ABSTRACT
Discussion groups are an ideal vehicle for attending to social and emotional development. Indeed, groups can be the most significant and effective component of an affective curriculum in gifted education. Affective curriculum in gifted education should provide open-ended experiences that encourage gifted students to explore social and emotional development. Facilitators can establish confidentiality as a norm from the outset, explaining how important privacy and trust are in feeling safe to talk in a group. The Autonomous Learner Model for the Gifted and Talented is a complete approach for addressing the emotional, social, and cognitive needs of the gifted. What distinguishes the Bradley approach is the creative adaptation of format and content to fit the age of the students and the dynamics of the group. School counselors are currently admonished to devote a significant portion of their time to proactive, prevention-oriented activities.
