I think the thing that makes this so hard is that it's SO unique to the child and also very changeable. A year ago I would have told you I had one who'd been skipped and desperately needed it, and one who was MG/2E and I'd always regret not holding back (she's so young for grade she could easily have gone either way in our system). Last week at her parent teacher interview I was astounded to hear that her teacher's only problem was how to extend her enough, especially in literacy. This is my child who was nearly held back in yr2 for literacy, who was finally diagnosed as dyslexic in yr 5... During yr 6 we were talking about repeatig yr7 through a school change... Start of yr7 and her teacher's only concern is that he's not extending her enough. In literacy. To say I nearly fell of my chair is an understatement.
PG kids are singularities. But so are the 2e kids, especially the ones where it's so hard to tell for sure if there IS an LD at all... I'm not saying your child has an LD I'm saying some kids are late bloomers and its really hard to tell whiteout the kid right in front of you, and sometimes even then.
My MG child hasn't started looking actually gifted until yr7, yr4-6 we could argue that her catching up instead of falling further behind was a sign of how bright she was. But she was absolutely behind in kindy and yes it seems she really is MG and is finding her feet and showing it at last....
Thank you for your experience. It was very hopeful to me. Before testing I thought for sure there would be dyslexia or dysgraphia or *something*. The fact they didn't find something made me feel relief, but I think I should always keep in mind that children of this age change so quickly and to not negate it as a possibility. It's also good to hear of stories of taking off in school a little older, as I have the false assumption that G = accelerated in all subjects.
