Characteristics of Gifted Children

Scientific researches performed in the field of superior intelligence and superior ability during the last century have changed our thinking and decisions about superior talent. Years ago superior intelligence was seen only as high IQ and for this reason it was measured only by IQ tests. Scientific researches have shown how limited this kind of conservative approach is and therefore it cannot identify a significant proportion of gifted children. As a matter of fact, it is known that a significant proportion of creative adults do not have a very high IQ in their childhood years. Superior ability can be observed in children's behaviors in various forms and in different areas. For example, it is not very important for a child who starts to read at 4 years old to get a high score in IQ test. This child has proven that he is gifted with his academic skills shown at an early age at some degree. Uğur Sak (2011, defined as "outstanding achievement or performance demonstrated in the areas that have a fundamental value for human life". This humanistic definition is the definition adopted in Anabilim's programs for gifted children.

Superior talent can be clearly observed in the following performances of children during the preschool period. Children with these characteristics are very likely to have superior special ability and therefore they need a special education:

• Academic skills such as reading and writing

• Mathematics (making complex calculations in your mind, etc.)

• Logical thinking

• Painting

• Music

Characteristics shown by gifted children depending on their intelligence levels by age as obtained from the studies of Uğur Sak (2011) and Ruf (2005) are classified in the table below.In these studies, parents recorded characteristics of gifted children month by month, gifted children showed some common characteristics in terms of both their physical age levels and mental age levels.

First Level Superior Talent Indications

Age/Distribution	Characteristic
Before the age of 1.5	Most of them know meanings of many words and pronounce these words.
Before the age of 2	Significant number of them know colours and count the numbers rotely. They start to show interest in the puzzles.
Between 18-30 months	Most of them sit quietly and watch TV with pure attention.
Until they become 3	Significant number of can learn the numbers, letters and colours. They begin to talk at a complex level, develop a rich vocabulary.
Until they become 4	Most of them can learn basic signs, how to write their names and the alphabet. They start to perform simple addition and subtraction operations.
Before the age of 5	Most of them are interested in learning to read.
Until they become 6	Most of them can learn how to read basic signs and books. They start using the computer on their own.
Until they become 7	All of them can learn to read and they can study 2-3 grades higher than their peers.
Until they become 7-7.5	All of them can start to read books with chapters.
At the age of 7-7.5 but mostly at the age of 8	Some of them start showing signs of impatience because of the slow processing of lessons at school and the repetition of lessons.

Second Level Superior Talent Indications

Age/Distribution	Characteristic
When they are 6-12 months old.	Almost all of them begin to understand the guidelines and questions given by adults.
When they are 11-15 months old.	Most of them can look at the books on their own and turn the pages.
When they are 15-18 months old.	Most of them know many words. They know many colours.
When they are 11-16 months old.	Most of them recognize names of places like markets and shops and brand names.
Until they reach 2	Almost all of them begin to build sentences that are consisting of three or more words.
When they are 12-20 months old	Most of them recognize numbers.
When they are 17-24 months old	About 25% of them knows the whole alphabet
Until they reach 3	Most of them learn most of the colours and letters. They develops a rich vocabulary, start to build complex phrases.
When they are 3-4	Most of the begin to write letters, words and numbers.
When they are 3.5-4.5 years old	Most of the begin to show interest to real phenomenon, nature and sciences such as physics.
Until they become 4.5	Most of the start using the computer on their own.
Until they become 5	Most of the begin to count and learn basic facts about number. They want advanced books and stories started to be read to them. They begin to read simple books.
Until they become 6	Most of them begin to read books for pleasure and learning.
At the age of 6-7	Most of the them start to complain due to to the slow processing of lessons and repetition of lessons at school.
When they are 7	All of them begin to read books written for levels 2-5 ages above them.
Until they become 7-7.5	All of them can start to read books with chapters.

