Gifted & Talented Letter
Teachers must understand all atypical development, including students who present as gifted or talented at a young age. Teachers should know when to collaborate with other service providers, when to use enrichment techniques, and when to refer students for further testing, assessment, or gifted programs.
Part 1
Compose a letter to the family of a child in your classroom who has tested gifted describing the importance of addressing the needs of gifted and talented students and to provide resources families can use to meet the learning needs of their child.
In 250-500 words, discuss:
The common characteristics and signs of gifted and talented young children.
How these are different from the characteristics of typical young children and why they need to be assessed and understood to foster healthy social-emotional skills.
Examples of how you as the teacher will accommodate to meet the needs of these students and when a referral might be appropriate to access resources, supports, and specialized services to meet the learning needs of the students in the classroom.
Resources the family can access to promote growth and development in learning and social-emotional skills.
Part 2
In 250-500 words, reflect on how your letter to the family of a gifted student demonstrates best practice for communicating with families, colleagues, and other professionals to promote the growth and development of all learners.
