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Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners
Can my gifted child start school early?
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WillHealthShare Member
Hello.
Apart from the legal/education department issues that may be connected with a child starting school early there are a number of other factors to consider. For example, has your child been tested and classified as gifted? In which areas does your child exhibit giftedness, e.g. literacy, numeracy, art, music, drama, science? How well does your child handle social interactions, especially with children older than her/himself? How well does your child cope with formal situations and restrictions on her/his activities?
Recent research seems to support the idea that a child beginning formal education too early, particularly in literacy and numeracy, doesn't have any real value and in fact may be detrimental to the child's progress in other areas. Play based learing seems to be the better option. How this might effect a gifted child is yet to be clarified but I suspect gifted children would more likely do better in an informal setting with ample opportunity to express their particular areas of talent.
Are you involved with a support group or advisory group of any kind, either in person or online?
This is an important issue for you. I hope you and your child have a wonderful education experience together. Please contact me if you'd like further discussion.
Best wishes,
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