Who is the gifted learner? Often the I.Q. score is used as the projection to measure I.Q. If this is the sole judgment of I.Q, then one may consult the Stanford-Binet Form LM , the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, or the Silverman & Kearney tests. Each of these three tests defines an I.Q. of 140 as the nominal IQ for a gifted child. Estimated statistical occurrence of the children in this range is one or two children per a million children. Highly and profoundly gifted children may be defined as those who score above the third or fourth standard deviation on IQ test, or who are prodigies in a particular domain. (Webb, Meckstroth, & Tolan)

Follow up:

The State of Texas definition of the gifted and talented student states:

The phrase gifted and talented student means a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who:
•    Exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
•    Possess an unusual capacity for leadership; or
•    Excels in a specific academic field - 74th legislature of the State of Texas, Chapter 29, Subchapter d. Section 29. 121

Actually, identifying the gifted learner is not the problem. Properly educating and providing experiences for the gifted learner is the problem.  In 1988, the Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act was passed. This Act is a part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The Javits Act has three primary components: 1. the research of effective methods of testing, identification, and programming, which is done at the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented; 2. the awarding of grants to colleges, states, and districts that focus on

underrepresented populations of gifted students; and 3. grants awarded to state and districts for program implementation. Annual funding grants are passed by the US Congress. These grants totaled $9.6 million in 2007. As president, George W. Bush eliminated the money every year of his term. However, members of Congress were able to override the President, and the money was allocated. This is still the mentality of the government as today “full inclusion” of all students is touted as best for education. In an educational system that allows “full  inclusion”, education maintains that a child with disabilities, even severe disabilities, should be placed in a regular classroom for all or most of the school day.  The highly gifted child also must attend the regular classrooms, but instead of working at mentally appropriate academic levels and having equal opportunity for learning, the gifted will spend much of the school day tutoring others in cooperative leaning groups or simply going over curriculum that they master years ago. The traditional school does not meet their needs.

Placed in a tutoring situation, the gifted child is allowed range of thought, encouraged to reach new levels, and search for better avenues of learning. Appropriate tutoring will lead to expanded levels of thought and research as the tutor will be able to assist the child in research, find avenues of learning, and act as a liaison between the age level and the IQ level of the child. In a one-on-one situation, the child is given direction in the field of learning and then allowed to work on methodology with guidance. His learning methods are intact. His curiosity sated.  And, more importantly, his desire to learn and master have been satisfied – all with the assurance of a guiding, master teacher.