On the Issue of Uncovering Giftedness in Early Childhood

The research aim was to identify the capabilities and limitations of tests for uncovering giftedness. The sample consisted of 103 preschoolers and students of elementary school. A comparative analysis using methods “The Creative field” and Raven's Colored Matrices was carried out. The research allowed establishing a system of correlations between different methods, reflecting such factors as educability of a child, mastering a new activity and its successful performance according to various indicators. Thus, the correlations identified point to the presence of an intellectual component in the process of mastering a new activity, but Raven's test does not reflect the factor of activity development, which is supposed to be a significant characteristic of giftedness. So the research results dispute the validity of intellectual testing methods for uncovering child's giftedness and estimating prospects of its development.