An international scoping review focused on gifted and talented children: Early identification and inclusive education

Fanny Mossberg; Johanna Lundqvist; Louise Sund

doi:10.37291/2717638X.202453488

Authors

Fanny Mossberg Mälardalen University https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4909-5685
Johanna Lundqvist Mälardalen University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3092-1738
Louise Sund Mälardalen University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3690-9879

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37291/2717638X.202453488

Keywords:

Education, Gifts and talents, Identification strategies, Preschool and school

Abstract

Gifted and talented children should be identified at an early stage and provided with opportunities to thrive, flourish, and develop in inclusive education. Inclusive education refers to a sense of belonging, and development to one’s fullest, including talent development. This international scoping review aims to investigate contextual and environmental factors contributing to well-functioning inclusive education, with a particular focus on early identification of gifted and talented children. The Bioecological model for human development and the Differentiating Model of Giftedness and Talent constituted the framework. Twenty-three (N=23) research articles were included and two thematical analyses were conducted. Regarding early identification, five influential factors (i.e., themes) were created: Knowledge about giftedness and talent; Opportunities for all children to demonstrate their abilities; Identification strategies; Collaborations; and Teacher education and professional development. Regarding well-functioning inclusive education, five factors (i.e., themes) were created, which, in addition to early identification, will also play a role; these were: Policies recognising inclusion and gifted and talented children; Appreciation of diversity; Additional educational provisions; Peer interactions and learning; and Home-school partnership. A factor model for early identification and well-functioning inclusive education targeting giftedness and talent is presented, and suggestions for practitioners and further research are provided.

References

Adedoyin, O. O., & Chisiyanwa, L. A. (2018). Predictors of numeracy skills giftedness in young children: Perceptions of Botswana early childhood practitioners. African Educational Research Journal, 6(4), 218. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30918/AERJ.64.18.080

Akman, B., Mercan Uzun, E., Kardeş, S., & Yazıcı, D. (2017). Preservice preschool teachers views on the characteristics of gifted children. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 5(3), 70-89. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17478/JEGYS.2017.65

Al-Mahdi, O., Yaakub, A. B., & Abouzeid, A. (2021). Gifted education: Perspectives and practices of school principals in Bahrain. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 10(2), 576. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v10i2.21176

Arksey, H., & O'Malley, L. (2005). Scoping studies: Towards a methodological framework. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(1), 19-32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1364557032000119616

Bačlija Sušić, B., & Brebrić, V. (2022). Encouraging and assessing preschool children's musical creativity. Early years, 44(2), 328–340. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2022.2139356

Baldwin, L., Baum, S., Pereles, D., & Hughes, C. (2015). Twice-exceptional learners: The journey toward a shared vision. Gifted Child Today, 38(4), 206-214. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1076217515597277

Bildiren, A. (2018). Developmental characteristics of gifted children aged 0-6 years: Parental observations. Early Child Development and Care, 188(8), 997-1011. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2017.1389919

Bildiren, A., Firat, T., & Kavruk, S. Z. (2023). Developmental characteristics of a 0- to 3-year-old gifted child based on video analysis. Gifted Education International, 39(3), 459-481. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/02614294221146623

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: a practical guide. SAGE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69909-7_3470-2

Brighton, C. M., & Jarvis, J. M. (2017). Early identification and intervention in gifted education: Developing talent in diverse learners. In Handbook of Special Education (Second Edition,pp. 882-893). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315517698-68

Bronfenbrenner, U., & Morris, P. A. (1998). The ecology of developmental processes. In W. Damon & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Theoretical models of human development (pp. 993–1028). John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Bronfenbrenner, U., & Morris, P. A. (2006). The bioecological model of human development. In R. M. Lerner & W. Damon (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Theoretical models of human development (pp. 793–828). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470147658.chpsy0114

Carman, C. A., Walther, C. A. P., & Bartsch, R. A. (2020). Differences in Using the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) 7 Nonverbal Battery Versus the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) 2 to Identify the Gifted/Talented. The Gifted child quarterly, 64(3), 171-191. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986220921164

Coates, D., Shimmin, A., & Thompson, W. (2009). Identifying and supporting gifted children in a nursery school (kindergarten). Gifted Education International, 25(1), 22-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/026142940902500105

Čotar Konrad, S., & Kukanja Gabrijelčič, M. (2015). Professional competences of preschool teachers for working with gifted young children in Slovenia. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 3(2), 65-78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17478/JEGYS.2015214279

Daǧlıoǧlu, H. E., & Suveren, S. (2013). The role of teacher and family opinions in ıdentifying gifted kindergarten children and the consistence of these views with children’s actual performance. Educational sciences: Theory & practice, 13(1), 444.

