How to Define a Child's Abilities

It's a common perception school testing of children measures only learning disabilities. In actuality, ability testing is just that—a child's abilities range from high intellect to reading disabilities and everything in between. A very small group of children are learning disabled. The labels that go with testing, positive or negative, affect the child's self-perception. Many children with extremely high IQs are mislabeled as learning disabled.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Multiple intelligence test
• Child
• Professional observer

1. Learn about multiple intelligences. The reason many children with extremely high IQs are misdiagnosed is that they test high in some areas and low in others.
2. Study the eight intelligences. They are in areas of mathematics, linguistic, musical-rhythmic, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal and naturalist.
3. Sit with children in a classroom and observe the interaction of the children. Many times observation is a better measure of a child's social abilities.
4. Watch children at play. Children often create a natural hierarchy—observation is the only way to catch this hierarchy.
5. Take the time to talk to children. Learn what they find interesting and how they view the world around them. In communication with a child, the tester must listen more than they speak.
6. Complete a survey—one choice available to you is the Multiple Intelligences Test. You can find it online. Many surveys are not geared for young children, so it will be necessary for you to ask the questions and fill in the answers for them.
7. Listen to the answers the child provides to the survey. Keep your personal opinions out of the answers. Remain objective and write down only what the child says in their words not yours.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn about gifted children and their abilities before you make any observations or label any children.
• Be careful not to make interpretations for the child during the survey.