Since many parents are interested in knowing about the nature of brightness, a brief discussion is made here. If more parents have an understanding of the nature of brightness in children, they would perhaps know how to help them to make the most of their abilities.
Bright child is superior to companions of his own age in intellectual ability. The “intellectual ability” consists of many skills and specific abilities. These are as follows:
(a) Skills with Words:
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Bright children learn to speak and use words speedily and meaningfully at an early age. They acquire a large vocabulary from an early stage.
They understand many words, speak well and write well. They love to read.
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(b) Skills in Numbers:
Counting, and numerical operations are performed quickly and with remarkable facility. They love to add, subtract, multiply and divide at a young age.
(c) Manipulative Skills:
They show an ability to fit things together and to recognise their parts they can study a diagram and construct an object from it. Block designs and mechano sets delight them, “I know how to make this. I can find a piece of wood to fit this etc.” is frequently heard from them.
(d) Reasoning and other Cognitive Abilities:
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Instead of merely accepting suggestion and statements from elders and companions the child’s brightness exhibits itself in his reasoning he observes facts and draws conclusions from them, he asks questions and on the basis of the answers goes on to conclude other facts. In discussions he shows the ability to talk logically. His reasoning ability may sometimes cause irritation to the parent or the teacher.
These skills and abilities make intelligence. Some are found in a greater measure than the other abilities in a child. He may have more verbal and linguistic skills, less manipulative skill, but high skill in numbers and reasoning.
Besides these skills and abilities, there are some outstanding specific aptitudes which may be shown by bright children e.g., they may show marked aptitude in painting or in music, in composing poetry or in elocution or debate.