Home / Current Issue / Paper 1709713
Caregivers' Ability to Identify Talents Among Early Childhood Development Learners in Bungoma County, Kenya
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Educational Psychology
Abstract
Early identification of talents in young children is crucial for their holistic development and future success. This study examined caregivers' ability to identify talents among Early Childhood Development (ECD) learners in Bungoma County, Kenya. Using a comparative survey design, data were collected from 294 ECDE teachers across Bumula and Bungoma South Sub-Counties through structured questionnaires. The study was grounded in Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences and John Holland's Theory of Career Choice. Results revealed that caregivers demonstrated varying abilities in talent identification, with 37.4% recognizing talent diversity among children. The most recognized talent indicators were receiving feedback from others (M=3.044), observing interests in activities (M=3.000), and observing consistent behavior (M=2.942). Caregivers showed higher confidence in identifying bodily-kinesthetic (38.4%) and linguistic talents (35.7%) but struggled with logical-mathematical (36.1% rated as not effective) and interpersonal domains. The findings indicate significant gaps exist in caregivers' systematic approaches to talent identification. The study recommends enhanced training programs, development of formal assessment tools, and policy interventions to strengthen caregivers' capacity for early talent identification in rural ECD settings.
Keywords
Talent Identification, Early Childhood Development, Caregivers, Multiple Intelligences
References
[1] Bell, E., Bryman, A., & Harley, B. (2019). Business research methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
[2] Dunn, K. (2022). Sampling techniques in educational research (3rd ed.). Educational Research Press.
[3] Gardner, H. (2016). Multiple intelligences: New horizons in theory and practice. Basic Books.
[4] Kiprotich, P., & Mbugua, F. (2020). Implementation challenges of competency- based curriculum in Kenyan primary schools. Journal of Education and Practice, 11(8), 87- 95.
[5] Kokot, S. J. (2019). Gifted education in South African schools: Identifying and developing potential in disadvantaged contexts. Gifted Education International, 35(2), 142-158.
[6] Mpofu, E., & Nyamupangedengu, E. (2021). Talent development in African contexts: Cultural considerations and educational implications. International Journal of Educational Development, 82, 102-115.
[7] Nauta, M. M. (2019). Holland's theory of vocational choice and adjustment. In Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (pp. 55-82). Wiley.
[8] Pfeiffer, S. I. (2015). Gifted students with a dual diagnosis: Twice-exceptional learners. Education Week Press.
[9] Reis, S. M., & Renzulli, J. S. (2018). The three- ring conception of giftedness: A developmental model for promoting creative productivity. In Conceptions of giftedness (pp. 185-210). Cambridge University Press.
[10] Renzulli, J. S. (2021). The three-ring conception of giftedness: Its implications for understanding the nature of innovation. In The Wiley handbook of giftedness and talent development (pp. 79- 99). Wiley.
[11] Subotnik, R. F., Olszewski-Kubilius, P., & Worrell, F. C. (2019). Rethinking giftedness and gifted education: A proposed direction forward based on psychological science. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 12(1), 3-54.
How to cite this paper
@article{1709713,
author = {Nabibia Hellen, Robert Wafula, Leunita Makila},
title = {Caregivers' Ability to Identify Talents Among Early Childhood Development Learners in Bungoma County, Kenya},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2025},
volume = {9},
number = {1},
pages = {773-776},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1709713.pdf},
abstract = {Early identification of talents in young children is crucial for their holistic development and future success. This study examined caregivers' ability to identify talents among Early Childhood Development (ECD) learners in Bungoma County, Kenya. Using a comparative survey design, data were collected from 294 ECDE teachers across Bumula and Bungoma South Sub-Counties through structured questionnaires. The study was grounded in Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences and John Holland's Theory of Career Choice. Results revealed that caregivers demonstrated varying abilities in talent identification, with 37.4% recognizing talent diversity among children. The most recognized talent indicators were receiving feedback from others (M=3.044), observing interests in activities (M=3.000), and observing consistent behavior (M=2.942). Caregivers showed higher confidence in identifying bodily-kinesthetic (38.4%) and linguistic talents (35.7%) but struggled with logical-mathematical (36.1% rated as not effective) and interpersonal domains. The findings indicate significant gaps exist in caregivers' systematic approaches to talent identification. The study recommends enhanced training programs, development of formal assessment tools, and policy interventions to strengthen caregivers' capacity for early talent identification in rural ECD settings.},
keywords = {Talent Identification, Early Childhood Development, Caregivers, Multiple Intelligences},
month = {July},
}