The study of chidren's giftedness in Germany

the article outlooks the studies of chidlren's giftedness issues in Germany. The author examines the main problems associated with this phenomenon in modern education on the basis of historical background and the performance analysis of modern research centers on giftedness, in which German scientists are involved. The paper presents the main points of social and political debates in Germany, which have historically established the specific features of the work with gifted children, specifically detecting, selecting and assisting them. The author discusses the approaches to the detection of gifted children in schools using diagnostics, risk factors associated with this, specific educational models, and special teacher training programs for the work with gifted children in a multilevel education system. From the late 1990s until now, the study and advancement of giftedness in Germany has been concentrated in the research centers of the Universities of Marburg, Hildesheim, Dresden, Münster, Osnabrück (Germany), and Nijmegen (the Netherlands), which are the founders of the "International Centre for the Study of Giftedness" Fund. The Marburg Giftedness Study is a comparative study of highly gifted children's development in terms of non-cognitive aspects (school adaptation, social behaviour, motivation, work attitude, interests, self-management). The researchers from Hildesheim and Dresden focus on the development and testing of didactic concepts which assure the effective advancement of 6-10-year-old highly gifted children surrounded by their "normal" gifted classmates. The Fund's objectives are as follows: to study the conditions for highly gifted children's development; to inspect diagnostic tools and concepts to assist highly gifted children, young people and adults; to directly promote talented people and people with disabilities; and to enhance teachers' professional development. Based on the data obtained by German researchers, the author concludes that it is necessary to employ a differentiated approach to the work with different types of highly gifted children as well as to implement a special teacher training program aimed to improve detection and development of gifted children. The author also emphasizes the prospects of inclusive education models and proposes a three-stage competence-based model. The article may be useful for psychologists, educators and researchers of giftedness.