Gifted and Talented Students

SOME MYTHS All gifted children are high achievers; they don't have to work hard for exam success. Gifted children are self-directed, they know where they are heading. Gifted children enjoy serving as examples for other children and they should always assume extra responsibility. 'Giftedness' is something to be envious of.

REALITIES? Can be perfectionists and idealists: grades + achievement = self-esteem + self-worth. This can lead to fear of failure; a barrier to achievement and development. Social and emotional development may not be at the same level as intellectual development.   High expectations = constant guilt and anxiety over achievements or grades perceived to be low. Boredom!     

Individual Differences Unique profile of talents, abilities, strengths and relative weaknesses. Factors that help one child to develop will not always be appropriate for others. May develop faster in some respects and slower than expected in other respects. Some gifted children are "mappers" ( Sequential learners ), while others are "leapers" ( Spatial learners ). Leapers often can't say how they got a "right answer". Mappers may get lost in the steps leading to the right answer.

Hearts and Minds Develop self-esteem and confidence, through merited praise and encouragement. Praise effort and perseverance in preference to ‘cleverness’: build resilience Allow failures and mistakes: build resilience Learn to interact with others. Be most proud of who they are, and not simply of what they achieve. Ability is not the centre of your relationship.

What three things could your parents/family do to help you make greater progress?

What can I do? Complement don’t replicate what goes on at school. Talk with them and listen to them. Extend general knowledge with a ‘fact of the week’, extend vocabulary with ‘word of the week’ Encourage physical activity. Use ICT. Encourage sampling new activities.

More ideas Puzzles, crosswords, logic games, word games, card games and board games to develop thinking skills and social interaction. Learn a new language together? A broad range of experiences. Space and some free unstructured time to experiment and develop hobbies and interests: self-regulation and engagement

Avoiding Underachievement Peers. Busy adolescents who are involved in clubs, sports, and religious activities are less likely to underachieve. Those with too much free time may develop poor self-regulation strategies. Develop regular patterns of work and practice. Regular time for homework and reading can be very helpful for developing positive self-regulation strategies.

Web Links The DfES websites for parents: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Scho olslearninganddevelopment/ExamsTestsAn dTheCurriculum/DG_10037625 and www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/parentalinvolve ment.

Looking Ahead to RUSSELL GROUP UNIVERSITIES University of Liverpool London School of Economics and Political Science University of Manchester Newcastle University University of Nottingham University of Oxford Queen's University Belfast University of Sheffield University of Southampton University of Warwick University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of Cambridge Cardiff University University of Edinburgh University of Glasgow Imperial College London King's College London University College London University of Leeds

1994 Group University of Bath Birkbeck, University of London Durham University University of East Anglia University of Essex University of Exeter Goldsmiths, University of London Institute of Education, London Royal Holloway, London Lancaster University University of Leicester Loughborough University Queen Mary, University of London University of Reading University of St Andrews School of Oriental and African Studies University of Surrey University of Sussex University of York

Looking ahead? GCSE requirements: Medical courses may ask for 5 or more A* Have to have Maths and English to C for any university but many now ask for at least B in both first time round for all courses Examples: English degree requires MFL, Business requires B in Maths, Psychology requires B in Maths and science. UCL introducing a foreign language requirement at GCSE

Looking ahead. Choices at GCSE The English Baccalaureate English, mathematics, history or geography, the sciences and a language. At A Level select at least two of your 4 AS courses from the ‘facilitating subjects’: English Literature, Geography, History, Languages, Maths, Physics, Biology, Chemistry