Benbow, C.P., Argo, T.A. & Glass, L.W. (1992) Meeting the needs of the gifted in rural areas through acceleration. The Gifted Child Today, 15 (2), 15-19.

"Because providing an appropriate education to gifted students living in rural areas is especially difficult, they tend to be underserved. ... Acceleration might be the optimal means of meeting the needs of gifted students in rural areas, just as it was the trusted option relied upon by the teacher in the one-room schoolhouse to challenge his or her gifted students." (p.19)

 

Board of Studies (1993) Higher School Certificate Distinction Courses: Course Outlines. North Sydney: NSW Board of Studies. (CR371.262/H638yd)

Provides detailed course outlines of three Distinction Courses for students who have accelerated: 'Philosophy', 'Comparative Literature' and 'Cosmology'.

 

Boslough, J. (1984) Challenging the brightest. Psychology Today, 18 (6), 28-33.

Outlines programs at Johns Hopkins University Centre for the Advancement of Academically Talented Youths and at Duke University (Talent Identification Program)

 

Brody, L.E. & Benbow, C.P. (1987) Accelerative strategies: How effective are they for the gifted? Gifted Child Quarterly, 31 (3), 105-110.

"The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth (SMPY) has evaluated the long-term effects of a variety of accelerative options for a group of highly gifted students. Academic achievements, extracurricular activities, goals and aspirations, and social and emotional adjustment were considered, and no discernible negative effects of various accelerative strategies were found." (p.105)

 

Charlton, J.C., Marolf, D.M. & Stanley, J.C. (1994) Follow-up insights on rapid educational acceleration. Roeper Review, 17 (2), 123-130.

Two successful former 'radical accelerants' "are convinced, and are convincing, that rapid progress through school grades all the way to the Ph.D. degree is the nearly optimal way for persons like themselves to enrich their education and prepare for adulthood. All three speakers agreed, however, that extremely fast educational advancement might not be the ideal curriculum path for some equally capable boys and girls." (p.123)

 

Christie, W. (1994) Who's afraid of acceleration? Gifted, 83, 17-19.

Combines an overview of research evidence with two case study examples from the writer's own experience.

 

Cornell, D.G., Callahan, C.M. & Loyd, B.H. (1991) Personality growth of female early college entrants: A controlled, prospective study. Gifted Child Quarterly, 35 (3), 135-143.

"The present study examined the adjustment of 33 female accelerants by administering the California Psychological Inventory at the beginning and end of their first academic year in a residential early college entrance program. Accelerants evidenced a surprisingly consistent pattern of healthy personality growth over the course of the year. Similar growth was not observed in a control group of capable nonaccelerants attending traditional high schools." (p.135)

 

Cummins, P. (1995) A course of distinction. Gifted, 89, 19-21.

Discusses the Distinction Courses available to accelerated students at senior high school level in NSW schools.

 

Elmore, R.F. & Zenus, V. (1994) Enhancing social-emotional development of middle school gifted students. Roeper Review, 16 (3), 182-185. [See under Grouping]

 

Feldhusen, J.F. (1992) Early admission and grade advancement for young gifted learners. The Gifted Child Today, 15 (2), 45-49.

"With regard to social-emotional problems and motivation, a more salient question to ask is what are the risks of not advancing the child. The excruciating daily boredom (Feldhusen and Kroll, 1985), the problems of dealing with peers who are less mature intellectually, and the learning to get by easily may produce serious social-emotional problems. For some highly gifted students there can be clear social ostracism because of the child's advanced interests and precocious verbal behaviors." (p.46)

 

Feldhusen, J.F., Proctor, T.B. & Black, K.N. (1986) Guidelines for grade advancement of precocious children. Roeper Review, 9 (1), 25-27.

Twelve guidelines derived from personal experience and the research literature are outlined - e.g. "8. Public school teachers are sometimes unduly pessimistic about children's social-emotional maturity." (p.26) "10. All cases of grade advancement should be arranged on a trial basis." (p.27)

 

George, W.C., Cohn, S.J. & Stanley, J.C. (Eds) (1979) Educating the Gifted: Acceleration and Enrichment. Baltimore: John Hopkins Univ. Press. (371.95/H996E 1979)

"The purpose of this book ... is to set forth clearly the positions of the partisans in the acceleration-enrichment debate." (p.5) Contains 4 papers on enrichment, 5 on acceleration, a research review and a symposium where various aspects of the debate are discussed.

 

Gibson, K. (1993) Curriculum compacting. Gifted, 78, 10-12.

Discusses 'What is curriculum compacting?', 'Why use curriculum compacting?', and 'How is curriculum compacting implemented?'

 

Gross, M.U.M. (1992) The use of radical acceleration in cases of extreme intellectual precocity. Gifted Child Quarterly, 36 (2), 91-99.

