1 the importance of books and reading for gifted children books are an ideal way to respond to...
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The Importance of Books and Reading for
Gifted ChildrenBooks are an ideal way torespond to characteristics and needs of gifted children.
---Halsted (2009)
Janet L. Gore, M.A., M.Ed.Great Potential PressP.O. Box 5057Scottsdale, AZ 85261(602) 954-4200
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Characteristics of Gifted Children
Complex sentence structures Unusually large vocabularies Greater comprehension of language Longer attention span, persistence Intensity of feelings and actions Wide range of interests Strong curiosity; limitless questions Like to experiment; put ideas or things
together in unusual ways
Their Intellectual Needs AS
Social and Emotional Needs
Gifted children who are not challenged are not happy and do not feel fulfilled.
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Their Intellectual Needs ARE
Some of TheirSocial and Emotional Needs
It is important that parents and teachers see that intellectual development is a requirement for these children and not merely a phase.
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Social and Emotional Needs
They enjoy “work” Work is important to them They need and enjoy challenge They have a drive to understand They are often more introverted than
others They are often non-conforming They need and appreciate alone time
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Social-Emotional Differences
They live with ambivalence (highs, lows) They recognize early that they are
different They have high sensitivity, intensity They are unusually aware of moral
issues… They strive for perfection
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Some Special Needs of Gifted
Relationships with others Recognizing differences Taking risks Accepting dissonance between
expectations vs. performance Coping with impatience Forming identity Time alone Buescher (1985)
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How Books Help Them Cope
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Others have felt different and aloneOthers have taken risks…Others have been afraid…Others are sensitive…Others are searching for identity …
I am not the only one, then. Phew!
Books should be challenging to gifted readers. They should stretch vocabulary, have complex, unresolved plots and contain challenging literary elements like metaphor, flashbacks, etc.
Characters should be experiencing some of the same issues as the child: making friends, establishing identity, dealing with intensity, perfectionism, etc.
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Selecting Books
Look for Books with These Themes:
Aloneness Identity Friendships Moral concerns Introversion Intensity Creativity
Perfectionism Arrogance Achievement Resilience Sensitivity Drive to
Understand
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How Books Can HelpCharacters in the book may be dealing
with some of the same issues as the child
(Making friends, establishing an identity, feeling alone or different, intensity, perfectionism, making decisions)
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When We Discuss a Book…
Individual or group discussion can
lead to fresh insights that will
help the child cope with situations
in his or her own life.
(Halsted, 2009, p. 104)
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Bibliotherapy A process of dynamic interaction
between the personality of the reader and literature…
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Reading Aloud We should never stop reading aloud, according
to Halsted Research shows that television time increases
soon after parents stop reading aloud Parents who read aloud find literature that
children might not find on their own By reading daily, you can remain active in your
children’s intellectual lives, expand awareness of the world, and whet appetite to read more
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Reading Aloud
Books Kids Will Sit Still For: A Read-Aloud Guide, (2006)
Books Kids Will Sit Still For: A Read-Aloud Guide, 2nd Edition (1995)
Judy Freeman
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Children Will Gladly Listen to More Advanced Literature
than They Can Read Themselves.
Little House series Leonardo: Beautiful
Dreamer Old Ramon Hiroshima Harry Potter series
The Midwife’s Apprentice
Criss Cross Life As We Knew It Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglas, an American SLave
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Bibliotherapy
The Process: Select an appropriate book Read the book and develop questions Introduce the book to the child After reading, enjoy an open-ended
discussion
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This is a pleasant way of helping children think and talk about situations they may face – because they are talking about someone else. It’s non-threatening.
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Great Book Discussions Can Occur at Home or at
School A small group in regular classroom Teacher or librarian leads discussion Copy of book for each child in group A quiet place to meet and talk Parents can do this at home
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Developmental Bibliotherapy
When children learn and grow socially and emotionally from reading and discussing books with others, we call it developmental bibliotherapy.
We could also call it simply …
Guided Reading
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Fundamentals “The right book for the right child at the
right time…” “Each stage of childhood lasts a short time
and so does the peak response to the
literature appropriate to that age. “Parents are in the best position to offer
long-range reading guidance. Teachers see the child usually for only one year.
• Halsted (2009), p. 75 23
What about Escape Reading?
Not everything has to be serious.
Escape reading is fine if we recognize it for what it is
But lightweight reading will not bear the weight of the kind of discussion we propose here.
--Halsted (2009)
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Introducing the Book Explain why you chose the book, what
you like about it, and why you think the child will enjoy it – and stir in a little mystery to arouse curiosity.
Does a character remind you of your child or a situation remind you of an experience?
Avoid saying, “I want you to read this book because I think you have a problem ….”
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Discussion Is Open Ended
Discussion should be open-ended, helping the child to see why things work out as they do in this book.
There is the possibility of other options. Each reader can add components from his
own life that the author did not include. This way, the book lives on in the reader.
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For Example… How did this family react? Why did the family become more isolated? Was this a good plan? How did the different characters handle
stress? In what ways did each one grow?
Life as We Knew It, by Susan Beth Pfeffer
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Developing Open- Ended Questions
Why did _________act as she did? What would you have done? How did ____ feel in that difficult
situation? Why did ____happen? What do you think about the book?
Not the “what happened” questions
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Not Just for Problems…Book discussion builds strengths:
Analytical skillsHeightened sensitivityAbility to see relationshipsAbility to draw conclusionsAbility to synthesize & evaluatePositive use of self awareness
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Many bright and gifted people suppress or hide their need to learn.
