The thesis is a comprehensive research, within the framework of which the theoretical and methodological foundations of education of gifted schoolchildren in the USA, Canada and Great Britain are substantiated in order to determine the innovative potential of using progressive conceptual ideas of the experience of the studied countries in the practice of Ukrainian schooling. On the basis of methodological benchmarks of Ukrainian and foreign comparativists, the author’s methodological model of comparative-pedagogical research, which includes the target, theoretical-methodological, contextual, organizational-methodological, professional-pedagogical and productive-prognostic units had been developed and systematically applied, which made it possible to compare the specific characteristics of GT education in the USA, Canada and Great Britain, based on the analysis of facts and identification of the similarities. GT education is characterized as a social, educational and cultural phenomenon in the unity of its general characteristics with outlining of the theoretical-methodological, psychological-pedagogical, historical-pedagogical, organizational-pedagogical, professional-pedagogical and socio-pedagogical dimensions of consideration. The essence of the concept of “giftedness” is comprehensively disclosed through the use of multilevel conceptual-terminological tools at academic, normative and applied levels. The philosophical, psychological-pedagogical and neurobiological foundations of comparative-pedagogical study of GT education are outlined. The origins and genesis of gifted students’ education in the USA, Canada and Great Britain are revealed. The work of international and national organizations in the field of GT education in the conditions of globalization and integration transformations is covered. The stages of GT education development in the United States, Canada and Great Britain are substantiated – institutionalization of educational services (10–30s of the XX century); diversification of educational services (40–50s of the XX century); massivization of educational services (60–70s of the XX century); modernization of educational services (80–90s of the XX century); digitization of educational services (2000s – 10s of the XXI century). Based on generalization of organizational-methodological foundations, the current state of GT education in the United States, Canada and Great Britain (regulatory framework, procedures for identifying GT students, forms and methods of pedagogical support and innovative technologies for special educational services provision) is described. The peculiarities of professional-pedagogical training of GT teachers in the investigated countries are determined. Requirements for teachers working with gifted students are highlighted; the programs of GT teachers’ professional training in higher education institutions and models of professional development of GT teachers are outlined. The innovative potential of creative implementation in the national pedagogical theory and practice of the progressive experience of the USA, Canada and Great Britain in the sphere of GT education, taking into account the stages of its development in Ukraine, which had been distinguished on the basis of external (political, socio-economic and cultural changes in Ukrainian society) and internal criteria (essential changes in GT education) is found out, namely: 1) 20–40s of the XX century – creation of a system of out-of-school education for gifted students; 2) 50–60s of the XX century – differentiation of educational services for gifted students; 3) 70–80s of the XX century – individualization of educational services for gifted students; 4) 90s of the XX century – 2000s – transformation of the education system of gifted schoolchildren; 5) 10s of the XXI century – till now – modernization of the education system of gifted schoolchildren. The possibilities of creative use of the progressive experience of the studied countries in the normative-legal, theoretical-methodological, content-procedural, organizational-pedagogical, methodological and professional-pedagogical aspects at the national, local and institutional levels in Ukraine are determined.
