Defining high-ability

The term high-ability is used to indicate high potential and/or performance across the full suite of human abilities.

High-ability refers to students whose ability is more advanced than that of similar-aged peers across one or more domains. These domains include:

  • Intellectual ability: usually manifests in a broad range of academic-focused subjects, speed of learning and complex thinking patterns.
  • Physical ability: often presents in physical education or dance.
  • Creative ability: is likely to find expression in the arts.
  • Advanced social ability: will cut across a variety of subject areas. Often finds expression in leadership.

There is often interplay between the domains: for example, the young person with high-ability in both the physical and creative domains who becomes a highly skilled and expressive dancer.

High-ability students come from a variety of backgrounds. High-ability can co-exist with learning difficulties/disabilities or physical disabilities.

The term high-ability includes students who:

  • are performing above their same-aged peers
  • have the ability to perform above their same-aged peers
  • are accelerated
  • are twice exceptional.

References

Betts, G. T., & Neihart, M. (2010). Revised profiles of the gifted and talented. Retrieved from Revised profiles of the Gifted and Talented - Neihart and Betts.pdf

Porter, L. (2005). Gifted young children: A guide for teachers and parents (2nd ed.), Allen & Unwin.

Silverman, L. (1993). Characteristics of giftedness scale: Research and Review of the Literature Gifted Child Development Centre

Gagné, F. (2008). Building gifts into talents: Overview of the DMGT 2.0 Paper presented at the 10th Asia Pacific Conference for Giftedness, Singapore.

GERRIC. (2005). Gifted and Talented Education Professional Package for Teachers Module One – Understanding Giftedness.

Merrotsy, P. (2013). Invisible gifted students. Talent Development and Excellence, 5(2), 3–42.

Montgomery, D. (2006). Double exceptionality. Gifted children with special educational needs – what schools can do to promote inclusion In C. Smith (Ed.) Including the Gifted and Talented. Routeledge.

Post, G. (2016). Who is the gifted underachiever? Four types of underachievement in gifted children