Resources for Gifted Learners

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Resources


If you feel that your child is not sufficiently stretched in school, or if there are gaps is his/her understanding, or if you just want to be sure that everything has been covered without any gaps, then these are the tried and tested gems you need.

Mental Arithmetic workbook series 

If you aim to cover each workbook in TWO terms, instead of three and start at age 6, then you will be two years ahead by the time you are 10!

Covering the whole of the KS2 National Curriculum and beyond, it's no wonder the series is a best seller. Each book contains a year's worth of graded tests to aid practice of essential mathematical skills, two tests to monitor progress and four diagnostic tests to assess the development of skills and identify areas of weakness.

Mental Arithmetic Introductory Book
Mental Arithmetic Book 1
Mental Arithmetic Book 2
Mental Arithmetic Book 3
Mental Arithmetic Book 4

The Bond Verbal Reasoning Series 

Cunningly devised to increase the difficulty gradually and without pain! It's a good idea to start this series as soon as possible, to give your child the maximum chance at 11+ and SATs.

Key Spellings 

Ideal for holiday entertainment! These comprehensive workbooks cover all of the main spelling patterns - and are incredibly cheap. Those long winter evenings will just fly by!

SATs 

SATs, which are taken in May of Year 6, assess maths, English (comprehension, writing, spelling and handwriting) and Science.

There are dozens of KS2 science revision books on the shelves, but these are the only ones you need; they are also the best and the most comprehensive.

All you need is
KS2 Science: Study Book (Study Books)
and
KS2 Science: Question Book (Question Books)

Your Gifted and Talented Child 

Brilliant Activities for Gifted and Talented Children: That Other Children Will Love Too (Brilliant Activities)

The activities cover many types of creative and critical thinking skills to enable children to develop their cognitive processes, allowing room for creativity and open-ended answers.

Some of the activities can be stretched out for days, whilst the Brainteaser section can be used for quizzes, family activities or just to spark interest.

Children are encouraged to think on six levels: knowledge; comprehension; application; analysis; synthesis; and evaluation.

Further Resources 

More Educational Resources for Parents 

Quick Chess 

The ultimate strategy game.

Quick Chess

You start off on a 30 square board and play games such as Rampaging Rocks and Mean Queens. Once you have built confidence you can use the booklet to advance through the levels and develope a thorough understanding of the game. QuickChess includes a full chess set and full sized 64 square board. Age 6+

Junior Scrabble 

Junior Scrabble

Choose one of two levels to suit the age group of the players: young children can start with "Words and Pictures", a game specially created to help with word formation and recognition. "Rainbow Scrabble" is more challenging and is intended for children aged seven and older, having been specially formulated to introduce players to the adult version of Scrabble, though with a far simpler scoring system.

As with the classic version, the idea is to build up words from random tiles, but the junior version is brighter, easier to understand and altogether more appealing for youngsters. All in all, a family game which can make learning extremely enjoyable.

Bedlam Cube 

Bedlam Cube - Retro

* The Bedlam Cube, a British invention, has 19,186 different solutions!
* Everytime it is attempted it is different and becomes addictive
* It is educational and improves spatial awareness & hand eye co-ordination.
* The Bedlam Cube consists of 13 unique geometric shapes
* It is a personal challenge, the hardest & most addictive 3-D Puzzle Ever...come and enter the world of Bedlam!

Bedlam Cube - Retro

Mastermind 

Mastermind

This is the classic code-cracking game which develops strategic and logical thinking.

It's an interactive thinking game - a great game to develop problem solving skills. For clever clogs only!

Rummikub 

Tomy Rummikub Game
With rules similar to gin rummy, Rummikub is a classic tile game that's guaranteed to get at least a million kid-hours of use in any family.

Players take 14 numbered tiles and try to get rid of them as fast as possible by creating runs (for example, 7-8-9) and sets (7-7-7).

The most fun aspect of the game--and the part that's best for creative strategic thinking--is that you can pilfer from and rearrange the efforts of other players in your attempts to part company with more tiles. (Amazon Review)

Connect 4 Advanced 

Connect 4 Advanced

This game will have you thinking on a whole new level. Playing this game, like its counterpart, can take minutes or half an hour. Either way it's extremely fun and, if you lose, will leave you staring at the board wondering how on earth you didn't spot the line!

Be warned, this game is not as easy as Connect Four but much more fun!

Amaze 

Amaze

Amaze is the hand-held maze that changes as you play. Once you set up one of the sixteen different maze challenges the fun begins! As you follow the path with the attached stylus, you can clear the way by pushing the red bars to the right or left. But watch out sometimes the obstacles can't be moved back, creating a dead end or endless loop. Great for travel, rainy days or just anytime you want a good challenge.

Manufacturer's recommended age 8 years +.

Junior Pictionary 

Junior Pictionary Mania

The outrageous game of drawing and doing for kids! Choose your teams and it's ready, steady, draw. From classic to crazy, this fast-paced, frenzied game has you drawing sketches and doing wacky stunts while your teammates guess the answer. Be the first to earn 3 tiles from the Winner's Circle and you win. This is one game that's sure to draw on every skill you have! 2 or more teams.

Articulate for Kids 

Articulate for Kids

This game can also be played with the adult version.

Articulate - the spectacularly successful description game can now be played by kids as young as 6 and as old as 12.

Articulate Junior is the same fast moving, lively, gripping fun as the adult version. Played in teams, the idea is to describe as many card entries as possible to your team mates in 30 seconds without giving "begins with" or "sounds like" clues.

Tri-ominoes 

Regular Tri-ominos

The classic triangular domino game. Players score points by matching numbers on the three-sided playing pieces.

Triominos combines strategy, luck and exciting new challenges every time you play! For 2-6 players.

Challenging resources 

Challenging Resources for Able and Talented Children

This wonderful resource has been written in response to the continuing phenomenal demand for practical materials that inspire, motivate, challenge and stretch able children.

Games for Thinking (Stories for Thinking)

Brilliant Activities for Gifted and Talented Children: That Other Children Will Love Too (Brilliant Activities)

Gifted and Talented in the Early Years: Practical Activities for Children Aged 3 to 5

Teaching Children to Think

Help Your Talented Child: An Essential Guide for Parents

Values for Thinking

Teaching Children to Learn

Head Start: How To Develop Your Child's Mind

Every primary teacher should be forced to read these books (only joking!)

Mozart for Baby

What is all the fuss about Mozart being played to babies? Recent studies have indicated that exposure to classical music might increase a baby's intelligence - the "Mozart Effect."

Regardless, it is clear that the more music your baby hears and the more "musical" connections his/her brain makes, the more music will play a role in later life.

by Coral_Milburn_Curtis

Hi! I'm Coral, headteacher and CEO of Scholasticus Education Ltd, which provide Educademy master-classes and after-school clubs for gifted and ta...

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