Strategies to Challenge Gifted Learners

All students should be challenged to their highest abilities. Everyday. The essence of education is to promote growth and challenge is the best way to attain it. A challenging curriculum and differentiated instruction in an atmosphere conducive to meeting individual needs should be the goal of every classroom.

Lack of challenge can lead to underperformance and boredom. In the extreme, it may lead to mental health issues. When gifted students are not challenged, they may fail to learn important skills such as perseverance or tolerance for failure. GT students who aren’t challenged in they early years can become apathetic to school and tune out in the upper grades.

What is the difference between rigor and challenge? Rigor and challenge are often considered the same thing, but it’s important to distinguish between the two. According to Davidson Gifted, “Rigor is about output. Challenge is about input.” Students need to be provided with rigor, but also benefit from scaffolding and explicit instruction to support it.

What are some strategies to challenge gifted students in the classroom? Todd Stanley has some excellent strategies to challenge gifted students including enrichment clubs, bonus opportunities, mentorships, choice boards, PBL, and differentiated centers. Gifted students can be challenged in the classroom with creative questioning, flexible learning groups, and time for exploration of passions. A challenging curriculum for gifted students should consider pre-assessing students, using performance assessments, inclusion of depth and complexity, makerspaces, and graphic organizers to aid complex thinking.

How can 2E students be challenged in their areas of strength? Twice-exceptional students may be seen in both the regular classroom and special education settings. It’s important to utilize tools related to both such as IEPs and 504s. Too often, 2E students’ deficits are addressed before strengths. It’s often more beneficial to challenge them in areas of their strengths rather than remediate deficits. Technology such as speech-to-text and text-to-speech assistive devices and audiobooks are tools that may be used to support twice-exceptional students.

Parents can play a role in challenging their gifted child at home when schools do not or cannot provide the necessary challenge. They can provide enrichment experiences as simple as trips to the library. Parents can also facilitate their children spending time with other gifted children through summer camps or specialized classes in areas related to their child’s interests.

A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.

Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 2PM NZDT/Noon AEDT/1AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Meta Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community.

About the author: Lisa Conrad is the Moderator of Global #gtchat Powered by TAGT and Social Media Manager of the Global #gtchat Community. She is a longtime advocate for gifted children and also blogs at Gifted Parenting Support. Lisa can be contacted at: gtchatmod@gmail.com

Resources:

Vertical Differentiation for Gifted, Advanced, and High-Potential Students 25 Strategies to Stretch Student Thinking

A Teacher’s Guide to Curriculum Design for Gifted and Advanced Learners: Advanced Content Models for Differentiating Curriculum

[Classroom Strategies] Teaching Gifted Students

Classroom Strategies to Support Advanced Learners at All Grade Levels

The Best Way to Challenge Gifted Students (and all students, for that matter)

Creative Ways to Challenge Gifted Students

7 Ways for Engaging Gifted Students in the Classroom

AUS: Learning Needs of High-Ability Students

Challenging and Engaging Talented and Advanced Readers | Davidson Gifted

Challenging Mathematically Gifted Primary Students

A Teacher’s Toolbox for Gifted Education 20 Strategies You Can Use Today to Challenge Gifted Students

Rigor Vs. Challenge A Different Way to Look at School Advocacy for Gifted Students | Davidson Gifted

5 General Classroom Tips for Meeting the Needs of Gifted Learners

When Schools Don’t Meet Your Gifted Child’s Needs

10 Ways to Challenge Gifted Students in the Classroom

AUS: Catering for Gifted Opportunity Class Students

Tools to Challenge Gifted and Advanced Learners

South Africa: What I Learned from Teaching Gifted Kids

How to Teach Gifted Students to Excel and Reach their True Potential

13 Ideas to Support your Gifted Students

NZ: Positive Changes Afoot for Gifted Learners https:/

The Masks of the Gifted: Behaviors that Hide the Gifted Child (pdf)

Enduring Practices for Gifted Elementary Students

What Makes Honor Classes More Than a Name?

Image courtesy of Pixabay Pixabay License

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Differentiating Literacy for Advanced Learners at the Elementary Level

Young gifted and advanced readers are a diverse group of learners who exhibit a passion for reading; often reading spontaneously at very early ages (preschool or earlier). They read materials far above the norm and benefit from individualized programs. Advanced readers need exposure to an extensive range of genre and books regarding personal interests. They should have access to challenging texts and materials. These students need instructional strategies which develop insights into reading materials and aid in them in mastering advance-level texts. Repetitive reading drills common at the elementary level should be avoided.

