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The Adirondack Advocacy for Gifted Education and the Super Saturday School established by the AAGE acknowledge the following definitions and categories put forth by the U.S. Office of Education as the official guideline for giftedness.

Definition and Categories of Giftedness

A. "Gifted and talented children are those identified by professionally qualified persons who by virtue of outstanding abilities are capable of high performance. These are children who require differential educational programs and/or services beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society."

U.S.O.E. (Public law 91-230) I. O. E. Guidelines for Gifted Education

B. Public law 91-230 further defines Giftedness by establishing the following categories: 1. General Intellectual Ability 2. Specific Academic Aptitude 3. Creative or Productive Thinking 4. Leadership Ability 5. Visual and Performing Arts 6. Psychomotor Ability A brief description of each area of giftedness as defined by the Office of Gifted and Talented are as follows: 1. General Intellectual Ability - High intelligence test score (i.e., two standard deviations above the mean on individual or group measures, or 132 IQ or above). 2. Specific Academic Aptitude - Outstanding achievement or aptitude performance (i.e., at or above 97th% on standard achievement or scholastic aptitude tests). 3. Creative and Productive Thinking - Ability to produce new ideas by bringing together elements usually thought of as independent or dissimilar, and developing new meanings that have social value (i.e., higher than average scores on the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking or other creativity tests). 4. Leadership Ability - Ability to direct individuals or groups to a common decision or action. Characteristics include self-confidence, responsibility, cooperation, tendency to dominate, ability to readily adapt (i.e., expected results on Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation Behavior -FIRO-B scale). 5. Visual and Performing Arts - Exceptional ability in visual art, music, dance, drama, or other related studies (i.e., Creative Products Scales). 6. Psychomotor Ability - Exceptional kinesthetic motor ability such as practical, spatial, mechanical, and physical skills. This area is seldom used as a criterion in gifted programs unless accompanied by several of the other areas. No one child manifests all of the attributes described by researchers and the Office of Gifted and Talented. Nevertheless, it is important for parents and teachers to be fully aware of the ways in which giftedness can be recognized. Often, certain behaviors such as constantly having unique solutions to problems, asking endless, probing questions, or even the masterful manipulation of others are regarded by parents or teachers as unnatural, unlike other children, and trying to parental and teacher patience. Therefore, it is recommended that these characteristics of gifted children be studied with an open mind. Do not use the list as a scorecard; simply ponder, discuss and appreciate the characteristics your child/student may possess and let common sense and love lead the way.

Drafted in part from ERIC DIGEST #E476 ED 321 481 1990

Top of Page Home Plattsburgh State University Website by Dr. Karen Agne & David Driver 101 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 Phone: (518) 564-5136 Send comments to: Dr. Karen Agne Last Updated: September 18, 2006