How Giftedness is Understood and Practised in Initial Teacher Education Programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

This article is drawn from a doctoral study that investigated initial teacher educators’ views of giftedness and the apparent consequences of those views for pedagogical practice in early years educational settings. The aim of the study was to describe teacher educators’ understandings and meanings of giftedness because their perspectives can reflect the extent to which initial teacher education (ITE) programmes value giftedness. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, during which ITE programme leaders and teacher educators discussed their understandings of giftedness, and how to identify and respond to it. The educators explained that supporting the special learning needs of gifted children requires a focus, not only on the individual child, but also on building relationships with the children and their families. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ITE programmes likewise emphasise relationships, which is a core principle of Te Whāriki, Aotearoa New Zealand’s early childhood education curriculum. The implications from several findings of the study include the need for ITE programmes to provide student teachers with greater awareness of individual giftedness, and the need to develop relationships with gifted children, their parents, and whānau (families) as a strategy to respond to individual needs.