Mathematical Talent in Intellectually Precocious Students: Manifestations and Variability in Assessment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4151/07189729-Vol.65-Iss.1-Art.1831Keywords:
Intellectual precocity talent mathematics evaluationAbstract
This article examines the presence of mathematical talent in kindergarten children identified with intellectual precocity. Within the field of high abilities, intellectual precocity is understood as an early manifestation of above-average cognitive development, whereas mathematical talent is conceived as a specific competence expressed through outstanding mathematical reasoning and performance. From this perspective, the study explores whether children previously identified as intellectually precocious also demonstrate high levels of mathematical competence in early childhood.
The theoretical framework emphasizes that mathematical talent is a complex construct that cannot be reduced to school achievement alone. It involves cognitive ability, abstraction, flexibility, creativity, problem solving, and early sensitivity to numerical and logical relationships. The authors underline the relevance of identifying mathematical talent in preschool years, since this stage offers important opportunities for stimulation and intervention. At the same time, they note that early identification is difficult because many traditional measures fail to capture the diversity and specificity of young children’s mathematical thinking.
The study is part of a broader longitudinal investigation on intellectual precocity in children from the Valparaíso region of Chile. The research design is exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional, and non-experimental. From an initial sample of 787 preschool children, 116 were identified by parents and teachers as showing characteristics associated with intellectual precocity. After the selection process, the final sample for this phase consisted of 54 kindergarten children. To evaluate their mathematical performance, the researchers applied the Test of Early Mathematics Ability (TEMA-3), an instrument that assesses both informal and formal mathematical skills and yields a Mathematical Competence Index adjusted to age norms.
The results show that mathematical competence among these children is not uniform. Although the group mean was above the normative average, individual scores varied considerably. In distributional terms, 17% of the children were classified at a very superior level, 9% at a superior level, 17% above average, 48% at an average level, 7% below average, and 2% at a poor level. These findings indicate that identification with intellectual precocity does not automatically imply equally high mathematical talent in all cases. Rather, the results confirm the heterogeneous nature of early development and the need to distinguish between general cognitive precocity and specific domain performance in assessment processes.
The study also found differences associated with sex and school administrative dependency. Boys obtained higher average scores than girls in overall mathematical competence as well as in informal and formal mathematics, whereas girls showed less variability in their results. In relation to school type, children attending municipal schools obtained the lowest scores, while those in private schools achieved the highest averages, and those in subsidized private schools showed the greatest dispersion. These differences suggest that contextual and educational factors may influence the development and expression of mathematical abilities.
In conclusion, the article argues that mathematical talent in intellectually precocious children is heterogeneous and shaped by individual and contextual variables. It highlights the importance of early and multidimensional assessment processes that make it possible to identify specific talents and provide timely educational support.
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Copyright (c) 2026 María Leonor Conejeros Solar, Alfredo Chávez, Sandra Catalán, María Paz Gómez, Katia Sandoval, Tatiana López
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