Category: Gifted and Talented Education

Gifted students are those who perform exceptionally in specific academic and non-academic areas. These include areas such as writing, music, academics, or some other creative activity. Gifted students don’t just perform exceptionally; they show enough potential that they justify the need for special services to help them pursue the field they are gifted at to the best possible level. 

When determining who is eligible to be classified as ‘gifted,’ some specific factors or qualities are considered. These include:

• Teacher recommendations
• Test results
• Learning speed etc.

There is no general definition of what giftedness is; however, the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) suggests that gifted individuals show immense promise or potential to excel in one or more areas of giftedness. They usually differ from their peers in a few ways, which include:

• They are much faster at assimilating information
• They have a great memory and retain lessons easily, making it unnecessary for them to review material severally
• They are very complex thinkers and are able to perform critical and abstract thinking far superior to what they should be able to do for their age
•  They find certain topics to be quite interesting and spend a lot of time focusing on them
• They are able to use their senses more effectively than their peers and are very good at monitoring their environment, even while working

When these qualities are used as a standard, only about 6% of the student population in the U.S. qualify as gifted. That being said, there is no law that enforces the need for special education services to be provided to gifted students. They simply have to be challenged enough to make learning fun and meaningful for them.

Are you looking for apps, tools, and resources that you can use with your gifted students? If so, we have you covered. Check out our list below. Let us know if there are any that we missed.

7 Speed Reading– This app can help you become a proficient reader in the English language while eliminating old habits that hold you back. With 7 Speed Reading, students can learn to recognize large clusters of words and read without first vocalizing in their heads.

Enriching Students – This platform helps to identify students’ weaknesses and provides suitable help for them. This tool can be used to schedule personalized enrichment or interventions for all your students. It also helps to track student performance, teacher participation, and the effectiveness of teaching techniques.

FlinnSTEM Powered by IMSA Fusion– IMSA Fusion is a complete STEM program that provides additional enrichment to students interested in science and mathematics. The name IMSA Fusion comes from the blending of inquiry-based student content and in-depth teacher content. Instructors who implement this program receive much more than teacher instructions with student pages and a box of supplies; they also receive hours of video-based, on-demand online training that truly sets IMSA Fusion apart from any other solution available. 

Splash Math – Good for catching up, regular practice, or enrichment, Splash Math uses games and a built-in reward system to make math fun. Real time progress reports are available for teachers and parents to pinpoint areas of concern or celebrate improvements. The app also has an option to email weekly progress reports. With three themes, space, candy, and jungle, Splash Math is customizable to students’ interests and includes all major math skills from Kindergarten through 5^th grade.

Do you think your child is gifted but aren’t sure? We have compiled a list of 100 characteristics of gifted kids. If your kid has half of these traits, you might want to have them tested for giftedness. Here are 100 reasons why your child might be gifted.

