Issues Facing Gifted Learners - Article Example

Through the experiences of three specifically identified students: Juan, Jackie, and Melvin, the author expounded on the different challenges which included: lack of actual experiences, for instance, of seeing the ocean or a large body of water due to living in urban settings; seeing the heavenly bodies more closely through the telescope; “language barriers compounded by a lack of adult help at home” (Grubb, 2011, p. 61); encountering new interests and experiences in school; and even financial constraints.

One commends the author for sharing the challenges that gifted learners face in an urban setting. As such, educators who realized that gifted students encounter these challenges could use them and turn them into opportunities for learning and expand knowledge, as needed. One strongly believes that the ability of the educators to discern and accurately identify the challenges and concerns facing gifted students, the more that they are able to design instructional interventions which would specifically cater to the distinct needs.

Thus, as it was emphasized, educators should not focus on or emphasize the challenges, per se; but should be able to turn them into opportunities for academic growth. As asserted, “the urban setting can offer advantages to gifted students that are not available to students in nonurban settings” (Grubb, 2011, p. 62). Thus, awareness and recognition of using the concerns, initially perceived as challenges, into opportunities could significantly benefit gifted students, with the assistance of educators and in collaboration with the students’ parents, as required.