The term ‘giftedness’ has existed in research spanning multiple decades. This concept has engendered polemical debates in the literature and was once used historically in reference to individuals with a higher level of academic intellect. Over time, such narrow conceptualisations of giftedness have been replaced by a diversified understanding, whereby giftedness refers to individuals who demonstrate a higher level of skill in a particular area, such as performance, creativity, intellect, or artistic ability. As society has consistently attempted to identify these individuals, there have been some challenges as to how children, who are classified as gifted, should proceed through their education. This lack of consensus in the literature and within policy circles, is a function of the dearth of empirical research that can inform teachers, parents and the government on how to properly support and nurture gifted children by harnessing their needs. Studies that evaluate such questions via the lens of gifted children themselves, and that can therefore provide nuanced insight into the support they require as part of the learning environment, are also lacking. Against this backdrop, this study examines the views of young, gifted children (aged 5-7) and their parents via semi-structured interviews, focusing on their constructions of giftedness and the support they require in the learning environment, specifically, the preschool and primary settings. This research is situated within the context of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is a city that has demonstrated strong educational policies and has produced scholars that have impressive backgrounds in education, the arts, and performance; yet it is currently experiencing a period of transition that makes it imperative for researchers to prioritise the voice of the children currently growing up. Aside from the leveraging of semi-structured interviews, the sample of children in this study has produced drawings linked to the interview process and giftedness, following a pilot study.
Findings from the main study suggest that children were able to identify a range of social and academic learning needs that they felt were important for their own learning experience. There were many instances where the children wanted to demonstrate a high level of performance, mainly in academics, though in other areas (such as music or art) as well. Elements of the findings demonstrate consistency with more recent literature, specifically in relation to some of the more prominent models that have been created related to giftedness. As a result, this research project has implications for future policy changes because teachers and educationists can leverage the findings of this research, based on the subjective experiences of gifted children, to influence pedagogical approaches and curriculum designs, ensuring that these directly address their learning needs and empower them to take charge of their learning.
