Should we continue to use the term “giftedness”?

Abstract

For many years there has been ongoing, lively debate about the use of the term "gifted" when referring to able, talented, and creative students, or students who have the potential to achieve at a high level. Pro-giftedness supporters who use the term appear to lean on the fact that the term "gifted" has been successfully used for many decades, and no other better-accepted term exists or has been suggested as a replacement. The anti-giftedness researchers, psychologists and educators point to the implicit inequity of "giftedness", and their belief that when some children and adolescents are labelled as "gifted", others might feel unable, potentially unsuccessful, and even compartmentalized. This article intends to summarize the main perspectives and determine for the pro-giftedness view.