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Recommendations are intended for consideration by those who know the child well and can make informed decisions about the relevance and practical application of a recommendation to an individual child's aptitude, interest, and needs.

Language Arts, Reading

• Use an inquiry-based study of appropriate children's literature (e.g., Junior Great Books).
• Select biographies and books in the content areas (including subjects dealing with multicultural issues) for supplementary reading.
• Encourage and provide time to pursue free reading based on student interests.
• Individualize a reading program that diagnoses reading level and prescribes reading material based on that level.
• Form a literary group of students with similar interests for discussion.
• Provide literature that is broad-based in form (myths, non-fiction, biography, poetry, etc.) rich in language and provides role models for emulation.
• Utilize children's literature that involves finding solutions to scientific, environmental, and mathematical problems or mysteries.
• Encourage participation in library-based programs.
• Introduce student to new genre of books (e.g., science fiction).
• Provide the opportunity for author study by having the child read several books by the same author.
• Provide the opportunity for topic study by having the child read several books on the same topic and contrasting authors and writing styles.

Writing

• Use a writing program that encourages elaboration and incorporation of ideas from literature into stories.
• Develop expository writing skills.
• Encourage extra-curricular experiences that are language-based such as school paper or yearbook.
• Encourage personal journal writing.
• Encourage use of a wide variety of words in writing through use of thesaurus and dictionary.
• Suggest keeping a journal for "word of the day" or "word of the week". 18. Encourage parents to transcribe child's stories at home.
• Have students draw pictures to illustrate their stories and develop titles for them.
• Use tape recorders to initially record a story and transcribe it later.
• Encourage free story building; provide students with a set of givens (character, plot pieces, a setting)
• Have students respond in writing to a piece of music, a picture, or a poem presented in class.
• Allow young students the freedom to write without requiring accurate spelling and grammar.
• Provide opportunities for students to read written work out loud to individuals or to small groups of students.
• Encourage child to submit written work for publication to children's magazines.
• Attend available creative writing opportunities (e.g., special courses or writing camps).
• Teach the writing process: prewriting, organizing, writing, editing and rewriting.
• Use writing skills across the curriculum.
• Teach word processing.

Verbal Expression

• Include experiences in foreign language in the curriculum.
• Use storytelling techniques.
• Teach debating skills.
• Focus on vocabulary building.
• Develop word relationship skills (e.g., analogies, antonyms, homonyms).
• Allow for oral reports before the class.
• Encourage child to join debate team.
• Provide opportunities for student to speak in public settings.
• Encourage theater club participation.
• Provide the opportunity for the child to act out what is read.
• Teach oral presentation skills.

Math

• Focus on developing spatial skills and concepts through geometry and other media.
• Focus on problem solving skills with appropriately challenging problems.
• Use calculators and computers as tools in the problem-solving process.
• Focus on logic problems that require deductive thinking skills and inference.
• Emphasize mathematical concepts more and computational skills less.
• Emphasize applications of mathematics in the real world through creation of special projects.
• Emphasize algebraic manipulation.
• Focus on the use of probability, estimation, statistics, and computer technology.
• Apply mathematical concepts across the curriculum, for example, by having the child read and report on a book about a famous mathematician, assess the mathematical challenges of planning a Civil War battle or study a unit on the history of mathematics.
• Facilitate the child's attendance at career seminars in math.
• Utilize a diagnostic-prescriptive approach to mathematics that allows the student to move at a fast pace and not be subject to instruction in skills already learned.
• Begin college preparatory courses as soon as possible.
• Teach the creative process in mathematics including problem finding and problem solving.
• Encourage the student to participate in math related challenges such as Math Olympics, Math Counts, Virginia Math League and The Great Computer Challenge.
• Allow student to substitute the 5 most difficult problems in a set for the 10 easiest.
• Provide manipulatives such as pattern blocks, tangrams and Cuisenaire rods.
• Utilize computer assisted drawing programs.
• Assist the student in developing her/his own computer programs dealing with problem solving skills.
• Provide opportunities for the study of computer technology.

