Teachers’ metaphors and views about gifted students and their education

Abstract

Gifted students differ from their peers in many areas, and require additional effort and skills from their teachers in regular schools. Teachers in regular education play a critical role in the identification of gifted students and education. Therefore, considering their attitudes toward these students and gifted education in general will provide a deeper understanding of teachers’ needs regarding the quality of gifted education. The present study aims to examine teachers’ perceptions about gifted students through the use of metaphors and attitudes toward gifted education. Qualitative data were collected from 136 teachers utilizing two open-ended questions. Teachers used metaphors based on three categories: gifted education, the social value and various characteristics related to giftedness. The results were discussed in terms of practical implications, teachers’ training needs, educational strategies for gifted students and challenges endemic to the identification process in Turkey.