OVER-EXCITABILITY CHECKLIST Gifted & Creative Services ...

2Sensualdelights in varieties of colour and soundfinds viewing art a totally absorbing experienceloves music and responds with the whole bodydelights in the shape, feel and texture of thingsHas strong responses to tactile experiences-e.g.play doughis moved by beauty in natureis extremely sensitive to colours, shapes,designs and texturesnotices differences in aromas and odourshas intense pleasure or disgust to certain tastesshows distress at loud noisesloves to listen to the sounds of naturefeels a connection to animals, plants, natureStronglyDisagreeGenerallyDisagreeNeutralGenerallyAgreeStronglyAgreeImaginationallikes to daydreamhas a pretend-world that is very realdaydreams when boredsometimes pretends to be someone elsecan picture things in the mind so vividly thatthey seem realmixes truth and fantasy in their thoughts andrelating of eventsenjoys exaggerating realitytells long and detailed stories with vivid imagerybelieve that dolls, stuffed animals, or thecharacters in books, are alive and have feelingscreate unusual images in their mind fromhearing words and soundshas vivid recall of dreams and nightmareshas a talent for fantasyStronglyDisagreeGenerallyDisagreeNeutralGenerallyAgreeStronglyAgree

3Intellectualis an independent thinkercan take difficult concepts and translate theminto something more understandablequestions everything – how things work, whatthings mean, why things are the way they arecan form a new concept by putting together anumber of different thingsobserves and analyses everythingthrive on theories and factsloves to solve problems and develop new ideaslikes to dig beneath the surface of issuestries to analyse own thoughts and actionslikes to play with ideas and tries to think abouthow to put them to useStronglyDisagreeGenerallyDisagreeNeutralGenerallyAgreeStronglyAgreeEmotionalis extremely empatheticcan feel other people’s feelingsIs intensely sensitivity-appears to over-react tostimulation and peopleworries a lotcan be so happy that they laugh and cry at thesame timeIs highly emotional and has intense emotionalreactionshas strong feelings of joy, anger, excitementand/or despairis deeply concerned about othershas strong emotions that move them to tearscan feel a mixture of emotions all at oncetakes everything to heartStronglyDisagreeGenerallyDisagreeNeutralGenerallyAgreeStronglyAgreeAdapted from Michael PiechowskiCopyright 2003, Lesley Sword.Properly attributed, this material may be freely reproduced and disseminated.Lesley Swordwww.giftedservices.com.auGifted & Creative Services Australia20 Kestrel Court Vic 3201 Australia