Teachers more and more frequently encounter gifted students. Teaching these students requires a different work strategy from the teacher, which can represent challenges to them. Despite the developments in the field of science, the current research points to the issues of working with gifted students.
The primary focus of this MS thesis is the work of primary school natural science, biology, and chemistry teachers, more specifically, their work with gifted students. The empirical part of the study was conducted as a twofold study which included 97 primary school natural science, biology, and chemistry teachers from different Slovenian regions. In the first, qualitative part of the research process, we conducted 14 semi-structured interviews with teachers from our sample with the purpose of obtaining general information regarding the teachers’ work with gifted students. In the second, quantitative part, we acquired data based on the questionnaire, which dealt with methods used in inclusive teaching of gifted students, the possibilities teachers have to work with them, the presentation of teachers’ perspectives and opinions towards working with gifted students, and the professional development provided for that purpose. I conducted a descriptive statistical analysis.
The results of the empirical study showed that teachers have a positive attitude towards educating and working with gifted students. They support the implementation of enrichment programs and at the same time think that schools do not provide a sufficiently wide range of activities. Teachers follow school curriculums in biology, chemistry, and science, but lack methodological guidelines and recommendations for working with gifted students. Judging by the results, the use of learning resources and solving tasks at the highest level are the most frequently performed activities. Teachers also strive to direct gifted students to participate in competitions as well as attend additional classes and elective courses in the student’s field of interest.
Teachers’ biggest limitations to teaching are excessive school curriculums, deficiencies in the teaching of gifted students and lack of concrete guidelines for working with them, overcrowded classes, and high percentage identified gifted students.
With the research findings, I wanted to bring attention to the neglect of talent in the field of science and create more accurate picture of working with gifted, which can be a good starting point for developing exceptional learning potential of students and encourage professional development of teachers for better work with gifted students.
|