Sociocultural factors in the family that are significant for the development of giftedness in Vhavenda children

Abstract

This study focuses on the identification of traditional and modern sociocultural factors revealed by traditionallyorientated (rural) and modern (urban) Vhavenda people that define the Vhavenda cultural context, and establishes how the Vhavenda view giftedness from their own sociocultural perspective. The literature study reveals that Vhavenda school children are disadvantaged with regard to socioeconomic level, education and geographic isolation. Definitions of intelligence were reviewed as well as those of giftedness that consider sociocultural perspectives. An idiographic, qualitative study was conducted with informants from rural and urban areas. Results show that the sociocultural context of both traditional and modern Vhavenda is characterised by modern rather than traditional sociocultural factors which influence the development, nurturance and manifestation of giftedness in Vhavenda children. Vhavenda learners (13-15 years old) revealed some frequently observed characteristics of giftedness. Consequently, some identification measures of disadvantaged gifted children hold promise for the identification of gifted Vhavenda learners.