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…

The objective of this study was to examine the different development characteristics of gifted children during the preschool period in comparison with normal developing children according to family observation. For this purpose, face-to-face interviews were carried out with the parents of 112 children identified as gifted and data regarding the…

Federal attention is focused currently on investing and improving the quality of early childhood education, so that children's potential and talent development can be used as a natural resource for the future of our country. This article engages readers in transitioning their thinking about early childhood gifted education from a traditional…

In this article, educators at University Primary School in Champaign, Illinois, share examples and understandings of the ways The Project Approach challenges young children to think critically about topics of importance in their world. Project investigations that provoke academic and social challenges for individuals and classroom communities of…

In this article, I will examine the use of picture books as a means of supporting the intellectual pursuits of young children. Theoretical frameworks will be discussed as they pertain to the integration of these books in the Municipal Infant Toddler Centers and Preschools of Reggio Emilia and Pistoia, Italy. The pedagogical framework of these…

To identify gifted preschool children, parents and teachers need to be aware of some of the characteristics that these children possess. Gifted preschool children may have verbal and mathematical abilities that are advanced beyond their years, show creativity and imagination, and have an excellent memory. They exhibit a high level of curiosity,…

Louisiana's statewide provisions for education of gifted and talented preschoolers are reviewed, and difficulties encountered in serving 300 gifted young children are addressed. Among the administrative burdens cited are narrow identification criteria and the combination of limited financial and personnel resources resulting in the availability of…

This study, with 496 children seeking admission to a special program for gifted preschoolers, found that creativity (as measured by the Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement Scale) was significantly related to intelligence (as measured by standard IQ tests) when IQs were less than 120 but was not related at higher IQ levels. (DB)

Highlighting the unique educational needs of gifted and high ability preschoolers, this article guides the reader to consider the characteristics of young gifted children along with appropriate assessment practices in planning educational programming. A triarchic approach to programs and services for gifted preschoolers is outlined with major…

One Louisiana school system's development of a program to provide a differentiated curriculum for gifted preschoolers is described. The article focuses on student identification and placement; program structure; types of activities (games tables, free choice centers, individualized and whole group instruction); behavior management and motivation;…

Qualitative and quantitative measures were utilized to explore the abilities of 11 young children nominated by their parents as gifted. 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…

This study examined abilities and problems of 36 Korean preschool children temporarily in the United States and attending English speaking preschools. Three case studies of three children with high verbal abilities, unusual understanding, memory, and communication skills are analyzed. Five principles for fostering bilingualism in such children are…

The article describes private evaluation and consultation services provided to parents of young gifted children, and discusses the benefits of private consultation and the potential role of school personnel in meeting the needs of this population. (Author/JDD)

Comparison of the social behaviors of intellectually gifted and typical three-to five-year-olds in a university laboratory school found no difference in the two groups on a social development scale, but found that gifted children exhibited cooperative play to a much greater extent. (MSE)

Investigates the cognitive style of 145 preschool children and the relation of cognitive style to other cognitive correlates. Results indicate that, in comparison with peers, preschool gifted girls are more likely to be field independent and preschool gifted boys are more likely to be reflective. (RJC)