Support Your Gifted & Talented Learners
Lihi Engelsman - Expert In International Gifted Students
Choose your plan
Start a Gifted Program
Create a unique program for gifted pupils.
Teacher Training
Acquire tools to create a real change.
Counseling Services
Offer tailor-made instruction and support.
Designing a Gifted Program
Start a gifted program to meet these students' abilities
Gifted pupils learn fast and move ahead, they are in need of complex, abstract, and high-level thinking, and they have the capacity to focus and concentrate for long periods of time on a subject that fascinates them. Unfortunately, the traditional curriculum does not meet their needs.
Choosing this path, Lihi guides you step-by-step to design an effective gifted program that meets your student’s advanced abilities.
Where do we start?
Step 1 - Needs Assessment and Research: Including data on the number of gifted, talented and underachieving pupils, their academic and social-emotional needs, and any challenges they face.
Step 2 - Setting Clear Goals and Objectives: Defining what we aim to achieve with this program, our goals should align with the needs assessment findings, including the criteria for success and how progress will be measured
Step 3 - Establishing the Criteria for The Program: Developing a clear and comprehensive process for identifying gifted students that uses multiple criteria and is inclusive to avoid overlooking potential gifted students.
Step 4 - Program Design: Determining the structure and components of the gifted program, including factors like curriculum, instruction, assessment, enrichment activities, acceleration, mentorship, and specialized coursework.
Step 5 - Professional Development: Training and professional development opportunities for an in-house teacher to equip him/her with the skills and knowledge required to effectively teach a gifted program.
- Step 6 - Adjustments and modifications of the program: Making necessary revisions based on staff’s feedback and suggestions.
- Step 7 - monthly monitoring: Don't worry, Lihi stays close for a minimum of 6 months to ensure the program is effective.
Why start a gifted program?
- Gifted students have unique learning needs that often cannot be met within the traditional classroom setting. These students require more challenging and intellectually stimulating materials to reach their full potential. By offering a specialized program, you cater to these students' specific needs, ensuring they remain engaged and motivated to learn.
- A gifted program raises the overall academic excellence of your school. By providing a multiple criteria identification method, overlooked students can grow and flourish. As a result, underachievement is prevented.
Gifted students often possess unique problem-solving skills and creativity. By nurturing their talents through a specialized program, the school becomes a hub for innovation, benefiting not only the students but the broader community as well.
Good to know...
- There's no 'one size fits all.' Each school is different and therefore the program's goals, objective, and content varies.
- The length of the project varies by school and can take 2-4 months.
- Teacher training is available at a discounted price when choosing this service.
Once started, your students:
- have the intellectual stimulation and the opportunity to explore their interests and abilities to the fullest.
- be surrounded by peers who share their interests and abilities. This leads to a sense of belonging and being among like-minded individuals who understand them.
- experience a more enjoyable and meaningful learning environment, which leads to a lifelong love of learning.
Teacher Training
Become confident to support your gifted students
This teacher training is crucial to ensure that gifted students receive the education they need and deserve, to promote equity and inclusion, and to help teachers develop the skills and knowledge required to support these students effectively. It benefits both teachers and their students, contributing to improved academic and social outcomes.
Schedule a four-day training to be able to support and sufficiently challenge gifted and talented students in your class.
The training topics
- Day One - Understanding Giftedness
- Recognizing the unique needs and challenges of gifted students.
- The social, emotional, and academic needs of gifted students.
- The different dimensions of giftedness (e.g., intellectual,
athletic, leadership)
- The 6 types of gifted learners. - Day Two - The "Flew Under The Radar" Students
- Identifying students who don't meet the fixed definition of giftedness but show high potential and aptitude.
- Supporting three types of commonly underachieving students: highly creative students, Twice-Exceptionals, and gifted girls. - Day Three - Differentiation Strategies for Gifted Students
- Enrichment options and opportunities for gifted students
- Creating advanced or accelerated programs.
- Adapting advanced, complex, in-depth, and creative curricula to meet the needs of gifted students. - Day Four - Writing an IEP for Gifted and Talented Students
- Developing and monitoring individualized education plans for gifted students using study cases and group discussions.
Why choose this training?
- This training equips your teachers with the knowledge and understanding of gifted students, allowing them to provide appropriate support and tailored instruction.
- The training provides teachers with strategies and techniques to adapt curriculum and instruction to challenge and engage gifted students while addressing their individual strengths and weaknesses.
