The Preschool/Primary Gifted Child

Abstract

This manuscript provides an adaptation of the presentation given by Merle B. Karnes at the Richardson North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented Policy Conference. An overview of historical trends with regard to providing services to young gifted children with particular emphasis on inhibiting factors that have prevented greater services is provided. The work of Karnes and her associates at the University of Illinois with young gifted children from upper and middle class backgrounds is summarized. These two sections provide foundation for the concluding section in which we present our interpretation of “What we know for sure,” “What we think we know,” and “What we do not know” with regard to providing services to young gifted children.