Preschool Teachers’ Competencies for Identifying and Fostering Giftedness for Visual Arts Expression in Preschool Children

Abstract

This paper focuses on preschool children having a gift for expressing themselves in visual art forms. The aim of the research is to determine which competencies preschool teachers own and additionally need for identifying this specific type of giftedness and creating and implementing programs to promote it. The research includes questionnaires for two defined groups. The first group is composed of preschool teachers with certain work experience and the second one includes final year students of the Faculty of Education in Jagodina, department for preschool teachers. Questions are designed to assess the competencies preschool teachers have for working with artistically gifted children, whether these competencies were obtained through formal or informal education, and finally which competencies teachers do not possess but do need for working in this area. Collected results will be used to indicate directions for improving initial [undergraduate] preschool teacher education curriculum in Serbia in order to enrich their competencies for efficient work with children gifted for visual arts expression.