Gifted Assessment Tool

Nominations can be completed by:

Any Teacher (including elective teachers)

Any Administrator

Parent/Guardian

Self

Peer

Once the nomination is done the screening process begins automatically and is completed for every child that is nominated

Step #1

Teacher Evaluation Forms

Parent/Guardian Questionnaire

Self Evaluation

This step will focus on narrowing down the characteristics of the child in relation to characteristics of gifted.

• Variety of Interests
• Excellent memory
• Long attention span
• Unusual curiosity
• Persistence in attacking difficult mental tasks
• Creative ability/Divergent thinking skills
• Good problem solving/reasoning abilities
• Rapid learning ability
• Leadership qualities
• High degree of energy
• Above average language development
• Early/avid reader
• Preference for older/matured companions
• Unusual emotional depth and intensity
• Heightened sensitivity
• Non-conformity behavior
• Above average ability with numbers/jigsaw puzzles
• Keen powers of observation
• Vivid imagination
• Good sense of humor
• Sense of justice and moral sensitivity
• Perfectionism
• Apparent maturity in judgment

Information is collected and put in the chid’s file for the parent interview.

Step #2 Initial intelligence test

The WISC IV test is administered to give an initial indication of the child’s aptitude. I selected this test primarily because it accounts for ADHD and learning differences. This is an initial test and poor performance does not exclude continuation of the process. If the test is not available in the child’s home language a substitute Naglier Non-verbal test.

Step #3 Review of portfolio

The assessor will obtain samples of the students work from all current teachers in all subjects. Special effort should be made to obtain things that the child does at home which may show creative or above level cognitive ability. The student will then give three open-ended assignments that will test verbal, quantitative, and critical thinking ability. The assignments will be chosen at or above grade level depending on the results of the WISC IV test. The assignment should be open ended to allow for creative thinking evaluation.

Step #4 Parent/Guardian Interview

A meeting will be scheduled with the parent to review the information that has been collected add any new information and review the portfolio of work. At this point the parent and the assessor will discuss the results of the portfolio, characteristics profile, and intelligence test. The parent will be presented with the services that are available through the district along with local and state resources whether they are classified as gifted or not. Students that are not accepted in the program should be re-evaluated in one year.

Step #5 Final Test

If the child is classified as gifted they will be given a final intelligence test the Woodcock-Johnson Test. This final step will allow the assessor to more accurately determine the child’s aptitude. I choose this particular test because of it’s large ceiling. Services should be differentiated for gifted students based on their needs. Students should be given ample opportunity for acceleration even dramatic acceleration.