1. Beside the word intense in the dictionary is a picture of your child. 
2. Your child learned to read early
3. Your child taught themselves how to read.
4. The questions never, ever stop.
5. They often seem wise beyond her years, but
6. They can seem to behave younger than their actual age, especially when it comes to social and emotional issues.
7. They experience fears that children his age don’t.
8. They are aware of their own mortality.
9. They sleep less than other children. Less than the parenting articles say they need.
10. They take hours to fall asleep – often because They can’t “turn his brain off.”
11. They can draw inferences from data, evidence, or Sesame Street.
12. They can grasp metaphors at a young age.
13. They can understand and appreciate sarcasm.
14. They are sarcastic.
15. They aren’t content to simply absorb information and often asks “why?” what They’s learning is important
16. They experience anxiety.
17. They can grasp concepts quickly.
18. They are observant.
19. They have a large, diverse vocabulary.
20. They do well in math and can easily apply mathematical concepts to new challenges.
21. They can’t learn enough. Their desire to investigate and ask questions and immerse themselves in a subject is insatiable.
22. They have a rich imagination.
23. They make up elaborate rules for games or even make up their own elaborate games.
24. They have a sense of justice and become particularly upset when faced with inequality.
25. They can pay attention for long periods, especially when compared to their age peers.
26. They have a good memory and can recall facts and information accurately.
27. Others commented on what an alert infant they were.
28. They have an intense curiosity about just about everything.
29. They experience intense reactions to pain.
30. They correct others, sometimes rudely, and are usually right.
31. They have a sensitivity to sensory stimuli – noises are louder, smells are more offensive, sock seams are evil.
32. They can retain information, not just sit through it.
33. They experience intense empathy for others in pain or peril.
34. They think outside the box.
35. They offer solutions to basic – or complex – problems.
36. They often have great insight into situations.
37. They form strong attachments – to people, stuffed animals, trains, shoes, a favorite toothbrush, to anything.
38. They can identify connections between information, facts, and people.
39. They’re just so original. 
40. They require fewer repetitions to master a new skill.
41. They have a passionate interest in (sometimes unusual) topics
42. They can be pretty argumentative.
43. They often win those debates (whether you tell him or not is up to you!).
44. They become frustrated with repetition and review. Spiral instruction is not for her.
45. They lack patience or understanding when others struggle with a task they’ve mastered.
46. They frequently find school boring.
47. They have high standards for everyone around them
48. Struggles with perfectionism.
49. They daydreams.
50. They crave and appreciate novelty.
51. They have a deep self-awareness, though They may lack the ability or language to identify and describe their inner experiences.
52. They have an interest in politics and enjoy discussing the latest issues.
53. They often babble. Their little mouths sometimes can’t keep up with their excitement and ideas.
54. They’re the classic absent-minded professor – brilliant and disorganized, smart but scattered.
55. They have a relative that has been identified as gifted.
56. They could carry out multi-step instructions from an early age.
57. They’re very picky – food, textures, smells, oh my!
58. They ask deep questions.
59. They have little need for instruction and can often master skills on their own.
60. They frequently seek out older children or adults for conversation.
61. They might have excessive energy, almost like They’re driven by a motor inside.
62. They’re skeptical, sometimes cynical.
63. They work well independently and
64. May even prefer to work independently.
65. They’re so creative.
66. They’re aware of how different They are from the kids his own age.
67. So. Much. Talking.
68. They expressed an early interest and/or understanding of time.
69. Her development is asynchronous.
70. They spoke early… and well.
71. They exhibited early mastery of motor skill functions.
72. They hit several developmental milestones early.
73. They have a deep need to learn, create, go, do…
74. They have a laser-like focus and
75. They can multitask successfully.
76. They have a great sense of humor.
77. They appreciate puns and dad jokes long before becoming an actual dad.
78. They’re able to recognize problems and
79. They can propose solutions.
80. “Why?”
81. They have a knowledge base that comes from interests in multiple areas.
82. They can understand cause-and-effect relationships.
83. They can imagine multiple outcomes to situations, which often causes her to
84. Overthink instructions. In fact, They probably
85. Overthinks everything.
86. They can apply new concepts to multiple areas.
87. They struggle socially, often because of the differences between her and her peers.
88. They create their own ways to solve math problems.
89. They exhibited early pattern recognition.
90. They’re often a square peg in a round hole world.
91. They have an intense fear of or preoccupation with death.
92. They are highly critical of themselves.
93. They don’t just get interested in a topic; They obsess.
94. They dominate their classmates.
95. They are natural leaders.
96. They intensely experience her surroundings.
97. They don’t accept unproven authority.
98. Normal for them sounds like you’re bragging to others.
99. They have a low threshold for frustration.
100. They thrive on complexity.

Whether you are reading this article as a student, parent, or educator, you have undoubtedly heard about the term child prodigy at least once in your lifetime. Although it may sound incredibly complicated, the definition is quite simple as it is for designated children (under 18) who are exceptionally gifted or talented in a particular ability.

Many different factors potentially influence a child prodigy, including social, environmental, and genetic. Additionally, a few methods to determine these traits. Let’s get started!

Determining A Child Prodigy

In the past couple of decades, one of the most discussed factors has been “general intelligence.” There have been numerous studies suggesting that child prodigies mostly do have a high g factor. 

Still, researchers also determined that someone who scores high on these tests doesn’t necessarily have to be a child prodigy. So how to know the difference? The current theories suggest that child prodigies don’t only excel in intelligence but also their motivation.

Additionally, in the last few years, numerous experts started relating a child prodigy to autism and savant syndrome. While these two aren’t interconnected, it is quite impressive that although Savants mostly score low in “general intelligence,” they are incredibly profound in certain spheres. As another critical determinant, researchers have listed genetics and perception traits that those children are born with.

