Journal of Gifted Education Research, 2013, 1(3), 199-212 Üstün Yetenekliler Eğitimi Araştırmaları Dergisi, 2013, 1(3), 199-212 Copyright © 2013 by BEUN, OZELMER ISSN: 2147-7248 Elementary Education Teachers’ Accuracy in Nominating the Gifted Students* İbrahim AKAR ** 1 Müge ULUMAN *** Received: 22 July 2013 Accepted: 03 August 2013 ABSTRACT:In Turkey, Science and Art Centers are the most widespread and formal institutions that have been carrying on the educational activities which aimed at focusing on supporting the needs of gifted students. As well as the identification process in these centers are often being oriented towards elementary I. level students, including from 2nd to 5th classes; class teachers nomination is required for the students for their inclusion in the identification process. In this context, the purpose of this research study which was classified as a survey, was to investigate the elementary education teachers accuracy in nominating the gifted students. Findings indicated that the difference of elementary education teachers’ (n=334) accuracy in nominating the gifted students was significant depending on the independent variables of teacher’s sex, graduation level, teaching experience and classroom level. All participant teachers’ accurate nomination level of gifted students was calculated as 18%. The range of the nominated students as gifted by their elementary teachers was 41. Key words: Gifted students, elementary education teachers, teacher nomination, identification EXTENTED ABSTRACT Purpose and Significance:Teacher nomination is one of the most common methods in realizing and sending processes regarding on the identification of the gifted students. Some researches assert that this method is also one of the most problematic or troublesome issues in scanning and realizing the gifted potential. In Turkey, Science and Art Centers which are the most nationwide institutions for the education of gifted students, use teacher nomination for launching the identification processes. Besides, teacher nominations for those centers are mostly being made by elementary education teachers. After being nominated by their teachers, students need to take these two steps to be identified as gifted: Basic Aptitudes Test (BAT) and WISC-R. The purpose of this study was to investigate the elementary education teachers’ accuracy in nominating the gifted children. Methodology:A total of 334 elementary education teachers were participated this study. Data was collected from a Science and Art Center’s archive related to the identification processes from 2006 to 2010. The differences of elementary education teachers’ accuracy in nominating the gifted students were analyzed depending on the variables of teacher’s age, sex, graduation level, teaching experience and class level. Also the participant teachers’ accurate nomination level of gifted students and the range of the nominated students as gifted by their elementary teachers were calculated. Means and frequencies were calculated and Chi-square tests were used to analyze the significance of differences between groups. Results:Findings showed that 54% (n=182) of participant teachers were females and 46% (n=152) of participant teachers were males. 14% (n=46) of participant teachers were between 26 and 35 years old; 42% (n=139) of them were between 36 and 45 years old; 45% (n=149)of them were 46 and more years old. 54% (n=180) of the participants have college degree and 46% (n=154)of them have faculty degree. 23% (n=76) of participant teachers teaching experience were 0-15 years, 63% (n=209) were 16-30 years and 14% (n=49) were 31 and more years. Chi-square test results showed that there’s a significant difference in elementary education teachers’ accuracy in nominating the gifted students depending on the independent variables of teacher’s sex (for BAT=>χ 2 (1, N=334)=7.735, p=.005, for WISC-R=>χ 2 (1, N=334)=8.701, p=.003), graduation level (for BAT=>χ 2 (1, N=334)=1.563, p=.211, for WISC-R=>χ 2 (1, N=334)=4.803, p=.028), teaching experience (for BAT=>χ 2 =(2, N=334)=5.239, p=.073, for WISC- R=>χ 2 =(2, N=334)=6.721, p=.035) and classroom level (for BAT=>χ 2 =(3, N=334)=35.676, p=.000, for WISC-R=>χ 2 =(3, N=334)=13.335, p=.004). Those significances of differences in nominating the gifted students accurately were following: female teachers are better than male teachers; teachers who graduated from college are better than teachers who graduated from faculty; teachers whose teaching experience was 16-30 years are better than the other teachers and 3th class teachers are better than the teachers of other classes. No significance of difference was found depending on the independent variable of teachers’ * This study was presented orally at The 5th International Conference on Excellence in Education: Giftedness- Creativity-Development. **Hacettepe University, Faculty of Education, brhmkr@gmail.com ***Ankara University, Faculty of Educational Sciences, mugeulumann@gmail.com