"This paper reviews the school histories of five extremely gifted children, of IQ 160-200, who have been radically accelerated. ... Prior to their acceleration ... they suffered severe intellectual frustration, boredom, lack of motivation, and social rejection by age-peers, and displayed significantly lowered levels of social self-esteem. ... [After a combination of grade-skipping and radical subject acceleration] the young accelerands are more stimulated intellectually, enjoy closer and more productive social relationships, and display healthier levels of social self-esteem than do equally gifted children who have been retained with age-peers of average ability." (p.91)

 

Hannon, K. (1995) Research based answers to five commonly asked questions about acceleration. Gifted, 88, 11-16.

Provides a succinct summary of the research evidence on acceleration, along with reference to current practice at his own Sydney comprehensive high school, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College, Kensington.

 

Heinbokel, A. (1997) Acceleration through grade skipping in Germany. High Ability Studies, 8 (1), 61-77.

"Although public and professional opinion on grade skipping is quite negative, there are no German studies that support this view. Schools, parents and grade skippers themselves reported next to no academic problems; if there were emotional and social problems, it was not clear whether they were actually caused by this form of acceleration, by individual, private problems or by an unsympathetic environment. This is an area that calls for more research. Attempts to increase the number of grade skippers in grammar schools were not successful." (p.61)

 

Hoekman, K. (1994) The tyranny of chronological age. Gifted, 82, 17-19.

"The guidelines for accelerated progression now facilitate the demise in NSW of the 'tyranny of chronological age'. However, the idea is bound to be met with a degree of scepticism by some. It therefore seems an appropriate time to examine how the lock-step progression according to chronological age gained a stranglehold on the education system of NSW in the first place." (p.17)

 

James, M.W. (1991) The challenge of Melissa. The Gifted Child Today, 14 (6), 50-51.

Outlines a case study of a highly able kindergarten girl who was a fluent reader when she started school and who was grade skipped into second grade at the end of her kindergarten year.

 

Janos, P.M. & Robinson, N.M. (1985) The performance of students in a program of radical acceleration at the university level. Gifted Child Quarterly, 29 (4), 175-179.

Found that "under propitious circumstances, certain students who matriculate before the age of 15 can perform well academically at the university level and report satisfaction with its intellectual challenge." (p.178)

 

Janos, P.M., Robinson, N.M., et al. (1988) A cross-sectional development study of the social relations of students who enter college early. Gifted Child Quarterly, 32 (1), 210-215.

Based on data from 63 students who entered college at age 14 or younger. "The study suggests that, when provisions are made for regular contact with intellectually comparable age mates, early entrants prefer, at first, to develop relationships with each other rather than with college students of regular age" but by the beginning of their third year at the university "there appears to be a marked expansion in the range of ages represented among friends." (p.215)

 

Jones, E.D. & Southern, W.T. (1994) The Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 5 (4), 60-66.

"It is imperative for rural communities to employ all the resources at their disposal to develop the best range of accelerative options possible. In order to accomplish this, educational leaders need to first recognize that attitudinal barriers probably exist and will need to be addressed directly." (p.62) Nine steps in this process are suggested.

 

Kolitch, E.R. & Brody, L.E. (1992) Mathematics acceleration of highly talented students: An evaluation. Gifted Child Quarterly, 36 (2), 78-86. [See under Maths]

 

Leal, D., Kearney, C. & Kearney, K. (1995) The world's youngest university graduate. Gifted Child Today, 18 (5), 26-31, 41.

"These four unusual abilities, to intuit knowledge, to learn from diverse sources, to interact at multiple ability levels, and to try out theories in unusual ways, have propelled Michael ahead to learn all that was required for his first university degree, and more. His rage to learn continues. ... Having completed all the requirements for high school by six and a B.A. by 10 are unprecedented accomplishments that Michael selected, worked hard for, and attained." (p.31)

 

Lewis, G. (1984) Alternative to acceleration for the highly gifted child. Roeper Review, 6 (3), 133-136.

"Case studies of two highly gifted pre-schoolers demonstrate the widely varying abilities of children at the higher ends of the intelligence scales. The article discusses pitfalls in providing programs for the highly gifted and warns that acceleration is not enough." (p.133)

 

 McCluskey, K.W., Baker, P.A. & Massey, K.J. (1996) A twenty-four year longitudinal look at early entrance to kindergarten. Gifted and Talented International, 11 (2), 72-75.

'For twenty-four years, the Lord Selkirk School Division (Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada) has had a policy whereby some students are accepted for early entrance into kindergarten. A longitudinal study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of these early entrance students over the years. Educators' ratings indicated that 41% [of the 54 students] fared exceptionally well in school, 39% performed solidly, and 20% did poorly.' (p.72)

 

Merlin, D.S. (1998) Continued adventures in acceleration - The high school experience: A mother's perspective. Our Gifted Children, 4 (7), 14-17.

