Gifted children should not always skip school years

If children have a higher than average intellectual ability and interests, they are usually referred to as "giftedness". Affected children therefore often feel at home in school, are under-challenged and bored. Often in this case, one school year is skipped, in the hope that the child is better off in the higher class and the situation improves. However, from the expert's point of view this measure is far from being suitable for all gifted students.
Precisely weigh pros and cons
"Would not it be better if my child skipped a class?" "Or are we overstraining it?" These questions are often discussed when a child's abilities and interests are well above average. But even if the impression arises that the child at school is bored and under-challenged, such a decision should not be made hastily. Instead, Ulric Ritzer-Sachs recommends that the online conference of the Federal Conference for Educational Counseling (bke), together with the teacher, carefully consider whether the change of class is the right thing for the son or the daughter.

Do not always skip a class right away. Picture: Coloures-pic - fotolia

Self-confidence of the child is very important
"Not every child with an IQ of 130 should skip a class," said the expert in an interview with the news agency "dpa". Because in addition to intellectual abilities, self-confidence also plays an important role. "Especially less mature children can have a very difficult time in the higher class," explains Ritzer-Sachs. Accordingly, it is important to take the child's development into account, and it is not enough if only one subject achieves above-average results.

Trial participation can provide information
For this reason, in many schools, children would first be able to take part in higher-level instruction by first concentrating on a single subject. So the child can test whether it is up to the new learning material and at the same time determine whether he likes the new environment. Because "the learning environment is crucial for the success of the school, the child must feel good", emphasizes Ritzer-Sachs.

If it turns out that skipping is not suitable for the child for the time being, alternative ways to promote it could be used. If the child is e.g. Completely under-challenged in math, "it is good in any case to offer materials at home or perhaps to participate in a competition", so the expert's tip. In this way, the gift of the child can be promoted without it "lost" or feel overwhelmed in other areas.

About 3 percent of all children are considered highly gifted
According to the German Society for gifted children (DghK), about 3 percent of all children have far above average intellectual abilities and are thus considered highly gifted. In general, with an intelligence quotient of 130 and more, a giftedness is assumed, with an IQ between 115 and 130 it is said that there is an "above-average talent", according to the DghK. Highly gifted children are often considerably ahead of their peers in subareas; The logical-mathematical, linguistic, musical or sporting field - and in some cases, several of these areas may affect simultaneously. (No)