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5

Elementa
Intersections between Philosophy, Epistemology 
and Empirical Perspectives

3 
(2023) 

1-2

The Gift

Edited by Francesco Fistetti

Francesco Fistetti
Editorial – What Is the Gift Paradigm? A Reading Guide 7

First Section

Alain Caillé
Recent Extensions of the Gift 15

Jacques T. Godbout
The Enduring Relevance of Mauss’ Essai sur le don 43

Francesco Fistetti
The Gift Paradigm: Towards a Science of “total social facts” 59

Annalisa Caputo
Ricœur, Gift and Poetics 81

Second Section

Andreana Lavanga - Francesco Sulla
Praise as a Gift in the Relationship between Teachers 93 
and Their Students

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6

Anna Daniela Savino
The Gift of Desire: The “inner voice” between Neuroscience 105 
and Theory of Attachment

Various

Roberta Baldini - Maria Grazia Mada Logrieco
The Gifted Student: Gifts and Talents Development 125

Alessandro De Santis - Stefania Fantinelli
Digital Well-Being as a New Kind of Adaptation 135 
to the New Millennium Needs: A State-of-the-Art Analysis

Salvatore Iuso - Pia Marinaro
Education and Culture: Pluralism in the Age of Globalization 153

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125

The Gifted Student: Gifts and Talents 
Development
Roberta Baldini - Maria Grazia Mada Logrieco
Università degli Studi di Foggia (Italy)

doi: https://doi.org/10.7358/elementa-2023-0102-balo
 roberta.baldini@unifg.it
 maria.logrieco@unifg.it

Abstract

The concept of giftedness has evolved significantly over time. Today, it still lacks a singu-
lar and precise definition, but it is continually evolving. One notable model found in the 
literature is the Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT) by Gagné. This 
model appears to be a valid contribution to better understanding giftedness, the charac-
teristics of gifted students and the problems related to these constructs. The article aims to 
highlight the characteristics of gifted students, underlining critical points and strengths 
in relation to the various contexts, specifically to the school context, and to Gagné’s model 
(personal, scholastic, environmental and social), with a focus on future implications.

Keywords: development; education; gift; giftedness; high potential; learning; 
resources; school context; student gifted; talent.

1. Introduction

International statistics show that 5% of the population have high cogni-
tive potential (IQ score of 120 to 129) and about 2% are gifted (IQ score 
of 130 and above). These statistics (Fig. 1) highlight the importance of 
increasing knowledge and understanding of the concepts of giftedness and 
gifted students, especially in school settings. It is important to do this to 
properly recognize gifted children in order to adequately meet their educa-
tional needs.

Who are the plus-documented individuals? And what characteristics 
do they have?

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126

Figure 1. – Gaussian curve of intelligence distribution.

Plus gifted individuals exhibit superior innate abilities, compared to the 
peer group; they are highly curious individuals who learn new learning 
faster than their peers; they are interested in a variety of subjects, often 
unrelated to their age; they have excellent observation and critical judg-
ment; they exhibit good language and memorization skills; they show crea-
tivity and passion in performing many activities; they may exhibit marked 
emotionalism and perfectionism. These characteristics may be present all 
together or in part in gifted individuals; it is not possible to apply a one-size-
fits-all label to gifted individuals.

Gifted students have many characteristics therefore which might 
allow them to be identified within a context such as a school, for example.

These students do not always recognize their potential as a resource, 
and therefore the role of reference figures is crucial. In the school setting, 
the adult of reference is the teacher. It may be difficult for teachers to 
recognize the individual characteristics of the gifted individuals and thus 
understand the high potential of these children. Often, the unique traits 
of these students may be misconstrued as negative attributes. At times, 
these students’ idiosyncrasies might be misconstrued as learning disabilities 
or neurodevelopmental disorders. To prevent such misjudgments, teachers 
should be trained to carefully and critically observe all students, identifying 
both their strengths and weaknesses. In addition, teachers should be pro-
perly prepared and trained to work with gifted pupils.

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The Gifted Student: Gifts and Talents Development

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They should be able to recognize the peculiarities of students in order 
to create specific and individualized instructional plans. An instructional 
plan for gifted students should include specially selected tools and strat-
egies, for example tasks with various solutions, “open” tasks or creative 
homework. Thus, the role of the teacher appears to be crucial in the devel-
opment and enhancement of children’s and young people’s abilities, and 
even more so with gifted individuals.

In conclusion, giftedness can be defined as a gift, a great resource 
for children and young people to exploit, while paying proper attention 
to the development of this gift. Importantly, this high potential must be 
protected both from an individual’s perspective and within a group of indi-
viduals to prevent it from being wasted.