It is extremely important to differentiate literary for advance learners beginning at the elementary level to ensure the begin to read at a deeper level. Early readers often get ignored in the early grades in deference to students with remedial needs. Differentiating literacy requires reading instruction which is much more than simply a ‘how to’ approach which frequently limits advance readers’ potential. It needs to be enriching and supportive of language development. It’s important to differentiate literacy at this level to make the connection between reading and writing; a critical component for advanced students. Teachers can mentor early readers by reading aloud and encouraging them to find favorite authors.

A classroom learning environment optimized for literacy differentiation will have challenging reading materials available, students grouped with intellectual peers (across grades when possible) and include student choice of reading materials. Classrooms should have a reading area with a variety of reading materials beyond just fiction, such as poetry books or magazines for children. Texts which help build background knowledge is invaluable to young, gifted readers. Optimizing elementary classrooms for advanced readers can include bringing authors into the classroom (in person or virtually) and encouraging students to record thoughts and ideas about what they read (notebooks or online).

Differentiation for gifted students who are advanced readers goes far beyond simple ‘more of the same’ strategies such as independent reading at the back of the room. Reading content need to focus on complex and advanced concepts. Advanced gifted readers in the elementary grades need opportunities to build an intrinsic motivation to read through voice and choice through reading materials important to them. Many young, gifted learners can make complex connections between thoughts and ideas and process information more quickly. (Heacox & Cash, 2014) Differentiated instruction needs to consider depth and breadth in instruction even at the elementary level.

Goals of an advanced reading program should be exposure to challenging materials, deepening comprehension skills, expanding metacognitive processes, and promoting a love of reading. Key components of an advanced elementary reading program include pre-assessment/assessment, flexible grouping, acceleration, enrichment, and opportunities for discussing what has been read (Socratic circles, book clubs, etc.). Other important components of advanced reading programs are creative reading (imagination, divergent thinking), critical reading (inference & interpretation), and inquiry reading (independent, investigative).

Differentiated literacy for advanced readers should include pre-testing to demonstrate mastery, mentoring, focus on interpretation, opportunities to expand vocabulary, independent use of the school library, and avoid arbitrary constraints of reading levels. Enrichment strategies to differentiate literacy can include tiered assignments, grading which matches assessments to reading ability, enrichment grouping, and learning logs.

A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.

Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at 1PM NZDT/11 AM AEDT/1AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Meta Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community.

Resources:

Differentiation Strategies for Gifted and Talented Learners (pdf)

Vertical Differentiation for Gifted, Advanced, and High-Potential Students (book)

Encounters With Archetypes: Integrated ELA Lessons for Gifted and Advanced Learners in Grades 4-5 (book)

Space, Structure, and Story: Integrated Science and ELA Lessons for Gifted and Advanced Learners in Grades 4-6 (book)

Transformations in Stories and Arguments: Integrated ELA Lessons for Gifted and Advanced Learners in Grades 2–4 (book)

The Gifted, Reading, and the Importance of a Differentiated Reading Program (pdf)

5 Ways to Plan and Differentiate for Young Gifted Readers: Part One

5 Ways to Plan and Differentiate for Young Gifted Readers: Part Two

Differentiating the Language Arts for High Ability Learners | Hoagies Gifted

Differentiated Reading Instruction for Gifted Students

Reading Instruction With Gifted and Talented Readers (pdf) | Gifted Child Today

How Should We Approach Reading for Gifted Students? | UT – Arlington

Reading Strategies for Advanced Primary Readers (pdf – Kilgore) | Texas Reading Initiative Task Force for the Education of Primary Gifted Children

But Why Can’t I Read A Book From the Other Shelf? Challenging Talented Readers (pdf – Reis)

6 Ways to Deliver Differentiated Instruction for Gifted Students

Differentiating and Meeting the Needs of Gifted Learners

3 Easy Ways to Provide Support for Advanced Readers

Connecting With the Very Young Gifted Child | Edutopia

Teachers’ Responses on Differentiating Instruction and Measuring Progress of Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom | Gifted Education Press Quarterly

How Academically Gifted Elementary, Urban Students Respond to Challenge in an Enriched, Differentiated Reading Program (pdf) | Journal for the Education of the Gifted

The Joy of Reading: Nurturing Gifted Children’s Literacy | Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented

Enrichment and Gifted Education Pedagogy to Develop Talents, Gifts, and Creative Productivity

Differentiated Literacy Instruction: Boondoggle or Best Practice? | Review of Educational Research

Gifted Children and Language Development (Bainbridge)

Verbally Gifted Children and Their Language Skills (Bainbridge)

