We often hear that gifted children are those who get the highest grades in school, but the truth is more nuanced. Many children with exceptional intelligence do not excel academically, even if they are in the top 0.1% in intelligence tests, and may find it difficult to sit still, submit assignments, or care about grades.
Researchers at the University of Alicante in Spain confirm that the relationship between mental ability and academic achievement is weaker than many believe. Talent, according to modern educational concepts, is not limited to test results.
Intelligence and Academic Achievement
The Spanish study, published in the journal “Education Sciences”, indicates that gifted students are able to achieve significantly higher levels of performance than their peers, and come from various social and cultural backgrounds. Cognitive studies show that many of them process information very quickly, which makes them bored when lessons proceed at a slow pace.
One of the characteristics of these children is what is known as “asynchronous development.” An eight-year-old may have reading skills that exceed the level of teenagers, but collapses at the loss of a simple game. A recent scientific review clarifies that the discovery of talent should be based on general mental abilities rather than relying on marks or intelligence tests alone.
On an emotional level, gifted children experience more intense feelings, and raise early existential questions about death, injustice, and climate change. Clinical studies have also revealed higher rates of inattention and hyperactivity among them, in addition to a lower self-assessment of health and social relationships.
In school, repetition and boredom may drive some of them to withdraw or rebel instead of excelling, while others are unfairly classified as lazy or chaotic. Research recommends supporting them through deeper activities, independent projects, and providing realistic emotional containment.
