Reasons for testing for giftedness

[MrsBalloon]

Can anyone share their experiences of having their children being tested for giftedness, and whether they are happy that they did it?

School teacher thinks my dc is gifted in many areas. From my point of view the school is doing all they can to give dc opportunities but not enough to stretch to his true potential. I understand it's not possible in a local school due to funding etc and kind of left it at that.

So here are my questions:

What was your reason to have your child tested?
How much did it cost?
Can you take me through the steps which you took to have them assessed?
Was it beneficial to have the results, and if so, in what way?
Does your child go to a state or a private school?
How did the school change (if they did) with the results?
Is your dc aware of the results, and what impact (positive/negative or both) have they had when they found out?

Tia

Is this your DS who is six years ahead in maths and science? I assume he must have been tested in order for this to have been established. Presumably similar tests in other areas?

When I was at school we were tested as standard upon entry. Those of us who were deemed gifted (generally about 1-2%) were put into the ‘gifted’ club and regularly taken out of class to keep us occupied (they knew that we would cause mischief otherwise). This was about it though.

Thanks for your comment. This is according to his teachers and the questions he's been solving at home (he has asked to get secondary books to do at home), no formal assessment as such yet.

I'd be very grateful to know if someone could share their experiences. Many thanks.

@Velveteenfruitbowl thanks for your post. I've read there used to be G&T registers but have also read it got scrapped some 10 years ago. Did you find it helpful to be in a group of likeminded peers?

How old is your child?

@HeadintheiClouds he's six.

What would you do with the results though - what are you trying to achieve?

If as you already say, there isn't anything the school can do over and above what they are already doing, then how would testing change that?

I posted to find out other people's experiences on testing, and what they achieved from it.

I'm just curious to find out whether finding out would potentially have a positive outcome.

Not really here to discuss my dc but more about other people's thoughts. Thanks.

When I was young (around 8/9 years old) my parents took me to an educational psychologist who did an IQ test and various similar tests. No idea of the cost. I believe their reason for doing this was that they were getting my brother assessed for dyslexia, and thought it would be interesting to see my results too.

I went to a state primary and a private secondary school (on a full scholarship). As far as I know my parents did not share the test results with either school.

I wasn't aware of the results myself until I was older. My mum told me when I was at university and had just had a disappointing set of end-of-year exam results. She was hoping to boost my self-esteem and encourage me for my finals (and I think it did have a positive effect on me).

I don't tell anyone my IQ result. I don't think even DH knows, and we've been married for 16 years.

Hope that helps.

@Bucatini thanks so much for sharing your story. Amazed with your parents how they mentioned the result to you and how humble you and your family are.

We did, because school was calling in an educational psychologist and we wanted the gifted testing part of this to be done by an expert so that we got realistic scoring as this would be a one-off chance. We also wanted to known whether we just had a child that was good at reading or whether she was more generally able.

We used someone who I believe is now retired, drove up for the morning, DD (then aged 6 or 7) was thoroughly amused by the process, we came home. I cannot for the life of me remember how much it was, but a few hundred pounds.

Did it make a difference? It did for us, because we realised that DD was v able indeed (top 0.05%) which helped in making decisions later on. School did the thin end of nothing about helping her, despite the educational psychologist that they'd called in telling them that the only problems DD had was being v bright and extremely bored. But then they didn't have much budget to do anything with.

This was in a state school. And we've never told DD anything about this; she knows that she is very good at some things and less good at others. Also, she's now at a selective secondary where she is much more 'normal' and so standing out is less of an issue.

I’ve never had either of mine tested for ‘gifted-ness.’ DS was sent to a dyslexia clinic though to try and get to the bottom of his reading problems and the researcher said she had worked with many children over the years and she wanted me to know he was exceptional and not to waste his talents. He’s at state primary atm where we are happy with how he’s doing, we might try and get a scholarship for him for secondary. DD is at secondary. She has never been tested, she just sits the routine school exams. She was top in her year for maths in last years exams and is very capable in most subjects. She is on the school’s Able, Gifted and Talented register. They have AGT clubs which she is encouraged to take part in, and she often goes out on school trips which are only open to the AGT groups. These trips are often to workshops being held at higher levels than school would normally offer that age group, or to academic competitions against other schools’ AGT groups. I don’t think having her tested would have made any difference to the path she’s choosing through life.

In my 14 years of teaching I've never heard of a test for giftedness. The old G&T register was just the top 10% attainers in each subject. It was a bit useful, they would be targeted for things like Oxbridge talks. But also bollocks because just based on exam results which are affected by many factors on any given day not just some magical "gift".

Oh well I was going to try and help, but if you're going to be like that then I shan't bother.