Exploring Speech and Language Skills in Gifted Children: A Parent Perspective (pdf)

Turkey: Pre-school Teachers’ Knowledge and Needs Related to Noticing Gifted Children and the Enrichment Model (pdf) | Participatory Educational Research

Developmental and Cognitive Characteristics of “High-Level Potentialities” (Highly Gifted) Children | International Journal of Pediatrics

Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Support Literacy | Edutopia

14 Great Picture Books for Gifted Preschoolers and Kindergarteners

Cybraryman’s Literacy Pages

Cybraryman’s Differentiated Instruction

Instruction for Advanced Readers

Image courtesy of Pixabay Pixabay License

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad

Teaching Writing to Young Gifted Students

What are some issues young, gifted children may struggle with that might affect writing? There are a multitude of issues experienced by young, gifted children which may affect their writing including rigid thinking, exceptional personal interests, perfectionism, and twice-exceptionality. Writing is not easy. It requires developed executive functioning, an understanding that the work may need to be reviewed by others and expressed attention to detail. These skills may need to be more fully developed in young writers. Asynchronous development in young, gifted children may mean that writing skills do not match their thought processes, and this can result in stressful classroom experiences, frustration with teachers, and doubts about their own abilities.

How can writing disabilities such as dysgraphia affect a gifted student’s writing? Dysgraphia – poor spelling, handwriting and trouble putting thoughts on paper – is a challenge to diagnose and should take into consideration the child’s physical age when dealing with young, gifted children. If dysgraphia is suspected, it’s good to observe the child and be prepared to seek professional help rather than to let the child feel they are poor at writing. Getting proper support can make all the difference. Technology can assist students who struggle with dysgraphia through the use of speech-to-text apps, keyboarding, and using dictation interventions when necessary. Also, permitting the use of a scribe may help as well.

Twice-exceptional students may struggle with writing for many reasons. Writing for an audience may increase anxiety. Understanding that one can learn from mistakes may elude them leading to self-criticism and a fear of failure (Sciortino, 2014). A simple step to help twice-exceptional students face writing challenges is to plan ahead; similar to the concept of IEPs. Students can identify potential missteps as well as emotional roadblocks and then create an action plan to deal with them. Another tool teachers can use with these students is a rubric which identifies and measures emotional responses that arise in the writing process and then provides clear steps to meet the challenges presented.

It’s important to realize that even strong GT writers benefit from guidance and feedback. Teachers should be prepared with purposeful alternative options for early finishers. For the very young, gifted student, allow them to choose their own topics for writing assignments, tapping into vivid imaginations and creativity. For older students, consider depth and complexity to extend writing skills. It’s a common mistake for classroom teachers to want to pair strong writers with weaker students. It is a better option to cluster GT students with writing peers and allow them to take their writing to the next level.

How can parents help their gifted child improve their writing skills? Writing is a complex skill which develop independently of other cognitive skills. A young, highly verbal child may not possess the needed fine motor or executive functioning skills to put thoughts on paper (Butler, 2017). Asynchronous development plays a significant role in developing writing skills in young, gifted students and can heighten frustration. Encouraging creative writing when young will lead to better formal writing with the passage of time. Parents help their child improve their writing skills relaxing and acknowledging there may be a mismatch between physical skills and academic ability, encourage use of keyboarding and gamification, and prioritize creativity.

Blogging can reap huge benefits for young, gifted students by providing cross curricular opportunities to write, authentic audiences, and ways to learn digital learning skills. Blogs provide young, gifted students with exposure to digital portfolios (a means of showing growth and creativity) and their teachers with a new tool for identification of gifted abilities (THP, Kirby & Stargardter, 2022).

A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.

Global #gtchat Powered by the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented is a weekly chat on Twitter. Join us Thursdays at 8E/7C/6M/5P in the U.S. and Fridays at Noon NZST/10 AM AEST/1AM UK to discuss current topics in the gifted community and meet experts in the field. Transcripts of our weekly chats can be found at Wakelet. Our Meta Page provides information on the chat and news and information regarding the gifted community.

Resources:

Writing and the Profoundly Gifted Child | Davidson Gifted

The Writing Can Wait | Davidson Gifted

Reluctant Writers: Understanding Common Issues for Gifted Children | Davidson Gifted

Why Do So Many Gifted and Talented Children Hate To Write?

“I Feel Like a Real Writer:” Supporting Gifted Students in Writing

Gifted Kids: The Disconnect between Input and Output

Teaching Writing in the Elementary Years

Why Some Kids have Trouble Writing their Ideas | Understood.org

Patterns In Writing I: Introduction | Byrdseed

Follow the Fear: Anticipating Missteps in Learning to Write | Davidson Gifted

How to Use the Writing Process… In Plain English!

