Support at Home
Supporting a gifted and talented child.
There are many ways in which parents can support gifted and talented children.
SET TIME ASIDE EACH DAY TO TALK WITH YOUR CHILD
This is best focused on an activity such as reading or drawing, but most children will ask questions at any time of the day. Meal times provide an important chance for conversation.
Talking WITH a child is not the same as TO a child. There needs to be a DIALOGUE in which you and you child take turns in listening and responding to each other. The dangers to avoid are being dominating or patronising. If you are, your child will just 'switch off'.
CREATE A HOME LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Develop your own Home Learning Centre. Use pictures, drawing and painting, models and modeling, books, games, maps, music, musical instruments, radio, TV and videos and any other stimuli you can think of.
ENCOURAGE REASONING AND USE OF MEMORY
Ask questions such as:-
"What do you think will happen next?"
"Why do you think that is?"
"How do you think...?"
"Where have you seen that before?"
"When do you think that will happen?"
"Can you remember when...?"
CONCENTRATE ON SUBJECTS WHICH INTEREST YOUR CHILD
A little trial and error will help you get the level right. The use of games (including language games) is a good approach particularly for younger children.
INVOLVE CHILDREN IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT
Take them to museums, galleries, theatres, cinemas, sports centres, parks, farms, activity centres, factory tours and any other places of interest you can think of, and then talk about what they have seen and done there. Encourage them to create their own amusements rather than relying on commercially produced entertainment.
AT SCHOOLYou can share you child’s achievements with the relevant teachers.
Achievements may include:
§ Reading fluently books of his/her own choice
§ Writing imaginative stories
§ Making project books on places you have visited
§ Achieving high grades in the playing of a musical instrument
§ Excelling in sporting activities
§ Building intricate models
§ Producing imaginative pictures
§ Taking mechanical and electrical models apart and rebuilding them