Level Two Gifted Summary
How many Level Two children are there in our schools?  A typical elementary school that draws from a generally middle-class socioeconomic community with 100 children per grade level has at least four to six Level Two children at each grade level, one to two per class. A school with a large number of well-educated families may have more; a school with fewer well-educated parents may have fewer.

Almost all the children understood adult directives and questions at 6 to 12 months.
The majority independently looked at and turned pages of books by 11-15 months.
About half the children said two-word phrases by 15 months.
A number of children played with shape sorters by 15 months.
Most knew many letters at 15-18 months.
Most knew most colors by 15-20 months.  
Many liked puzzles by 12 to 15 months (8-10 piece puzzles).
Most knew and called out names on signs and stores between 11 and 16 months.  
Several “read” numerous sight words at 16-24 months.
Almost all were speaking in three-word and longer sentences by age two.
Many recognized and picked out specific numbers by 12-22 months.
About 25% knew the entire alphabet by 17-24 months.
Most did one-to-one counting for small quantities by age 3.  
Most knew most letters and colors by age three.
Most had extensive vocabularies and did complex speaking by age three.
Many could print letters, numbers, words, and their names between 3 and 4 years.
Several had high interest in facts, how things work, and science by 3½ to 4½.
Most knew many sight words by age 4.
Several read easy readers by age 4.
Most were independent on computer by age 4½.
Most fully grasped counting and basic number facts by age five.
Many showed intuitive grasp of number concepts by age five.
Most enjoyed having advanced level books and stories read to them by age five.
Most read easy reader books before age five, nearly all by 5½.
Most read for pleasure and information by six.
All read two to five years beyond grade level by age 7.
All read chapter books independently by age 7-7½.
Many showed impatience with repetition and slow pace at school by age 6-7.

Level Two children have the ability to do accelerated coursework almost from the time they enter school, take advanced placement courses and hold leadership positions, are capable of getting into competitive colleges and universities, and often go on to some form of graduate school.  Although many Level Two children are excellent students, a number of them may resist typical school expectations and achieve less than they are capable of achieving due to the discrepancy between their learning ability and that of the majority of their same-age classmates.  They may prefer to “fit in,” or they may conclude that the work is simply wrong for them and refuse to comply with what they see as “stupid” expectations.

Level Three Gifted Summary
How many Level Three children are there in our schools?  A typical elementary school in a middle class neighborhood with 100 children per grade level probably has one or two of these children at each grade level.

Most were alert at birth or soon thereafter.  
Most had books as a favorite interest before age one.
Almost all understood what someone was talking about by 6 months.
Most independently looked at and turned pages of books before 10 months.
Most made their families understand what they wanted before 12 months.
Most had large vocabularies, receptive and expressive, by 16 months.
A number of children played with shape sorters by 11 months.
Many recognized some colors, shapes, numbers and letters before 12 months.
Many recognized and picked out specific numbers and letters by 12-15 months.
Most knew many colors by 15-18 months.  
Many liked puzzles by 15 to 24 months (35+ piece puzzles).
Most “read” names on signs and stores from between 20 months and 3¾ years.  
Many children “read” numerous sight words between 15 and 20 months.
Many memorized the books that were read to them before they were two years old.
Many showed interest in letter sounds and sounding out short words by age 2½.  
Most were speaking in complex sentences, more than four words, by 15 to 24 months.
Many could rote count to 10, many higher, by 15 to 24 months.
Almost all knew the entire alphabet by 17-24 months.
Most could print letters, numbers, words, and their names between 2¾ and 3½ years.
Many had high interest in factual information, how things work, science, by 3 to 4.
Most knew many sight words by age 3-3½.
Half could read very simple books – perhaps memorized – by age 3-3½.
Most grasp skip counting, backwards, basic addition and subtraction, by 3 to 4 years.
Many keyboarding – typing – by 3 to 4½ years.
Most could read easy readers by age 4 to 5 years.
Many questioned the reality of Santa Claus and Tooth Fairy by 3 to 5 years.
Most read children’s-level chapter books by 4¼ to 5½ years.
Many understood some multiplication, division and some fractions to 5½.
Most read for pleasure and information by six.
All were reading two to five years beyond grade level by age six.
All could read youth and young adult chapter books independently by age 7-7½.

Level Three children are capable of achieving in any career field.  Opportunity and their own inner drive will determine which individuals eventually achieve at the highest levels.