Delisle, J. R., & Schultz, R. A. (2021). Underachievement and the quest for dignity: Contemporary perspectives on a timeless ıssue. In S. R. Smith (Ed.), Handbook of giftedness and talent development in the Asia-Pacific (pp. 607-629). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3041-4_28

Dereli, E., & Deli, H. (2022). Pre-school teachers' knowledge and needs related to noticing gifted children and the enrichment model. Participatory Educational Research, 9(2), 219-239. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17275/per.22.37.9.2

Gagné, F. (2021). Implementing the DMGT’s constructs of giftedness and talent: What, why, and how?. In S. R. Smith (Ed.), Handbook of giftedness and talent development in the Asia-Pacific (pp. 71-99). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3041-4_3

Gallagher, & Gallagher. (1994). Teaching the gifted child. Allyn and Bacon.

Grant, A., & Morrissey, A.-M. (2021). The young gifted learner: What we know and ımplications for early educational practice. In S. R. Smith (Ed.), Handbook of giftedness and talent development in the Asia-Pacific (pp. 129-150). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-3041-4_57

Guralnick, M. J., Neville, B., Hammond, M. A., & Connor, R. T. (2008). Continuity and change from full-inclusion early childhood programs through the early elementary period. Journal of Early Intervention, 30(3), 237-250. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815108317962

Harju-Luukkainen, H., Björklund, C., Sandberg, E., & Rhinehart, L. (2022). Experiences of educational support for mathematical high-ability children in Finland. A netnography of parental perspective from ECE to the school context. In H. Harju-Luukkainen, N. B. Hanssen, & C. Sundqvist (Eds.), Special education in the early years: Perspectives on policy and practice in the Nordic countries (pp. 135-149). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91297-0_10

Havigerová, J., Juklová, K., & Haviger, J. (2013). When parents and teachers assess intellectual giftedness of preschool children. New Educational Review, 34(4), 188-197.

Huang, S.-Y. (2008). Early identification: Cultivating success for young gifted children. Gifted Education International, 24(1), 118-125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/026142940802400113

Idsøe, E. C., Campbell, J., Idsøe, T., & Størksen, I. (2022). Development and psychometric properties of nomination scales for high academic potential in early childhood education and care. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 30(4), 624-637. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2021.2007969

Jawabreh, R., Danju, İ., & Salha, S. (2022). Exploring the characteristics of gifted pre-school children: Teachers’ perceptions. Sustainability, 14(5), 2514. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052514

Kaplan Sayı, A., & Yurtseven, N. (2022). How do gifted students learn? Their learning styles and dispositions towards learning. Education 3-13, 50(8), 1031-1045. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2021.1929380

Kazem, A., Alzubaidi, A., Mohamed, A., & Renzulli, J. (2014). The factor structure of the scales for rating the behavioural characteristics of superior students (SRBCSS): Results on an Omani sample. International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 2(1), 127-136.

Lee, H., Seward, K., & Gentry, M. (2022). Equitable ıdentification of underrepresented gifted students: The relationship between students’ academic achievement and a Teacher-Rating Scale. Journal of Advanced Academics, 33(3), 400-432. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X221088816

Levac, D., Colquhoun, H., & O'Brien, K. K. (2010). Scoping studies: Advancing the methodology. Implementation Science, 5(1), 69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-5-69

Lundqvist, J. (2018). Tidiga insatser och barns utbildningsvägar: inkludering och specialpedagogik [Early interventions and children’s educational pathways: inclusion and special needs education] (Första utgåvan ed.). Natur & kultur.

Lundqvist, J., Allodi Westling, M., & Siljehag, E. (2015). Inclusive education, support provisions and early childhood educational pathways in the context of Sweden: A longitudinal study. International Journal of Special Education, 30(3), 3-16.

Luria, S. R., O'Brien, R. L., & Kaufman, J. C. (2016). Creativity in gifted identification: increasing accuracy and diversity. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1377(1), 44–52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13136

Mack, E., Breit, M., Krischler, M., Gnas, J., & Preckel, F. (2021). Talent development in natural science in elementary school: A juxtaposition of research and practice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 104, 103366. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2021.103366

Margrain, V., & Lundqvist, J. (2019). Talent development in preschool curriculum and policies: Implicit recognition of young gifted children. In V. Margrain & A. Löfdahl Hultman (Eds.), Challenging democracy in early childhood education: Engagement in changing global contexts (pp. 41-55). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7771-6_4

Margrain, V., & van Bommel, J. (2022). Implicit and ınclusive early education for gifted children Swedish policy and ınternational possibilities. In H. Harju-Luukkainen, N. B. Hanssen, & C. Sundqvist (Eds.), Special education in the early years: Perspectives on policy and practice in the Nordic countries (pp. 43-57). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91297-0_4

