Gifted Assessment
Does your child show a deep curiosity about the world around them, or are they able to grasp information at a rapid pace? Do they seem to have natural abilities in problem-solving, in their use of language, learning of new concepts, or the arts? Children who are gifted have special talents and are able to perform at a level much higher than their peers. My Child Assessment Los Angeles offers comprehensive gifted assessments in order to recognize your child’s unique talents and provide them with the tools that will help them soar.
Why Choose a Gifted Assessment?
Identifying giftedness is important for many reasons. First, gifted children have great potential, and when nurtured properly, they have the ability to make significant future contributions to their field of interest. Second, for many gifted children, traditional classrooms are not intellectually stimulating enough, which can lead to disengagement, boredom, or acting out. Gifted assessments can help to identify specialized educational programs that can meet their advanced learning needs and help them to flourish. Additionally, being advanced in one area doesn’t mean being advanced in all areas: gifted individuals often have uneven (asynchronous) development; meaning that while they might be ahead cognitively, they may have typical or delayed abilities in other areas, such as their social-emotional skills or physical development. For example, gifted children often struggle socially and feel isolated from their peers because of their unique abilities. They also feel emotions more intensely and may experience greater levels of worry, perfectionism, or sensitivity toward the feelings of others. Identifying these differing areas of development is key to supporting gifted children.
At My Child Assessment in Los Angeles, our gifted assessments are designed to identify and evaluate the unique strengths and abilities of intellectually advanced children.
My Child Assessment LA offers two assessments in this area:
- Comprehensive Gifted Assessment: Determine whether your child possesses exceptional talents that set them apart from their peers. Discover their unique gifts, whether their talents lie in their ability to problem solve, their understanding of global events, creativity, or leadership. Understand the areas where development may be uneven or skills that may be less developed. This comprehensive evaluation provides a complete picture of your child’s learning and thinking patterns, highlighting their capabilities, as well as areas of need. It also provides insight into social-emotional development, which is an area where many gifted children struggle. Following the assessment, a customized and detailed treatment plan is created that meets your child’s advanced potential and helps them to harness all of their abilities. This may include recommendations for accelerated learning, enrichment programs, individualized curriculum, and opportunities for intellectual stimulation. Recommendations are also made for professional interventions or treatments which may be needed (e.g., psychotherapy, occupational therapy) as well as family support.
- IQ Assessment: This is a faster and more cost-effective option for parents looking to determine whether their child is gifted. The IQ Assessment includes a complete battery of tests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale, a widely used instrument for the assessment of intellectual abilities. This test provides an understanding of the individual’s abilities in various domains of intelligence, including verbal knowledge, reasoning skills, non-verbal abilities, memory, and processing speed. It also provides an overall IQ score which many gifted programs require for admission.
With our Comprehensive Gifted Assessment, you can expect to:
- Identify Intellectual Giftedness: Determine if your child possesses exceptional intellectual abilities that set them apart from their peers. Discover their strengths in areas such as critical thinking, memory, rapid learning, language development, and artistic expression.
- Tailored Educational Plans: Receive insights and recommendations for customized educational plans that meet your child’s advanced learning needs. These plans can include acceleration, enrichment programs, modified curriculum, and specialized schools.
- Support Personal Growth: Understand your child’s emotional and social needs as a gifted individual. Gain guidance on fostering fulfilling social relationships, managing perfectionism, and nurturing their unique talents and interests.
- Advocacy and Collaboration: Receive support in advocating for appropriate educational provisions and accommodations within the school system. Collaborate with administrators and educators to ensure your child’s learning environment fosters their growth and development.
Identification of Twice Exceptional
The term twice exceptional (or ‘2e’) refers to a child who is gifted in one or more areas and also has a disability or learning difference, such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism, or other similar challenge. These individuals are often under-identified, because their gifts and disabilities mask one another, making them difficult to recognize. My Child Assessment’s Comprehensive Gifted Assessment can identify twice exceptional children and provide a complete understanding of both their gifts and challenges. This balanced perspective ensures that their potential isn’t overlooked due to their difficulties, and vice versa. Once identified, a comprehensive assessment can determine the strategies that can simultaneously challenge and support your child. This may include advanced coursework in areas where they are thriving and specialized interventions in areas of difficulty. Twice exceptional children often experience feelings of frustration because they know they are capable, but feel “held back” and cannot understand why. As such, the comprehensive assessment pays close attention to their psychological functioning and the social-emotional support they need. Because of the complexity of these cases and the puzzling pattern of symptoms, twice-exceptional individuals are not only more likely to be overlooked but also more prone to misdiagnosis once they finally are evaluated. A proper evaluation can help to clarify one’s learning profile, obtain accurate diagnoses, and ensure optimal treatment planning.
Dr. Nicole Michaeli's Approach
Dr. Michaeli’s approach is informed by her extensive clinical experience in evaluating children and adults with a wide range of cognitive abilities, from intellectually disabled, to highly gifted. A large portion of her work has included identification of giftedness in order to guide school placement into gifted programs. Dr. Michaeli understands the unique potentials, as well the challenges that these children face, and her approach focuses on providing a holistic understanding of the child that identified their unique sets of gifts. By identifying these abilities, we empower children with opportunities tailored to their potential, ensuring that their educational environment stimulates their quest for knowledge, provides them with a sense of purpose, and prepares them for a bright future.
Discover Your Child’s Unique Gifts
If you believe your child is gifted and would like to learn more about the gifted assessments we offer, call My Child Assessment today for a consultation.
