Is accelerating—or skipping a grade—a wise choice or not?
Is skipping a grade a good idea or not?
Some teachers, as well as parents, feel resistance when considering having gifted children skip a grade in primary education. They fear that there may be problems later on, especially during the transition to secondary education. Research indicates that this fear is unfounded, but that doesn't mean you can simply let your child skip a grade without careful consideration. There are several criteria to take into account before making a well-founded decision.
When and how do you decide if a child should accelerate? What criteria should you consider, and is there a procedure to support decision-making? Can a child handle acceleration socially or emotionally? Will there be no problems later, especially during adolescence?
Many are acquainted with acceleration primarily as skipping a year, like moving from 3rd to 5th grade. However, other forms exist. Entering elementary school a year earlier from kindergarten, referred to as early entrance, is also a form of acceleration. Subject acceleration, where the curriculum of a particular subject is taught at an accelerated pace due to significant cognitive advantage, such as in mathematics, is less recognized. Another less common form, largely due to practical hurdles, involves completing the curriculum of two grade levels within a single year.
Student criteria
The most cited reason for accelerating a student is due to a cognitive advantage. Naturally, you don't accelerate a child just because they are cognitively gifted; instead, you first assess whether they have an advantage and how significant it is. This can be done by conducting a comprehensive educational assessment either within the school itself or at an external agency. The child is tested on technical reading, comprehension, spelling, and mathematics using tests from the student tracking system (LVS) or other assessments. While it's more challenging to assess other subjects, you can usually assume that a cognitively gifted child, due to their extensive thirst for knowledge, likely knows more about social studies than what is typically offered in class.
When such an advantage spans at least 6 to 12 months, you may consider condensing two school years into one to ensure there are no gaps in their academic knowledge. However, if the advantage exceeds one year, it is advisable to skip a full academic year immediately.
Another crucial consideration is whether the child is socially and emotionally ready. If you notice your child playing more with older children at school and in extracurricular activities, if your child expresses a preference for being in a higher grade, or if your preschooler refers to their classmates as "babies," it may indicate that your child doesn't fit in with their peers. Accelerating is often necessary to ensure social cohesion. Placing your child among peers who are at a similar developmental level allows for better emotional connection and provides opportunities to practice social skills by interacting with developmental peers.
However, a pitfall for teachers is that a child who doesn't fit in with their peers may exhibit behavior that is mistakenly labeled as socially weak. The root cause of this maladaptive behavior lies in the child being advanced socially or emotionally as well. This pitfall can be avoided by increasing awareness of giftedness in schools, incorporating social and emotional development into the student tracking system, and possibly implementing a giftedness signaling protocol in the school.
The child's age can also factor into the decision to accelerate. A student born in January naturally enjoys a few months' developmental advantage over a student born in December; however, this doesn't imply that children born later in the year should not be considered for acceleration.
Moreover, the student's self-image is a key consideration, as a distorted self-image necessitates thorough guidance to manage acceleration effectively. If a child believes they excel in everything – 'I am the best' – and displays an arrogant demeanor, acceleration may help them develop a more realistic self-view. Conversely, if a child holds a negative self-image and sees themselves as 'weird', feeling like an outsider in their class, there's a risk that acceleration could exacerbate their feelings of inadequacy, leading to negative performance anxiety. Hence, comprehensive guidance before, during, and after acceleration is crucial.
Some cognitively gifted students may lack effective work and learning strategies due to a lack of cognitive stimulation. In such cases, it's vital to prioritize addressing this issue by providing more challenging tasks under the guidance of a teacher. Since this might be the first time these students confront their frustration levels and are prone to avoiding challenges if left optional, it's imperative to mandate the challenge. Additionally, given potential struggles with independent work due to a less developed attention span, guidance becomes essential. Therefore, if considering accelerating the student for the following year midway through the current year, it's important to focus on enhancing these strategies to ensure they are well-prepared for September.
Moreover, the presence of a learning or personality disorder can impede acceleration. In such instances, it's advisable to involve an expert in that specific area, ideally with knowledge of giftedness, in the decision-making process.
Lastly, the student's perspective on acceleration is a crucial factor to consider. While their opinion shouldn't be the sole determining factor, engaging in a conversation with the student is necessary to address any questions, uncertainties, or doubts they may have.
School criteria
The educational environment within a school significantly influences the outcome of acceleration. What are the teachers' attitudes towards accelerating students and (highly) gifted students in general? How do they perceive this? Can they let go of their preconceived notions and beliefs? The success of acceleration often relies on the support provided by the principal and the care coordinator.
Moreover, effective acceleration necessitates thorough guidance from both the departing and receiving teachers. Are these educators equipped to offer the necessary support? How is this implemented in practice, and how can the curriculum be adjusted to cultivate effective work and learning strategies? Are they acquainted with techniques like compacting and enrichment? Addressing curriculum gaps is crucial. While some children receive additional tutoring to ensure they start at the expected level in their new class, this approach should be sparingly used and only if necessary. For instance, teaching advanced writing skills to a child transitioning directly from preschool to the second grade. However, rote practice, such as memorizing multiplication tables, is generally unnecessary, as there is usually a review period in September and October, which proves adequate for gifted children to catch up.
As a teacher, it's important to consider that an accelerated child is younger and may not possess all the skills typically expected for their grade level. Avoid judging the child if they struggle with tasks like putting on their jacket, sitting still, or participating in gym class. Keep in mind that even an eight-year-old child in the 4th grade (group 6) may still have difficulty with tasks such as planning, checking their agenda, and remembering their swim bag. Offer guidance and support in these areas as much as possible!
When deciding on acceleration, you can work with the school and utilize the Acceleration Desirability Checklist developed by the CBO in Nijmegen, adapted to the Flemish context by the TALENT project. This checklist assigns weights to various criteria, helping you determine whether acceleration is recommended or not.
Parent criteria
Many parents harbor numerous questions, doubts, and concerns regarding the potential acceleration of their child. There's a risk of these doubts being passed on to their child. Hence, it's crucial for schools to engage in discussions with parents, covering the advantages and disadvantages of acceleration and the aforementioned criteria for it.
Both parents and teachers likely know someone who skipped a grade and faced challenges in high school, possibly leading to dropping out without a diploma. However, while these anecdotes may hold some truth, they shouldn't be used as definitive proof of inevitable failure. Research on the effects of accelerating gifted students indicates the opposite, with predominantly positive outcomes observed. Further information on this can be accessed on the project TALENT website under the acceleration theme.
"Struggling with decision-making? Our experts can help you!"
Making this decision isn't straightforward, particularly if the school has reservations. If you're uncertain and lack confidence in your decision, consulting one of our coaches can be helpful. They can assess your child, utilize the Acceleration Desirability Checklist, and even join you in discussions with the school to provide additional support. Keep in mind, that choosing not to accelerate also has implications for your child!
In our list of partners, you'll find their services listed under their names. Seek out a coach in your area who offers acceleration support and reach out to them for an initial consultation.
Copyright © 2023 dr. Sabine Sypré, Hoogbloeier® cvba –All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other method, without the prior written permission of the author. Sharing online is permitted provided the author is credited and a link to this article is included.