Matthews, M. S., & Rhodes, H. A. (2020). Examining ıdentification practices and services for young advanced and gifted learners in selected North Carolina school districts. Journal of Advanced Academics, 31(4), 411-435. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X20908878

Mattsson, L., & Bengmark, S. (2011). On track to gifted education in mathematics in Sweden. In Sriraman, B., Lee, K.H. (Eds), The elements of creativity and giftedness in mathematics. Advances in creativity and giftedness (Vol 1., pp. 81-101). SensePublishers. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6091-439-3_6

Mohamed, A., & Elhoweris, H. (2022). Perceptions of preschool teachers of the characteristics of gifted learners in Abu Dhabi: A qualitative study. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1051697. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1051697

Nissen, P. (2019). Detecting talent from the perspectives of students, parents, and teachers. US-China Education Review B, 9(4), 119-127. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17265/2161-6248/2019.04.001

Nordström, M. E. (2022). Swedish preschool teachers and principals’ conceptions of giftedness and gifted education. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 45(3), 271-291. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/01623532221105602

Pardeck, J.T., & Murphy, J.W. (Eds.). (2018). Young gifted children: Identification, programming and socio-psychological issues (1st ed.). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429469008

Persson, R. S. (2010). Experiences of ıntellectually gifted students in an Egalitarian and ınclusive educational system: A survey study. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 33(4), 536-569. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/016235321003300405

Peters, M., Marnie, C., Tricco, A., Pollock, D., Munn, Z., Alexander, L., McInerney, P., Godfrey, C., & Khalil, H. (2020). Updated methodological guidance for the conduct of scoping reviews. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 18(10), 2119-2126. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-20-00167

Peters, M. D., Godfrey, C. M., Khalil, H., McInerney, P., Parker, D., & Soares, C. B. (2015). Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews. Int J Evid Based Healthc, 13(3), 141-146. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/XEB.0000000000000050

Peters, S. J., Carter, J., & Plucker, J. A. (2020). Rethinking how we identify “gifted” students. Phi Delta Kappan, 102(4), 8-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721720978055

Reis, S. M., & McCoach, D. B. (2000). The underachievement of gifted students: What do we know and where do we go?. Gifted Child Quarterly, 44(3), 152-170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001698620004400302

Ridgley, L. M., DaVia Rubenstein, L., & Callan, G. L. (2020). Gifted underachievement within a self-regulated learning framework: Proposing a task-dependent model to guide early identification and intervention. Psychology in the Schools, 57(9), 1365-1384. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22408

Sandall, S. R., Schwartz, I. S., Joseph, G., Gauvreau, A. N., & Hemmeter, M. L. (2019). Building blocks for teaching preschoolers with special needs. Paul H. Brookes Pub. Co.

Sayler, M. F. (2009). Gifted and thriving: A deeper understanding of meaning of GT. In L. V. Shavinina (Ed.), International Handbook on Giftedness (pp. 215-230). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6162-2_9

Sternberg, R. J. (2022). Identification for utilization, not merely possession, of gifts: What matters is not gifts but rather deployment of gifts. Gifted Education International, 38(3), 354-361. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/02614294211013345

Sternberg, R. J. (2023). Giftedness does not reside within a person: Defining giftedness in society ıs a three-step process. Roeper Review, 45(1), 50-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02783193.2022.2145400

Tirri, K., & Laine, S. (2017). Ethical challenges in ınclusive education: The case of gifted students. In A. Gajewski (Ed.), Ethics, Equity, and Inclusive Education (Vol. 9, pp. 239-257). Emerald Publishing Limited. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-363620170000009010

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.(1994). The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education. Paris: UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/notice?id=p::usmarcdef_0000098427

United Nations. (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child

United Nations. (2015). Sustainable Development Goals. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdf

Veas, A., Gilar, R., Castejón, J. L., & Miñano, P. (2016). Underachievement in compulsory secondary education: A comparison of statistical methods for identification in Spain. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 6(3), 133-149. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1989/ejihpe.v6i3.175

White, S. L. J., Graham, L. J., & Blaas, S. (2018). Why do we know so little about the factors associated with gifted underachievement? A systematic literature review. Educational Research Review, 24, 55-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2018.03.001

Winsler, A., Gupta Karkhanis, D., Kim, Y. K., & Levitt, J. (2013). Being black, male, and gifted in Miami: Prevalence and predictors of placement in elementary school gifted education programs. The Urban review, 45(4), 416-447. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-013-0259-0

Yetti, E., Siti Syarah, E., & Machfauzia, A. (2021). Which educatıonal dance programs can be used to identify children’s talents. Cakrawala Jurnal Pendidikan, 40(2), 445-456. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v40i2.33942

Zhang, T. (2023). Meeting the needs of highly able readers in the primary classroom: Teachers' perceptions in China and Scotland. Educational review, 75(6), 1150-1167. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2021.2001437