1. Characteristics of Gifted and Highly Able Students
Morris School District: Updated April, 2016

2. Behavioral Characteristics Checklist
The checklist identifies 10 traits: advanced communication skills, creativity, humor, inquiry, insight, interests, memory, motivation, problem solving ability and reasoning. Gifted students exhibit many of these characteristics, but not necessarily all. Some of the characteristics can be viewed as negatives in certain situations and environments. According to research, these attributes are evidenced across culture, disability, language, and socio-economic status.

3. Advanced Communication Skills
Reads above grade level with complex interpretations (in native language).
Uses similes, metaphors, or analogies, rich imagery.
Questions word meanings; for example, “How can a bat be an animal and also be something we use to hit a ball?”
Demonstrates leadership abilities in nontraditional settings; playground, home, church, clubs, sports, etc.
Demonstrates social maturity, especially in the home or community.
Expresses similarities and differences.
Uses specific language of a discipline.
Asks questions.
Eagerly translates for peers and adults.
Learns a second language at an accelerated pace.
Often disagrees vocally with others, with teacher.
Tends to dominate others.

4. Creativity Generates new ideas and unique solutions to problems.
Develops, adapts, improves, or modifies objects or ideas related to learning experiences.
Demonstrates advanced coordination in physical activities.
Uses movement or music to demonstrate understanding.
Tends to select artistic outlet for free activity or classroom projects: dance, music, drawing, technology.
Turns in messy work; not interested in details.

5. Humor Catches adult’s subtle or sophisticated jokes.
Displays intellectual playfulness.
Says or does something indicating a sense of humor beyond age mates.
Plays with language by using figurative language or puns for humorous effect.
Uses humor that may be absurd or far out.
Understands jokes and puns related to cultural differences.
Makes jokes or puns at inappropriate times.

6. Inquiry Poses unforeseen questions.
Is curious about new words and phrases.
Enjoys problem solving.
Accesses data with ease using an unexpected variety of tools.
Becomes absorbed with self-selected problems, topics, issues.

7. Insight Interprets past, present and future ramifications.
Interprets another’s point of view.
Demonstrates complex perspective in writing, oral discussions, art, or problem solving.
Listens to others with sensitivity; expresses empathy.
Exhibits intense concern for human issues.
Is self-critical, impatient with failures.
Emotionally sensitive - may overreact, get angry easily, or get ready to cry if things go wrong.
Is critical of others, including teachers.

8. Interests Presents a long attention span in areas of interest.
Bases friendships on similarity of interests rather than age.
Displays expertise in a single subject.
Bored with routine tasks (i.e. rote work).
Challenges the need for rote learning.
Reluctance to explore assigned topics.

9. Memory Requires minimum repetition for mastery.
Organizes, collects ideas in unique ways (using a self-developed mnemonic device).
Retains, easily recalls, and uses new information.
Demonstrates extraordinary ability to process and retain information.

10. Motivation
Is curious, asks provocative questions, innovative experiments.
Takes the initiative to pursue areas of interest.
Prefers to work independently.
Prefers to work with students whose level of English proficiency is higher than their own.
Intense need to understand, asks penetrating questions.
Bored with routine tasks (i.e. rote work).
Reluctance to explore assigned topics; intensely focused.

11. Problem Solving Ability
Takes apart and reassembles ideas, objects, or experiences.
Enjoys analyzing and solving more difficult problems.
Offers alternate solutions; sees many possibilities.
Challenges self and others to generate creative/non-traditional ideas or concepts.

12. Reasoning
Recognizes relationships or patterns between diverse ideas or experiences.
Ponders multiple perspectives.
Comprehends advanced ideas, concepts, or implications.
Comprehends symbolic representations: musical, numerical, alphabetical or mapping.
Analyzes classroom tasks and instructional techniques.
Refuses to accept authority, nonconforming, stubborn.
Is critical of others, including teachers.
Thinks critically, may lead to skepticism.