Articles are listed in descending order by year (most recent first), and then by first author's last name.
Wellisch, M. (2021). Parenting with eyes wide open: Young gifted children, early entry and social isolation. Gifted Education International, 37(1), 3–21.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429419899946
This case study outlines the challenges of eight Australian mothers with intellectually gifted preschoolers. The ideal ways of nurturing children’s giftedness, the parents’ role in early identification and the effect of maternal depression and possible association with twice exceptionality (gifted with a disorder) are discussed. The narratives of case study parents then describe how and whether the needs of their preschoolers were under- stood or met in early childhood services, and the advice they received about early entry. It was found that early entry met the needs of children whose parents chose this acceleration option and that the preschoolers who missed out because of intervention by their educators did not fare so well. Findings also indicated an urgent need for the inclusion of compulsory early childhood giftedness courses for Australian pre-service educators and an equally urgent need for professional development courses about giftedness for educators already working in early childhood services.
Kaya, N. G. (2020). Supporting of Gifted Children Psychosocial Developments in Preschool Period. Psychology Research on Education and Social Sciences, 1(1), 25-29.
Preschool period involves critical development tasks within psychomotor, cognitive, language and psychosocial areas; therefore, supporting of gifted children’s developments in preschool period is crucial. Gifted children have some differences from their peers in some traits, such as intelligence, creativity, diligence and commitment and motivation. In case of identification in early period, gifted children’s social and emotional development, and particularly their cognitive development will progress better. Due to early identification principle of special education, it is important to evaluate gifted children comprehensively according to multiple criteria. Comprehensive evaluation means evaluating children using not only standardized intelligence tests, but also children’s products, observations, rating scales, checklists, questionnaires, interviews, aptitude tests, achievement tests, awards, honors, grades, or other valid and reliable measures. Since parents and teachers of gifted young children play important roles in identification process, they should be aware of early signs of giftedness. There are some distinctive characteristics particularly in the cognitive, social and emotional domains which gifted children demonstrate in early childhood. Although there are some characteristics attributed to gifted young children such as curious, persistent, divergent thinkers, highly focused on their interests, and able to make abstract connections in learning exist in the literature of giftedness, it should be kept in mind that not every gifted child will exhibit all of these traits. In addition, parents and teachers should be aware of asynchronous development of gifted children in order to support their psychosocial developments especially in the preschool period. The psychological well-being of the children which depends on their self-esteem and confidence to create new things are interrelated with relationships with parents and teachers. In that sense, the unique needs of gifted preschoolers should be taken into account by parents and teachers in order to create appropriate learning environments. Teachers are under great responsibility for recognizing and identifying gifted children and then creating an efficient curriculum for them. The education given to gifted children should be boosted and enriched.
Wellish, M. (2019). Ceilinged out: Gifted preschoolers in early childhood services. Journal or Advanced Academics, 30(3), 326–354.
http://doi.org/.o0r.g1/107.171/1797/3129232020X2X1919885511276
A relatively pervasive “silence” exists concerning giftedness in Australian preservice early childhood teacher courses. There is also a lack of research about educator attitudes to giftedness and programming in Australian early childhood services. This study, consisting of a survey and interviews, is intended to help to fill the research gap. A total of 184 early childhood educators were surveyed in relation to their knowledge and attitudes about giftedness, and 10 of those respondents were also interviewed. A purposive sample of eight parents whose gifted preschoolers had been recommended for early entry by a psychologist were also interviewed. Findings indicate that early childhood educators are at a loss in relation to gifted children’s intellectual, social, and emotional needs that are neither understood nor met according to their parents. Compulsory preservice coursework about giftedness is recommended.
Wright, B. L., & Ford, D. Y. (2017). Untapped Potential: Recognition of Giftedness in Early Childhood and What Professionals Should Know About Students of Color. Gifted Child Today, 40(2), 111-116.
https://doi-org.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/10.1177/1076217517690862
Early recognition and formal identification of gifted children are important in helping them learn during their primary years and preventing disengagement and negative attitudes toward school. This is especially the case for children from low-income, racially, linguistically, and culturally different backgrounds. In this article, we suggest some equity-based changes to ensure that all children have access to the rigorous academic environments they need and deserve.
Kettler, T., Oveross, M. E., & Bishop, J. C. (2017). Gifted education in preschool: Perceived barriers and benefits of program development. Journal of research in childhood education, 31(3), 342-359.