One of the most impressive studies relevant to the child prodigies has to be that involving PET scans. It showed that these children are using their left hemisphere and the parahippocampal and right hemisphere when it comes to problem-solving. This means that unlike most other students/adults, they are activating long-term memory storage and thus being more efficient in finding a solution to complex problems. 

Observing A Child Prodigy

One of the best ways to know a child prodigy is by focusing on whether your child, student or friend may be particularly interested in a specific sphere. In most cases, child prodigies will devote a lot of their time towards one particular skill while performing average in all other areas. They also show extreme proficiency in acquiring knowledge and learning new skills in that area without much effort.

As mentioned above, because they mostly use long-term memory storage, child prodigies are likely to have different learning approaches and invest a lot of alone time towards mastering that particular skill.

Supporting A Child Prodigy

Much like we all do, child prodigies need to be appropriately guided and supported. Thus, it is your role as a parent or an educator to study this matter and help them enhance their prodigious abilities.

Concluding Thoughts

Throughout history, many famous child prodigies, including Pablo Picasso, Marie Curie, Enrico Fermi, and Bobby Fischer all left a significant impact in their sphere. With this in mind, you must look for the signs of a child prodigy (whether it is your kid or someone you know) to help them unveil their true potential.

Twice-exceptional is a term used to explain kids who have exceptional talents in some educational areas and challenges in others. In some instances, a twice-exceptional learner could theoretically qualify for both gifted and special education simultaneously.

The intellectual potential of twice-exceptional youth is great but sometimes difficult to identify and cultivate due to a co-existing condition like ADHD, a learning disability, sensory issues, or other conditions that complicate learning, and teaching.

What Does Twice-Exceptional Mean?

Twice-exceptional is the term used to explain intellectually gifted kids with great potential for educational achievement, which also have a learning disability or neurological challenge, like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD). Their exceptional intellectual capabilities of 2e learners are often masked or obscured by one or several conditions (or vice versa), making them one of the least identified and supported populations.

Twice exceptionality requires unique methods of identification and targeted educational supports that highlight a kid’s strengths. Parents can help 2e learners by researching common characteristics, understanding how 2e brains excel, and learning how to support their needs in the class uniquely.

Twice Exceptional Learners: Common Characteristics

The intellectual potential of twice-exceptional youth is great. They have an enduring disability that inhibits their learning experience. Common co-existing conditions include:

• ADHD
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Learning disorders (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, etc.)
• Sensory processing disorder (SPD)
• Emotional and behavioral disorders
• Physical disorders

Their intellectual capabilities usually mean that 2e kids often exhibit:

• fast learning
• good memories
• large vocabularies
• advanced comprehension of nuances
• insatiable curiosity
• emotional depth
• divergent thinking

As a result, 2e kids are often highly creative, hold varied and intense interests, exhibit sharp problem-solving skills, and have a sophisticated idea of humor.

But 2e kids also tend to struggle with:

• social situations
• inconsistent performance
• disorganization
• executive dysfunction
• transitions/initiative
• fatigue

In the class, twice-exceptional kids may perform both above and below average on distinct scales. Their intellectual gifts may overshadow their struggles, a dynamic that explains why understanding these kids is challenging. If their intellectual gifts and deficits are not addressed, 2e kids can experience anxiety, stress, depression, and feelings of underachievement.

Twice Exceptional Children: Brain Development

Research reveals that the 2e brain, not accounting for any condition, is meta-physiologically distinct from a neurotypical brain. Twice-exceptional brains generally are:

• Physically larger
• Have more connectivity – the white matter in the brain is denser, which allows for more connections and storing of information. The sensory intake capacity is also higher.
• Are “over-excitable” – emotions are intense because the limbic system, the part of the brain thought to be responsible for emotion and other processes are overloaded by increased sensory input and the development of intense epigenetics, or sensory prints, as the brain builds knowledge based on various environmental stimuli.

The limbic system’s increased demands may explain why many 2e kids have the same struggles and asynchronous development paths – their social-emotional growth is usually delayed, but their intellectual growth is accelerated.

