There are many students that have been labeled as gifted, but there are also many students who have not. As the quote above states, “gifted isn’t better; it’s different.” The use of Neuroscience is beginning to look at how the brain works and can better help us set up learning environments that will serve all of our communities. One of the communities that are usually overlooked is the gifted community. According to Tetreault (2021), neuroscience studies show that ”gifted individuals exhibit increased brain processing, receptivity, and behaviors for intellectual, emotional, sensory, creative, and motor functioning.” These studies show increased brain volume and efficiency networks for gifted individuals. So how can we best support gifted individuals? The video below shows some of the supports needed for a positive learning experience.

Media: Unraveling gifted minds | Sameena Manasawala | TEDxPune

In this video, Sameena Manasawala reminds us that a gifted child is not always the smartest or most participatory student. It can be the shy student or the underperforming student in the class. For gifted students to be successful, they need to be able to interact with the world around them in very different ways than their nongifted peers. They see the world differently and make different connections with the things around them. One way science has helped with understanding the gifted brain and supporting a gifted child is through the education and empowerment of parents. Parents are taught how to engage and assist the growth of gifted children. They are taught to nurture the questions and requests they may have. If parents are not given this training, many gifted children may end up as underperforming adults, after years of not being able to express themselves in the way they need to grow.

Manasawala, S., & Desai, D. (2019). Meeting the educational needs of a gifted child: A parent’s narrative. Gifted Education International, 35(3), 189-200. doi:10.1177/0261429419863440

Tetreault, N., & Zakreski, M. The gifted brain revealed unraveling the neuroscience of the bright experience. (2020, May 5). The GHF Dialogue. https://ghfdialogue.org/the-gifted-brain-revealed-unraveling-the-neuroscience-of-the-bright-experience/