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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

janet@giftedbooks.comwww.giftedbooks.com

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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!

GIFTED CHILDREN AND CHALLENGING BOOKS GO

TOGETHER!

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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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Books Can Help Gifted Children Establish an

Identity

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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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The Importance of Books

Books have tremendous potential for helping highly able children to understand themselves and become all that they can be.