Giftedacademy

Following from afar?

Over the past few days, I have been sharing my notes and reflections from the ECHA2026 Conference in Dublin — and there has been a lot to share!

This year, I deliberately tried to attend as many sessions as possible around a few themes that particularly interested me: gifted adults, LGBTQ+ and neurodiversity, alongside talent development, creativity, gifted women, underachievement and twice- and thrice-exceptionality.

For each keynote, symposium or paper session I attended, I turned my notes into a more extensive report, so that those who could not be in Dublin can still follow some of the ideas, research and discussions presented at the conference.

You won’t find all of these reports here on the Gifted Academy page. If you would like to read them, head over to my personal LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabinesypre/) or Facebook profile (https://www.facebook.com/sabine.sypre), where I have been sharing the full English reports throughout the conference.

And there is quite a collection by now!

I’m also starting to see some fascinating common threads across seemingly very different sessions. I’ll bring those together soon. But perhaps read some of the reports first and see what you notice.

What themes keep resurfacing? What connections would you make? And will you see the same patterns I do?

See you over on my personal LinkedIn or Facebook!

Dr. Sabine Sypré from Hoogbloeier wrote

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵?

Many professionals who recognize high giftedness—whether in themselves, their children, or their clients—sooner or later feel the same urge: "I want to do something with this." That desire is both understandable and valuable. But does it automatically mean that coaching is the right path? Or do we sometimes confuse our mission with the specific way we think that mission should be fulfilled?

Following my own core talents analysis, I began asking myself this question more and more often. It led to a surprising insight that also influenced how I view our Giftedness Coach training program. In this article, I invite you to reflect on a question that may be even more important than "Which training course should I take?": How can I make the greatest difference for highly gifted children, young people, and adults based on my own core talents? The answer might lie closer to your current professional role than you think.

Click the link to keep reading: https://hoogbloeier.webhero.be/en/blog/why-not-everyone-with-a-passion-for-giftedness-needs-to-become-a-giftedness-coach. Would you like to be the first to be informed of a new article, activity, offer, or training course on our site? Then sign up for our newsletter via https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/newsletter-hoogbloeier/

Dr. Sabine Sypré from Hoogbloeier wrote the following article

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗲 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵? 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆.

Children who grow up speaking more than one language or who come from immigrant backgrounds are at greater risk of having their cognitive potential overlooked. Not because they have less potential, but because their proficiency in a second language is sometimes mistakenly seen as a reflection of their cognitive ability.

In this article, you'll discover why giftedness exists across all languages and cultures, how language and expectations can influence identification, and what you can do as a parent to help your child's school gain a more complete understanding of their strengths.

An essential read for parents, teachers, and anyone who wants to look beyond proficiency in the language of instruction.

Click the link to keep reading: https://hoogbloeier.webhero.be/en/blog/why-gifted-multilingual-children-are-more-likely-to-go-unrecognized. Would you like to be the first to be informed of a new article, activity, offer, or training course on our site? Then sign up for our newsletter via https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/newsletter-hoogbloeier/

Dr. Sabine Sypré from Hoogbloeier wrote the following article

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻

Gifted children have unique educational needs. They learn faster, often think more abstractly, and possess an immense thirst for knowledge. For parents, it can sometimes be challenging to find an educational approach that stimulates their child without causing overload. One of the most effective and scientifically supported interventions for gifted children is acceleration. This article explains why acceleration works, debunks misconceptions, and provides practical examples.

Acceleration means a child progresses through learning material faster than most of their peers. This can take various forms, such as skipping a grade, starting primary or secondary school earlier, or taking specific subjects at a higher level.

For example, your six-year-old daughter is in the first grade but is already reading books at a fourth-grade level and excelling in math. Instead of having her work on the same tasks as her classmates, she could be moved to the second grade, where she can continue to grow and have her curiosity nurtured.

Research shows that acceleration is not only an effective way to tailor education to the needs of gifted children, but it is also much more flexible than often assumed (Bernstein et al., 2020; Steenbergen-Hu et al., 2016).

Click the link to keep reading: https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/blog/why-acceleration-is-the-best-intervention-for-gifted-children. Would you like to be the first to be informed of a new article, activity, offer, or training course on our site? Then sign up for our newsletter via https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/newsletter-hoogbloeier/

Dr. Sabine Sypré from Hoogbloeier wrote the below article

𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻

When you’re gifted, your brain can sometimes feel like a highway full of thoughts and ideas. But why does your brain work this way? And what does it mean for your daily life? Scientific research reveals that the brains of gifted individuals differ in structure, development, and functionality. Understanding these differences can help you better harness your unique talents and navigate the challenges you face.