Twice Exceptional: Signs and Identification

The process for understanding a 2e kid often starts at home, even before school starts. Parents who suspect their kids may be twice-exceptional should first:

• Stop to reflect on the kid’s behaviors. Many parents detect differences early on, like how their kid plays, communicates, behaves, or responds to other kids. Twice exceptionality tends to be characterized by significant skill disparities, like completing complex assignments and struggling with easier, simpler assignments.
• Observe what happens when the kid struggles and consider the settings where poor learning outcomes happen. Question what factors play the biggest part and whether the kid may be compensating for a deficiency. Understand that some 2e kids learn to camouflage their condition early on, deceiving parents, and even schools. Utilize a journal to document observations – the sooner, the better.
• Listen to what the kid says about themselves and their struggles. True listening, especially for young kids, may require more interpreting than anything else, as they might lack the vocabulary to explain their challenges accurately. Using a “word wall” – a list of different words to convey emotions – can help kids be more exact.

All educators agree that differentiating instruction for students is very important. Yet, many districts cannot put this policy into practice. An almost unlimited amount of remedial curricular content has helped educators make necessary modifications for lower-achieving learners. However, we have lacked an orderly method to make comparable modifications for learners who are already achieving at well above average levels.

This article describes curriculum compacting, an easy-to-implement teaching strategy for modifying the curriculum for above-average ability learners. This strategy can also be used for any learner who displays strengths or high-interest levels in one or more content areas. The process has proven its effectiveness in a carefully controlled national research study and several years of class utilization in a variety of educational settings across the nation.

Curriculum Compacting is a teaching strategy specifically designed to make appropriate curricular modifications for learners in any curricular area and at any grade level. Essentially, the process involves (1) outlining the goals and outcomes of a particular unit or segment of instruction, (2) determining and documenting which learners have already learned most or all of a specified set of learning outcomes, and (3) providing replacement strategies for content already learned through the utilization of teaching options that enable a more challenging and productive use of the learner’s time.

Before starting curriculum compacting, remember to start small. Be within your comfort zone for your inaugural attempts. This will help you develop confidence in the strategy and your ability to implement it, allowing you to branch out from that point on.

So, what do you do? Well, first you have to decide which of your learners are potential candidates for curriculum compacting. You probably don’t need to get far into the school year to get an idea of which learners finish their work quickly, seem to have a wealth of outside information, and score well with little apparent effort. These kids are prospects for curriculum compacting.

Next, you should pre-test these potential candidates. The pre-test can be from the textbook (or whatever curricular contents you’re utilizing), or it can be one that you create. It doesn’t have to be extensive. To utilize spelling as an example, it can be as simple as pre-testing the kids on that week’s words before they’ve been given the list. The pre-test should cover the main objectives that you want the learners to learn in the unit with other subjects.

By examining the pre-test results, you’ll be able to see which learners have already learned all of or large portions of the content. Continuing with our spelling example: If a kid scores a 100 percent on their spelling pre-test before you’ve even given them the list to study, before writing the words ten times each, before they used each of them in a sentence before they looked up all of their definitions, and before studying them at home with mom and dad—well, then, why the do they have to still jump through all those hoops throughout the week? He shouldn’t have to. He’s just proven to you that they have learned that content. Now you can compact their curriculum.

In spelling, they could be given a harder set of words, ones they haven’t learned yet, and still do the same assignments with them. For other subjects, the compacting process can be more complex. Let’s say a learner shows through their pre-test that they have learned six of the science unit’s eight objectives. Well, in this case, the learner has learned much of the content, but not quite all of it. For the portions they haven’t yet learned, they will be learning right along with the rest of the class.

But for the portions they have learned, they can now “buy time” (so to speak) to explore the topic in greater depth, do an independent project on a subject of interest to them, work with a mentor who can expand their horizons on the topic, move ahead in the curriculum, write an essay on the topic, etc. A thousand possibilities present themselves. Just which ones the learner pursues will depend in part on available resources, available space, available time, the kid’s interests, and your flexibility.

The essence here is that the kid should be allowed to learn. If this learner were forced to sit through all of the lessons on the content they have just proven they’ve learned, then what exactly are learning? That school is for jumping through hoops, whereas real learning takes place when they get home and can read their books and conduct experiments in their homemade basement laboratory? School should be for learning, too! But unless we utilize strategies like curriculum compacting, it will continue to be a place where gifted kids mark time, re-learning information they mastered the first time.

