TheLibrarian'sInternet-Challenging Gifted Kids

How do you inspire gifted children so that they don't become bored, or lose interest in learning? Here are some Web sites, targeted to educators and parents, dealing specifically with precocious kids:

www.ericec.org

This site offers background information on gifted children and suggests the best ways to encourage and teach them. Check out the "FAQ" section, as well as the "E-Mail Lists" to find online discussion groups on many aspects of precocious children. Sponsor: ERIC and the Council for Exceptional Children, Arlington, VA. Don't Miss: The "Fact Sheets, Minibibs" link, the "Common Myths About Gifted Students" fact sheet, or the short list of topical bibliographies. The "Digests" section offers hundreds of full-text articles on topics such as ADHD and tips for helping kids handle their unique abilities.

www.ucc.uconn.edu/~wwwgt/nrcgt.html

Here's a great source for authoritative research and many facts on gifted children, with full-text articles and links to abstracts of monographs. There is also a section for finding inexpensive pamphlets and videotapes on gifted children. Sponsors: University of Connecticut, City University of New York, Stanford University, University of Virginia, and Yale University. Don't Miss: The "Newsletter" section for short articles on gifted children. View individual articles in HTML format or whole newsletter issues dating back to 1996, in PDF format. Plug-ins: Adobe Acrobat reader. Detour: For a useful glossary of gifted terms and intelligence levels, visit www.gtworld.org/gtgloss.html.

www.millville.cache.k12.ut.us/taggifted2.htm/

If the ERIC Clearinghouse is too overwhelming, this site is a great alternative. Creator: Scott Carles, a fifth grade teacher at the Milleville Elementary School, Milleville, UT. Don't Miss: The "Articles" section that links to many articles on different aspects of giftedness, the "Schools and Programs" section for links and information about online programs and special schools for gifted kids, and the "Publications" section that lists publishers and books for the gifted learner.

www.gifted-children.com

This is a monthly, online newsletter for the parents and teachers of gifted children. The annual subscription is just $10—and given the amount of information available, it seems well worth the price. To get an idea of this enormous site, check out the free links, available to everyone (they carry an asterisk). Creator: Arthur Lipper, who publishes Gifted Children Monthly. Don't Miss: For subscribers only: "Chat Rooms," "Parents' Ideas," "Research Papers," "Links," "Teachers' Sharing," and "Ask the Expert."

www.hoagiesgifted.org

This popular site is designed primarily as a resource for the parents of gifted children, although it does offer some guidance for educators. In the "Kids" section, check out the list of movies that offer positive characterizations of gifted children, such as Searching for Bobby Fischer. Creator: Carolyn K., software engineer and the parent of a gifted child. Don't Miss: Click on "Special Topics" in the "Parents" section for hard-to-find information about at-risk gifted children, especially gifted girls. Also click on "Success Stories" and "A Lighter Note" to find supportive articles and stories for overwhelmed parents. Detour: "Ten Tips for Parents of Students" at www.teleport.com/~rkaltwas/tag/articles/10tips.html.

www.britesparks.com

This virtual community for gifted parents and their children was created in Australia. It contains information and interesting links about gifted children, ranging from toddlers to teens. Creator: Beth Crothers from Queensland, Australia. Don't Miss: The "Toddlers" and "Kids" links for fun and educational sites for gifted children, and the "Librarians' Tools" page within the "Education" link. Detour: "Gifted Canada" is a similar site, with a different perspective, at www3.telus.net/giftedcanada.