Abstract
The education of the gifted in Israel is a part of the Israeli educational system. The object of the Department for the Gifted is to develop the potential of pupils who have been defined as “gifted”, for their own benefit as well as for the benefit of society. The task of the Dept. is to identify these pupils on a country wide scale, to develop teachers' sensitivity for the needs of special pupils in their classes and to prepare programs for classes and enrichment centers covering a wide range of academic interests.
The concern of the Ministry is not only with pupils' intellectual development, but also with their emotional stability, moral values, attitudes and their motivation to contribute to society. The preferred policy at the Ministry is for pupils in special classes to remain in their educational setting until the matriculation examinations. For these pupils a class is a place in which they belong, where they identify with their friends and yet are not isolated from their peers in parallel classes.
The programs for the gifted start in grade 3 or 4 and continue through grade 12 in special classes and morning groups. The enrichment afternoon programs are operated by universities, municipalities and two associations. In some universities the programs begin in grade five.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.