Nowadays, we live in a world where The qualifications we hold are highly valued. From a very young age, we are brought up to understand ‘X’ subjects, to progress through the school years and achieve academic goals, and to continue studying until we reach higher education. This approach to education is very much the norm in our society, and its main aim is to achieve the entry into the labour market, which leads us to neglect the acquisition of other types of knowledge that are highly beneficial for integration into our society, such as recognising and managing our emotions. In recent years, this has been something we have been working on from the earliest stages of education, but it is even more necessary, particularly in certain cases such as high capabilities.
What is theDevelopment in the field of high-ability childrenin the area of the emotional intelligence?
When we talk about people with high capabilities, many people picture someone who is introverted, neurotic or prone to isolating themselves. These stereotypes are reinforced by old popular beliefs or even television programmes, but they are far from the truth. Every person is unique, and the way they perceive their feelings and interact with their surroundings varies completely, but as a general rule – and according to numerous studies – they are people who are emotionally and physiologically sensitive to their surroundings, who experience their emotions much more intensely and possess a high degree of sensitivity and self-discipline.
Children with high abilities (90%) experience things very intensely, and this means they also react very intensely. They pick up on details that the rest of us miss, which means they are often subjected to a sensory overload which heighten that sense of intensity.
To ensure that development When it comes to gifted children, it is essential that we take particular care with the emotional intelligence. If done correctly, we will be able to significantly enhance children’s awareness of, and above all, their control over certain emotions, such as tolerance of frustration, impulse control and cooperation.
A good way to achieve this is by means of games. In this way, particularly with the youngest children, we’ll be able to capture their attention and help them learn to interact with their surroundings whilst having fun.
Let’s look at some examples of games designed to support the development of high-ability children in the areas of socialisation and emotional regulation
- Creative activities. Letting the imaginations of gifted children run wild is one of the best decisions we can make. Whether through building toys such as Lego, recyclable materials or any other suitable materials the child’s age.
- New technologies. These days, there are a wide variety of workshops and games through which gifted children can develop: robotics workshops, video game development, blogs, apps The possibilities are endless! These activities will stimulate their creativity as well as their independence, as they see what they’re capable of creating.
- Creative writing. It’s an ideal opportunity for them to express themselves, or either through made-up stories or through their own experiences. This type of workshop will enable them to learn how to express themselves and to convey their emotions and thoughts through writing.
- Music. It’s another of the great activities that will help them express themselves freely and help them interact with other people, especially when it comes to group dancing or playing musical instruments whether in a group or an orchestra. Either way, through music they will be able to express their feelings at any time, whilst we encourage their creativity.
- Board games. In recent years, the popularity of board games has been on the rise, as they are a great way to combine fun and learning. We can use co-op games where they have to to learn how to communicate and organise themselves with other people. Some examples include ‘The Forbidden Island’, ‘Mission Accomplished’ or ‘unlock’.
- Logic games. Continuing on the subject of board games, logic games are another great resource for gifted children. Riddles, Lego, jigsaw puzzles Any game that requires logic and critical thinking to complete will be of great benefit to the development of high-ability children.
Whatever technique we use to help children in their emotional and social development, it is essential that both the family and teachers understand and support these emotions, which can be intense and complex. It is important that at no point are the children labelled as dramatic or over-the-top. They often live more by their hearts and emotions than by reason. Whilst it is important at any age to give them the tools they need to fit in socially, it is even more so in the development in the area of giftedness.
We must not focus solely on intellectual development, which, whilst essential for their proper development, is not the only area on which we should concentrate our efforts in order to achieve a holistic development.