Substantial evidence supports the benefits of quality preschool education for children of all levels and backgrounds. However, early childhood gifted education services rarely exist in preschool centers. This study included 263 preschool centers representing geographic diversity in a southern state in the United States. Narrative data were collected centering on two issues: the barriers to implementation of gifted education services and the potential benefits related to the implementation of gifted education services in preschool centers. Qualitative analyses included constant comparative analyses for data reduction to support thematic inferences. Participants described barriers related to human and capital resources, challenges of implementing gifted education services, and the lack of information about gifted education in preschool settings. Participants articulated benefits in two general categories: educational/developmental and business/marketing. There was some evidence that a small portion of participants were opposed to the implementation of gifted education, but most participants indicated a desire for more responsive education services. This study may help gifted education advocates understand the needs of preschool centers seeking to broaden their services to support cognitive development of young children who are gifted from diverse backgrounds.
Wilson, H. E. (2015). Patterns of Play Behaviors and Learning Center Choices Between High Ability and Typical Children. Journal of Advanced Academics, 26(2), 143-164.
https://doi-org.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/10.1177/1932202X15577954
There is a dearth of research regarding young children with high intellectual abilities, particularly research involving the direct observation of children in naturalistic settings. The current study examines 2 years of observations of young children (aged37-71 months; n = 34) at an early childhood facility. The children were observed during the substantial periods of the day in which they were engaged in play at self-selected learning centers. The play was coded on levels of cognitive (non-play, functional, dramatic, constructive, and games with rules) and social (solitary, parallel, associative, and cooperative) play. Overall, the high ability children (n = 19) spent more time in functional, dramatic, and solitary play behaviors than typical children(n = 15). The high ability children also spent more time in literacy-based (library and writing) and arts-based (art and music) centers than the typical children. These findings indicate that the high ability children in this study were more likely to select centers independent of their peers.
Grant, A. (2013). Young Gifted Children Transitioning into Preschool and School: What Matters? Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 38(2), 23-31.
https://doi-org.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/10.1177/183693911303800204
Research has described transition practices that support young children as they move to a new learning environment, and continuity between learning environments has been identified as an important component of a successful transition (Dockett & Perry, 2004). Some findings suggest young gifted children experience transition in a different way (Whitton, 2005), but there is minimal evidence-based information available to early childhood educators on the transition experiences of gifted children. This paper draws on a study of young gifted children in transition from home to preschool and into school, and presents findings on how different understandings of continuity from those reported as important in the literature influenced these children. Such findings emphasise the need for satisfactory professional understanding of the adjustment of young gifted children into preschool and school. (All children's names in this article are pseudonyms.)
Kuo, C., Maker, J., Su, F., & Hu, C. (2010). Identifying young gifted children and cultivating problem solving abilities and multiple intelligences. Learning and Individual Differences, 20(4), 365-379.
doi:10.1016/j.lindif.2010.05.005
The "Enrichment Program for Cultivating Problem Solving Abilities and Multiple Intelligences for Gifted Preschoolers" (PSMIGP program) was the first enrichment program for young gifted children in Taiwan. It was an extra-curricular program that was implemented over a 3-year period. The assessment and curriculum were designed by adapting the main part of the DISCOVER curriculum. The purpose of this paper was to introduce the identification model and to analyze the participants' performance in problem solving activities and in demonstrating their special talents. To offer enrichment services for gifted young children, the researchers developed an identification model to discover more young gifted children and serve their needs in learning, regardless of the nature of their talents, disabilities, or cultural or socio-economical status. All participating young children were screened in a three-stage process that included both objective and subjective assessments, including checklists, interviews, portfolio assessment, group intelligence tests, observation in the play corner, individual intelligence tests, and structured observation activities. It was also necessary to adjust the standardized test procedure to fit the needs of twice exceptional young children. In total there were sixty-one preschoolers participated in this three-year program, including eleven twice exceptional children and one child from a new immigrant home. Among these sixty-one preschoolers, eight of them participated in two years of the program; the others only participated in one year of the program. The results of this enrichment program found significant correlations among the measurement scores; the scores of teacher assessment of problem solving abilities also showed that most students performed well on all five kinds of problem solving types. From children's archives, participating children presented scientific thinking characteristics, such as rich knowledge with fascinating imagination and the ability to seek many approaches to solving problems. They were delighted to challenge others and pleased to be challenged. The twice exceptional children also performed well in the program, especially those children with autism whose progress in social skills and group adaptability were remarkable. In sum, the researchers in this program had a belief that children, whether gifted or not, did not get the satisfaction of making progress until they had opportunities to find and develop their potentials. (Contains 11 figures and 8 tables.)