Level Four Gifted Summary
How many Level Four children are there in our schools? Keeping in mind that the parents of many Level Four children turn to home schooling to solve some of the school behavior issues, schools where most of the parents are highly educated professionals – can expect that about 2% of their students may be at Level Four or higher.  This means that there might be 2 to 3 per grade level in a school with 80 to 100 children per grade level.  A large high school in a professional community will generally have 6 to 12 students at this intellectual level from a grade level class size of about 400 students.  A middle class population elementary school with 100 children per grade level will have one or two of these children for every two grade levels, which means the school will probably not have a student this intelligent every year.  By the time the students from such a district are all drawn together for high school, the honors and advanced classes can expect 1 to 3 students at Level Four.

Almost all paid attention within months of birth while someone to read to them.
Books were a favorite interest before three or four months.
Almost all understood parental directives by 6 months.
Most knew and said some words by 5½ to 9 months.
Many had large vocabularies, receptive and expressive, by 14 months.
Many recognized and picked out specific numbers and letters by 12-15 months.
Most knew many colors by 15-18 months.  
Many liked puzzles by 15 to 36 months (35+ piece puzzles).
Many “read” numerous sight words between 15 and 20 months.
Almost all knew the entire alphabet by 15-22 months.
Most “read” names on signs and stores from between 20 months and 3¾ years.  
Many memorized the books that were read to them before they were 2 years old.
Many showed interest in letter sounds and sounding out short words by age 2½.  
Most were speaking in complex sentences, more than four words, by 15 to 24 months.
Many could rote count to 10, many higher, by 13 to 20 months.
Most printed letters, numbers, words, and their names between 2¾ and 3½ years.
Many had high interest in factual information, how things work, science, by 3 to 4.
Most knew many sight words by age 3-3½.
Most grasp skip counting, backwards, addition, subtraction, more and less, by 3 to 4 years.
Most were independent on computer by age 3 to 4½ years, most keyboarding by five.
Most read easy readers by age 3½ to 4½ years.
Many question the reality of Santa Claus or Tooth Fairy by 3 to 4 years.
Many understand some multiplication, division and some fractions by 5.
Most read for pleasure and information by five.
All read two to five years beyond grade level by age six.
All read youth and adult chapter books independently by age 6-6½.

Most Level Four children were capable of finishing all academic coursework through 8th grade before they reached 3rd or 4th grade, but few of them had the opportunity.  If the environment, inner drive, and general opportunities are right for them, Level Four children are capable of performing at the highest levels in their areas and fields of interest.

Level Five Gifted Summary
How many Level Five children are there in our schools? The sample demonstrates that few Level Five children follow a traditional educational path, and various options – such as intermittent home schooling – mean that few Level Five children remain in the regular schools throughout their youth.  Children in Level Five are not one in a million occurrences.  Their occurrence and presence is somewhat more serendipitous than previous Levels.  However, it is likely that none of these children has ever had someone else in their classroom as intellectually able as they.

All were alert at birth or soon thereafter.
Books were a favorite interest of most before three or four months.
All appeared to understand parental directives between birth and four months.
The majority independently looked at and turned pages of books before 6 months.
Most knew and said some words by 5½ to 9 months.
All had large receptive vocabularies by 8-9 months.
Half spoke well before age one.
All spoke at near-adult level complexity by age two.
Most played with shape sorters before 11 months.
Many recognized and picked out specific numbers and letters by 10 -14 months.
All knew colors, numbers, the alphabet and shapes by about 15 months.  
Most were good at puzzles before 12 months, 35+ piece puzzles by 15 months.
All showed musical aptitude before 18 months.
All “read” words on signs and simple books and labels before two years.  
Many read numerous sight words by 15 months.
All memorized books read to them before 20 months.
All had favorite TV shows or videos before 6-8 months.
Many could rote count to 10, many higher, by 13 to 20 months.
Most could print letters, numbers, words, and their names between 16 and 24 months.
High interest in factual information, how things work, science, by two years.
Most read simple books, “board” books, by age 18-24 months.
Most grasp skip counting, backwards, addition, subtraction, more or less, by two years.
All were independent on computer by age two years, all keyboarding before three.
All read children’s chapter books by age 3½ to 4½ years.
All showed interest in pure facts, almanacs, dictionaries, etc. by age 3½.
All question the reality of Santa Claus or Tooth Fairy by 3 or 4 years.
All read any level fiction and nonfiction by 4¼ to 5 years.
All understand abstract math concepts and basic math functions before age four.
All played adult level games – ages 12 and up – by the time they were 3½ to 4.
All read six or more years beyond grade level by age six.

The advantages to looking at a child’s Level of Giftedness are that those responsible for their care and education can know better what each child needs in order to thrive.