Ethos Psychotherapy & Assessment Centre
Gifted Testing
Gifted assessments help you understand your child's unique intellectual strengths and creative potential.
BIPOC clinicians offering gifted testing in Mississauga.
Your Child's Learning Style & Unique Strengths
If they meet the criteria for your school board's gifted programming
How To Support Their Full Potential
Gifted testing provides a clear picture of your child's learning potential and natural abilities.
As a parent, you’re often amazed by your child’s unique talents but might also feel a little confused about how to best support them. You might notice that even though they’re incredibly bright, school sometimes just doesn’t seem to challenge them enough. This can leave your child feeling a bit out of sync or even isolated, and you might find yourself wondering if there’s more you can do.
Gifted testing offers a way to really understand how your child learns, so you can tailor their environment to help them shine even brighter.
“He learns quickly but often seems uninterested in class and struggles to pay attention.”
“She’s having trouble fitting in with peers at school. “
Gifted Testing In Mississauga
When To Seek Gifted Testing
Your child or teen might benefit from gifted testing if they show signs of giftedness such as:
- Learns quickly and shows a genuine love for learning
- Frequently asks in-depth questions and often seeks answers on their own
- Uses an advanced vocabulary and sometimes speaks like a "little adult"
- Appears bored in school & struggles to stay focused when not sufficiently stimulated by the material
- Demonstrates leadership skills
- Feels emotions deeply and may be more sensitive than peers
- Enjoys debating or arguing with adults, seeking deeper understanding
- Shows intense interest in specific subjects like history, science, or math
- Is passionate about broader issues, such as global warming or politics
- Shows creative thinking or artistic talents
Our gifted testing helps determine if your child meets your school board's criteria for giftedness, providing valuable information for educational planning and support.
A Guide To Gifted Testing
Gifted testing is a specialized psychoeducational assessment conducted by trained professionals to understand your child or teen’s cognitive abilities. This process is designed to help uncover your child’s intellectual potential and pinpoint areas where they might need additional support, such as:
- rapid learning and exceptional problem-solving skills
- unique cognitive processing and creative thinking
- advanced academic or creative talents
- challenges stemming from an unchallenging school environment
In addition to that standardized assessment of your child’s intellectual capabilities, gifted testing may consist of a standardized academic assessment, upon caregiver request, to allow you to see where your child performs academically when compared to their peers. This approach ensures that you gain a clear picture of your child’s distinctive potential and receive guidance on how best to support their growth.
Your child/teen may benefit from a psychoeducational assessment if they are:
- Not meeting their potential academically or underperforming their ability in school.
- Expressing boredom with the age-appropriate material presented at school.
- Having trouble paying attention, are easily distracted, or appear hyperactive.
- Showing excessive anxiety (perfectionism).
- Showing signs of being advanced, such as performing well beyond grade level.
A gifted assessment provides valuable insights into your child’s unique abilities, including:
- Their cognitive strengths and problem-solving abilities.
- How efficiently they process information.
- Specific academic talents, if academic testing is completed.
- Targeted strategies to support their intellectual and emotional growth.
You can use the information from a gifted assessment completed in our Mississauga office to:
- Advocate for classroom adjustments or specialized programs that match their intellectual ability and interests.
- Collaborate with educators to create a supportive environment that encourages deeper learning, as well as their curiosity and creativity.
- Address any social or emotional needs that may arise from being a gifted child.
- Encourage the development of your child’s interests through extra-curricular activities that nurture your child’s high intellectual ability.
There’s no need for any special preparation before the testing. In fact, any practice will invalidate the standardized test and result in a spoiled assessment. The best approach is to simply let your child be themselves. Explain that they’ll be engaging in a variety of activities with the examiner and encourage them to do their best—ensuring the test reflects their true abilities.
If your child has previously completed the WISC-V, it is required for you to wait at least one year before undergoing the assessment again in order for the results to be valid and interpretable. This waiting period helps ensure that any changes in their scores reflect genuine growth and development, rather than simply being a result of familiarity with the test.
Dr. Anne Marie Mikhail
Registered Clinical, Counselling, School Psychologist
Clinic Director | Owner
Why Choose
Ethos Psychotherapy & Assessment Centre
You need to feel seen and heard.
Your history, culture, situation, relationships, religion, ethnicity, and family have all shaped who you are today. To understand your struggles is to understand your story and what brought you here. With over 20 years of experience, our therapists are committed to helping you get to the source of your challenges and get you the answers you need.
We take care of the whole you.
Our Approach
How Our Gifted Testing Works
We meet with you
We begin by speaking with you to understand your child’s background, unique strengths, and any concerns you might have. This conversation helps us set a clear direction for the psychoeducational assessment and gifted testing process.
We discover your child’s unique abilities
Next, your child or teen participates in a testing session designed to capture their cognitive abilities and learning style. The session lasts 2 hours for an intellectual assessment or 3 hours when an academic screener is also included.
We share our findings
Finally, we meet with you and your child to review the assessment results. Together, we discuss your child’s profile, celebrate their strengths, and explore recommendations and next steps to support their continued growth.
Gifted Testing Mississauga
What You Can Expect From Gifted Testing
The goal of our gifted assessment process is to create a clear roadmap that highlights your child or teen’s unique intellectual profile and learning needs. Many parents find that once they understand their child’s exceptional abilities and signs of giftedness, they feel more empowered and confident in advocating for the right educational opportunities.
- Enhanced academic performance through appropriately challenging material
- Increased comfort and engagement at school
- Reduced frustration and anxiety stemming from under-stimulation
- Improved social interactions and a better sense of belonging
- Greater self-awareness and confidence in their gifted identity
- Targeted support that nurtures and celebrates their giftedness
- Overall, a stronger feeling of being understood and supported
Ethos Psychotherapy & Assessment Centre Mississauga
Questions About Gifted Testing
We use the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V) during the gifted testing process. This well-established, standardized IQ test is widely recognized by schools and educational professionals. It measures cognitive abilities and provides valuable insight into your child’s intellectual strengths and any unique learning styles they may exhibit.
Each school board sets its own criteria for identifying a gifted child and placing them in specialized programs. Typically, students who demonstrate high intellectual potential & score in the 98th percentile on standardized tests are considered gifted. We recommend checking with your local school board to understand the specific guidelines they follow, as these can vary by region.
There’s no need for any special preparation before the testing. In fact, any practice will spoil the results, rendering them invalid. The best approach is to simply let your child be themselves. Explain that they’ll be engaging in a variety of activities with the examiner and encourage them to do their best—ensuring the test reflects their true abilities.
If your child has previously completed the WISC-V, you must wait a year to complete the assessment again, in order for the assessment to be valid. This waiting period helps ensure that any changes in their scores reflect genuine growth and development, rather than simply being a result of familiarity with the test.
You can expect to have a feedback meeting approximately 2-4 weeks after the final gifted testing session. During this meeting, we’ll review the assessment findings in detail, discuss your child’s strengths, and provide you with a comprehensive report outlining the next steps to best support their unique needs.
Get Started
Book A Gifted Assessment
Looking for an assessment? Please complete the contact form or give us a call. We will answer your question, ask a few preliminary questions, and book you in for an assessment if this is the best course of action.
Phone
905-366-8475
info@ethospsych.ca
Send Us A Message
Please complete the form below. We aim to respond to all inquiries within 24 to 48 business hours.
Ethos Psychotherapy & Assessment Center
Inspiring your gifted child to discover their brilliance, celebrate their unique talents, and thrive!