Make Your Child Smarter

Challenge for the Gifted When There is No Provision

Q: We are from Norway. (I understand if you don't can answer my question and if You can I hope you don't find it too difficult to understand my bad English ). In Norway we don't take tests to find out if a child is gifted and we don't put them in special programs. They just follow rest of the class. My son is eight years old and he goes in 3rd grade in a Norwegian public school. My son walked when he was 9 months old, thought himself to read when he was 3.5 years old and is now reading books like "The Hobbit", all "Harry Potter" and all 5 of the "Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy" - The hitchhiker......He finds very funny and wants to read the funniest parts out loud for me and his dad.

Do you think he is a gifted boy? If so, are there something you think we should do about the school who don't give him any challenge

A: Unfortunately, there are many countries in the world where there is no provision for the gifted, therefore their needs are not met, let alone catered for. But somehow, a brilliant mind goes a long way regardless of whether there is any provision. Of course, it is always useful to have some kind of support but if there isn't, with sophisticated technologies these days, there are still things we can do to make sure our children have the best in their education.

Your son is clearly above average especially with his ability to self read at such a young age. You must keep giving him reading materials to further develop his reading skill as that is the main key to knowledge and further learning challenges.

I would be repeating myself if I elaborated further, so I hope you can read my previous advice on " Stimulation for Gifted Children" which I believe fits very well to your question. (By the way, your English is fine!).

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