California Association for the Gifted 58th Annual Conference

The asynchronous development of gifted/2e individuals does not magically disappear at a certain age. Modern living can challenge those who may be advanced in some areas of functioning, but behind in others. Even daily tasks such as personal hygiene, laundry, eating, and managing finances can paralyze them. Rites of passage including getting a driver’s license, introduction to drugs/alcohol, and dating can overwhelm them. This session will explore how asynchrony continues into teen and adulthood.

Research continues to show that early identification of a gifted child can be definitive for both the child and his caregivers. Understanding his unique characteristics allows adults to provide appropriate supports for the child as he navigates school, home, and social settings. Educators have a particular responsibility to provide an engaging and differentiated environment in which gifted children are encouraged to develop their individual talents and interests while laying the foundation of academic content. In this session, educators will be challenged to consider the influence of developmentally appropriate practices when considering how to best meet the advanced cognitive needs of the highly gifted early childhood student.

Many of our gifted students have super brain power but lack the valuable resource of organization, time management, and flexibility in their cognitive thinking. This session will describe these three important areas of executive functioning skills, give indicators for each, and practical methods for helping gifted students learn to implement these important traits for themselves.