2. Theoretical excursus of the gifted student

The concept of giftedness has been analyzed and explored by many scholars 
and researchers over time. The earliest findings regarding the genius of indi-
viduals and individual characteristics such as intellect and innate abilities 
can be attributed to Galton (1869); later Hollingworth (1924) and Terman 
(1925) put the focus on the high cognitive potential of gifted individuals, 
placing such individuals in restricted groups differentiated from the rest of 
the population. In the 1950s, Witty revised the existing definitions, intro-
ducing the concept of performance in individuals with high potential; the 
scholar inserts the concept of performance in one with the high potential of 
gifted individuals. Giftedness thus begins to have a broader and more mul-
tidimensional description. Following these scholars, Renzulli (1986; 2009), 
as a result of multiple researches on the topic, creates the Three Rings 
Model for successful plusdotation, which is based on the three concepts: 
above-average intelligence, creativity, and commitment required in the task. 
The scholar explains the correlation between these issues, saying that pos-
sessing many skills in the absence of creativity and without the right com-
mitment, cannot produce the desired results. This model, has been revisited 
and modified several times, as has Gagné’s Differentiated Model of Gifted-
ness and Talent (1993; 2009). The latter scholar defined gifted children 
as a small, restricted group of the population (10%) with marked abilities 
in the areas: intellectual, creative, social, perceptual and physical-motor, in 
relation to the environmental variables of different social contexts.

The theoretical framework and definitions of plusdotation, influence 
the strategies and tools used to identify gifted individuals and, conse-
quently, the shared criteria, which define the profile of a gifted individual. 

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As of the present, there is still no universally accepted definition of 
giftedness (Carman, 2013), highlighting the ongoing debate and evolution 
of this concept 

2.1.  Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (DMGT)

In the Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent, author Gagné pro-
poses a distinction between “plusdotation” and “talent”. The researcher 
defines plusdotation as a subject’s possession of innate abilities, or gifts, 
relative to the peer group. Such gifts are present in the following domains: 
intellectual, creative, social-affective and sense-motor. The scholar then, 
defines talent as a process of systematic and progressive enhancement of 
innate abilities. Such skills developed over time called competencies, are 
present in the following domains: scholastic, artistic, technological or 
sports (Gagné, 2009). These descriptions provide insight into an addi-
tional concept: the process of talent development, which corresponds to 
the evolution of gifts into talents. Development processes can take four 
different forms: maturation; informal learning; formal non-institutional 
learning; and formal institutional learning. 

Figure 2. – Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (Gagné, 2009).

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The Gifted Student: Gifts and Talents Development

129

According to this model then, plus-ability can be defined as the indi-
vidual’s personal and innate aptitude that can evolve into talent through 
continuous exercise, skill enhancement and the intervention of internal 
and external factors related to the individual. The author defines internal 
and external factors as intrapersonal and environmental catalysts. Intrap-
ersonal catalysts are the characteristics of the person positively or nega-
tively influence the learning process. Its include the individual’s physical 
and psychological characteristics (motivation, temperament, personality). 
Environmental catalysts are the influences relative to different contexts. Its 
include social aspects in the multiple contexts (school, recreational places, 
etc.). 

The DMGT model has evolved from 1995 to 2009, by Gagné. 
Figure 2 shows the model as it evolved in 2009.

2.2.  A review of the student gifted: critical points and strengths

One definition that finds greater acceptance today identifies the gifted 
plusendowed child as “an individual who, relative to peers, shows or has 
the potential to show surprising ability at a given time and in specific areas 
considered to be prominent in his or her culture of belonging” (Keating, 
2009; Sternberg et al., 2011; Pfeiffer, 2012).

In general, some common characteristics, although not necessarily 
present in their entirety in individuals, can be attributed to plusdotation 
(Tab. 1).

Table 1. – Critical points and strengths in gifted children.

Critical points Strengths
They are easily bored They learn quickly and easily
They don’t know to listen High verbal competence
Adverse attitudes toward their reasoning Good performance in critical thinking and 

abstract reasoning
They are frustrated when their humor is not 
understood

Good sense of humor

Can be considered “bizarre” Excellent creativity and imagination
They are afraid of failure They aim for perfectionism
Easily distracted Excellent memory
Low self-esteem Sensitive
Possible social isolation with peers They prefer adults

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The literature suggests that characteristics associated with giftedness 
such as high sensitivity, intensity, intellectual, emotional, and imaginative 
excitability may be risk factors for the development of emotional-behav-
ioral problems (Shahzad & Begume, 2010; Carrie, 2011). Strong abstract 
thinking and reasoning skills can lead to situations of boredom and frustra-
tion, resulting in distractibility and isolation from the class group. 

The gifted child possesses a very high IQ, amazing cognitive abilities, 
exceptional curiosity and imagination, but he has many difficculties in man-
aging relationships with others and thus also his emotions. Therefore, he 
may respond to environmental demands with behaviors that are not socially 
appropriate; he does not “know” other ways. The need to find appropriate 
responses exposes the student to the risk of enacting problem behaviors, for 
example, defiant behaviors toward peers and teachers. These aspects under-
mine the child’s relationships, in different contexts. The child needs to learn 
how to “create” good relationships and “manage” his or her emotions. An 
environment rich in opportunities for the child, and with the presence of 
support figures for the child, could be of great help to the gifted child.

Today, there is substantial body of research indicating that gifted 
children may develop psychological problems (depression, school phobia, 
anger management problems or trauma) because of their vulnerability and 
lack of understanding from other people. In such cases, it is necessary to 
carry out supportive network work to help children with giftedness. This 
network includes the school, family and social context. In addition, studies 
show that working synergistically with the family can foster better coping 
skills and greater resilience in the gifted child (Pfeiffer, 2013).

3. Conclusion: a future perspective

According to the models analyzed and the characteristics of the gifted indi-
viduals illustrated in the article, it is clear that giftedness is to be considered 
a gift, a high potential to be harnessed. This potential requires appropriate 
and facilitating contexts to flourish, develop and remain active over time.

It is evident that the environment in which the individual is born, 
grows and develops is to be considered fundamental. Attention is therefore 
given to the family context, the school context, and the social context. Family 
relationships, interactions with teachers and the classroom group, and rela-
tionships with the peer group are necessary connections for the development 
of the talents of the gifted individual. A welcoming, supportive and motivat-
ing environment, in each and every area mentioned, is the fertile ground on 
which the foundation of the development of the gifted individual rests. 

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Specifically, within the educational context, gifted students must be 
properly observed, recognized, identified and supported. School for these 
children must be a place full of curiosity, creativity, exchange of new ideas 
and continuous knowledge. Gifted individuals must feel free to express 
themselves according to their characteristics and potential. All students, 
regardless of their giftedness, should feel safe to learn and make mistakes.

An inclusive school must have the student at its center, considering 
their interests, needs, timing, cognitive styles, and vulnerabilities. An inclu-
sive school must create a personalized learning plan for students, where dif-
ferentiation is synonymous with inclusion. Doing so will enable students 
to learn more easily and quickly. These aspects will positively affect the 
level of students’ self-esteem and was psychological factors.

In this context, teachers play a pivotal role, both in terms of edu-
cation and relationships. In fact, the literature shows that a good quality 
of teacher-student interaction turns out to be a protective factor for the 
social-emotional and cognitive development of the students themselves, 
with positive effects on learning processes, regardless of the quality of 
the relationships students establish with other reference figures (Ansari, 
Hofkens, & Pianta, 2020).

Teachers therefore, must have personal skills to connect with stu-
dents, to motivate students, to nurture curiosity in children, to ignite their 
imagination and enable them to learn new knowledge, while respecting 
all individuals. Teachers should adeptly recognize students’ strengths and 
focus on their resources rather than their weaknesses, providing praise 
without resorting to punishment or labels. Teachers must be advocates and 
carriers of a real concept of social inclusion, in an inclusive school that 
has the student at its center. All efforts aim to emphasize the importance 
of recognizing and identifying gifted children in order to cultivate their 
resources and talents through the use of appropriate tools, strategies, and 
contexts. This not only prevents the waste of human potential but also 
contributes to the realization of a truly inclusive world.

References

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Riassunto

Il concetto di plusdotazione si è evoluto molto nel corso del tempo. Ancora oggi non ha 
una definizione univoca e precisa, ma risulta essere in via di continui sviluppi. Sono 
stati proposti differenti modelli sulla plusdotazione, come il Modello Differenziato della 
Plusdotazione e del Talento (DMGT) di Gagné, che appare essere un valido contribu-
to per comprendere meglio la plusdotazione, le caratteristiche degli studenti gifted e i 
problemi correlati a tali costrutti. L’articolo mira a evidenziare le caratteristiche degli 
studenti gifted, sottolineando punti critici e punti di forza in relazione ai vari contesti, 
nello specifico al contesto scolastico, e al modello di Gagné (personale, scolastico, ambien-
tale e sociale), in una prospettiva futura.

Copyright (©) 2023 Roberta Baldini, Maria Grazia Mada Logrieco 
Editorial format and graphical layout: copyright (©) LED Edizioni Universitarie

 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons 
 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite this paper:
Baldini, R., & Logrieco, M. G. M. (2023). The gifted student: Gifts and talents development. 
Elementa. Intersections between Philosophy, Epistemology and Empirical Perspectives, 3(1-2), 
125-133. doi: https://doi.org/10.7358/elementa-2023-0102-balo

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https://www.ledonline.it/elementa - Online ISSN 2785-4426 - Print ISSN 2785-4558

https://doi.org/10.7358/elementa-2023-0102-balo
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	Elementa_3-2023-1-2_00b_Sommario.pdf
	Editorial
	What Is the Gift Paradigm?
A Reading Guide

	First Section
	Recent Extensions of the Gift
	The Enduring Relevance
of Mauss’ Essai sur le don
	The Gift Paradigm: Towards a Science of “total social facts”
	Ricœur, Gift and Poetics

	Second Section
	Praise as a Gift in the Relationship between Teachers and Their Students
	The Gift of Desire: The “inner voice” between Neuroscience and Theory
of Attachment

	Various
	The Gifted Student: Gifts and Talents Development
	Digital Well-Being as a New Kind
of Adaptation to the New Millennium Needs: A State-of-the-Art Analysis
	Education and Culture: Pluralism
in the Age of Globalization





