Cultural Conceptions of Giftedness: Australian Research on Aboriginal Perceptions

Abstract

This paper will highlight significant Australian research in the largely ignored area of cultural conceptions of giftedness, but will focus on a snapshot of the interviews and surveys conducted with years 4, 5 and 6 Aboriginal students, their teachers and their communities. These interviews and surveys ask about their perceptions of giftedness and talent and their attitudes towards a selection of available gifted and talented provisions (Taylor, 1998).