Perspectives and Practices of Early Childhood Educators on Identifying Mathematically Talented Children

This study examines early childhood educators’ perceptions and experiences in identifying mathematically gifted children, addressing a critical gap in early education research. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected through an online questionnaire completed by 47 educators. Findings reveal that educators generally believe mathematical talent can be identified in preschool and agree on the importance of differentiated teaching approaches. However, many reported limited confidence in their ability to identify such children. Educators with positive attitudes toward mathematics showed a stronger recognition of differentiated instruction and early numerical concept development as key indicators of giftedness. Additionally, more experienced educators rated early counting skills as a more significant indicator than their less experienced counterparts. Despite frequent observations of children’s mathematical abilities, only 40.4% reported encountering mathematically gifted children. No significant differences were found in observation frequency or encounters based on teaching experience or attitudes toward mathematics.