DELVING INTO PROGRAM MODELS THAT CATER TO THE GIFTED STUDENTS’ NEEDS
Gifted students, the treasures of every nation, need programs that cater for their level and assist them in their development. Acceleration and enrichment programs are models used to address the gifted needs. Teachers’ viewpoints might differ from those of students regarding the favored program model. This study attempts to explore teachers’ as well as gifted students’ perspectives on these two approaches, acceleration and enrichment. Its purpose is to answer which of these programs better serve gifted students. Quantitative and qualitative methods were utilized in this study. A survey was conducted in September 2023 with 40 gifted students and 40 teachers in a private international school in Doha, Qatar to elicit their feedback on the program model that best fits gifted students. Interviews with the same gifted students were followed to collect data on their preferred mode. Recommendations were then displayed for teachers to consider students’ preferences before adopting a program model for these students.
Keywords: Gifted students, programs, acceleration, enrichment
