Inclusive education as a statement is not instated in vacuum. Within the Chilean current economic and political framework, it does not correspond to its original principles (^{ALARCÓN; DONOSO, 2017}). On the other hand, since the 1990’s, policies consider that education is the main driver of social development and a factor of economic integration, since it adds value to production processes based on the knowledge society. In line with the concepts of quality and competitiveness, the focus of Chilean educational policies extends beyond access to encompass the achievement of learning targets. Concretely speaking, given the context of promotion of the free market in Chile and other Latin American countries, new forms of inequity and exclusion have emerged (^{GENTILI, 2011}; ^{PLÁ, 2015}).

Gifted students in regular classrooms have fewer opportunities to develop activities that are based on their characteristics as learners and address their needs; however, many of them spend most of their school time in these classrooms. The results presented here were part of a 2-year qualitative project that analyzed 12 Chilean gifted students’ lived experiences in regular classrooms by exploring the factors that foster and hinder their learning through the use of photos, focus groups, and interviews. The results showed students’ discontent with the national curriculum and teaching practices related to rigidity, lack of meaning, and unchallenging assessments. Nevertheless, positive experiences were reported related to teaching strategies, especially when they add novelty and move away from traditional approaches. Waiting experiences were common, but were often seen by students as opportunities for creative production. Methods for engaging gifted students in their learning are highlighted.

El artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación doctoral sobre la importancia de la confianza en el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje, centrándose principalmente en conocer el proceso de construcción de confianza, su vivencia y percepción a nivel de los diferentes actores del proceso educativo: personal directivo y docente; comunidad estudiantil y apoderados. Para ello se estudiaron colegios de la comuna de Valparaíso en las tres dependencias: municipal, particular subvencionada y particular pagada. Los resultados obtenidos revelan que la confianza, componente constituyente del capital social, no es considerada como un pilar central de las políticas educativas y proyectos educativos de los establecimientos educacionales y no se desarrolla ni trabaja explícitamente, manteniéndose a nivel “invisible”. Esto hace urgente abordarla desde una mirada de país, pues constituye un eje central de la calidad de vida y del vínculo humano.

Friendship can be critical at any age but considering the gifts and challenges of twice-exceptional students, friends can be an essential element in navigating school years. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions that close friends of twice-exceptional students have about their friendship, characteristics, and how they relate to classmates and teachers. The sample was comprised of 17 students. Under a qualitative design, in-depth interviews were conducted with friends of students who were gifted with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or with autism spectrum disorder. Results showed a deep relationship, in which friends of twice-exceptional students were able to make a realistic depiction of them, which was based on empathy, common interests, and a connection that stems from facing adversity. The results are not only a contribution to current research but also take a positive and strengths-based angle not always found in the literature. Implications for practice and research were discussed.

Doble excepcionalidad: análisis exploratorio de experiencias y autoimagen en estudiantes chilenos

This study is about persistence and perceived difficulties of gifted students in college explored through sociodemographic and academic characteristics. Two hundred and nine nongifted and 45 gifted participated in the study. A persistence scale along with sociodemographic variables were used to compare both groups. The groups shared many sociodemographic characteristics, but significant differences were found for gifted students on precollege academic variables. The sociodemographic variable that affected student enrollment equally was financial aid. No differences were found between groups regarding persistence as a whole, except on academic development in college and relationships with faculty. Analyses of the open-ended question revealed that for gifted students the main difficulties were time management, weak study habits, and lack of content knowledge due to poor high school academic preparation. Initiatives for enhancing gifted students’ prior academic preparation and supporting their needs are discussed.