<p>This is an interesting discussion, since there is no one nationally accepted measure/level of “giftedness” nationwide. It seems each district and state has a different cutoff point for gifted ed programs, and different ages that are considered appropriate to test IQs. </p>
<p>Then there is the question of whether these gifted programs are accelerated, enriched, some combination; instead of “gen ed” classrooms, in addition to, or again, some combo using pull out. I think where your child falls on the gifted spectrum combined with what program is available to them will have much to do with how happy they are in these programs. I also think the quality/level of the gen ed program can’t be underestimated, it varies so widely from school to school, let alone comparing neighborhood A to neighborhood B. </p>
<p>My understanding is that using percentiles, the further someone is from the average curve, the bigger the differences are. (Not to mention the wide range of “normal.”)IOW, the difference btw 65th and 69th percentile, or 89th and 91st percentile, not so much, but the difference btw 98th and 99th, or 5th and 6th, is huge. This might be self evident to people who took statistics-type classes, but I never did, so it was news to me. ;)</p>
<p>IMO, young children don’t need to know these “labels,” though they can certainly be helpful in getting them into the best setting for them. I don’t think it’s helpful to tell little Susie she’s a genius, anymore than it helps to tell little Johnny he’s developmentally disabled. But there’s a point in age, intellectual and social development, and emotional capacity when it <em>might</em> be helpful to explain to Susie/Johnny that he or she thinks differently, people’s brains work at different speeds, and it isn’t because he or she is bad/lazy/better-than that he/she is frustrated in class.</p>