What is GIFTEDNESS?

Ontario Ministry of Education

Definition of Giftedness Exceptionality

An unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school program to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated.

 A gifted child may exhibit some of the following common characteristics:

• Masters new skills and concepts quickly

• Advanced vocabulary

• Superior judgment and reasoning ability

• Strong sense of ethics and values

• Perceptive and inquiring

• Original, flexible and fluent thinking

Gifted students represent less than two percent of the school population in Ontario.

Joseph Renzulli"s 

3 Ring Conception of GIFTEDNESS

 

Within the above average abilities Renzulli makes a difference between general abilities (like processing information, integrating experiences, and abstract thinking) and specific abilities (like the capacity to acquire knowledge, perform in an activity).
By creativity Renzulli understands the fluency, flexibility, and originality of thought, an openness to experience, sensitivity to stimulation, and a willingness to take risks.
Under task commitment he understands motivation turned into action (like perseverance, endurance, hard work, but also self-confidence, perceptiveness and a special fascination with a special subject).
Renzulli argues that without task commitment high achievement is simply not possible.
Only if characteristics from all three rings work together can high achievement or gifted behaviour be witnessed.