Third Level Superior Talent Indications

Age/Distribution	Characteristic
Immediately after birth	Most of them begin to show sensitivity towards the environment.
Until they become 6 months old	All of them start to understand what people around are talking about.
Until they become 10 months old	Most of them begin to leaf through books and turn the pages.
Before they are 1 year old	Most of them start telling what they want to their parents. They start to show a huge interest to books. They begin to recognize colours, shapes, numbers and letters.
Until they become 16 months old	Most of them develop a rich vocabulary and begin to express themselves.
When they are 12-15 months old	Most of them recognize numbers and knows some letters.
When they are 15-18 months old	Most of them know most of the colours.
Until they are 17-24 months old	Almost all of them learn the whole alphabet.
When they are 15-24 months old	Most of them begin to play with puzzles . They begin to speak with complex sentences consisting of more than four words. They begin to count numbers greater than 10.
When they are 20-44 months old	Most of them can read names on plates and markets.
Before 2 years of old	Many begin to memorize books that are read to them.
Before 2.5 years old	Most of them begin to show interest to how letters sound and to spell short words.
At the age of 2.5-3	Most of them start to write letters, numbers, words and their own names.
At the age of 3-4	Most of them start to show interest in scientific facts and how tools work. They start to count by skipping numbers and backwards and perform simple addition and subtraction operations.
Until they become 3-3.5	Almost all of them begin to read simple books even if it is from their memories.
Until they become 4-5	Most of them begin to read simple books.
At the age of 3-5	Most of them start questioning things that are unreal.
At the age of 4.5-5.5	Most of them will be able to read the first level books for children
Until they become 5.5	Many of them begin to understand some multiplication and division operations.
Until they become 6	Most of them begin to read books for pleasure and gaining information.
At the age of 6	They will be able to read levels 2 to 5 years above their calendar ages.
At the age of 7-7.5	All of them begin to read books written for teenagers.

Fourth Level Superior Talent Indications

Most of them begin to show interest to how letters sound and to spell short words.

Age/Distribution	Characteristic
At 1 month old	Almost all of them begin to show interest to books read to them.
When they are 3-4 months old	Books become their favourite hoppy for most of them.
Until they become 6 months old	All of them start to understand directions given by their parents.
At the age of 5.5 to 9 months	Most of them know and say some words.
Until they become 14 months old	Most of them develop a rich vocabulary and express these words good.
At the age of 12-15 months	Most of them begin to recognize some letters and numbers and identify their meanings.
When they are 15-36 months old	Most of them begin to like playing with puzzles.
When they are 15-22 months old	Almost all of them knows the whole alphabet.
When they are 20-44 months old	Most of them begin to read names on plates and markets
Before 2 years of old	Many begin to memorize books that are read to them.
Before 2.5 years old
When they are 15-24 months old	They begin to speak with complex sentences consisting of more than four words.
When they are 13-20 months old	Most of them begin to count numbers greater than 10.
When they become 3-4	Most of them start to show interest in scientific facts and how tools work.
When they become 3-4	Most of them start to count by skipping numbers and backwards and perform simple addition and subtraction operations.
When they are 3-4.5 years old	Most of the begin to use their computers on their own.
When they are 3.5-4.5 years old	Most of them begin to read books.
At the age of 3-4	Most of them start questioning things that are unreal.
Until they become 5	Most of them begin to understand some multiplication and division operations.
When they are 5	Most of them begin to read books for pleasure and learning.
At the age of 6	All of them will be able to read levels 2 to 5 years above their calendar ages.
At the age of 6-6.5	All of them begin to read books with chapters written for teenagers.

Fifth Level Superior Talent Indications

Age/Distribution	Characteristic
Immediately after birth	All of them begin to show sensitivity towards the environment
When they are 3-4 months old	Books become their favourite hoppy for some of them.
Until they become 4 months old or before	All of them start to understand directions given by their parents.
When they become 6 months old	Most of them start to turn pages of the books.
At the age of 5.5 to 9 months	Most of them begin say some words and capture some words spoken.
Until they become 1	About 50% begin to talk even if it is not properly.
When they are around 2	All of them begin to talk at an adult level.
At the age of 10-14 months	Most of them begin to recognize some letters and numbers and learn their meanings.
When they are 12-15 months old	Most of them begin playing with puzzles very well.
Until they become 18 months old	Some of the show some musical talent indications.
Until they become 2	All of them begin to read words on the plates and books.
Until they become 20 months old	All of them can memorize books read to them.
Until they become 6-8 months old	All of them has favorite TV shows and movies.
When they are 13-20 months old	Most of them begin to count numbers greater than 10.
Before 2 years old	Most of them begin to write words, numbers and their names.
When they are 18-24 months old	Most of them begin to read basic books.
When they become 2	Most of them start to count by skipping numbers and backwards and perform simple addition and subtraction operations. They start to show interest in scientific facts and how tools work.
Until they become 2	All of them learn using the computer on their own.
When they are 3.5-4.5 years old	All of them begin to read books with chapters.
When they are about 5-4.5	All of them begin to read fiction and non-fiction books.
Before 4 years old	All of them begin to understand abstract mathematical concepts and basic mathematical operations.
At the age of 3.5-4	All of them can play adult games.
At the age of 6	All of them can study at 6 grades above their actual level.