Identification Areas

Descriptions of Gifted & Talented Identification Areas
Giftedness is multidimensional. There are five identification areas. Students may be capable of superior performance or potential in one or more of the following areas:

General Intellectual Ability (GIA) 
A student demonstrates excellence in most academic areas. Intellectually gifted children exhibit early and rapid development of language ability, strong powers of reasoning and advanced ability in critical thinking and problem solving in multiple areas. They may manipulate information in divergent ways when challenged by complex issues. Typically, these children are noted for being several years beyond their peers in their cognitive ability.

Specific Academic Area (SAA)
A student demonstrates exceptional ability and performance in a single academic area. Academically able students have unusual/advanced ability or capability in reading or math. These students often make connections within a discipline that transcends the obvious. They quickly grasp relationships among facts and see facts as parts of a more complex whole.

Creativity
A student demonstrates exceptional ability to use divergent and unconventional thinking in arriving at creative and unusual ideas or solutions to problems.  Creativity may cross all areas (academic, arts, leadership) or may manifest itself in one specific area such as writing or math. Highly creative students tend to develop original ideas and products. They may express their creativity in oral, written, or nonverbal expression. They are flexible and original in their thinking, tending to reject one-answer solutions. These children tend to possess strong visualization. Frequently these students are strongly independent and often resist conformity. Creativity is characterized by originality of thought, human behavior, and product.

Artistic (Visual/Music)
A student demonstrates the ability to create or perform in music in a way that suggests exceptional talent or an ability to paint, sculpt, photograph or arrange media in a way that suggests exceptional talent. Students can demonstrate unusual adeptness or skill in the fields of music or visual arts. Since this is a performance- based talent, identification centers around nominations, portfolios and expert assessment.

Leadership
A student demonstrates exceptional ability to relate to and motivate others. Individuals gifted in leadership usually have the ability to convince people to act or not act in specific ways.  Leaders are often self-confident and comfortable with their peers. They express themselves well and frequently are charming and charismatic. It is important to recognize that leadership traits may manifest into different leadership styles, depending upon environment and personality of the individual. Observable characteristics may include influencing peers, being sought out by others to accomplish a task, addressing a need, holding high expectations for self and others, demonstrating or delegating responsibility, and internalizing concepts of right and wrong.