Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment bright or gifted?

I googled this and found a couple of charts that explain the differences. One of the charts also listed the characteristics of a creative learner. But I still think something is missing. What do you think the difference between bright and gifted is?

Degree.

In my district if your FISQ IQ is <129 you are bright and if it is >130 you are gifted, minorities are gifted at >120.
Sadly this concrete definition causes many kids get overlooked.

I don't think the there is a solid line or a chart which can distinguish between the two. I also believe, that like 2E, it is possible for a child to be both bright and gifted in different areas.

I believe that bright is the ability to learn quickly by observation. Bright learners need to follow the rules and steps to get the correct answer. To do multidigit addition a bright learner may quickly learn to follow the steps, but will often lack the understanding of why the steps are being to be done. The correct answer is the goal of the Bright.

The gifted learner, on the other hand, is not content with "how" they need to know "why". Show a gifted learner how to do multidigit addition and they quickly learn/understand why the numbers are being carried over, even if they forget the proper steps LOL!

That is exactly why a lot of gifted kids go unrecognized isn't it? My son does the craziest technique for multi-digit addition, but gets the right answer when you think that he has no idea what he is doing.

In what area? I think this ignores that some children are bright in some areas and gifted in others - I am not speaking purely about multiple intelligences, but about a combination of things. I think intense interest about geometry could turn a moderately bright child into a gifted math student, purely due to interest and dedication ... strong spatial and visual skills might mean a child who is "only" bright on an IQ test is a very gifted artist.

Cat

Dr. Ruf's levels of gifted start at 120 IQ. http://www.educationaloptions.com/resources/resources_levels_giftedness.php

Level 1, Moderately Gifted: 120-124
Level 1, Gifted: 125-129
Level 2, Highly Gifted: 125-135
Level 3, Exceptionally Gifted: 130-140
Level 4, Exceptionally to Profoundly Gifted: 135-141+
Level 5, Exceptionally to Profoundly Gifted: 141+

Has there been IQ inflation or something? Even the most airheaded people I know claim their IQ is at least 120 and that's supposed to be where gifted begins? I know lots of people with IQs around 140 and they aren't what I would consider profoundly gifted, just run of the mill white collar professionals. They are smart and all, but not Newton or Michael Angelo.

IMO, anything below I40 is just bright and the child should not get differentiated instruction. The curriculum for all classes should be raised 1-2 years so that we don't have every other child reading past grade level. Children of non-English speakers need to be the ones removed from the mainstream classes so that they can get better instruction and so that they don't pull down native speakers and make them appear gifted.

Aside from all of the other bizarre statements in your post, Connie, I am totally shocked that you would suggest segregating a school based on the language spoken at the homes of its students. I can't imagine how isolating these students could possibly help anyone or how the inclusion of these students could possibly make others appear to be gifted.

That's a little harsh, isn't it, no5no5? I don't think Connie suggested that schools be "segregated", and there is a legitimate question about what the balance should be between making special provision for children who have different special needs, such as being ESOL learners. Indeed, here in the UK, I have the impression that gifted pull-outs are rare, compared to other pull-outs.

About the IQ scores, I think one reason why older people with very high scores are not as unusual as we'd expect is the switch from ratio IQs to deviation IQs, which has indeed made high scores much rarer than they used to be. Another is people's tendency to misremember and exaggerate! These days, many children with IQs under 140 clearly do benefit from differentiated instruction.