Parents Advisory

Giftedness should be considered when parents are alerted by their own feelings or by the young learner’s teachers, that they are showing potential well above age and grade level performance ...

Giftedness should be considered when parents are alerted by their own feelings or by the young learner’s teachers, that they are showing potential well above age and grade level performance in language, motor abilities, or by early mastery of academic skills such as reading, writing, spelling, use of language, or mathematics.

VLC Programs include:

1. Enriched Education for gifted young people showing advanced development
2. School-age enrichment programs that focus on students' strengths and support their progression to advanced levels within VLC lessons
3. Challenge-level instruction in specialized areas of student strength

Signs to look for:

• Advanced fluency in one or more languages
• Exceptional academic abilities in reading, writing, or math
• Eagerness and passion for learning in areas of interest
• A love for puzzles and complex games
• Talents in music, art, or sports
• Outstanding self-awareness and emotional intelligence

Some or all of these factors may be present alongside areas of concern in related areas. Explore other relevant sections, such as cohort #1: Learning Disabilities or cohort #4: Developmental Disabilities, like Autism.
Individualized programs can address both areas proactively.

Note: For Early Childhood Enrichment for Giftedness or Advanced Development (Ages 3-8), please see cohort #15. 

In addtion, giftedness is diagnosed when test performance indicates at least some skills are well above the norm, in the top 5 percentiles or higher, at least in some test domains, regardless that weaker ones also exist.

By the time action is taken some academic skills like reading and language may be present well beyond the norm, while others may be average. As a result, these learners in the areas of their strengths do not experience challenge level tasks and do not learn how to deal with them. At the same time, boredom with regular classwork can cause low grades, poor marks and lack of enthusiasm and motivation for learning, even in strength areas. This can result in serious life consequences.

However, at the VLC, we now know the brain is neuroplastic and can improve in skills and function when a different, strategic approach to teaching these learners is undertaken. The VLC’s individually designed, strategic, targeted program addresses its signature programs and services to the root cause of learning needs for advanced and development in each case in 4 ways: 

At the VLC:

• we establish goals and potential academic destinations by identifying and using the learners’ strengths (i.e. giftedness is directly addressed)
• we address weaknesses (if any below grade level performance) by building new skill platforms in areas of weakness using a different approach to teaching them
• we integrate both of the above by building success and learner independence into current and future learning by the array of neurocognitive and academic programs and services set forth in each individual program at age appropriate levels in:
  1. Neurocognitive training (advanced)
  2. Academic skills and executive function development (at challenge levels)
  3. Emotional maturity and regulation training (as needed)
  4. Behaviour training using CBT if needed
• the VLC’s Learning to Learn signature programs and services are taught at appropriate age and grade level so they can be used to grow strengths to challenge levels to build skills at their level of excellence and work directly on emotional strength and regulation to inspire more mature behaviour, if needed, so they will thrive