Teachers Perceived Influence of Teaching Experience on Gifted and Talented Pupils’ Academic Performance in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State

Abstract

Every young learner deserves early nurturance, which can be accelerated by various factors. However, without timely and effective interventions, these factors can either nurture or hinder the innate potential of these learners. Provision of sufficient and high-quality support is essential for their development. This study examined teacher’s perceived influence of teaching experience on the academic performance of gifted and talented pupils in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State. The population for the study consisted of all teachers in Ilorin East Local Government, and a sample size of 346 was selected using simple random sampling technique, with 18 primary schools and 20 teachers involved. A questionnaire was the instrument for data collection, and both face and content validity were used, to examine the reliability, Cronbach Alpha was used.  Descriptive statistics such as mean and frequency counts were used to answer the research questions, and inferential statistics, including Independent Sample T-tests, were used to test the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that teachers perceive their influence, based on their teaching experience, on the academic performance of gifted and talented pupils in Ilorin East Local Government Area as low. Additionally, no significant difference was found in teachers' perceptions of their influence based on gender or school type. The study concludes that teachers believe other factors may play a more significant role in shaping these pupils' academic success. Based on the findings, it is recommended to provide targeted professional development for teachers, enhance classroom resources for gifted pupils, and implement support systems to help teachers meet the needs of these pupils.