EdTalk | 5 myths of giftedness in children
Common misconceptions about bright students’ can often conceal their special needs and prevent them from reaching their academic potential
The public perception of giftedness is skewed, romanticised, and often just downright incorrect.
Some of the commonly held beliefs about giftedness are incorrect and often contradictory. Beliefs shape the way we act, and the policies and institutions we create. We need to change the way we think about and talk about this issue, so we can better support gifted students in our education system. To do that, let’s look at some of the major myths surrounding giftedness:
The Social Ineptness Myth
Perhaps the most pervasive myth about giftedness is that that gifted individuals, while academically brilliant, are socially inept. This comes from media portrayals of giftedness, such as in Good Will Hunting, Sherlock, or A Beautiful Mind. Although entertaining, these portrayals have helped create a belief that giftedness and poor social skills go hand in hand. This is not the case.
While there may be some overlap, there is no concrete evidence that being gifted means being socially stunted. The perception may also be reinforced when gifted children advance in grades. How does a Grade Four child mix effortlessly with Grade Seven students? She probably doesn’t. However, she may be right at home among children of her own age during a play date.
The worst aspect of this myth is that it risks reinforcing itself. If we believe gifted children are, by design, socially inept, then we are less likely to give them the support they need. We should be providing gifted children with more social-skills support, not less.