ABSTRACT
It has always been difficult to agree on what we understand by ‘ability’, and in particular what we mean when we say a child has ‘exceptional’ ability or talent. For many years the understanding of ‘intelligence’ was linked to the concept of an ‘intelligence quotient’ or IQ, as measured by specifically designed tests. Some of these are based on concepts of ability that date from the work of Binet who devised the first intelligence test. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC) and the British Ability Scales (BAS) are still used today. On these standardised tests a person's performance can be measured and compared with others of a similar age. A scale can be drawn up, with cutoff points at which the person's performance can be said to fall within, below or above the normal range. Exceptional ability would therefore be defined as performance that fell at the top of the scale, which only a small percentage of the population would achieve.
