Are you noticing that your child exhibits advanced intellectual abilities beyond their peers?
Are they showing high levels of creativity, curiosity, or advanced problem-solving skills that leave you wondering if your child might be gifted?
If they are gifted, how can you use that information to effectively advocate for their needs?
Giftedness is a term that is commonly used to describe exceptional intellectual abilities that significantly surpass the norm for a child’s age. Gifted children often exhibit advanced problem-solving skills, creative thinking, an insatiable curiosity, and rapid learning abilities. It’s important to note that giftedness isn’t just about academic achievement; it encompasses a broad range of intellectual capabilities.
Gifted children often grasp language and its nuances earlier than their peers. They might start speaking at an earlier age, use complex sentences and a rich vocabulary, and may even self-teach reading. Their advanced verbal abilities can sometimes make it difficult for them to relate to same-age peers who are not yet at their language level. Providing intellectually stimulating conversations and age-appropriate yet challenging reading materials can be beneficial.
Emotional intensity and heightened empathy are common in gifted children. They may understand and experience complex emotions deeply, displaying a level of emotional maturity that seems beyond their years. This sensitivity can sometimes make them prone to anxiety or feelings of being different. It’s important to offer emotional support and guidance, teach them coping mechanisms, and help them understand and manage their emotions effectively.
We believe therapy is part of living a healthy life; you don’t have to be in crisis or facing an emergency to seek support. Our practice is built on long-term connections, and we walk with you as you navigate the different phases and challenges in your life.
While working with children and adolescents is what we’re best known for, we extend our specialized assessment and therapeutic support services to parents, adults, and couples who are on their own path to healing and living a life they love.
We use comprehensive assessment tools, behavioural observations, and interviews to gauge your child’s verbal, nonverbal, memory, and processing skills. Depending on your goals, we might also evaluate their academic abilities and social-emotional functioning.
We analyze the results, compile a comprehensive report that details your child’s abilities, strengths, and any potential areas for growth, and help you put together a plan to move forward.
These standardized assessment tools gather comprehensive information regarding how your child is performing relative to a Canadian norm group of children the same age and in the same grade placement.
In an inclusive learning environment, your child’s summary of scores and report recommendations will help inform your child’s teacher or school to establish appropriate expectations and any educational strategies, adaptations, or modifications that will best support your child’s engagement and growth in the classroom. If you’re interested in a specific academic challenge program, your child’s scores will be used to determine whether they meet entrance requirements for the upcoming school year.
If you are requesting an assessment in order to determine your child’s eligibility for a gifted (challenge) program, advanced placement, or academic alternative program, please contact your schools of interest in order to determine their entrance requirements and registration deadlines. This will help to ensure that your child’s assessment and report are completed within appropriate timelines. Please note that program criteria are ultimately left up to the district or individual school.
A gifted assessment is a comprehensive evaluation conducted by a trained professional (a psychologist trained specifically in assessments). It typically involves a standardized intellectual measure that assesses five main areas that are relevant to learning: verbal reasoning, visual spatial skills, fluid (nonverbal) reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. An academic or social-emotional/behavioural assessment may also be included to fully understand a child’s profile. The objective is to fully understand the child’s unique abilities and potential. The process is tailored to each child, ensuring it’s an engaging and comfortable experience.
The duration of the assessment process can vary depending on the child and the depth of the evaluation. Typically, the testing portion can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. Breaks are included to ensure that the results are not impacted by attention or fatigue. The process also involves initial consultations, scoring and report writing, and a follow-up meeting to discuss the findings and recommendations. Thus, from start to finish, the process may span a few weeks.
While gifted assessments are designed to be reliable if administration is completed in a standardized manner, there is always error in measurement. To account for this, we provide confidence intervals for scores, which include not just the score your child obtained but also a broad range that your child’s “true score” would fall within. Factors like a child’s mood, health, and comfort level during the assessment can influence their performance. It’s also possible for a gifted child to not test well on a standardized test if it doesn’t align with their unique learning style. For these reasons, psychologists consider a range of factors, including observations and background information, to make a comprehensive evaluation. If you have doubts about the results, you can always seek a second opinion.
If you’re looking to get started with J. Gordon Psychology Group, get in touch! You can email, call or submit a message using our contact form.
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4710 99th st. NW Edmonton,
Alberta T6E 5H5