Andrea Campbell

Educ 452

Edmondson

11 May 2020

Meeting the Needs of Gifted Readers

When I started this project in January, I hoped to be able to hold an event where I spoke

to my fellow education majors as well as the families from the Phelps Center about what I

learned in my research. My goal was to become a better advocate for those gifted students in the

general education myself in order to help us all be better advocates when we work with these

students in and out of the classroom. I had an interview with Mary Potthoff, the director of the

Center for Gifted Education at Drury, Catia Gilpin, a former gifted teacher, and Connie Petrich, a

current teacher at the Phelps Center for Gifted Education in Springfield, to learn more about

gifted education and the ways which general education teachers can more effectively meet the

needs of gifted readers.

One of the most important takeaways from my interview and research was that students

should always be allowed to read the books that interest them. We never want to deny a student

from reading a book but rather always encouraging reading however it looks. Gifted readers

often become engrossed in a specific topic or series, desiring to only read books about that

subject or in that series even if it is below their reading level. It is our job as teachers to expose

them to other genres and types of stories that will challenge them, while keeping in mind their

personal interests. We can also give them choice and a voice in the selections which we require

them to read. If the class is studying biographies, allow your gifted readers to choose who they
read about. Involving the students in the learning process helps increase engagement and

therefore effectiveness.

Another way of challenging our gifted readers by giving reading purpose. Even if the

book is below their reading level, we can create opportunities to apply the reading in critical

ways. Using Blooms Taxonomy, we can push our students towards higher level thinking and

provide them with the chance to ask questions and be curious about what they are reading.

Rather than having students write a book report where they simply are recalling facts from the

books, create projects that allow for further research beyond book and that are authentic in

nature. If a student is reading a story about animal habitats, have them research an animal in your

area whose habit is decreasing and write a letter to a government official persuading them to

make changes in order to prevent this. This type of project is much more meaningful and will

allow for greater student engagement.

The final big takeaway I had is that we must be aware of the needs of gifted readers in the

same way we would a struggling student. Too often we see our gifted readers as high achieving

and therefore push them off to the side. But these students deserve to have their learning needs

met just the same. We must ensure that we are providing them with new learning opportunities

and challenge them daily. Additionally, we must keep in mind that a gifted reader is not always

gifted in other areas. Gifted students often have peaks and valleys, and while a reading may be a

peak, if we are not careful, we may miss their valley.

Overall, reading should always be fun. It should never be used in place of assignments or

as a punishment. It is our job as teachers to meet our students where they are at in reading and

provide opportunities that will help them grow academically and as human beings. I created an

infographic that is attached with strategies and suggestions for meeting the needs of gifted
readers both in and out of the classroom. It is my goal that this will be a tool for us all to be more

effective teachers and parents to our gifted readers.