M
ozart was a child
prodigy, composing
music at the age of five
and playing for the
Viennese Imperial Court at six. At a
similar age, Einstein was struggling
with speech, language and social
issues. His grades were good, though
not exceptional, and he disliked
school feeling it was too rigid an
environment. These two situations
illustrate very different ways in which
gifted children experience and cope
with their abilities. The gifted child’s
talents may take many forms and are
not always easy to spot.
Who is ‘gifted’?
A wide definition of giftedness –
covering aspects from cognitive
domains and leadership, to music
and sports – is typically adopted
today. Multiple assessment criteria
are employed to better identify and
nurture talents, including teacher,
parent and peer nominations,
behavioural checklists and
standardised tests. Parents seeking
to have their child formally assessed
can approach a child psychologist or
The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted
Education (HKAGE).
Parents and teachers play a critical
role in identifying giftedness. While
it is a common assumption that every
parent believes their child is gifted,
the reality is many parents in Hong
Kong shy away from vocalising this,
perhaps to avoid being seen as boastful
or pressuring their child. Professor
Ng Tai Kai, executive director of
the HKAGE, emphasises that while
there may be some parental bias,
this is outweighed by the fact parents
know their children best. Parents who
suspect their child is gifted should
be more proactive in identifying
and nurturing their talents, keeping
How should we help a gifted child?
Sue Lynn Tan
finds out.
Gifted
60
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