Gifted Education in Lebanon: Time to Rethink Teaching the Gifted

Abstract

Lebanon is a country that places a high value on education, with the culture specifically rewarding effort and achievement. Despite this, no educational policies for gifted students exist in the country. This article outlines findings from a mixed method case study investigating the perceptions of more than 280 Lebanese teachers about educational approaches used to identify and teach highly able/gifted primary school students. Findings acknowledge reservations among teacher participants in relation to offering special services for gifted students. Although the analysis illustrated an overall lack of awareness of practices that have been identified in international research as effective for identifying and providing for gifted students, there was ample evidence of the desire of teacher participants to become more informed about evidence-based practice. This suggests the time is ripe for a revised focus on gifted education in Teacher Education within Lebanon.