Woman lecturing a class of students

How and why teachers need to support gifted students

29th January 2020

Teaching is a moral profession, and teachers should therefore work towards creating an inclusive classroom, where all students receive the level of support that they need.

The misconceptions and beliefs relating to gifted students provide useful starting points for reflection and discussion related to teaching practice and inclusivity.

According to the UN sustainable goals inclusive education is to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all". However, when we talk about inclusive education, rarely is the case of gifted students discussed.

The term 'gifted' can have many definitions and many confuse the meaning with 'talented'. According to Gagné's Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent, gifted students are "those whose potential is distinctly above average in one or more of the following domains of human ability: intellectual, creative, social and physical," while talented students are "those whose skills are distinctly above average in one or more areas of human performance".

"What help do they need?" you may ask. According to the research by Laine & Tirri, there are many misconceptions associated with gifted students which may prevent them from achieving their full potential when being educated. Although these 'genius' students may be high achievers and performers, they still require a certain level of support and guidance from their teachers.

There are many misconceptions about gifted children, so remember the following points:

Gifted students are not necessarily gifted at everything

Children can be gifted in one area and have a learning disability in another area. Giftedness may never be recognized, as it is masked by a learning disability which means teachers could not be giving these students the support they need.

Giftedness does not equal a high IQ

By following the assumption that giftedness equates to having a high IQ, teachers can be at the risk of dismissing gifted students.

Intelligence is not entirely innate and inherited

Teachers need to support students in reaching their full potential. By assuming their ‘giftedness’ is all innate may restrict their opportunities to grow.