Writing Because I Want To, Not Because I have To: Young Gifted Writers’ Perspectives on the Factors that “Matter” in Developing Expertise (pdf download)

Gifted Children’s Relationships With Writing (pdf) | Journal for the Education of the Gifted

Writing Tips for the Gifted Student | SENG

5 Ways to Differentiate for Stronger Writers

Reading and Writing in the Gifted Classroom https://bit.ly/3cGW9XV

The Writing Process of Published Authors and Gifted Students: A Mixed Method Study Regarding Comfort with the Writing Process (pdf – thesis)

Tips for parents: Writing and the Gifted Child (pdf)

Teaching Strategies for Gifted Writers (pdf)

Between the Brain and Page: Working with Gifted Student Writers

Writing Strategies for Talent Development From Struggling to Gifted Learners, Grades 3–8 (book)

Diagnosing and Remediating Writing Problems of Gifted Students With Language learning Disabilities (pdf)

Underachieving Gifted Students and Ways to Improve School Performance of At Risk Student Population Who have High Potential: Improving Writing Performance in Underachieving Gifted Students

Writing Colorado Standards-aligned Advanced Learning Plans (ALPs) (pdf) | Colorado Department of Education

Using Reasoning and Writing With Gifted Fifth-Grade Students (pdf) | Journal of Direct Instruction

Tools for Creating Digital Student Portfolios | Edutopia

Writing Is Designing: Words and the User Experience (book)

An Ensuing Conference: Providing Critical Feedback to Raise Standards (5-8) (Vimeo 5:42)

Cybraryman’s Writing Resources Page

Image courtesy of Pixabay Pixabay License

Graphic courtesy of Lisa Conrad.

Gifted Education Program Options

Often overlooked, teacher training can affect the availability and quality of gifted program options. Lack of knowledge about special populations in the classroom often leads to lack of understanding of their needs. When teachers and administrators become aware of their gifted and 2e students, they often are their greatest advocates. Teacher training in gifted education needs to begin at the undergraduate level and continue throughout their careers. State mandated PD can go a long way in making this a reality. This can lead to the availability of high quality programs. Extending PD to all faculty and staff can increase the number of options available as well as educate the wider community of the benefits of meeting the needs of GT and 2E students. This can result in increased funding and opportunities.

COVID-19 and the Pandemic had a profound effect on gifted education – both positive and negative. Already existing anti-intellectualism gained ground as education in general was affected by uneven school closures & political influences. Far too often, the Pandemic was used as an excuse to shut down gifted programs in schools where districts had a negative view of providing it at all. However, when parents and supportive educators pushed back, it was a different scenario. Positive implications include the availability of tech, increased distance learning opportunities and a vision of what is possible. Also, greater awareness of educational needs of GT and 2E by parents and caregivers thrusted into homeschooling.

What are the best delivery options available in gifted education? Delivery options have evolved over the past several decades. Pull-out elementary programs are still the most common. Self-contained gifted classrooms offer exceptional opportunities for GT students to learn with intellectual peers. Out of school options include after-school programs, academic competitions, weekend programs, summer classes, and distance learning. Delivery options differ at the secondary level and involve accelerated options such as dual enrollment, early out options, magnet schools, AP/IB, and credit by examination. Alternatives to public education include private schools, micro schools, and homeschooling. Each family needs to determine which is best for their student and family finances.

What curriculum and instructional modifications best benefit gifted students? Curriculum and instruction involve content, process, product & learning environment. The NAGC’s Pre-K to 12 Programming Standards provide a comprehensive outline of evidence-based options. Differentiation is a widely used option when servicing GT students in the regular classroom. Curriculum compacting and tiered assignments have historically also been used. More recent options include Genius Hour, design thinking, VR and experiential learning opportunities.

Online learning is a program option which can be used in gifted education. It can be used in a variety of ways for GT students including in-class enrichment, extensions to outside opportunities (mentoring, linking to experts) or for distance learning (rural ed, dual enrollment). Issues which need to be addressed in online learning for gifted students include student accountability, etiquette, collaboration, and communicating with parents (Phelps, 2020).

Homeschooling has long been a viable option for students whose needs aren’t being at their local school due to lack of programs or for #2ekids or PG students whose needs may be better met in a home setting. It requires dedication, financial resources, provision of appropriate educational resources and learning environment, and someone to teach (parent/caregiver/other).

A transcript of this chat can be found at Wakelet.