- Without proper training, teachers may not recognize signs of underachievement among gifted students. Training can help teachers identify and support these students to prevent them from disengaging or underperforming.
- This teacher training includes strategies for promoting social and emotional well-being.
- The training gives educators ideas and tools to harness and cultivate these qualities.
- The training helps the teachers better communicate with parents, manage expectations, and collaborate effectively to support the student.
What’s included?
- 4 training days (online or in-person). The training can be scheduled on separate days or all together.
- Hands-on activities, group discussions, and problem-solving exercises to engage the staff and reinforce key concepts.
- The training includes case studies illustrating successful strategies and best practices in gifted education to inspire your teachers.
- Downloadable slides of the workshops for you to return to whenever you need them.
After the training, you will
- have a deep understanding of giftedness and a broad repertoire of strategies for supporting gifted students. This newfound knowledge can boost your confidence in working with advanced learners.
- feel empowered to make a positive impact on the education of your gifted students and offer curriculum modifications.
- be motivated to implement new approaches in the classrooms and inspired to provide more challenging and enriching experiences for your students.
- become aware of the diverse needs of gifted students, including those with disabilities, from underrepresented backgrounds, or with specific talents.
Counseling Services
Nurture the exceptional potential of your student
Gifted students often require specialized attention beyond the standard curriculum. As a gifted education specialist, I am adept at identifying and addressing their unique academic, social and emotional needs, ensuring they are appropriately challenged and supported.
How can I help?
Teaching kids to "learn how to learn" - Lihi uses interactive thinking strategy games carefully designed to stimulate critical thinking, problem-solving, and metacognitive awareness. These games are not just enjoyable but powerful tools for developing the cognitive skills essential for effective learning.
Meeting their unique social-emotional needs - Lihi's counseling sessions foster emotional intelligence, resilience, and positive relationships, ensuring a supportive atmosphere for growth.
- Offering more challenging, high-paced content - Lihi can recommend accelerated curriculum modules that provide intellectually stimulating and challenging content for gifted students.
- Providing recommendations for teachers - Lihi offers personalized strategies and resources for teachers to effectively identify and support gifted learners in their classrooms.
- Designing an IEP for a gifted student - Lihi advises teachers on how to create comprehensive IEPs that address the specific academic, social, and emotional needs of gifted students.
- Attend a parent-teacher meeting - Lihi attends parent-teacher meetings to provide insights, progress reports, and offer collaborative strategies for supporting gifted students at home and in the classroom.
Why choose Beyond IQ?
- Lihi guides students through reflective processes, helping them understand their own thinking patterns and learning preferences. By integrating metacognition into gameplay, students gain insight into how they learn best and acquire valuable skills for self-regulated learning.
- With a focus on differentiating instruction, Lihi collaborates with teachers to create an inclusive learning environment. This not only benefits gifted students but also enhances the overall classroom experience for all learners, fostering a culture of academic excellence.
- Foster a collaborative spirit among teachers, counselors, students and parents. Lihi's role extends beyond the classroom to create a supportive community invested in the success of gifted students.
By investing in a gifted education specialist, your school commits to cultivating an environment where every student can thrive, and every teacher is equipped with the knowledge and resources to guide them on their journey.
Good to know...
- All sessions are summarized and available for teachers.
- Lihi has a hands-on approach. She truly believes that "what we learn with pleasure, we never forget."
- All interventions are based on the most up-to-date research.
- Monthly costs, commitment for a minimum of 3 months.
Establishing Guidelines
To ensure your gifted & talented students are taken care of.
Guidelines for gifted education include a range of recommendations and procedures to ensure that your gifted students receive appropriate and effective education.
Choosing this service provides a framework for identifying and assessing gifted students and yields a consistent approach to gifted education across your school.
The guidelines includes
The guidelines may vary by school district, state, or country, but they generally cover the following key areas:
Definition and Identification: Clear definitions of giftedness and the criteria for identifying gifted students (may include standardized assessments, teacher referrals, and other assessment methods).
Program Goals and Objectives: The goals and objectives of a gifted education program.
Curriculum and Instruction: Guidelines for adapting and differentiating the curriculum to meet the needs of gifted students. This may include recommendations for acceleration, enrichment, and the use of advanced content and resources.
Professional Development: Information on training and professional development opportunities for teachers and staff who work with gifted students.
Individualized Education Plans (IEPs): Procedures for developing, implementing, and monitoring individualized education plans for gifted students.
