Which characteristic is often associated with students from poverty that teachers may overlook as potentially gifted?

The characteristic associated with students from poverty that may be overlooked as potentially gifted is the lack of internal motivation. Many students from low-income backgrounds can exhibit resilience, creativity, and problem-solving skills that are indicators of giftedness; however, their environment might not offer the supports necessary to cultivate or showcase these traits.

Often, external factors such as instability at home, lack of resources, or lower academic expectations can hinder a student's internal drive and motivation. Consequently, teachers may misinterpret this lack of motivation as indifference or disengagement, failing to recognize that these students may possess significant potential that is not easily visible.

In contrast, strong early reading skills, extensive vocabulary, and high engagement in standardized tests are typically more recognizable traits associated with giftedness. A student demonstrating these attributes tends to align more closely with conventional expectations of gifted learners, making them less likely to be misidentified in the context of performance assessments.