Gifted Without Borders: A Systematic Literature Review of Gifted Education for Mobile Populations

Abstract

The phenomenon of increasing human mobility has attracted the attention of various fields of study in the last decades; the existence of gifted students within these mobile populations urges educators and policy makers to thoroughly examine their diverse needs, the challenges they commonly face, and the essential support services needed to cater for their special needs. This systematic literature review examines the existing research on the pillars of gifted education within mobile populations published between 1999 and 2025 through the lens of the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model. The findings of this review contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between giftedness and human mobility, offering insights into policy and practice to better address the unique needs of this generally overlooked population. By shedding light upon this emerging issue, this study also underscores the need for further research and mobility-sensitive policies to ensure fair inclusion of gifted students from all backgrounds.

Plain Language Summary

A Close Look at Gifted Students on the Move: A Review of Existing Research

This research focuses on the experiences of gifted students who move from one place to another. To better understand how moving affects these students, we explore the findings of the existing research on the gifted students from mobile populations. We began with the expectation that this group of students might be overlooked or become invisible and that their needs might not be fully addressed. Thus, we hoped to find out how schools and educators welcome these students and respond to their unique needs. The highly globalized world has witnessed an increasing number of people on the move in the past decade due to reasons like wars, improved living conditions, or security. Within this huge population are gifted children who might face the loss of their gifted identity and educational support in the new environment. This issue matters because the number of mobile people continues to rise, which requires us to delve deeper into how to better identify and serve the gifted students in this population to ensure equitable and inclusive education systems. To explore this issue, we reviewed the literature, which helped us find 20 peer-reviewed articles on gifted education and mobility. We found that mobile gifted students might struggle with academic, educational, and socioemotional difficulties if they are not identified and academically supported during the transition period. We also found that culturally responsive practices and parental involvement help these students better adapt to the new education system. The findings of this research seem to be important since they underline the essential role of more inclusive policies, academic and social–emotional support systems, and parental involvement. Educators and policymakers need to revisit their policies and systems in light of these findings because mobility has become the new normal and giftedness must be noticed and supported across all borders.