Science

• Provide opportunities to visit museums of science and natural history.
• Provide reading material that suggests experiments the child can try and also provide a balance between text and activities.
• Help the child develop a scientific hobby like birdwatching, shell collecting, gardening, or electronics.
• Provide opportunities for naturalistic observation at the beach, mountains, or local pond.
• Provide well-made scientific toys.
• Provide basic tools like a magnifying glass, binoculars, and a camera.
• Assist the child in selecting biographies and autobiographies about scientists.
• Consider summer science camp experiences.
• Provide opportunities for interacting with practicing scientists.
• Place a strong emphasis on the inquiry process.
• Emphasize topics that place science in the context of human decision making and social policy.
• Teach skills that help children to define a problem, make an hypothesis, and draw implications from data.
• Teach the child to conduct literature searches.
• Use open-ended questioning techniques.
• Foster use of collaborative techniques by allowing students to work in small groups.
• Establish a science mentorship program.
• Explore educational programming at community facilities such as NASA and CEBAF.
• Suggest the student volunteer in a hospital, doctor's office, veterinary clinic, or science museum.
• Review each December issue of Scientific American for science books for children.
• Focus on problems that require deductive thinking skills and inference.
• Teach critical thinking skills.

Social Studies

• Provide opportunities for students to develop timelines.
• Teach visual spatialization techniques.
• Teach mapping strategies.
• Teach metacognition.
• Use puzzles and mazes.
• Develop understanding of cultures.
• Study the development of cities.
• Develop geography skills and map making.
• Develop cultural literacy around important historical events in American history and world history.
• Develop an understanding of global interdependence.
• Analyze primary documents, including the Declaration of Independence.
• Teach critical thinking skills.
• Assist the child in selecting reading in history, biography and historical fiction.
• Foster discussion of social and environmental issues.

Creativity/Aesthetics

• Practice skills of fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality.
• Work on specific product development.
• Prepare a skit or play for production.
• Provide art appreciation opportunities.
• Provide music opportunities.
• Provide dramatic instruction.
• Provide opportunities for dance and movement.
• Teach role-playing.
• Provide "collage" experience across art, music, literature.
• Introduce various artistic forms.
• Introduce various musical forms.
• Use biographies of creative people.
• Teach creative problem-solving.
• Use brainstorming.
• Provide exhibition space for student products.
• Provide opportunities to illustrate school publications.
• Allow the child to create new endings for stories read.
• Encourage exploration of creative arts careers through library and guidance programs and contact with community members in the creative arts.
• Suggest the child illustrate original stories.
• Consider providing an artist mentor.
• Provide unstructured activities, allowing the student to choose the medium of expression.

Leadership, Social Skills

• Encourage leadership skills through work with small groups in academic settings.
• Encourage leadership skills through work with student government, safety patrol or other school organizations and community groups such as Scouts, book clubs or church.
• Explore leadership training programs for precollegiate students at local colleges and universities.
• Assist the child in selecting biographies and autobiographies about high achievers.
• Provide monitored opportunities for involvement in volunteer or social service work in the community or at school.
• Provide the opportunity for the student to explore people oriented careers through mentorships, on-site observations, career fairs and research.
• Provide support for the child as he/she copes with the inevitable frustrations and challenges in working with others to accomplish a goal.
• Encourage the exploration of service oriented summer experiences such as camp counseling, recreation program assistance or hospital volunteer work.

Adapted from VanTassel-Baska, J. (1998). Excellence in educating gifted and talented Learners. Denver: Love.

Permission Statement

Permission to reprint granted by the College of William and Mary, Center for Gifted Education.

This article is provided as a service of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted young people 18 and under. To learn more about the Davidson Institute’s programs, please visit www.DavidsonGifted.org.