Education of Gifted Young Children: Contingency of Views on First-hand Experience and Conception of Giftedness

Abstract

This article applies quantitative analysis of data from a New Zealand online survey on gifted education in the early years (Margrain & Farquhar, 2012). Questions asked participants about their role, experience, and beliefs regarding giftedness and gifted practice, valued and observed identification practices, valued and observed provisions, resources, beliefs about links with special education, and beliefs about early entry to school. A Fisher exact test of contingencies (with α = .05) was used to test the statistical significance of seven hypothesised associations. Analysis showed that current or past experience of caring for a gifted child was related to a differential view of giftedness, i.e. the view that gifted children can be differentiated from others as being significantly more advanced, above the norm, or among the very top percentile in some aspects. The finding was of statistical significance (p = .018). Analysis found no statistical significance for experience of caring for a gifted child and the following associations: a) views on whether gifted children should be given additional support within or outside of the teaching and learning programme; b) the position that gifted children should be included in the Special Education section of the Ministry of Education; and c) the opinion that some effort should be made to identify gifted young children. Analysis also determined that there was no statistical significance of association regarding whether persons with a differential view of giftedness were likely to: a) advocate the provision of additional support for gifted children within or outside of the teaching and learning programme; b) take the position that gifted children should be included in the Group Special Education of the Ministry of Education; and c) take the view that some effort should be made to identify gifted young children. There was a strong sense amongst survey respondents that there is a need to identify and provide the special support to gifted children, regardless of their current or past experience with gifted children and in spite of the lack of consensus over the conception of what giftedness in young children is. Although the notion of a gifted child was ambiguous for those without first-hand experience with gifted children, this did not diminish their advocacy for identification of and additional support to extend the gifts and talents of young children.