Is your child a gifted underachiever?

STRENGTHS:

IQ of 130 or above (about 3 per cent of children);

Early ability in puzzles and mazes; Sophisticated sense of humour;

Elaborate doodling;

Creative thinking;

High abstract reasoning ability;

Keen visual memory;

Avid TV watcher;

Interest in computers, particularly graphics;

Excelling in science and geometry;

Ability to grasp metaphors and analogies;

Enjoyment of music;

Rich fantasy life.

WEAKNESSES:

Inability to remember three-step directions;

Difficulty learning phonics;

Difficulty with spelling;

Difficulty learning maths facts;

Poor performance in timed tests;

"Forgetting" homework or submitting sloppy work;

Poor handwriting;

Thinking first and acting later;

Poor grasp of biology, foreign languages and other subjects requiring rote memorising.