Many gifted children stand out from their peers in a number of ways. They may use big words when they speak, ask lots of questions about why and how things work, spend much of their time reading, and have highly developed reasoning skills. Because of this, teachers working with a talented youth must often put more detail into their explanations. Talented students thrive on knowing the intricacies of what makes something function, so promoting in-depth knowledge motivates them to learn and do more.
While most talented students are avid readers, many also need at least some hands-on learning experiences. This gives them the opportunity to really study the inner workings of an idea or process. Be sure to incorporate field trips and experiential learning options for talented youth, and be prepared to lead lessons where students can get out from behind their desks and actually try their hand at some kind of creative project.
Gifted students need to be challenged. If your whole class is talented, design in-depth, fast-paced lessons to keep the kids engages. If not, give your talented students the opportunity to learn more by offering extra credit projects where they can delve deeper into things that interest them. Allot time for them to share with their peers what they have learned. The opportunity to explain and present to others not only solidifies the knowledge, but may also engage and excite their peers.
Talented youth need a creative outlet to express themselves. This may seem odd when they excel in subjects like math and science, but talented students are very well rounded and thus need an education worthy of that. They should be offered classes in arts, theater, and music to ensure they have an opportunity to express themselves outside of the more traditional academic disciplines.