Hi,
I'm new. My elder daughter is very intelligent. She is also diagnosed as having Asperger's Syndrome; she has some social delays and some sensory processing issues.
First, I want to make sure that I am correct to be following the gifted and talented line of inquiry.
Penguin, is very intelligent and has always demonstrated a large vocabulary. She also has an astute memory. Currently she is 6 years old, is finishing up kindergarten, and has recently completed her first reading and math NWEA tests. She topped out on the reading test, scoring at the upper end of 5th grade - the limit. I'm not surprised by this because when we sometimes read the New York Times Science section together. She reads it faster than I do and asks very detailed questions. She is obviously synthesizing new information with her already extensive background knowledge. Science and nature are her aspie style special interest areas.
While Penguin has not had any formal math instruction, she scored at about the mid 2nd grade level on her NWEA. She has an amazing ability to hold numbers in her head and enjoys creating gigantic problems for the family to solve. A typical diner conversation will have her ask: "What's 7 + 12 + 3 - 2 + 4?" Then she'll let us know if we got the answer correct.
Does this sound gifted to you?
If so, what steps should I take from here? Our school district does not hIave much of a gifted program. They don't identify kids as being gifted until at least 3rd grade because until then all differences could be attributed to nurturing.
Thanks!