Assessment and Progress Monitoring: Guidelines for assessing and monitoring the progress of gifted students.
Parental Involvement: Recommendations for involving parents in the education of gifted students (communication strategies, parent-teacher conferences, and opportunities for parental input into the educational plan).
Social and Emotional Support: Strategies for addressing gifted students' social and emotional needs (counseling services, peer support, and strategies for addressing issues like perfectionism and anxiety).
Why to write guidelines?
- Establishing guidelines ensures that gifted students have equitable access to appropriate educational opportunities.
- Guidelines provide a framework for accurately identifying and assessing gifted students and help ensure that they receive the support they need.
- Guidelines provide a consistent approach to gifted education across your school.
- Guidelines can help prevent underachievement by offering challenging and stimulating work.
- Guidelines help manage parents' expectations by providing a clear outline of what the school can offer.
- Guidelines can serve as a foundation for professional development, helping your staff better understand the unique needs of gifted students and how to meet them.
- With guidelines in place, schools can more effectively monitor the progress and outcomes of gifted education programs.
Good to know...
- Establishing a policy includes observations, conversations with the staff, and meetings with a school-selected committee.
- The length of the project varies by school and can take 2-4 months.
- Teacher training is available at a discounted price when choosing this service.
After it's done, your staff will
- have a structured framework for identifying, supporting, and teaching gifted students. This clarity boosts your confidence in meeting the unique needs of these learners.
- Gain a clear understanding of what is expected regarding identification, assessment, differentiation, and support for gifted students. Teachers no longer have to guess about best practices.
- feel motivated to support gifted students, including underachievers and students with specific talents.
Our customers & collaboration
About Lihi
Expert in international schools
I am Lihi Engelsman, a Gifted Education Counselor, an ECHA specialist, and a member of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children. I have lived with my family in the Netherlands since 2019, originally from Israel.
Giftedness isn’t merely about being academically advanced; it encompasses a spectrum of intellectual, creative, and emotional dimensions. Gifted kids often grapple with asynchronous development, where their intellectual capabilities outpace their emotional maturity. They hunger for challenges that stimulate their curiosity. Without appropriate guidance, their potential may remain untapped.
As an expat and a Gifted Specialist, I saw the need to support gifted students who relocated to a new country. These kids come to a new country, expecting themselves to be “the best” (as they were used to being back in their home country). But that’s often not the case, and their disappointment and stress to perform can result in underachievement. Thanks to my vast experience with international students, I provide on-point advice on supporting gifted and talented children.
I offer a unique blend of experience and passion. With a profound understanding of the diverse needs of gifted learners, I am committed to tailoring educational experiences that transcend traditional boundaries.
Together, we can embark on a transformative educational journey that honors the exceptional potential within each gifted mind.
Voices from Our Schools
Mineke von der Thüsen
L. Hoogeveen
"The knowledge from her extensive experience with children and her academic background has yielded a professional and unique specialist."
Cathy Taal
J. Katzer
"Lihi is an analytical and critical thinker who is able to tuck into her profound subject knowledge as well as being aware of all current literature and research. Her workshop with teaching staff was of very high quality enabling our teachers to not only familiarize themselves with the latest research but also to learn about practical implications that they could implement easily into their daily practice. Lihi renewed and strengthened our school’s focus on talented and highly gifted students significantly. We have also come to know Lihi as an independent, committed and result-oriented colleague. After thorough investigation, she initiated and gave specialized courses for students in school helping them to explore their talents and develop their creative thinking. She furthermore made sure that one of our students could be placed in an enrichment programme at university level outside school. I strongly feel that Lihi is a strong addition to any learning environment that wants to push its limits further and cater better for their students as she has been for us."
Max K.
"I wanted to say that I really enjoyed the workshop yesterday. I don't know yet what to do with the information, but it was very eye opening. I look forward to taking this up in both mentor meetings and subject meetings."
Why Beyond IQ?
Online or in person
Lihi offers workshop, training and policy guidance online and in person. If you are not located in the Netherlands, it's possible to do it all online, and the result would be just as good!
Expert in international schools
Lihi has years of experience working with international schools around the world. Her expertise in gifted education and her knowledge of international school yields holistic, on-point advice.
Straight to the point
Lihi believes that "what we learn with pleasure, we never forget." That's why Lihi's workshops include study cases, discussions, and practical tools that teachers can implement immediately.
Book an introduction meeting (online)
Do you want to know more? Let's talk.
