Not Traditionally Academic: Other Areas of Giftedness
Sometimes children's gifts do not manifest in traditional academic areas, like math, reading or science. Researcher Howard Gardner identified eight areas of intelligence, only two of which -- linguistic and logical/mathematical -- are commonly valued and tested for in schools (Davis, 2006).
His other intelligences include:
Visual-Spatial Intelligence: The ability mentally see and manipulate three-dimensional objects. People with this intelligence generally do well as artists, sculptors and engineers (Davis, 2006).
Children with gifts in the arts "are incessant drawers, seemingly compelled to translate their experiences into pictorial form...these children are highly observant; attuned to the visual world; endowed with a superior visual memory and a visual-spatial motor precocity that, in the case of the realists, foster the creation of fluid lines that capture the natural contours of figures; and, in the case of the colorists, yield richly ornamental and expressive designs" (Golomb, 2004, p. 36).
Musical Intelligence: People with musical intelligence have a sensitivity to rhythm and pitch, or the ability to perform or compose music (Davis, 2006).
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence: An ability to exercise fine control over parts or all of the body. Think athletes and dancers (Davis, 2006).
Interpersonal Intelligence: People with gifts in this area have an enhanced ability to understand others' motivations and actions. They're good with people, and can have successful careers in politics, counseling and teaching (Davis, 2006).
Intrapersonal Intelligence: Gifted with introspection, a child with ability in this area understands her own strengths, weaknesses, feelings and emotions (Davis, 2006).
Naturalist Intelligence: Students who display naturalist gifts are strongly aware of and able to classify the environment around them. Think of naturalists -- people with the ability to name and classify every living thing around them (Davis, 2006).
His other intelligences include:
Visual-Spatial Intelligence: The ability mentally see and manipulate three-dimensional objects. People with this intelligence generally do well as artists, sculptors and engineers (Davis, 2006).
Children with gifts in the arts "are incessant drawers, seemingly compelled to translate their experiences into pictorial form...these children are highly observant; attuned to the visual world; endowed with a superior visual memory and a visual-spatial motor precocity that, in the case of the realists, foster the creation of fluid lines that capture the natural contours of figures; and, in the case of the colorists, yield richly ornamental and expressive designs" (Golomb, 2004, p. 36).
Musical Intelligence: People with musical intelligence have a sensitivity to rhythm and pitch, or the ability to perform or compose music (Davis, 2006).
Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence: An ability to exercise fine control over parts or all of the body. Think athletes and dancers (Davis, 2006).
Interpersonal Intelligence: People with gifts in this area have an enhanced ability to understand others' motivations and actions. They're good with people, and can have successful careers in politics, counseling and teaching (Davis, 2006).
Intrapersonal Intelligence: Gifted with introspection, a child with ability in this area understands her own strengths, weaknesses, feelings and emotions (Davis, 2006).
Naturalist Intelligence: Students who display naturalist gifts are strongly aware of and able to classify the environment around them. Think of naturalists -- people with the ability to name and classify every living thing around them (Davis, 2006).