Gifted learners come from all backgrounds and cultures and often share common characteristics. According to the  Texas Education Code §29.121, a gifted/talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who

• exhibits high-performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
• possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
• excels in a specific academic field.

Although gifted learners have the potential to achieve at very high levels when compared to their peers, some may demonstrate behaviors that seem to overshadow their abilities.  Some gifted learners may even be considered “twice exceptional”, demonstrating gifted tendencies and evidence of a disability or impairment.  For more information about Twice-Exceptional learners, visit The Davidson Institute

There are differences between the behaviors of a child with age-appropriate intellectual abilities who is a high-achieving academic student and a child who demonstrates gifted tendencies. Both types of learners benefit from academic challenges in the general education classroom, but gifted learners require specialized instruction with greater depth, complexity, and pacing designed to meet their social, emotional, and intellectual needs.  

The following chart provides some examples to clarify differences in learning behaviors.  Not all gifted learners will exhibit all of these characteristics, but will demonstrate behaviors to a significant degree.