Developing a teacher training program for high school teachers of mathematically gifted learners in South Africa

Abstract

This study intended to develop a research informed teacher training program for teachers of mathematically gifted learners in South Africa, borrowing best practices as identified in exemplary institutions, international experts on gifted education, the literature and on local teachers’ inputs. Data collection was done through document analysis of 7 programs from USA, Australia, Singapore as well as South Africa was done. A total of 21 trained experts on gifted education were interviewed in the USA and 121 untrained South African mathematics teachers responded to a questionnaire. The term untrained here is being used with specific reference to teachers who might have been trained as general practitioners but not as gifted education specialists. This triangulation of both methods and data then resulted in a teacher training program with 7 units being proposed.