Pfeiffer, S. I., & Petscher, Y. (2008). Identifying young gifted children using the gifted rating scales—Preschool/kindergarten form. Gifted Child Quarterly, 52(1), 19-29.
This article reports on an analysis of the diagnostic accuracy of a new teacher rating scale designed to assist in the identification of gifted preschool and kindergarten students. The Gifted Rating Scales—Preschool/Kindergarten Form (GRS-P) is based on a multidimensional model of giftedness. An examination of the standardization sample using diagnostic efficiency statistics provides support for the diagnostic accuracy of the GRS-P Intellectual Ability and Academic Ability scales identifying intellectual giftedness, irrespective of the IQ cut score used to demarcate giftedness. The present findings extend the analysis of the standardization sample reported in the test manual and provide additional support for the GRS-P as a gifted screening tool.
Gagne, F., & Gagnier, N. (2004). The socio-affective and academic impact of early entrance to school. Roeper Review, 26(3), 128-138.
Dr. Gagne is an Honorary Professor (retired) in the Department of Psychology at l’Universite du Quebec a Montreal. He has published extensively in the field of gifted education over the past twenty years and is best known in the U.S. and abroad for his Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent. Despite numerous studies indicating that early entrants to school do not experience social and emotional deficits at a greater rate than their non-accelerated peers, there is general public concern about the potential negative impacts of early entrance. In this article, the authors note that many methodological issues – including confusion of early entrants with students who are younger than the rest of their cohort, biases from teachers and researchers, and misused statistical analyses – reinforce the difference between research findings and personal beliefs. The main purpose of this article is to measure the effects of early entrance on social-emotional development by identifying and using the best measures of social-emotional adjustment, analyzing early entrants separately from those that are younger than average, and minimizing teacher bias in the assessment process. The authors hypothesize that early entrants will achieve at least as well academically as their regularly admitted peers, the difference in academic achievement between early entrants and regularly admitted peers will increase noticeably from kindergarten to Grade 2, the early entrants will adjust at least as well socio-affectively as the regularly admitted students, the relationship between chronological age and adjustment will not affect accelerated students, regularly admitted girls will show better adjustment than their male peers, and female early entrants will not outperform their male peers on any of the adjustment measures. This study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze four adjustment measures: conduct, integration, maturity, and academic achievement. Data were collected on 738 kindergartners and 1,083 second graders from 36 kindergarten classes and 42 second grade teachers. The researchers found comparable adjustment levels for both early entrants and regularly admitted students on all four indices of socio-affective and academic adjustment, though boys had lower scores on conduct items regardless of when they were admitted to school. This result supports the hypothesis that regularly admitted boys do not adjust as well as their female counterparts. When using qualitative methods, the researchers identified a significant percentage of early entrants with perceived adjustment problems. The authors conclude that early entrants are not the students most at risk for adjustment problems. The two groups with the highest adjustment risks were boys and the youngest among regularly admitted students. In addition, they note that different methodologies can provide different results. This study adds to the existing literature by helping to explain why public perceptions and research conclusions differ, using appropriate and well-designed variables and analyses, and refocusing the public discussion about which groups of students parents and educators should watch for adjustment problems.
Wolfgang, C., Stannard, L., & Jones, I. (2003). Advanced constructional play with LEGOs among preschoolers as a predictor of later school achievement in mathematics. Early Child Development and Care, 173(5), 467–475.
https://doi-org.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/10.1080/0300443032000088212
The research question asked was “Will those children ages three and four who have intensive play experiences in play‐based preschools and who can perform at high levels of LEGO building as constructional play also show high levels of mathematical achievement later in formal school settings?”. Thus, this study attempts to establish a correlation between the levels of LEGO play performance of young children and their later school (elementary, middle, and high school) achievement in mathematics. The predictor variables of levels of LEGO play, while controlling for IQ, and gender, were measured in Fall 1982 by testing a group of 3‐year‐old and 4‐year‐old preschoolers (n = 47), and later, longitudinal effects were examined after these same participants had completed high school (n = 37). The dependent or outcome variables obtained from the participants' school cumulative records included: (1) results from the California Achievement Test, (2) the grades in mathematics courses, and (3) higher mathematics courses taken in high school. LEGO performance during the preschool years and the later variables of students' letter grades, and mathematical achievement on standardized tests did not demonstrate significance at the third and fifth grade levels. At the same time no significance was found at seventh grade levels on teacher‐awarded grades, but a clear significance was found for standardized testing at the seventh grade level. Also, since all other outcome variables at the middle school and high school levels such as number of mathematics classes taken, number of honors mathematics classes taken, average mathematics grades, and a combined weighted value of all mathematics courses taken were all significant, we may clearly state that there is a statistical relationship between early LEGO performance among preschool and achievement in mathematics, not seen during the elementary school years, but later developing at the middle and high school level.
