftedness. Children who express themselves verbally in a manner that it "old" for their age are often also identified as gifted. Children who have identified an area of special interest and taken the initiative to research the topic with enthusiasm and dedication are also noted as gifted intellectually. A child who scores high marks on a IQ test is often identified as gifted. An excellent memory and facility with puzzles might also be indicative of intellectual giftedness.
Gifted children often employ innovative solutions to problems or questions, thinking an issue through and inventing a unique solution. Gifted learners are often highly imaginative and can be advanced for their age in expressing their feelings. Creatively gifted children often show a precocious ability in music or art. The self-motivated nature of the gifted child might lead her to practice an art form or develop creative projects completely on her own.
Gifted children often exhibit a deep sense of personal morality and are often very concerned with fairness and justice. Gifted learners sometimes resist authority and are not as naturally accepting of an adult's point of view as "more correct" than their own. Gifted children tend to have high expectations for themselves and others, which can be off-putting to peers. Because of their desire for independence and tendency to take on responsibility, gifted learners often exhibit strong leadership skills.
Because being gifted in some areas does not guarantee giftedness in every academic area, gifted children often struggle with some forms of learning disabilities or poor performance in some areas. A sense of lopsidedness -- outstanding academic test scores and achievement in math, for example, but poor writing skills -- is a warning sign that a gifted child may need extra support in some learning areas.