There are two main parts to defining a talented or gifted student. First, the student must have skills and learning abilities that are far above the average and perform at a higher level than other students her age. Second, the student must actively use these abilities to succeed, or at least have the potential to use these abilities to succeed. Generally, gifted students are recognized more in academic studies, but students may also be gifted or talented in other areas such as art or music.
Each school district typically has its own list of signs it looks for when determining whether or not a child is considered gifted. Some possible signs that may signify giftedness according to the National Society for the Gifted and Talented include understanding the curriculum for his age group even before school begins, heightened awareness of her own expectations and the expectations of others, substantial problem-solving capabilities, difficulties with test taking due to abstract thinking, or signs of being a perfectionist, idealistic or asynchronous.
To confirm whether a student is gifted, a school district or specialized program may test the student using a variety of methods. There is some conflict in testing for giftedness, as not all gifted students test well. Further complicating the matter is the lack of state or national guidelines on what defines a gifted student. However, school districts may use IQ testing, achievement scores, creative and critical thinking tests, or even the interviews of teachers, family or friends to determine whether or not a student should be placed in a gifted students learning program or class.
The NSGT (National Society for the Gifted and Talented) suggests that gifted students typically have unusual talents, in comparison to others at their age level, in one or occasionally two areas. These areas are broken down into six categories and include creative thinking, leadership, general intellectual ability, psychomotor skills, specific academic ability or the visual and performing arts. Defining which one of these areas a student is gifted in is important to better suggest a plan of action for continuing education at an appropriate level and in a style that best helps the student learn.