What is Giftedness?

Seminars/Workshops/Talks on Giftedness

There are many workshops for teachers, parents and students on giftedness. The following list is merely a sample of some of the topics that we have conducted workshops on and therefore, is not exhaustive. Feel free to reach out and discuss your requirements for a workshop that would best suit for your organisation. All the workshops can be customised to meet the needs of our clients.

1. Identifying and Teaching Gifted Preschoolers

Research has shown that development of gifted preschoolers is often overlooked because we fear “labelling” them too young. Dispel the myths associated with gifted preschoolers as studies show that the first five years of a child’s life have a great impact on intellectual development for future learning. Hence, identification and recognition at an early stage is crucial for gifted preschoolers.

This interactive workshop offers teachers and parents understanding, strategies, and techniques designed to enhance learning among gifted preschoolers. It will also offer participants some practical guidelines for managing the challenges and rewards of working with gifted and talented preschoolers in their classrooms. Participants will be engaged in whole class instruction, interaction, and discussion, small group lessons, collaborative work groups, and independent tasks.

Specifically, this workshop aims to help participants:

• Understand the concept of giftedness in general
• Explore major current definitions of giftedness
• Identify gifted behaviours that teachers and parents might observe in young children
• Examine screening and assessment tools
• Sample curriculum models that can be adapted for preschool gifted learners
• Analyse assessment and grading issues
• Gain an appreciation of the social and emotional lives of preschoolers as they learn affective strategies to support their young learners.

This workshop would be beneficial for preschool teachers/principals, parents of preschoolers, students in early childhood education and anyone interested in understanding and educating gifted pre-schoolers.

2. Unlocking Giftedness for Teachers: Understanding the Mysterious Child in the Classroom

This workshop is specially designed for classroom teachers and facilitators for the gifted, curriculum developers, early child development students or specialists, parents of gifted children, special educators, counsellors, or any educational-based staff who want to understand the secrets behind giftedness and how to tackle a gifted child.

With the distinct characteristics of gifted children, they may appear challenging. Unfortunately, some teachers misunderstand these challenges and believe that their student is being “difficult”, a term used by a number of teachers in silently labelling these children. In reality, giftedness is usually associated with above-average academic performance, which puts every other child in the average category, hence the common treatment. However, this may not be the case. High achievers and giftedness may well be two different categories of performers. It must be noted that gifted children may not perform in academics due to various reasons and most importantly, neglect. Therefore, this workshop is to create awareness amongst teachers of potentially gifted and highly able children of the different types of gifted children that exist in our society. It will focus on basic knowledge about giftedness specifically for parents. Some misconceptions on giftedness will also be addressed.

In this workshop, participants will learn some interesting truths about gifted children and their existence in the regular classroom. At the end of this workshop, participants were able to identify gifted children and will have the tools necessary to reach the academic, intellectual and emotional needs of their gifted students.

3. Understanding Giftedness for Parents/Teachers

Parents of highly able children often face challenges when dealing with their children. Unfortunately, some parents misunderstand these challenges and believe that their child is being “difficult”, a term used by a number of parents of highly able children. In reality, giftedness is usually associated with above-average academic performance, which puts every other child in the average category, hence the common treatment. However, this is not the case. High achievers and giftedness may well be two different categories of performers. It must be noted that gifted children may not perform in academics due to various reasons and most importantly, neglect. Therefore, this talk is to create awareness amongst parents of potentially gifted and highly able children of the different types of gifted children that exist in our society and the home support that is necessary to develop their potential.

4. How Can Parents Identify Gifted Characteristics in Children

Gifted children have distinct characteristics that differs them from average children. The best people to identify gifted children are parents as early identification (pre-school stage) would help parents develop the potential of their young child through educational materials and exposure. This talk will focus on traits that are common among gifted children and what can be done to enhance their potential.

5. Parenting Young Gifted Children

Do you have a young child? Do you think your child is displaying early signs of giftedness? If so, this workshop will address the identification, characteristics, and socio-emotional needs of this young population with gifted potential. Participants will learn about the special needs of these young students and how schools and parents can support their growth. What strategies and activities help to foster and sustain a sense of wonder and a love of learning?

6. Raising Highly Able Teens: The Ultimate Adolescent Challenge

Parenting on its own is a complicated task. What more parenting a teenager who is highly able, who has a mind of her/his own and stands by self-made decisions, who knows s/he is bright, who defies parents and adults, and the list goes on. Living with highly able teenagers presents numerous challenges to the family structure so much so that this can stretch a family’s patience. Issues that will be discussed include perfectionism, peer pressure, sibling rivalry, expectations and friendship. In this workshop, parents will also learn strategies to establish family guidelines, create comfortable home environments, and foster assets that will result in talented, competent, and responsible teens, which will improve their relationships.

7. The Gifted Child and the Friendship Factor

In this session, friendship and giftedness will be addressed. The friendship factor investigates the importance of friends for the gifted child, and discusses some theories related to gifted behaviour and relationship building. Strategies to increase your child’s EQ and social competencies will be discussed. Audience will also learn how to construct the home environment that will nurture a gifted child’s social/cognitive skills and increase the quality of their relationships.

8. Understanding and Counselling Highly Able Children

Inability on parents’ part to understand highly able children causes many disturbances in a parent-child relationship. This workshop will discuss characteristics distinct to highly able children and how to develop positive traits and deal with negative ones. Participants will also learn about the social and personal issues of this group, perfectionism, emotional sensitivity and over-excitability of the emotionally gifted and stress management. Strategies will be presented in dealing with these children in this interactive session.

Note: Various other workshops/seminars are available and can be customised to meet the needs of the target audience.