Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums GT Research Prodigies have large working memories

Dbat - the SBV and WISC WMI measures are different, but most people would say that the SBV measures are gentler/kinder than the WISC (for most children). Possibly your DD did not fully grasp the SBV WMI requirements, did not like the tester, had a bad day, or has significantly improved over time OR is better suited to the WISC method of testing. My 2E DDs WMI was 13th percentile on the WISC at 7.5yrs, 2 years and a lot of remediation later it was above the 85th on the SBV and around 80th on the WISC. So for her the SBV was "easier" but also she changed over time.

Back to the actual topic - my question is does the prodigious child start life with such yawning gaps in ability or does their interest/talent in one area stunt their growth in other areas through neglect. My children aren't remotely prodigious but I often wonder how much their weakness(es)are nature and how much is failure to nurture... My eldest I think has developmental coordination issues. She was NEVER going to be good with balls and we gave up trying. We forgot to try at all with #2 (and #3), the second two might not have been so naturally hopeless with balls.

I think that almost certainly plays into things. The fact is that most prodigies are educated in very unconventional settings.

That alone allows for specialization to proceed unimpeded by 'working on relative weaknesses' or 'discouraging over-reliance on relative strengths.'

Given what we saw happen with a PG child over just a two year homeschooling stretch-- which wasn't even strictly child-led, mind-- I think this is a very real possibility as an explanation for the development of prodigy-level ability. My daughter went from reading beginner chapter books to discussing adult literature quite competently, and was well on her way to doing likewise with science topics. Her reasoning and critical thinking skills were close to prodigy-level at that point (she was then just-turned 6 yo, and really was making fairly insightful observations re: poetry, military tacticians, historical events, experimental design, etc). On the flip side, though, she still could barely write even her own NAME legibly, much less communicate via a written and coherent paragraph.

Oh, there is no doubt that my DD wouldn't have become a prodigy at anything recognizable to the outside world (math, music, chess or the arts seem to be the most commonly recognized sorts of prodigy). Partly I think this is because she seems to lack that particular single-minded drive to mastery in those areas... and partly because she didn't have an area of strength in any of them which vastly outstripped her other areas of high ability.... but also because we didn't regard that kind of obsessive pursuit as healthy, and we actively discouraged it, with the help and advice of professional educators in the family.

When one looks at musical prodigies throughout history, they've mostly had that interest actively fostered, and they've been allowed to fixate on it (and in some cases, even encouraged/forced to do so).

One reason why prodigies are relative rare, I think, is that so many different factors must be present to allow it to occur. Extraordinary working memory is probably only one of them.

This 60 Minutes segment about math prodigy Jacob Barnett fits right in here.

I am not in the least surprised by the low and scattered IQ scores. I've seen the same thing in my son. I don't think IQ tests can always accurately measure intelligence or gift in children with significant strengths in some areas and significant weaknesses in others.

Damn--this really makes me want to get DD a "real" IQ test (she took the RIAS, which does not do memory indices at all). I strongly suspect she would score 99th% on WM. She has a few prodigy-ish traits, as does her brother. Most involve memory. She also has more than one relative with known or suspected ASD.

If its not a money issue I would test both of them. We did WPSSI, SBV and WISC - first 2 for school admissions, last as part of an IEP and for DYS. From the first two when DS was 4.5 and 5 we got some interesting insight, but more really a confirmation that what we think we see is actually there. But the WISC gave us a full in depth real psychological report about the way he approached the test - it was fascinating - it confirmed some of the things from the earlier tests but also explained some interesting patterns. I would say get a tester with good recs for getting gifties, especially girls. You might really gain insights, and it might help devise different ways of reaching with her or handling her frustrations because they might be clearer to you. On the other hand, it's not going to change who she is (so then not necessary) or could either shock you or disappoint you depending on your reaction to the results. I got more from the report than the actual numbers and that's why I recommend doing it. It was useful.

DeHe

It is a money issue, alas. She doesn't "need" to ever do another IQ test because she has her "golden ticket," as it were, from her RIAS scores, which were high enough for admission to all our district's GT programs but really rather unilluminating--just a couple of uninspired paragraphs and the note that DD "gave up easily when she did not immediately get the answer." Any further testing would be for our further understanding and curiosity's sake.

FWIW, I just gave her the digit span test from here: http://www.cambridgebrainsciences.com/, which is not exactly totally scientific, I realize. She consistently recalls 9 digits; she smokes me (can't get mine above 7, or dead average for an adult). She seemed like she was verrrry close to getting 10 digits; she might have if she hadn't had a little brother next to her talking to her and music playing distantly (!) I wasn't sure how that rated for an 8yo child, but if it's comparable to the WISC task (probably...how complex can it really be?), that's definitely 99th%+ for a 8yo, or at least, so it appears: http://alpha.fdu.edu/psychology/WISC_percentile_ranks_for_DS.htm. I'm not surprised at all. She's been, well, prodigious with this sort of thing since toddlerhood. Her brother is very similar.

I have read alot about working memory. Some people argue that it is the key to success. The professor who developed the software Jungle Memory; argues that working memory more important than IQ scores. My son is 99.9% in everything but working memory and processing speed. Sometimes, I wonder if this is just not developed yet; or if it can be increased, etc. But I do believe there is a correlation.

Wow! As I read your response about multi-potentiality I want to say this: I too come from a jack-of-all-trades type family. What has been an ongoing problem for me is figuring out what I like or what I feel is important. I want to do everything! I think our lack of excel in any particular area has to do with our multiple interests. We can never focus on any one thing long enough to be the best at it.

Perhaps that may be why I was never 'discovered'. I was smart enough to get good grades but not stand out in any way, especially, also being shy.