Rotigel, J. V. (2003). Understanding the young gifted child: Guidelines for parents, families, and educators. Early Childhood Education Journal, 30(4), 209-214.
Describes characteristics of young gifted or talented children
that affect the way they learn and develop. Asserts that teachers and parents
should consider each child's unique needs as they plan for their education.
Discusses concerns such as uneven development, the need for acceleration or
enrichment, appropriate socialization and peer interactions, and modification
of the curriculum. Includes suggestions and resources for teachers and parents
Hodge, K. A., & Kemp, C. R. (2000). Exploring the Nature of Giftedness in Preschool Children. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 24(1), 46-73.
https://doi-org.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/10.1177/016235320002400103
Qualitative and quantitative measures were utilized to explore the abilities of 11 young children nominated by their parents as gifted. A part-time preschool enrichment program provided a naturalistic setting in which to investigate measures that might reflect potential giftedness, predict later achievement, and reveal individual profiles of development. The curriculum invited children to display any differences from typical preschoolers. Characteristics nominated by parents as indicators of their child's giftedness were consistent with indicators in the research literature and were generally supported by norm-referenced test results and teacher observations. In spite of test limitations, both quantitative and qualitative measures played a valuable role in revealing advanced abilities amidst diverse profiles of abilities, skills, and interests. Longitudinal data would help to confirm the potential apparent in some of these children as giftedness.
Nellis, L. M., & Gridley, B. E. (2000). Sociocultural Problem-Solving Skills in Preschoolers of High Intellectual Ability. Gifted Child Quarterly, 44(1), 33-44.
https://doi-org.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/10.1177/001698620004400104
This study investigated the ability-related differences in planning skill on a sociocultural task, as well as the performance impact of working with a peer. Shopping routes through a model grocery store were planned by 30 average-ability and 20 high-ability preschool children. All subjects planned a total of five shopping trips. The first and last trips were completed alone, while the three middle trips were either completed alone, with a sane-ability peer, or with a peer of different ability. Data were analyzed With a series of multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) with a within-subjects factor representing the measure of planning skill across Lists 2, 3, and 4. Results indicated that preschool-aged children did not differ in planning skill on the basis of cognitive ability. In addition, high-ability preschoolers performed equally we1l when working alone, with a peer of One ability, or with a peer of less ability.
Rimm, S. B., & Lovance, K. J. (1992). The use of subject and grade skipping for the prevention and reversal of underachievement. Gifted Child Quarterly, 36(2), 100–105.
https://doi.org/10.1177/001698629203600208
Acceleration, including early entrance to kindergarten, grade skipping, and subject skipping, has been used as a strategy to prevent and reverse underachievement in a selected group of gifted students. Fourteen sets of parents and 11 students were interviewed to determine their perceptions of the effectiveness of the acceleration strategy. All the parents and all the students indicated they would make the same decision again.
Only two of the school administrators and six of the receiving teachers were initially positive about the skipping, but most of them changed their positions with the child's success, at least in regard to the specific accelerated child. There appeared to be a period (between one quarter and a semester) during which teachers expressed concern over the students' adjustment, but students did not perceive themselves as having adjustment difficulties.
Feldhusen, J. F. (1992). Early admission and grade advancement for young gifted learners. Gifted Child Today, 15(2), 45-49.
This article looks at decision factors in early admission or grade advancement for young gifted children. Specific criteria are offered for determining the appropriateness of both early admission and grade advancement. Special training for teachers and parents of gifted children is encouraged.
Robinson, N. M., & Weimer, L. J. (1991). Selection of candidates for early admission to kindergarten and first grade. In W. T. Southern & E. D. Jones (eds.), The academic acceleration of gifted children (pp. 29-50). New York: Teachers College Press.
This article by Nancy Robinson and Linda Weimer
explains that children learn best when challenged appropriately at a level they
are ready for. It suggests strategies for parents to use when advocating for
early school entrance through all the different viewpoints of teachers,
administrators and professionals. Also included is a catalog of preferred tests
and assessments for various domains.
