Verbal Ability

Characteristics of Verbal Ability

Students who are verbally advanced usually show signs of advanced verbal behaviors early. They typically learn letters and words by age 2, read at age 4 or 5, and exhibit early facility with writing and drawing. They also are strong in spoken language, fond of memorizing books or poems, for casual recitation. Choice of puzzles and games takes on a decidedly verbal cast. Preferences for Scrabble and other word games develops early. Playing with words is also a favorite pastime. Once they have unlocked the key to reading, they are voracious readers, gobbling up material in the home, whole library shelves, and other printed material available. They also are often nonstop talkers and question askers of parents and peers, seeking answers to deep questions and wanting to talk about philosophical issues such as god and the universe.

Identifying Verbal Ability

In gifted programs, verbal ability has been identified in various ways. Most prominently, it has been found through the use of group and individual intelligence tests through subsections that relate to vocabulary, analogies, and critical reading behaviors. In addition, the SAT traditionally has included sections on critical reading, analogies, sentence completion, and vocabulary. A Test of Standard Written English (TSWE) that probed usage and syntax was also included. More recent versions of the test have deleted analogies and the TSWE. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) also contains a verbal aptitude section. The Miller Analogy Test (MAT) assesses the ability to solve 100 analogy problems in 50 minutes as a proxy for verbal intelligence. From kindergarten to graduate school, verbal tests have been widely used in selection decisions for gifted programs and advanced work.

In addition to ability measures, achievement tests, both individual and group, probe verbal capacity. Typically, two sections of such tests are devoted to vocabulary, reading comprehension, and often language arts that focus on usage. For younger students, word recognition is also featured. A student who scores at the 95th percentile and higher on one or more of these subsections is likely to be considered a candidate for gifted programs in concert with other selection criteria.

Many school districts also employ teacher recommendations, based on a checklist, to include students in programs. Verbal ability is often prominently featured on these checklists, suggesting that students who read early, show talent for writing and communication, and exhibit highly verbal skills in oral class work are strong candidates.

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