All four of the teaching majors here in the McKay School of Education have courses that introduce you to disabilities. Do you remember that gifted and talented (GT) students were considered special education? Have you wondered why? Well, special education is individually planned, specialized, intensive, and goal-directed instruction. Our students who are gifted and talented need exactly that- specialized education to help them succeed in their classroom! So, how do we do this? Here are some ideas and resources you can turn to when trying to accommodate for your gifted and talented students!
Encourage Creativity
Give students the opportunity to explore their own ideas and how they can connect to what they are learning in the classroom. Assign activities and projects that help students combine the different subjects to make something that shows what they are learning. Many ideas can be found on the websites provided below.
Gifted and Talented Endorsement
BYU offers an education endorsement for those who want to teach gifted and talented students. This 16 credit hour endorsement will help you become qualified to help all GT students in the classroom.
Education of the Gifted
Social & Emotional Needs of the Gifted & Talented
Identification of the Gifted
Models and Systems of the Gifted in Education
Curriculum in Gifted Education
Practicum in Gifted & Talented
Elective Approved by the Gifted & Talented Committee
Form Flexible Learning Groups
Group students in the classroom based off of their achievement in a specific subject or with a specific activity. Have your gifted and talented students complete a challenging problem or project where they are able to expand the use of their knowledge.
Hoagies' Gifted Education Page
Hoagies' is the "all gifted things" webpage where you can find resources for parents, educators, students, and other community members. You can explore articles about GT programs, other online resources to use in the classroom, curriculum advice, and more.
National Association for Gifted Children
The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is the center for community resources, research, conventions, advocacy, education, and publications all about GT students and how educators can help them. Check it out to see how you can become a NAGC leader.
The possibilities are endless on how to help your GT students! Remember, you are a teacher and you can do this! Any additional suggestions? Comment below!