Strategies for Teachers: Working with Gifted Students in the Classroom
Every student in your classroom has different needs. Gifted students may stand out as those who “think too fast,” “ask too many questions,” or “get bored easily.” Understanding them not only supports academic success but also helps them feel emotionally secure. Here are some effective strategies for teachers:
- Be Open to Exploration: These students are not satisfied with traditional methods. They enjoy deep thinking. Keep their interest alive with engaging projects, research assignments, and creative tasks.
- Enrich the Lesson, Don’t Overload with Repetition: Repeating the same content for students who grasp concepts quickly can be boring. Challenge them with higher-level questions or suggest additional resources.
- Provide Fairness, Not Sameness: Equality doesn’t always mean fairness. Tailor your approach to meet individual needs. Remember, gifted students are often motivated by more freedom and new challenges.
- Don’t Overlook Their Emotions: Gifted students can be emotionally intense. They may fear failure or be sensitive to criticism. Use supportive language like, “That was a tough question—your way of thinking is really interesting.”
- Guide Them Toward Social Integration: They may struggle with peer relationships. Give them meaningful roles in group activities and encourage collaboration. Help other students see that “differences are a source of richness.”
Small but Powerful: A Note to Teachers
Gifted students don’t always get the highest grades. But with the right guidance, they can make a meaningful impact in the classroom. They don’t need to feel “special”—they need to feel “understood.”
Emine Sena Uzun is a content editor currently pursuing her senior year in Psychology at Istanbul Aydın University. She enhances her academic knowledge with practical experience, having completed internships at institutions such as. Profile Card: