Gifted children can also be ADD. There is no single set of criteria that will help you identify giftedness. Some gifted children excel in all their academic subjects while others only excel in a specific area. Some traits of gifted students are:
- Have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
- Catch on quickly to concepts the first time they are presented.
- Are creative thinkers and problem solvers.
- Are very observant of everything going on around them at all times.
- Retain a large volume of knowledge.
- Enjoy challenging tasks that would often discourage their peers.
- Become so engrossed in their work everything else is blocked out.
- Never want to make a mistake - striving always for perfection.
- Enjoy playing thinking games.
- Use a large speaking vocabulary.
- Do work well above grade level.
- Get bored when the work is too easy.
Does your son possess many of these traits? We know he gets bored; however, he will need to have many of the other traits to be considered gifted. Have you ever asked his teachers if they believe he is gifted? You can learn more about identifying and helping gifted children at the National Association for Gifted Children website.
More creative assignments can be devised to stop your child from being bored at school. However, first you need to find out why your son is a year behind in reading. Reading is essential to academic success. He may now excel in math and science, but continuing success in both of these subjects will depend greatly on his reading skills. Talk to his teacher and find out what he or she believes must be done to improve your child's reading skills. Testing for learning disabilities may be appropriate.