Academic enrichment activities in the class can take numerous forms and do not always involve prescribed lessons from the curriculum. Enrichment encourages learners to take a more expansive look at a concept, perhaps by further research, approaching it with a distinct lens, or connecting the subject to a more meaningful facet of the real world. Whatever the activity may involve, the idea or goal is usually the same—encourage further exploration, intrinsic curiosity, and lifelong learning.

 Key components of enrichment

Teachers must utilize appropriate data and assessment information as guidelines to find essential aspects such as literacy level, math fluency, etc. These data points let educators provide contents that will truly elevate or enhance the learning without introducing a discouraging level of difficulty.

Enrichment must be personalized and match a learner’s capabilities. Assessments to gauge Lexile reading levels or math grade-level proficiency allow educators to see exactly how to group learners efficiently for enrichment activities. Pairing or grouping learners based on these data points allows learners to have the option to work collaboratively among learners with similar interests and capabilities.

Enrichment activities should account for learner choice. This means that, while each option for enrichment should revolve around a similar learning goal, the method by which learners arrive at that objective can be vastly distinct depending on their interests or selections.

Enrichment should connect to prior knowledge and account for cross-curricular connections.

Considerations for enrichment

As the educator, if you had unlimited time to spend on a subject, genre, topic, concept, etc., what would you want learners to explore? Use the answer to this question as to the springboard for constructing enrichment opportunities.
What have learners asked to read or learn about? Create a list of topics in which learners have expressed interest. Begin to curate a collection of texts involving these topics so that learners can begin to explore their interests if completing additional research.

In what way will learners be able to work independently when completing an enrichment activity? Conversely, what would they need more instruction or assistance with as they work?

How will your account for grading or evaluation of the enrichment assignment? These learning activities should not be seen as assignments that won’t be assessed. Learners need to know how these additional activities will contribute to not only their overall learning but also their overall grade.

Enrichment might involve several rubrics or tiered projects/assignments. The idea behind several rubrics is that learners are assessed based on their capabilities involving the project or task. Similarly, tiered assignments require learners to meet the same basic objectives but incorporate varying levels of difficulty utilizing text complexity, advanced vocabulary, higher-order thinking questions, and distinct analysis levels.

Some learners struggle to keep up in class. Other learners have the opposite challenge. For some learners, their learning moves through content too slowly, causing a lack of challenge and making it difficult to pay attention and apply themselves in class. Some of these learners may even start to see their grades drop due to not being engaged with the content.

For those who need a bit more of a challenge, enrichment tutoring programs can be crucial to getting back on track.

An enrichment program is a tutoring program for learners who need to learn at a higher level than in a typical class. It allows learners who need an extra challenge in the class to remain engaged and interested in learning. These programs focus on specific subject areas learners excel in and work at a level that feels most comfortable for them.

Enrichment programs are meant for learners who quickly understand class content and, as a result, feel bored at school. These learners often need more advanced content to feel excited about learning.

Characteristics of a learner who would benefit from an enrichment program:

• Has a hard time maintaining focus
• Takes less time to understand ideas than the rest of the class
• Seems antsy during lessons
• Reads ahead
• Doesn’t seem excited about school
• Routinely achieves high grades
• Understands the content but receives lower grades

Benefits of Enrichment Programs

Increased Understanding Of Self

Many learners who are bored at school don’t understand why they are bored. These learners (and their parents) often question why they aren’t as engaged as their classmates. They may even worry that they have some type of learning or attention issue.

Enrichment programs help learners understand why they are under stimulated and offer resources to become more engaged during class. These programs relieve any anxiety about feeling different from the rest of the class while helping improve confidence once a kid can see their true potential.

Improved Study Skills

Enrichment programs teach proper study skills, including time management and test preparation. They also promote more self-directed learning skills. These core study skills help tremendously in higher education, as class content becomes more advanced.

Increased Interest In Learning

When learners are disengaged, their passion and interest in learning decreases. They don’t get excited about going to school and may start to “check out” in the class. Enrichment programs work to spark learners’ interest and engagement in the content they are learning.

Higher Motivation

Learners are more motivated to succeed when they feel challenged. With an enrichment program, teachers continually present learners with ideas that both challenge and engage them, resulting in higher motivation overall.

Paced Learning

Learners who can learn at their pace feel more motivated to learn. With enrichment programs, teachers can personalize sessions to the learner’s pace in each area—whether it’s a particular subject or a certain study skill. The content and is based on skill level rather than grade level, allowing teachers to target the areas learners need an extra challenge.