Advocacy: How can parents tailor the best fit for gifted students’ education? - An Australian Mensa Initiative - 2017

Oct 3, 2026

Guidance from an Australian Mensa initiative on tailoring an educational “fit” for gifted students, using gifted learners’ needs as the starting point. It explains how parents can research options before choosing a school, adjust existing provisions, and—when regular offerings are insufficient—work with teachers and administrators to create an individualized, bespoke learning design. It also outlines how to determine developmental signals, gather evidence, and prepare psychometric or achievement data to support advocacy for suitable academic and psychosocial provisions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Advocacy: How can parents tailor the best fit for gifted students’ education?

Determining your child’s needs

Gathering evidence for advanced development

Considering formal psychometric assessment

R Advocacy: How can parents tailor the best fit for gifted students’ education? Michele Juratowitch Clearing Skies An Australian Mensa Initiative 2017 Australian Mensa Inc. [mensa.org.au](mensa.org.au) Australian Mensa provides this information which may be of interest to members or the public. The opinions expressed in this document are solely those of the author and not of Australian Mensa. Shopping for clothes usually involves deciding what is needed: identifying an appropriate store, finding the desired item and size among the range of options provided, determining the suitability and fit of the item, and arranging any alterations or adjustments to ensure the best fit. Over time, as the individual changes, further adjustments might be required to maintain a good fit. In some cases, the standard options offered may not be suitable to meet exceptional even unique, needs, and bespoke tailoring maybe required. Identifying and adjusting an item of clothing isnot nearly as significant as identifying an appropriate educational‘fit’ for a gifted student. However, there are some common processes that might be considered when trying to create a learning environment to suit the needs of a gifted student. Before selecting a school, parents should carefully consider their child’s specific needs and determine the school where available provisions are the most appropriate to address this child’s needs. Some adjustments may be needed to ‘tailor’ existing provisions in order to provide a better ‘fit’. When it is not possible to develop, in consultation with teachers and school administrators, a good educational fit for the child, and the child’s needs are beyond the scope of current, regular school provisions, then an individualised design may have to be created to meet their intellectual, academic and psychosocial needs. Parents and teachers of exceptional students may have to move beyond what is generally available, to creatively design ‘bespoke tailored’ provisions to more appropriately meet the individual student’s needs. Determining your child’s needs Whether starting formal education or transitioning to a new school environment, it is essential that parents gather information about their child that is relevant to their education and be prepared to share this with the child’s school. Not all children need to be formally assessed. Parents may already know (or can check) if their child’s developmental milestones are advanced. In order for a child to become a member of Mensa, a formal assessment report providing data about the child’s advanced intellectual abilities must be provided. Many parents reading this will already have a psychometric report available. There is a pervasive idea that all parents think their child is gifted. However, this is not correct. Many parents of gifted children initially normalise their child’s precocious development. An infant may exhibit behaviours that are consistent with significantly advanced development or giftedness. Here are some examples: an unusual level of alertness, heightened awareness and perception, greater curiosity, an extended concentration span, advanced speech and play patterns, and exhibiting behaviours consistent with significantly advanced development or giftedness. Parents are encouraged to locate a list of the expected ages at which most children will reach various developmental milestones. Add to this list the ages at which your child reached these milestones. Attainment of developmental milestones at ages approximately one-third ahead of expected norms is an indication of advanced development, at least in a specific area. High-ability children tend to be asynchronous or uneven in their development, so advanced milestones may not be evident in all areas of development. A child may be well ahead of other children of a similar age in some areas, while developing as expected or exhibiting delays in other areas. It is the degree of difference from the norm that i

FAQs

How should parents decide what educational “fit” a gifted student needs?

Parents should assess the child’s specific needs and select a school whose available provisions best address them. If standard provisions cannot meet the child’s intellectual and psychosocial needs, parents may need individualized designs created in consultation with teachers and administrators.

What evidence can parents gather to show signs of advanced development?

Parents can record observations and examples such as video of reading aloud, photos showing construction or other creative activities, and a small set of key items based on the child’s demonstrated behaviors. These can be shared at an enrolment interview and with the first teacher.

What makes a psychometric assessment report useful for advocacy?

A psychometric report is most effective when it includes evidence of both the child’s intellectual abilities and current achievement levels. One without the other does not provide sufficient information for schools to determine appropriate academic provisions.

Oct 3, 2026

Upload by Lucas Martin