Teaching children to use books is one way to demonstrate that learning is important and books can be an important part of their lives
If reading and book discussions are pleasant, successful experiences, children learn to love books.
-- Halsted (2009), p.72
More about Why
For Example…
The Little Engine That CouldRemember the sweet, simple lesson
about perseverance in this book?
The Story of FerdinandDo you know people who are different
but seem to be happy anyway?
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Children Will Gladly Listen to More Advanced Literature
than They Can Read Themselves.
Little House series Leonardo: Beautiful
Dreamer Old Ramon Hiroshima Harry Potter series
The Midwife’s Apprentice
Criss Cross Life As We Knew It Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglas, an American Slave
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Kindergarten to 2nd Grade
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
Learning that tomorrow
will be better is a step
toward maturity. Parents can talk about
their own bad days.
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Story Hour Leads to… Story hour – K-2. Teachers should read aloud daily
throughout elementary school – K-6. As they become independent readers,
children check out books from the library. Some find favorite authors. By 5th grade many begin to read
information books. Boys like books about snakes, etc. Girls often like horses.
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Upper Elementary
Because of Winn-DixieWhat guidelines for making friends are suggested in this story? Do you agree?
What would you change? Themes:
• Relationships with others• Resilience
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Upper ElementaryHarriet the Spy
• Harriet uses her ability in ways that give others reason to dislike her.
• Do you know anyone who does this?• What are the disadvantages of doing
so? • How can people change? • What will help Harriet use her ability
more positively?36
Upper Elementary
Don’t Feed the Monster
on Tuesdays!• Imagine a monster inside our heads
making us feel bad about ourselves – bad • self-talk. But on Tuesdays we say only nice
things to ourselves and others• One of a series of books by this author– on
stress, anger, grief, lying.• Adolph Moser (1991)
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A Healthy Self Image
Accepting oneself Acknowledging abilities Integrating giftedness with self-concept Understanding one’s own gifted
characteristics Recognizing advantages of high ability Realizing that high intelligence also
requires training and discipline
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Middle School
The Midwife’s Apprentice A fascinating and vivid picture of medieval life The complex process of a girl’s coming of age
• What personal qualities does Alyce need to go from homeless beggar to being apprentice?
• Which of these are also needed by young people today?
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Middle School
The Gifted Kids Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook
• In a conversational tone, the authors discuss adolescence in general including drugs and sex and suicide, then give tips on relationships, friends, perfectionism, using one’s ability, handling teasing.
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High School
Ironman• Bo uses running to help cope with strains
in the relationship between him and his father.
• People sometimes hide their story.• By the end of the book, how has Bo’s
relationship with his dad changed?
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High School
Madame Curie• The book presents the rich intellectual
world of well educated children growing up in Poland a century ago
• How did Marie show resilience?• What helped her to cope?• How important was her family?
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• Many bright and gifted people suppress or hide their need to learn.
• Teaching children to use books is one way to demonstrate that learning is important and books can be an important part of their lives
• If reading and book discussions are pleasant, successful experiences, children learn to love books.
-- Halsted (2009) p.72
More about Why
Book Lists Halsted, Judith. Some of My Best Friends
Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers, 3rd ed. (2009) Great Potential Press.
www.giftedbooks.com
Hauser, Paula &Nelson, Gail. (1988) Books for the Gifted Child, Vol. 2. Bowker.
Silvey, Anita. Great Books for Teens.(2006)
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Resources about ReadingGood Books
PowerPoint presentation on reading by Susannah Richards
\http://www.iusd.k12.ca.us/parent_resources/gate/documents/IrvineTalented20072page.pdf
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Other Resources Children’s Literature Web Guide.
www.ucalgary.ca/-dkbrown
Hoagies Gifted Information Page. www.hoagiesgifted.com
Outstanding Books for the College Bound:
www.ala.org/ala/valsa/booklistsawards/outstandingbooks/outstandingbooks.htm
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Lessons From People WhoLater Became Eminent
Their homes usually were full of books and stimulating conversation
Their families valued learning, and the children loved learning
As children, most of them disliked school and schoolteachers
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People Who Became Eminent
Findings from Cradles
of Eminence (cont)
These children learned to think and express themselves clearly
Cradles of Eminence: Childhoods of More Than 700 Famous Men and Women (Goertzel, Goertzel, Goertzel, and Hansen, 2003
If They Lose Interest…
E.g., get involved in computers, sports, video games
Or, resent being told what to read
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Go to Young Adult Fiction A fast-growing area for ages 13-20 Written by adult fiction authors who write also
for teens & pre-teens Teens want “interesting” and “exciting,”
not what they find in their basal readers One solution is to move away from the school
basal reader and use trade YA fiction And parents can encourage reading with
frequent trips to the library and bookstore
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Transition to Adult Literature
“As they begin transition to adult literature, young people need reading guidance more than at any other time.”
• Girls may gravitate toward simplistic romance• Boys may gravitate to violent adventure
“If they don’t learn the difference between sentimental or sensational novels and good literature at this age, chances are slim they will develop into mature readers.”
• Halsted (2009) p. 87
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Non-fictionNon-fiction helps with standardized tests;
it builds skill with expository prose.
There is a wealth of non-fiction books
available.
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Fiction &Non-fiction
Students who spend more time reading—fiction as well as non-fiction—earn higher
scores on college entrance exams.
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