TEACHER PREPARATION FOR GIFTED CHILDREN IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION SETTINGS

Abstract

The article examines the issues of preparing future teachers for professional work with gifted children in the context of inclusive education. The study is based on the regulatory framework of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scientific works of domestic and foreign scholars, as well as practical materials of educational organizations implementing inclusion programs. The methodological toolkit includes theoretical analysis, comparative method, content analysis, pedagogical modeling, and generalization of pedagogical experience. The research highlights three stages: analytical (study of normative documents and scientific sources), diagnostic (determining the level of readiness of future teachers to work with gifted children), and design (development of recommendations and a model for teacher training). Special attention is paid to the relationship between inclusive education and the psychology of giftedness. It is emphasized that inclusion is not only a methodology but also a philosophy that ensures equal access to quality education and fosters values of humanism and respect for diversity. Giftedness in preschool age is considered as a special potential of the child, manifested in cognitive activity, curiosity, developed imagination, and non-standard thinking. The results of the analysis of works by B.M. Teplov, A.I. Savenkov, A.A. Loseva, D.S. Renzulli, as well as definitions of inclusive education proposed by UNESCO, M.I. Skorokhod, S.V. Chebrovskaya, T. Booth, and M. Ainscow, confirm the need for a comprehensive approach to teacher training. It is concluded that effective preparation of future teachers for working with gifted children in inclusive settings requires a combination of professional competencies, psychological and pedagogical knowledge, methodological skills, and value orientations aimed at accepting diversity and supporting the individual development of each child.