Quite often, it is not immediately noticeable, but in the classroom, boredom and negative attention bring those children into the limelight.
However, this varies from child to child, so in order to avoid generalising or categorising all children the same way, experts suggest individualist support tailored to each pupil.
Luxembourg's Centre for Highly Gifted Children and Youth offers guidance on the right approach for each child. If a child is identified as highly gifted, parents can receive assistance on how to best support their child.
Psychologists, educators, specially trained teachers and a professional psychometrician work closely together at the centre to develop plans for gifted children. Children can either use the plans at school, or they are able to attend workshops at the centre every two weeks.
However, the centre's experts say it is important for parents and carers to know there is no value in diagnosing a child as gifted if the child has not experienced other issues. It is not something that educators specifically look for, but if a child catches attention, there are specific tests which can be done.
Centre director Danielle Rod says they want to emphasise that there are no stereotypes when it comes to gifted individuals:
"People often think that a gifted person acts a certain way, that they play chess, are good at maths and struggle with social interaction, but that really isn't the case. There are no stereotypes when it comes to gifted people. Every child is different, and gifted does not always mean they are high-performing. Even gifted children can make mistakes in different subjects. For us, performance isn't the most important aspect; instead, we focus on the child's well-being."
Report in Luxembourgish:
