The education of students identified as "gifted" has had a highly problematic history, having been judged as conceptually confused, socially and ethnically discriminatory, and educationally exclusive. Despite this, it is argued that contemporary research and scholarship critiquing the concepts of giftedness and gifted education…

While the focus in Germany was initially on disabled children only, the promotion of gifted and talented children has become increasingly important. Different organisations and institutions, ranging from parents' associations to foundations, offer a large variety of measures catering for the special demands of gifted and talented children,…

This article reports on a small-scale qualitative study that investigates how intrapersonal and environmental factors shape the beliefs and experiences of four talented Hong Kong sportsperons. Research questions focus on how their talents were identified and developed, obstacles they encountered, and the major influences on their development.…

This article outlines the use of Gagne's (2008) Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT) as applied to Tongan secondary school students in New Zealand. Two case studies of Tongan young women are shared with a particular emphasis on the influence of catalysts, the chance factor, and developmental processes upon the development of their…

An examination of major Indian gifted programs demonstrates that the programs, devoid of any serious psychological theory or conceptualization and unaware of the unparalleled features of the Indian sociocultural context, are carried out in a mechanical and oppressive fashion leading to the identification and sustenance of mediocrity. (Contains…

The education of gifted children in Italy is discussed and past and present research on the topic is reviewed. The role of cultural values in educational policy decisions for gifted children and for community institutions is analyzed, along with efforts to construct a new identification of gifted optimal human development. (Contains extensive…

This article describes the development of gifted education in Victoria, Australia. It discusses implementation of the Bright Futures Policy and Program in 1995, the special gifted programs, and the Bright Futures Professional Development Package designed to improve gifted identification, develop awareness of school-based program options, and…

This article discusses gifted education and research in Israel and its belief that the intellectual ability of its people is Israel's most precious natural resource. The Talpiot program is highlighted as a unique program that is designed to identify and develop abilities of gifted and talented young people. (Contains references.) (CR)

Traditional conceptions of talent generally emphasise the construction of threshold values and the development of relatively unitary abilities, and this approach still dominates talent development programmes for elite sport. Most researchers on high ability, however, now favour domain-specific, multidimensional conceptions of ability that stress…

This article discusses the directions being taken in gifted education in New Zealand. It examines current policies regarding gifted education and outlines key educational principles. Recommendations are made in the areas of national leadership, local policies, increased resources, assessment, professional development, parental involvement,…

Reviews how educational reforms and changes in political viewpoints have influenced gifted education in Britain, ways in which the National Curriculum support the educational experiences of all children, and teachers' perceptions of the role of the National Curriculum in both identifying and providing for gifted students. (CR)

Depicts a secondary gifted program in Beijing, China. Students in the program complete the regular eight years of elementary and secondary education (grades five through 12) in four years and then are admitted into universities. Factors contributing to the uniqueness of the program and issues affecting program development are discussed. (Author/CR)

This article discusses the purpose of gifted program evaluation and identifies some of the pertinent issues involved in evaluating gifted programs. The gifted program delivered by the Peel District Board of Education in Ontario, Canada, is used to illustrate key evaluation considerations, including gifted identification procedures and gifted…

This article discusses the development of Able Pupils Extending Opportunities (APEX) Saturday Workshops and Summer Schools in England. The APEX program is focused on building confidence and extending the experiences of pupils from Year 1 to Year 9. Identification, recruitment, application procedures for workshops and summer schools are described.…

In this interview, Seokee Cho, the Director of the Research Center on the Education of the Gifted and Talented, discusses the implementation of gifted education in Korea, key issues in gifted education, the role personality plays in giftedness, the importance of mentors, parental involvement, ability identification, and fostering giftedness. (CR)