The Gifted Game: Overcoming Stereotyping in Gifted Education

Abstract

This article describes stereotypes of gifted children that generate negative attitudes. Underpinning these stereotypes are misconceptions of the nature of giftedness. It clarifies how these have been used to exclude children from programming and how equity issues are often ignored in identification. These misconceptions do the identified students a disservice in creating alienation. The resulting prejudice and discrimination against certain students is explored. The exploration of these issues resulted in the development of a “gifted game”, created as a project by education students at the University of Central Florida.