Research into brain development shows that gifted individuals follow a unique and fascinating trajectory. For example, Shaw et al. (2006) discovered that the cerebral cortex—the brain's outer layer responsible for many complex cognitive functions—develops differently in gifted children (IQ>120). In early childhood, the cortex is thinner than in peers, but it thickens more rapidly and continues growing for a longer period. This process extends into adolescence, followed by a phase of accelerated thinning. These fluctuations in cortical thickness indicate greater neuroplasticity, meaning the brain is better equipped to adapt and form new connections. As a (young) adult, this might explain why you quickly grasp new concepts, solve complex problems, and consider multiple perspectives simultaneously.

Neuroplasticity, or the brain's flexibility, is often seen as the foundation of the exceptional problem-solving abilities of gifted individuals. This capability enables them to grasp complex issues, identify connections others might miss, and devise creative solutions. A concrete example is their ability to quickly develop new strategies during complex games like chess, intuitively thinking several moves ahead and visualizing alternative scenarios.

Click the link to keep reading: https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/blog/unique-functioning-of-the-gifted-brain. Would you like to be the first to be informed of a new article, activity, offer, or training course on our site? Then sign up for our newsletter via https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/newsletter-hoogbloeier/

Dr. Sabine Sypré from wrote the below article

𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀?

Professionals who work with gifted adolescents are often confronted with a paradox: young people with exceptional intellectual potential who nonetheless perform below their capabilities at school. These students stand out due to low grades, lack of motivation or a marked disinterest in academic activities, despite clear capabilities of processing complex information and thinking abstractly. Parents, teachers and therapists often feel powerless in the face of this kind of underachievement. It raises the question: where this behavior comes from, and how can we address it effectively?

Underachievement is generally defined as a discrepancy between a student’s intellectual potential and their actual academic performance. In the case of gifted individuals, it refers to adolescents with a high IQ or clear cognitive advantages who nevertheless perform below their capabilities. This gap may manifest in low grades, limited effort, or a lack of engagement with schoolwork. It is important not to confuse underachievement with learning difficulties: in underachievement, it’s not the ability that’s lacking, but the ex*****on.

Moreover, underachievement can be either temporary or persistent. Some students underperform only in certain subjects or during specific periods, while others struggle with motivation and alignment throughout their entire school career. This complexity makes it all the more crucial not to view underachievement as an individual deficiency, but as a dynamic process shaped by personal, social, and educational factors.

Click the link to keep reading: https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/blog/between-potential-and-performance-what-helps-underachieving-gifted-adolescents. Would you like to be the first to be informed of a new article, activity, offer, or training course on our site? Then sign up for our newsletter via https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/newsletter-hoogbloeier/

Dr. Sabine Sypré from wrote the following article

𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 – 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄

Gifted students often possess exceptional learning abilities and natural curiosity. But what sets them apart from their peers? Research highlights the crucial role of metacognition, the ability to think about one's thinking, in learning experiences and performance. For educators, understanding and fostering metacognition in gifted students provides opportunities to fully unlock their potential.

Metacognition is often described as "thinking about thinking" and refers to the awareness and control of one’s own thought processes. It includes two important complementary aspects. First, there is metacognitive knowledge, which means understanding how one learns, which strategies are effective and how these strategies can be applied to specific tasks. Second, there are metacognitive skills, which refer to the ability to make plans, monitor progress, and adjust strategies when needed (Cheng, 1993). These skills are evident when a students decide to spend more time on a difficult task or change their approach if the initial strategy is not working.

E.g. students who are aware that they struggle with detail-oriented reading (metacognitive knowledge). To address this issue, they decide to take notes and highlight key points while reading (metacognitive skill). Through this process, they remain aware of their own learning needs and adjust their approach to achieve the desired outcome. This type of self-awareness and the ability to take action are at the core of metacognitive learning. It enables students to not only learn more effectively but also become more resilient when facing challenges and setbacks in the learning process.

Click the link to keep reading: https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/blog/metacognition-and-giftedness-what-teachers-need-to-know. Would you like to be the first to be informed of a new article, activity, offer, or training course on our site? Then sign up for our newsletter via https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/newsletter-hoogbloeier/

Dr. Sabine Sypré from Hoogbloeier wrote the below article

𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻: 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻

Gifted children need an upbringing that not only supports their cognitive development but also strengthens their motivation, emotional well-being and self-awareness. The Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2017) provides a valuable framework, based on three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness. In this article, we explore how parents can support these needs in everyday practice.

