Accelerated and Enriched Instruction → Parent Resources → Characteristics of Highly Able Math Students

Characteristics of Highly Able Reading/Language Arts Students

This list includes some characteristics of highly able readers. Few students will exhibit all characteristics and these characteristics can emerge at different times, in the study of different topics, and as the child develops cognitively, socio-emotionally, and physically.

A highly able reader independently:

• Reads avidly at a very early age
• Reads for longer periods of time
• Enjoys a variety of reading materials
• Demonstrates verbal, analytical, persistent, and creative behaviors
• Regularly broaches "adult" issues, asks critical questions, and has a breadth of information in advanced areas
• Displays a strong sense of self and is tenacious in his or her beliefs
• Is intuitive and perceptive
• Can handle abstract concepts and make conceptual leaps
• Possesses a large vocabulary
• Displays curiosity, originality and a sensitivity to beauty
• Is passionately interested in specific topics
• Is capable of using many levels of concentration simultaneously
• Learns at faster rate
• Manipulates abstract ideas and make connections more readily
• Asks penetrating, searching, provocative questions
• May evidence a vast gap between qualitative level of written and oral work
• May offer clever, unusual, or "far-out" responses or solutions to problems; may develop own system for solving problems
• May display poor organizational, planning and sequencing skills
• May be passive or "unmotivated" in school