We speak of High Ability in the child when he or she presents either an intellectual level above average, or a high capacity for understanding and mastery in one or several areas of knowledge. In this way, not all people with High Abilities have to be gifted (having an IQ greater than 130), although in practice many are.
Each of these characteristics are indicative when defining High Abilities and all of them can be present together in the child or only some of them, along with other personal traits.
The term High Abilities also refers to the individual’s potential to achieve high performance in certain areas of knowledge or creativity, a potential that, depending on the intellectual stimuli received and the education during growth, can be taken advantage of or not. That’s why It is necessary to take into account that along with High Capacities, the needs associated with these must be considered
Needs of children with High Abilities: what to take into account when educating and raising them?
As we have seen, High Abilities can take many different forms, because the way they are expressed depends on the type of activity in which a particular talent is displayed. Being exceptionally good with mental calculation is not the same as showing great ease in memorizing certain syllabi.
Thus, What defines High Abilities is the potential to learn, which leads us to consider the importance of education. The educational needs of the boy or girl, as well as other needs, must be met by both their school and their social and family environment. The most important needs are highlighted below.
1. Understanding and affection
Like any other child, children who have High Abilities need the love and affection of their parents and, above all, to feel valued beyond their superior abilities.
Having different abilities can make the child feel displaced or alone in their academic or social environment ; That is why in your closest family relationship you should feel listened to, respected and loved.
Some people with High Abilities may also present high emotional sensitivity, which is why they require a high degree of understanding from their parents, who must also teach them to control and regulate their emotional responses.
2. Need to create a positive self-image
The same way, It is important that the child understands from an early age what it means to have High Abilities and what the advantages and disadvantages of it are so that he does not feel lost by being different from the rest of his classmates.
In addition to that, another essential aspect that parents of a child with High Abilities must carry out is do not pressure him in any area especially when he is younger, and make him understand that although he has abilities superior to the rest, he is a normal person with rights and mistakes.
Children with High Abilities They usually have a tendency to boredom in the school or educational environment That is why they are usually advanced to a higher grade.
Another measure that is usually taken to stimulate the student is the enrichment of the curriculum, that is, including new activities in various areas in the study plan, with which the child acquires greater and more diverse learning.
Some of the measures that parents can take to stimulate the child are active and non-directive participation in play and helping them acquire study habits from the early stages of childhood.
4. Healthy social environment
In childhood and youth, Highly gifted children may have communication and socialization problems with people their age That is why during their physical, emotional and intellectual development, they need a social environment where they are respected and accepted by other children.
Like any other person, these children need to establish healthy friendships with other children their age to develop normally.
Besides that, Meeting different children or children from other social groups will also help them understand diversity and adapt to different social contexts
5. Treatment according to your age
Some parents of children with High Abilities have a tendency to be more severe with their children or demand of them an emotional maturity that does not correspond to their age.
It is important to remember that High Abilities are limited only to certain areas of knowledge or academics and that they are normal children who should be treated as such, through a parenting style adapted to their age.
It is common for some children with High Abilities to be reluctant to obey their parents’ rules and limitations due to their early level of understanding, reasoning and communication.
However, it is of great importance to establish clear limits on what they can and cannot do, from the first years of childhood.
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