My ex was tested young and found to have a genius IQ. From that moment he stopped trying and now as an adult hasn't achieved his potential (no degree, minimum wage jobs) His Dad told me it was the biggest parenting mistake he ever made.

All three of mine were formally tested at different times for different reasons.
dd2 was tested at 5 because we needed accurate reports to include with application to emigrate to a country that was renowned for excluding persons who were believed to constitute a ‘burden on the state’ due to being disabled. (I should add, we knew she was gifted - she taught herself to read before she could talk - but that wasn’t the reason for testing - we needed the full battery of tests in order for her file to be assessed to see if she would be admissible. She has cerebral palsy and IQ of 142.) Anyhoo, yes, they let her in the country.
Ds1 was tested at 9. Again, it was widely accepted he was gifted, but that’s not why he was tested. Every single teacher after year 1 had struggled to motivate him, but as he was able to answer literally any questions they asked and would frequently correct their board work, he basically slipped through. They knew how bright he was and loved the bones of him. Year 5 teacher said he spends all his time in his own head - either bored or unable to focus on external. Test him. So we did. It was mildly interesting - flagged some issues with working memory but only bringing them down into the normal range (but this viewed as debilitating if everything else high). Dx as ADD with ASD traits (nothing we didn’t really know - he’d had sensory stuff/ social anxiety). Think his IQ was 135 due to the one area of normal results. It made absolutely no difference to education at all, nor did it answer whether he was bored or unable to concentrate. We did try medication which made him chattier (paed said it quieted all the voices in his very interesting head so he could focus outside it).
School offered to test dd1 (can’t remember why - they all widely assumed she was gifted but no problems.) she was tested via school and fell into the gifted range but in all honesty she works hard and doesn’t have the obvious tells the other two did (ds1 understood numbers from weirdly early. At 3 he worked out number bonds for fun and would play shopping with giving change. He taught himself addition, subtraction and multiplication and adored it. His nursery tried to get the LEA to assess him and they refused, because they didn’t assess three year olds). Dd1 is in her third year doing micro bio. She’s a fab all rounder with lots of extra curricular activities and her assessment made literally no difference to anything.

6 years old and doing secondary school work.. wow! That's wild!

We were an odd bunch. I’m not sure it’s safe to say gift = likeminded. It was very useful to be out of class though (I spent an average of 2 full days per week not in classes). I went a bit mad in my final year (where we were expected to attend as normal) from boredom. I think it made uni a bit difficult though. I was quite used to doing work on my own and really resented mandatory tutorials although that may have happened anyway. Otherwise it’s not really had a lasting impact in any way. All of my closest friends from school we’re not in the G&T group. Since leaving school I’ve not really cared much about raw intellect when socialising etc. I suppose I might have a bit more of an inclination to challenge myself rather than sit in my comfort zone but then again that’s not always a good thing. I’ve made a lot of choices (again to keep myself entertained) that might be objectively called stupid. I’m not convinced that it is wise to single out ‘intelligent’ children when you expect them to conform to the general rules of our society when they leave school. Better not to make that distinction in an attempt to crush them into a mould perhaps. I don’t know, I’m not an educator.

There will be Ed Psych's willing to test aptitudes - processing, numerical, verbal, comprehension, reading etc - and assess against age ranges to benchmark. However you may need to be prepared for this assessment to highlight some other traits often associated with Social and Communication Difficulties, Specific Learning Difficulties and so on.

Oh, just remembered my husbands anecdote. He was tested (by his school as well) and was literally off the charts. They tried to put him into various clubs etc but he had a lot of v problems with boredom. He was almost expelled once for criminal damage. He’s done ok in life, it’s certainly been an exceptional life but I do think he struggles to do normal for any extended period of time. Moral of the story is be careful trying to force your child in with the G&T bunch, they might end up being very stupid and generally being a bad influence. I wouldn’t resorts to it unless your child has a lot of difficulties.

Thanks all for taking your time to share your experiences. I am truly fascinated by them all. I'm sure others who are on the same boat as us will find these very interesting as well.

Please keep posting if time allows.

Thanks again.

Join a Facebook group called Parenting High Potential and ask on there.

A guy I know was identified as gifted, I only got to know him around age 18 but he'd taken O levels and A levels a year earlier than his cohort. His ego was legendary. Picked up languages very easily, musically talented. After university he did nothing. Made money as a tribute singer and did some support work. He blamed his teachers for as he says "blowing smoke to his backside". He's now got severe health issues at 48 and on the waiting list for a council flat.

Up his backside, not to

Just get tested. 6 years old doing secondary work is definitely extraordinary. I just don't think average primary can cater for his needs.