High giftedness does not automatically lead to high performance, but can be understood as a potential for high performance (Preckel & Vock, 2021). In order for a student's gifted potential to develop, individually favorable learning conditions have to exist. These conditions are present when tasks are experienced by learners as challenging and meaningful. These factors promote motivation to learn. However, there is a risk for students with far above-average talent that they rarely have challenging tasks to master in regular lessons. Persistent underchallenge can undermine learning motivation in the long term and lead to performance that is significantly worse than can be assumed on the basis of gifted potential. This phenomenon is known as "underachievement". Students who are affected by this also often exhibit behavioral problems and are under considerable stress.
Models and strategies for inclusive gifted education are designed to ensure that even gifted children who are above average are given opportunities to develop their potential in regular lessons. The "revolving door model", an organizational structure that goes back to the psychologist Joseph Renzulli (Renzulli, 2001), is also implemented in many schools in Schleswig-Holstein in order to "enrich" lessons for gifted students. They leave their class during fixed school hours to take part in lessons in higher classes, work on projects of their own choice or take part in courses. They then return to lessons in their class level. In order to increase the number of available courses, the "Digital Revolving Door" was developed, a digital course offering that can be used by pupils nationwide (Küster, 2023).
References
Küster, S. (2023). Die "Digitale Drehtür". Potenziale entdecken und fördern. Friedrich Jahresheft (1), 98-99.
Preckel, F., Vock, M. (2021). Hochbegabung. Ein Lehrbuch zu Grundlagen, Diagnostik und Fördermöglichkeiten (2. Aufl.). Hogrefe.
Renzulli, J., Reis S.M., Stedtnitz, U. (2001). Das Schulische Enrichment Modell SEM: Begabungsförderung ohne Elitebildung. Sauerländer.