NARRATIVE PERFORMANCE IN VERBALLY GIFTED-CHILDREN

Young verbally gifted children were compared to chronological- and men tal-age controls on a number of variables pertaining to narrative abil ity. Using a structural-developmental analysis, the gifted children we re found to organize their story plots in a way typical of children tw o years older. Elaborations on the basic plot structure were even more advanced, with gifted children telling stories that were more elabora te than those of their chronological- and mental-age peers. Gifted chi ldren also showed considerable advancement on a number of language ski lls. Conceptual understanding of plot structure appears more related t o age than the acquisition of language skills. However, it is what ver bally gifted children do with the conceptual structures available to t hem that distinguishes their narratives. Their story plots indicate el aborate structures and their specific language abilities contribute to the richness and sophistication of their narratives.