ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on ways to support the affective needs of gifted and academically advanced students through proactive curriculum and instructional strategies and processes that can be applied in the classroom as part of a standards-based curriculum. Practical examples and frameworks are provided for using video, video games, books, and biography study as catalysts for engaging students in conversations about key topics such as risk-taking, talent development, achievement, identity, perfectionism, and emotional regulation. The chapter provides extensive examples from Jacob’s Ladder, a curriculum for developing affective skills in gifted learners, and links the program to the use of gaming resources and strategies. Additional strategies such as mentorship and service learning are also discussed.
