Why Hasn't the Gifted Label Caught up with Science?

Area of Science:

• Education
• Psychology
• History of Science

Background:

• Special education and gifted education emerged alongside early 20th-century intelligence testing.
• Gifted education terminology has faced criticism for lack of specificity and implied innateness.
• The term 'gifted' has remained largely unchanged despite evolving educational and psychological understandings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the historical persistence of the term 'gifted' in education.
• To analyze seminal reports in gifted education, from the Marland report onwards.
• To understand the reasons behind the continued use of the 'gifted' label.

Main Methods:

• Historical analysis of the development of special and gifted education.
• Review of nationally disseminated reports on gifted education.
• Critical examination of the terminology used in gifted education.

Main Results:

• The field of gifted education's terminology has not evolved as much as special education's.
• The term 'gifted' implies innateness as the primary driver of ability differences.
• Significant national reports have not fundamentally altered the persistent use of the 'gifted' label.

Conclusions:

• The persistence of the 'gifted' label is rooted in historical contexts and a lack of terminological evolution.
• The term 'gifted' requires re-evaluation due to its lack of specificity and implications of innateness.
• Suggestions are proposed to address the issues surrounding the 'gifted' label in educational contexts.