The lived experiences of Grade 11 learners considered academically gifted

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Gifted children represent an important component of a nation's intellectual capital, with the resources to find innovative solutions to scientific and social challenges. Since the advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994, limited attention has been paid to gifted education as a research focus. To ensure quality education for all learners, current educational policy supports inclusive education. However, there is a gap between the policies which have been developed and their implementation at grassroots level in the school and classroom. In particular, several recent South African studies on gifted education suggest that gifted learners are at the end of the queue for educational provision.In this qualitative and collective instrumental case study, framed within an interpretive paradigm, I set out to explore the lived experiences of academically gifted Grade 11 learners. I wanted to gain an insight into how it felt to be gifted, and how their experiences played out in the various systems in their respective contexts. A further aim was to assess their specific academic support needs, in order to make a contribution to designing quality education for this particular group.The expression of giftedness is viewed as dependent on the interactions of the child with his or her environment, so Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological model was taken as the theoretical framework for the study. I chose a descriptive multiple case study design, using purposive sampling to select six participants, three from each of two schools in sharply contrasting socio-economic backgrounds in a large rural town. I used three methods of data collection, semi-structured individual interviews, a semi-structured focus group interview, and collages. Qualitative content analysis was used for both phases of data analysis, within-case analysis and cross-case analysis.The findings showed that gifted learners from both affluent and disadvantaged backgrounds faced similar challenges in developing their potential. They often felt neglected and academically under-stimulated. They identified specific deficiencies in both their schools and communities which needed to be addressed to ensure optimal learning opportunities. Despite the similarity of their experiences, the learners from the school in the disadvantaged community had to combat greater challenges than those from an affluent background.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University