Verbal and nonverbal components of the tasks of the Herzen English language Olympiad for high school students as a tool for identifying gifted participants of intellectual contests

Abstract

This article explores the role of intellectual competitions as a key element of state policy aimed at supporting and nurturing gifted children in the Russian Federation. It offers insights into the contemporary understanding of giftedness and highlights how it manifests in children’s behavior, particularly in terms of instrumental and motivational aspects within the realm of foreign language education. The authors specifically focus on subject-specific Olympiads, with particular emphasis on the Herzen Olympiad for school students studying English, as a means to identify linguistically gifted children.

The core unit of the Olympiad is defined as its tasks. The article details an analysis of the structure of these tasks, distinguishing between verbal and non-verbal components. Through the example of the Herzen Olympiad, it becomes clear that the tasks predominantly rely on verbal elements, while non-verbal components are notably absent. The authors argue that this lack of non-verbal components limits the ability to fully identify various dimensions of linguistic giftedness, especially in terms of participants’ motivational engagement.

In conducting this study, the authors reviewed the types of Olympiad tasks available in English and assessed how well these tasks align with the intended assessment criteria. They analyzed the criteria used to identify linguistic giftedness based on the actual performance of participants in the Herzen Olympiad. Particular attention was given to more complex tasks, which require a broad linguistic perspective and the ability to integrate various skills and metacognitive strategies. The findings suggest that such challenging tasks can effectively reveal traits of giftedness, including unconventional thinking and the capacity for independent problem-solving.

The authors propose that addressing the identified scientific and practical challenges requires an evolution in the content and structure of Olympiad tasks. This evolution could lead to a more comprehensive and objective assessment of children’s linguistic giftedness.