Multilingual Gifted Migrant and EDPs in Supportive Learning Environments
Presented by:
Cynthia Geary, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
When migrant and externally displaced persons (EDPs) students in the United States are identified as gifted and talented, public school district Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programs offer support.
Keywords:
Gifted, Multilingual, Migrant
Abstract:
This study researched the experiences of gifted migrant and EDP students in the United States. Nine GATE coordinators in urban, culturally, and linguistically diverse communities completed the GATE coordinator survey. The methods were qualitative and quantitative. Key results revealed that the demographics of the GATE program largely parallel the district demographics, that GATE programmatic offerings attend to some of their academic, socio-emotional, cultural, and linguistic needs, and that the most highly attended GATE programming is Family Night and English language instruction. The survey results indicated that district GATE Programming offered multiple methods of support for gifted migrant and EDP students.
Outcomes:
1. Understand the complex needs of migrant and EDP gifted students.
2. Review the research design and methodology.
3. Learn about the support that public education Gifted and Talented programs offer to migrant and EDP gifted students.
Hear it from the author:
Transcript:
Hi, and welcome to my presentation Multilingual Gifted Migrant and EDPs in Supportive Learning Environments. This study researched the experiences of gifted migrant and EDP students in the United States. Ten GATE coordinators in urban, culturally, and linguistically diverse communities completed the GATE coordinator survey in the fall of 2025. The methods were both qualitative and quantitative.
There were three research questions. The first was: what is the percentage of migrant gifted youth in districts with GATE programs? The second was: which services do migrant gifted youth engage with primarily? The third was: what practices, and at what frequency, are used to engage migrant youth families and parents?
Several key conclusions emerged from this study. The demographics of the GATE program largely paralleled the district demographics. GATE programmatic offerings addressed some of the students’ academic, socioemotional, cultural, and linguistic needs. The most highly attended GATE programming included Family Night and English language instruction.
References:
Mehdipour Maralani, F., & Pfeiffer, S. (2024). The unique social-emotional challenges that bright immigrant youth face. Gifted Education International, 41(1), 137–157. https://doi.org/10.1177/02614294241279354 (Original work published 2025)
Sukiasyan, S. (2024). The mental health of refugees and forcibly displaced people: A narrative review. Consort Psychiatr. 5(4):78–92. doi: 10.17816/CP15552.
World Health Organization. (2022, May 2). Refugee and Migrant Health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/refugee-and-migrant-health