Main needs of children with High Abilities

We speak of High Abilities in the child when he presents either an intellectual level above the average, or a high capacity for understanding and mastery in one or more areas of knowledge. In this way, not all people with High Abilities have to be gifted (having an IQ higher than 130), although in practice many are.

Each of these characteristics are indicative when defining High Capacities and can present all of them together in the child or only some of them, along with other traits personal.

The term High Capabilities also refers to the potential of the individual to achieve high performance in certain areas of knowledge or creativity, a potential that depending on the intellectual stimuli received and the education during their growth, can be taken advantage of or not. So It is necessary to bear in mind that together with High Capabilities, the needs associated with these must be considered..

• Related article: "Theories of human intelligence"

Needs of the child with High Abilities: what to take into account to educate and raise 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 math is not the same as showing great facility for memorizing certain syllabi.

In this way, what defines High Abilities is the potential to learn, which leads us to consider the importance of education. The educational needs of the child, as well as other needs, must be taken care of both by their school and by their social and family environment. The most important needs are highlighted below.

1. Understanding and affection

Like any other child, High Ability children need the love and affection of their parents and above all to feel valued beyond their superior abilities.

The fact of having different abilities can make the child feel displaced or alone in their academic or social environment; that is why in your closest family bond you should feel heard, respected and loved.

Some people with High Abilities may also have a high emotional sensitivity, which is why they require a high understanding on the part of their parents, who should also teach them to control and regulate their responses emotional

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 are the advantages and disadvantages of it 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 superior abilities than the rest, he is a normal person with successes and mistakes.

• You may be interested in: "Self-concept: what is it and how is it formed?"

3. Need for a stimulating environment

Children with High Abilities tend to have a tendency to boredom in the school or educational environment. That is why they are usually advanced to a higher grade.

Another of the measures that are usually taken to stimulate the student is the enrichment of the curriculum, that is, include in the curriculum new activities from various fields, with which the child acquires greater learning and more diverse.

Some of the measures that parents can take to stimulate the child are active participation and non-directive in the game and help you acquire study habits from the early stages of childhood.

4. Healthy social environment

In childhood and youth, Children with High Abilities 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 anyone else, these children need to establish healthy friendships with other children their age, to develop normally.

Besides that, Knowing different children or from other social groups will also help them understand diversity and adapt to different social contexts..

5. A treatment according to his age

Some parents of children with High Abilities have a tendency to be more severe with their children or to demand emotional maturity from them 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.

6. Need for limits

It is common for some children with High Abilities to be reluctant to obey the rules and limitations of their parents, due to their early level of understanding, reasoning and communication.

However, it is of great importance to establish clear limits on what they can or cannot do, from the earliest years of childhood.

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Bibliographic references:

• Álvarez González, B. (2000): High ability students. Educational identification and intervention. Madrid: Bruño.
• Garcia-Cepero, M.C & McCoach, D. B (2009). Educators ’implicit theories of intelligence and beliefs about the identification of gifted students. Universitas Psychologica 8 (2) 295 - 310.
• Heller, K.A.; Mönks, F.J.; Sternberg, R.J.; et al. (2000). International Handbook of Giftedness and Talent. Amsterdam: Pergamon.