Teachers' perceptions toward education of gifted children in Greek educational settings

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of school teachers regarding the education of gifted students in Greek educational settings and to identify the factors affecting such perceptions. The sample consisted of 245 teachers (70 men and 145 women) of primary (N = 85) and secondary (N = 150) education who completed the questionnaire «Opinions about the gifted and their education» of Gagné & Nadeau (1991). The results showed that the perceptions of teachers concerning gifted children and their education are influenced by factors such as prior teaching experience with gifted students, knowledge in pedagogy and special education issues, and the area of teachers' expertise. Overall, attitudes of educators in this sample seem consistent with similar studies conducted in other countries with any differences attributed to cross-cultural and educational differences between states and the early transition period of recent Greek legislation concerning gifted students and their education. © JPES.