Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School Gifted six year old boys

My DS6 tested a 132 on the WPSIII, which is a score that means moderately gifted on some of the charts.

As of last August, he was reading at a 5th grade level, and I think we're at 6th or 7th by now. For math, last August he tested at end of 1st grade and I've been having him do a bit of Khan Academy addition. He had fun with the addition with carrying.

Mostly he's really verbal and he's a happy kid. I think he wishes he could meet more kids like him or have pen pals or email pals.

He struggles with printing, and the testing we had done last August revealed big handwriting challenges. With his teachers and the educational psychologist who did the testing, we asked him to pick a hand this year. He was very proud of being ambidextrous, but it was not serving him well. His handwriting has greatly improved over the last year, but it's still not as fast as his brain.

We had the testing done so that we'd feel more confident asking his school for some accommodations. We thought he was pretty bright, and even had other parents remarking on his reading and his intelligence, but we wanted some evidence.

My DS will be 6 in 4 months. He has been labeled as gifted by our school district after NWEA testing scored him 99 in reading and 98 in math (99 is highest score). He has been invited to attend the special GT public school next year that has a wonderful program so we are really looking forward to that. I have no idea of his true IQ or actual giftedness, but I don't believe he is EG or PG. It's hard to say exactly what grade level his abilities fall into, but I would guess somewhere between second and third grade in reading and math. His writing skills are still fairly poor, though they have improved quite a bit this year. He exhibits many of the typical gifted traits, including over-excitability, and his KG teacher hasn't a clue how to handle a gifted child. She immediately labeled him as "in-mature" and complained of him "spacing-out". She was, honestly, quite surprised to learn of his high scores in the NWEA testing. He has greatly underestimated him.

Interesting thread! For all of us with boys around the same age!

Our son- turned 7 a month ago. He was skipped from 1st to 2nd last Oct. His writing ability is above average for 2nd, though he doesn't love it and the grade skip definitely made his hand writing sloppy (guess he has more to write, faster) He is lefty/ odd pencil grip.

AR/ Star reading put his level at 3.6 when he skipped in the beginning of the year. He likes Magic Tree House because they are a quick read and he does well on comprehension tests.

Math- we don't teach ahead, but he got multiplication on his own last year. So he understands most elementary stuff with great ease.

WISC-IV GAI 143 (but his PRI was way higher than verbal)

He also has picked up on the cello at a much faster rate than other kids in his group. He just learns with ease (same with learning how to read music)

Mine doesn't fit the pattern. He is six next month and is in y2 (first grade) - our school year starts Feb. His wj111 cognitive is 158 or >99.9. His scores are fairly even except the spacial test which was on the 93rd percentile. He is about two years ahead in reading, one in spelling and one in maths (although he has a random set of more advanced areas). He spent the first six months at school getting back to where he started in maths which knocked him back but he was so sure the teacher was right.

Are you in Australia, puffin?

It's great to read about everyone's kids. There's such varying abilities, it's hard to say what is the norm for a six year old child with an iq of x. Very interesting.

There is no other child in my son's year that even comes close to what my son can do. Although, I'm guessing there is more to it than just maths and reading abilities. In fact, after my son being in his new year level for seven weeks, his previously "gifted-resistant" teacher is now on my side. Very exciting!

Thanks for sharing

I think we have twins! Aiden is 6 now, we are relaxed home schoolers and although Aiden can read and write we suspect stealth dyslexia with him figuring out "tricks" to help him along. he loves chess too and has always had a knack for maths!

No in New Zealand. My son is in the highest groups in his Y1/y2 class and the youngest equal of the Y2 children. So the kids in the groups with him are nearly a year older. The reading is about right but I really think he needs more challenge in maths - when I suggested it the teacher looked at me as if I had two heads and gave me some sixty minute drill sheets which were still in the order of 5+10, (homework was3 +2). He said if he did one a night they would get gradually harder over a few months. I decided to do Math Mammoth instead.

It is really interesting to see everyones info though.

Hi all - I have a 6yo also, in Gr 1. Similar profile to Skateycat. Strong verbal skills particularly. Writing LD diagnosed in the fall. HATES, HATES writing, but with significant supports is getting better. Also not fond of school in general, though he likes the social parts. Reads at a gr 4-5 level and it seems every month he has jumped up higher with his reading skills. Into chapter books now, which is tricky finding materials that are still ok for age. I caved a bit and bought the Captain Underpants series, which he loved (I don't know what it is about farting and boys!) He's also fond of the Zack Power series and has just started the Diary of A Wimpy Kid (I don't know if he can relate to the material). Geronimo Stilton has been a favorite for well over a year, and he often goes back to those, which works well as there are so many.

He has always been a right handed printer and eater, but interestingly he does everything else left handed. The OT was surprised on assessment that he was right handed and asked us if we had made him switch as he was better at several skills with his left - of course we had not. I do think this 'ambidexterity' contributes to some of his printing troubles and we still have lots of letter and number reversals, though it is quite inconsistent - some days lots, other days none - I suspect this might be the path with him though!

I just posted in the advocacy board, as we are struggling with getting an individual learning plan that considers his giftedness in addition to his writing troubles. So this is our/my major stressor at this point. All of his other academics are really quite good, though his teacher thinks he is too easily distracted, and maybe she's right, but we aren't barking up that tree just quite yet!

Re: math work - the printing interferes of course - his teacher still has him doing mostly addition, even though he knows how to subtract and recently explained multiplication to me. Apparently he has to finish a whole page in a certain time frame before he can move up. At this point he doesn't seem to mind, so I'm trying to pick my battles.

Since the beginning of the school year, I've been doing a little bit of extra practice in the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum little skateycat uses at school. 10 minutes 2x a week is what his teachers and the educational psychologist who tested him said, some months it's been more like 2x a month.

It's made a big difference. His printing is lots better than it was in the fall, and he voluntarily writes things down sometimes!

Just for fun, I'd like to know what developmental phase is it when a child first gets why "Ra Ra Ree! Kickem in the knee! Ra Ra Rass! Kickem in the... Other Knee!!" is so funny? Mr skateycat has used this expression around the house, but just this week, little skateycat started cracking up, reciting it himself and dramatically pausing before "Other Knee!"