2.2 Literature Review
2.2.5 Current international and national views on giftedness and gifted learners
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by Coleman and Cross (2014) who emphasised and highlighted that the development of giftedness is more conducive and recognised in the Foundation Phase. This suggests that the Foundation Phase is where giftedness can be displayed more in general skills which later manifests in a specific area of study. Therefore, according to Cross and Coleman (2014) giftedness is referred to the ability of a young individual to demonstrate speedy learning as compared to the peers of similar age. Apart from recognising the age when considering giftedness in early years of schooling, Cross and Coleman (2014) highlighted that giftedness in schools is associated with specific foundational subjects like mathematics, reading and writing.
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specific domain, for example mathematical which results in the ability to adjust to any surroundings Tapper, 2012). This is supported in Matthews and Foster (2009), as they state that very few individuals are gifted in all areas. They believe that an individual can display giftedness in a single domain, however, also display average aptitudes in additional fields.
According to Ford (2003), the socio-cultural phenomenon approach acknowledges that giftedness is a concept regarded differently by various people. Accordingly, Chan (2009) claims that the socio-cultural view of giftedness considers the fostering of children in various environments. Therefore, teachers who uphold this view acknowledge that world-wide interpretations of giftedness cannot be applied to a culturally diverse classroom (Phillipson &
McCann, 2007). In this study, this implies that all teachers within a school, especially in the Foundation Phase should have more knowledge of giftedness which would assist them in their practice.
Conceptions of giftedness in a South African perspective are also viewed in relation to two political periods, pre and post-apartheid. Before 1994 South Africa had shown some improvements in the education of the gifted learners. However, due to the constraints of apartheid, only white learners were considered (Oswald & Rabie, 2016). Some of the challenges that were experienced in the period after 1994 concerning gifted education were emerging and equalising the education structure followed by changes in policy. According to Oswald and DeVilliers (2013), gifted education is a complex concern that impacts how potential and achievement are perceived. They further state that the education of the gifted relates directly to the country’s past, ethnic and political background which could impact on decision making processes. In other words, if gifted education was to be taken in the highest regard politically, the country would likely benefit from talented and gifted learners as they would as adults add to the economy of the country. It acknowledged that South Africa holds a worldwide view that giftedness is the nation’s most valuable resource that could be a solution to the problems experienced in the medical, political and scientific fields (Oswald & DeVilliers, 2013; Landsberg, 2016). Sadly, to this end, the slow response and improvement of interventions in the structure of South African education indicate that there are still those politicians who fail to consider gifted learners’ needs in educational policies. Moreover, as
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much as there are policies that were developed to accommodate gifted students’ needs; other teachers still believe that there is no need to cater for such learners in their classrooms.
Landsberg (2016) concurs and states that, while consideration is given mostly to learners with intellectual difficulties, consideration should also be given to the learners at the other end of the scale who have high abilities. Therefore, it is essential that teachers gain insight in giftedness, so that they can ensure that education is provided to gifted learners. This in a way would allow gifted learners to become fully functioning adults who will use their gifts to the benefits of the society. Noticeably however, is that South Africa’s view on giftedness relies on connections amongst an individual and the surroundings (Landsberg, 2016). This consequently implies that giftedness can be described and understood in the context of the interrelationships between different systems that exist in the environment. Gifted education in the South African context, therefore, is perceived as a responsibility for all citizens and that all systems should collaboratively work towards supporting gifted learners as individuals.
Another study that has been conducted in Zimbabwe on the conception of giftedness is based on the African viewpoint. According to this perspective, giftedness is viewed among two major ethnic groups, Shona and Ndebele as a gift especially provided by God (Ngara, 2017).
Specifically, the Shona culture adopts the spiritual paradigm of giftedness which views giftedness as an uncommon aptitude that an individual is blessed with through their ancestry.
Additionally, this uncommon aptitude allows an individual to perform with supreme expertise even in challenging areas. This is further explained in the study of a Zimbabwean genius child, who regardless of her disadvantaged background, graduated from the university at 18 years of age. The Shona culture’s point of view, and the intelligent child would be that one who is from a disadvantaged upbringing would outshine that from advantaged home backgrounds. In this study, the Shona cultural view which is more of an African perspective of viewing giftedness, considers the socio-economic background and the context as the determinant of a gifted learner.
It is however recognised that even in the African perspective in the case of Shona people; the context is viewed as most influential but in the form of competing backgrounds. However, in the study conducted by Ngara and Porath (2006) the spiritual paradigm of giftedness was adopted by Bantu people of Central Southern Africa. They shared similar spiritual understanding that giftedness is a special gift from God.
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2.2.6 The implications of Inclusive Education policies on giftedness and gifted learners