What is it that makes your 5/6 year old G+T

[bubbles1112]

As the title says. Just wondering what it is that makes your 5-6 year old G+T and at what point was this picked up?
Many thanks

Little clues that DD gave me; with yr2 for phonics and literacy, a cross-class reading group for the most able readers, an extra group created within her classroom for her and 2 others. Nothing direct from school. All at the start of yr1, along with comments from her teacher that she was being "Stretched" and that she was "very high ability".

I don't like the term "gifted" and wouldn't describe my 5 year old dd as such, but her school does. I am assuming that your question refers to the point at which this was picked up at school, rather than the point at which we, as parents, realised that she was quite bright?

DD is currently in year 1 at a state school, and her reception teacher first said that she thought she was "gifted" after about half a term in reception - at our first parents' evening. At the end of the year, they asked us to consider letting her skip year 1 and go straight into year 2, but we declined. I am not entirely sure what exactly makes her "gifted" in the eyes of the school, because I have never thought to ask , but at various points in reception and year 1, her teachers have mentioned the following:

1)Very advanced reading skills for her age (not just decoding but comprehension and expression as well)

2)Advanced numeracy skills for her age (this first emerged early in reception when they were making repeating patterns and dd was able to create and describe very complex ones, but now seems to relate to her understanding of shape and space, her mental maths, and her ability to apply mathematical knowledge to real-life problems etc)

3)Very good general knowledge across a wide range of topics - knows lots of random facts that a five year-old usually wouldn't!

4)Asks "startling questions" and shows a high level of intellectual curiosity

5)Is "unusually perceptive" and has a talent for empathising with others' feelings.

Free reading by term 3 of reception (didn't read before school), and advanced numeracy. He's reading at a year 3-4 level now (he's year 1). Also general knowledge (he remembers facts, in context, and can discuss things in a very 'grown up' way). I don't think he's gifted by any means, just bright. But I'm pleased that the (state) school has recognised this as they're making sure he's got plenty to do and his work is challenging.

Thank you. Could I ask what sort of level your children read at....it's about the only comparison I can make! My dd is also 5...I think she is bright (although not g+t) and was described in reception as way ahead of her peers. This evening she's picked up the concept of odd and even numbers. I know this isn't earth shattering but probably not average for a 5 year old?

Should add her (state) school isn't even woking on spelling yet and generally she seems to be making stuff out of cardboard!

With regard to reading levels, dd is a "free reader" in school, but I know that means different things in different schools and they progress through the bands at different rates. At her school, they become free readers after lime band, and from what I can gather, it's quite unusual for kids to get to this level until around year 3.

At home, she will read anything - her current favourites are Roald Dahl, Noel Streatfield and Astrid Lindgren.

If the school has said that she is "way ahead of her peers", they should really be providing differentiation of some sort. Perhaps you could ask them about this? It's quite possible that they're doing a lot already, and your dd is just not telling you - five year olds can't always be relied on to give the best accounts of what they do all day!

"DTD1 has been a goth since the age of 4. I'm not sure if that is exactly what they are looking for though."

bubbles - making things out of cardboard is FAB FAB FAB for kids (and I might add, especially for v academic kids!

Dd was 7 in August, and I have no idea whether she is categorised as 'gifted' or not, but I would be surprised if she wasn't in the top 10% - she is Y3, level 4B-4A in reading and writing, 3A-4C in maths. She is certainly super-bright, reads anything, writes beautiful stories and poems at home for fun, v talented at art/music etc.

But atm her favourite thing at home is......making models out of cardboard! And I am often at what she makes - she made dh a train out of drinks bottles for his birthday, and it is just fantastic! Really stretches her imagination, her creativity and dexterity. I'm all for cardboard models for bright kids!

Thank you every one. it's really interesting to read.

I don't mind the cardboard making...it's just that I'm not sure what else she does....but like magic mummy says you can't rely on a 5 year old for the facts!

I don't think our school put anyone on the G&T register in reception and quite rightly imho. Ds is now y1 and the teacher mentioned the g word to me in a casual conversation about him the other day. Last year it was words like 'extremely able' and 'way ahead'.

Haven't had parents' eve yet so maybe G&T will come up at that more 'formally'.

I was however discussing it with a teacher friend and at this age, more than a year ahead of the average class level in most situations would seem to be where some sort of extra differentiation/ a different approach needs to kick in.

In reception ds was a free reader and described as 'very able'. At the end of Year 1, his teacher decided to do some (Year 2)SATs with him and he scored a level 3. However, it was not really until Year 2 that he was picked up by the SENCO and identified as 'exceptionally able' (they don't do gifted at ds's school)

DS2 is 6 (year 2) and the school are currently trying to work out "what to do with him" (their words!) as in some areas he is very able. For example he was reading at the same level as the average Year 6 children in both Welsh and English in Year 1, despite not having actually been taught to read in English yet. They are testing him in different areas to see whether he is ahead in all areas or just a few and are then going to work with the SENCO if necessary.