Self-Determination Theory by Ryan and Deci is a well-known framework in the field of human motivation. At its core, the theory asserts that people are naturally motivated to grow and develop, as long as three key psychological needs are fulfilled: autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Vansteenkiste & Soenens, 2015).

Autonomy is the need to make choices for oneself and to feel in control of one’s actions. Rather than directing a gifted child on what to do, presenting options to choose from helps strengthen the sense of autonomy.

The second fundamental need is competence, i.e. the feeling of being effective and making progress. For a gifted child, it’s important to provide tasks that are both challenging and within their learning zone. Additionally, constructive feedback focused on the learning process—rather than the outcome—helps the child feel capable and motivated to continue.

Lastly, there’s the need for relatedness: the desire to feel accepted and valued in one’s social environment. For gifted children, it’s crucial to feel safe and supported, so they are comfortable sharing ideas and emotions. A warm, inclusive environment encourages the sense of relatedness, which, in turn, enhances well-being and motivation.

Click the link to keep reading: https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/blog/growing-from-within-motivating-the-upbringing-of-gifted-children. Would you like to be the first to be informed of a new article, activity, offer, or training course on our site? Then sign up for our newsletter via https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/newsletter-hoogbloeier/

Dr. Sabine Sypré from Hoogbloeier wrote the below article

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘇𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱? 𝗔 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Many gifted adults carry a persistent feeling that they “could have done more” with their potential. Some look back at school or unfinished studies with frustration. Others may function well in their careers today, yet still experience an ongoing undercurrent of boredom, exhaustion, or emptiness. Beneath it all often lies the same implicit conclusion: there must have been something wrong with my motivation, discipline, or perseverance.

But what if underachievement is far more complex?

New research by Dai and Desmet (2026) presents a fundamentally different perspective on gifted underachievement. According to them, underachievement does not reside “within the individual,” but emerges through the interaction between person, task, and environment. Underachievement is therefore no longer seen as a fixed personal trait, but as a dynamic and context-dependent process.

Interestingly, this perspective strongly aligns with findings from earlier research. Peterson (2001) studied adults who had been labeled as underachievers during their youth. One striking finding was that most of them did not describe themselves as lazy or unmotivated. Quite the opposite. More than half of the participants described themselves during adolescence using terms associated with energy, arguing, confrontation, and rebellion (Peterson, 2001).

In other words, it was not about passivity or apathy. Often, it was about strong, conflict-oriented energy struggling to find alignment with the expectations of the surrounding environment.

Click the link to keep reading: https://hoogbloeier.webhero.be/en/blog/not-lazy-but-misaligned-a-different-perspective-on-gifted-underachievement. Would you like to be the first to be informed of a new article, activity, offer, or training course on our site? Then sign up for our newsletter via https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/newsletter-hoogbloeier/

Dr. Sabine Sypré from wrote the following article

𝗔 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 (𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵): 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝘁?

Recently, the freely downloadable Basisboek HB voor po en vo [Basic Handbook on Giftedness for Primary and Secondary Education] was published, an extensive resource on giftedness in primary and secondary education (Van Gerven et al., 2025). The book contains contributions from multiple authors and aims to provide a broad overview of identification, guidance, educational adaptations, and policy for cognitively strong learners.

It may also be the kind of book that is perfect for the summer: not necessarily to read cover to cover in a linear way, but to browse through, select chapters that connect to your own practice, watch the accompanying videos, and gather new ideas for the upcoming school year.

My first impression? The book clearly aims to be comprehensive. It contains a vast amount of information, references to podcasts, text boxes, reflection questions, exercises, case vignettes, and additional resources. For some readers, that richness will be a major strength: there is an enormous amount to explore, and the book offers many different perspectives, approaches, and practical materials to work with.

What I appreciate is that the book genuinely tries to bridge theory and practice. It does not remain stuck in abstract models, but connects many insights to concrete examples, classroom cases, and practical applications. The inclusion of exercises and reflection moments can also be particularly valuable for schools that want to reflect on giftedness as a team.

At the same time, it also raises the question for me of how much information education professionals today can realistically process.

Click the link to keep reading: https://hoogbloeier.webhero.be/en/blog/a-free-handbook-on-giftedness-in-dutch-what-can-professionals-take-away-from-it . Would you like to be the first to be informed of a new article, activity, offer, or training course on our site? Then sign up for our newsletter via https://www.hoogbloeier.be/en/newsletter-hoogbloeier/