Gifted Education in German-Speaking Europe

The authors first briefly describe how the concepts of talents and giftedness found in German-speaking Europe have evolved in the school system and in general over the past two centuries, and how the variety of gifted-education efforts found within and beyond schools as well as counseling efforts attest to these changes. They then discuss four hallmarks of gifted education in German-speaking Europe: (a) the ongoing development of gifted promotion methods through the integration of newer insights about learning and social aspects; (b) the development of new methods of gifted education, particularly in the areas of mentoring, self-regulated learning, and hybrid approaches; (c) a decidedly scientific approach, which is increasingly characterized by systemic perspectives; and (d) the results of research on the effectiveness of various approaches to gifted education in German-speaking Europe