I think he does have a particular aptitude for reading, but I'm not sure that he is "gifted" IYSWIM.

DS1 has always been around a year ahead of "average" in all subjects, but this is because he works hard. Most of the time he is given extension work. I don't think he is "gifetd" either, although under the top 10% rule he would technically be classed as G&T.

It's interesting how many people think reading above age points to giftedness. I thought it was pretty well accepted that reading ability is no indication of such intelligence.

I wasn't aware that reading above age points to giftedness - isn't the feeling on here that most "G&T" children aren't gifted anyway? - but if your child is reading above age, then surely they'll get bored if it's not recognised and addressed?

As I said in my post I don't think that DS2 is gifted in the traditional sense, but I agree with school that he needs support. He is so far ahead of his peers in terms of reading ability that it is difficult for the teacher to differentiate very well in a class of 25 year 1&2 children. The Head has said that ideally he needs to be with Year 5&6 for reading (this is the class that the Head teaches) but socially this is obviously impossible. If he has some SENCO support then he will be able to work in his own Year group but at a level which is appropriate for him. Before the issue was addressed we were having problems with his behaviour in class, I'm not implying that a higher than average reading age is an excuse for bad behaviour but obviously he would get bored when the rest of the class was working on basic phonics!

Dd is far ahead in terms of reading ability and all that was necessary is that last year she went to the older classes library to get her books and this year she takes her own in. We discussed group reading with dd's teacher recently as they were reading books far below her ability and it was agreed she would read her own book at this time. The group reading is done by supply teacher and they dont discuss book etc and just take in turns to read. Once the whole discussion thing kicks in then dd will join the others for group reading again.

Rainbow, I should have added that the SATs my son took in Y1 were Maths SATS. He is currently in Y4 doing algebra and trigonometry. Agree that reading ability is no indicator really of 'ableness' but can give a pointer. Maths it is much more straightfoward to assess because it is easier to test ability to problem solve, apply concepts to different problems and the like.

Dunno. My dd was not identified as g&t until junior school and tbh there was a good reason for that as she didn't really learn to read until Yr 2- but then suddenly shot ahead of her year. But I knew from a much earlier age that her reasoning powers were quite impressive. So I just kept quiet about it, supplied her with lots of interesting material at home, and reasoned that if there is anything there it will become apparent one day.

Sitting in whole school assemblies and hearing the year 5 and 6 children talk about what they had learnt that week and realising that ds aged 5 had already taught himself that kind of stuff at three and four.

I was never aware whether thay had G+T register at his school or not.

Another one here who agrees that reading ability is not an accurate measure of ability.

For me ds' reading ability boils down to the fact he has a fantastic memory and so I'd agree that maths is more likely to show whether he's truly bright or not.

In terms of when I knew he was very bright (I wouldn't say gifted as I see that as a school descriptor and it doesn't sit well for me), I think I knew from very early on. He seemed different to other toddlers in a number of ways

I knew very early on that he was intelligent, because despite ds1's inability to move around, nobody would take me seriously that he had a problem, because he was "so obviously bright." Psychologist's cognitive assessments indicate he is in the top 0.5% of ability (verbal and non-verbal) for his age - clearly, however, this is not an assessment of common sense or physical ability... So maybe gifted in the school register sense would be a nice way of saying of some children, clever but with limitations...

ps cognitive assessments done at age 6 - immobility/floppiness noticed at a few months...

i am struggling with my ds1 at te moment. he started reading in reception and rushed ahead of his peers straight away - he started reading at the end of reception/summer hols michael morpurgo,roahl dahl, dick king smith. his comprehension is excellent, and can talk about the books he reads in details, even giving examples. his schools comments have been 'his reading is good for his age', and mainly that he wouldn't read every word out loud to the teacher when asked to read. They even commented that I was 'hounding' them the other day for extra reading books for him, and that he has 'exhausted' their supply of books. At no time has there been any mention of G & T. At school he produces very little written work. He won't do any emergent spelling at all, and if he doesn't think he can do it he has various advoidance tactics...very silly, rude, difficult, or just switches off. they put alot of emphasis of the fact he isn;t producing the written work, and his reading is really good luck, but not necessarly anything. I feel he is very bored. At home he will write, and he is happy to work out spellings of complicated words with me. It is not just his reading but is knowledge, questioning and language that sets him apart. my issue is am I seeing something in him thats not there, and I worrying for nothing, or is something there, and what do I do about it?