This paper presents the results of a research project exploring the experiences of mathematically gifted pupils (n = 30) with mathematics education in primary and multi-year grammar schools, as perceived by the pupils and their parents. The study aimed to understand how gifted pupils perceive the difficulty and motivational aspects of mathematics teaching, the shortcomings they identify, and the circumstances parents experience in their children’s education. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Pupils were selected based on diagnosed giftedness by a pedagogical-psychological counselling centre and their willingness to participate in the study. Inductive coding was used to analyse the data.
The identified themes were interpreted in the context of the theoretical framework of gifted education and current research. The results indicate that gifted pupils often encounter insufficient challenges in mathematics lessons, which leads to boredom and decreased motivation, limiting their development. Conversely, they value individualized instruction and opportunities to solve demanding or non-standard tasks, which fosters the development of their talents. The Czech educational framework for gifted pupils—anchored in the Education Act and national curricular documents—provides some opportunities for differentiation, but pupils and parents frequently report gaps in its practical implementation. Parents emphasize the need for teacher support, respect for individual needs, and cognitively more challenging instruction.
Based on these findings, the study offers recommendations: to strengthen teacher training in differentiated mathematics instruction for gifted pupils, and to systematically develop national guidelines and support measures that facilitate individualized approaches in mainstream classrooms.

Authors:
Jana Veseláková, Masaryk University, Czech Republic

About the Presenter(s)
Mgr. Jana Veseláková is an assistant at the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic.

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