Early Childhood Gifted Assessment and Intervention Practices

In the area of early childhood gifted education and effective interventions for young children identified as intellectually gifted, there appears to be a persistent lack of research. There is also very little research on the characteristics and social-emotional development of young gifted children, particularly those of preschool age. The small amount of existing literature in the area of interventions for young children who are gifted suggests that a variety of interventions may be beneficial. More research is needed on the characteristics of very young gifted children in order to conduct a more uniform identification process, as well as to aid in the development of interventions. This article discusses the trouble with current assessment practices for assessing children for gifted services in early childhood, current practices in early childhood gifted education, and implications for school psychologists.