Her 'suggestions for parents' include: 'Even if your child excels in everything, find one or two subjects of particular interest and attention. The initial radical acceleration in math and French lent credibility to what Jessica was doing and provided a "niche" for her to feel at home.
Plan your child's high school education while he or she is in elementary or middle school.
Consider radical acceleration earlier rather than later. In Jessica's case, it would have been better for her to skip several years in elementary school and complete more years in high school at a younger age. ...
Explain your child's situation to teachers and educators. Do not assume they know. ...
Support and cherish your child's differences, with your child and others. No matter how unusual something sounds, believe your child.
Never give up your crucial advocacy role. If you won't be an advocate for your child, no one will.' (pp.16-17)

 

Merlin, D.S. (1995) Adventures in acceleration: A mother's perspective. Gifted Child Today, 18 (4), 14-17.

"Through the guidance of several skilled educators, Jessica has accelerated several times in different ways." (p.14) Details are discussed and advice offered to parents considering acceleration.

 

Obrzut, A., Nelson, R.B. & Obrzut, J.E. (1984) Early school entrance for intellectually superior children: An analysis. Psychology in the Schools, 21 (1), 1984, 71-77.

"The findings in this study suggest that early school admission for intellectually superior children may place them 'at risk' in the social - emotional area of development. Nonetheless, these children appear to benefit from the academic stimulation." (p.76)

 

Olszewski-Kubilius, P. (1995) A summary of research regarding early entrance to college. Roeper Review, 18 (2), 121-126.

"Research results suggest that early entrants continue to achieve at high levels in college. Also, most students make the adjustment to the social scene on campus easily and have friendships with typically aged college students. Research suggests that early entrants tend to continue on to graduate school and use the time gained from early entrance for further academic opportunities." (p.121)

 

Reis, S.M. (1992) Curriculum Compacting. (CR371.953/R375c)

A 55-minute video on which Sally Reis summarises research on curriculum compacting and invites teachers to discuss how they put it into practice.

 

Reis, S.M., Burns, D.E. & Renzulli, J.S. (1993) Curriculum Compacting: The Complete Guide to Modifying the Regular Curriculum for High Ability Students. Melbourne: Hawker Brownlow Education. (CR371.953/R375c)

"Curriculum compacting, as presented in this book, has been field tested since 1975. It can be used with individuals and groups of students with above-average ability in any academic, artistic or vocational area." (p.2)

 

Reis, S.M. & Purcell, J.H. (1993) An analysis of content elimination and strategies used by elementary classroom teachers in the curriculum compacting process. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 16 (2), 147-170.

"Curriculum compacting is an instructional strategy that can be used by classroom teachers to modify and/or eliminate curriculum material that has already been mastered, or can be mastered in a fraction of the time, by students of above average ability. ... Results suggest that elementary teachers are able to eliminate between 24-70% of the curriculum across content areas for more capable students." (p.147)

 

Reis, S.M., Westberg, K.L., Kulikowich, J., Caillard, F., Hébert, T., Plucker, J., Purcell, J.H., Rogers, J.B. & Smist, J.M. (1993) Why Not Let High Ability Students Start School in January? The Curriculum Compacting Study. Storrs: National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. (Q371.956/R43293106)

"The results of this study indicate that the compacting process can be implemented in a wide variety of settings with positive effects for both students and teachers." (p.v)

 

 Reis, S.M., Westberg, K.L., Kulikowich, J.M. & Purcell, J.H. (1998) Curriculum compacting and achievement test scores: What does the research say? Gifted Child Quarterly, 42 (2), 123-129.

'The research presented in this article suggests that elementary teachers can preassess students' prior knowledge of content, eliminate portions of the curriculum that students already know, replace those portions with various types of interdisciplinary learning activities, and remain reasonably confident that students' achievement test scores will not decline.

Furthermore, it should be noted that students' scores did not decline, even when the replacement material is not within the same content area, rather in students' interest areas.' (p.129)

 

Renzulli, J.S., Smith, L.H. & Reis, S.M. (1982) Curriculum compacting: An essential strategy for working with gifted students. The Elementary School Journal, 82 (3), 185-194.

Argues that "any child (regardless of test scores) who can cover regular curriculum material in a more compact and streamlined fashioned should be given the opportunity to do so, provided, of course, that acceleration does not cause undue stress or emotional problems for the child." (p.186) Outlines a systematic plan for achieving this.

 

Rimm, S.B. & Lovance, K.J. (1992) How acceleration may prevent underachievement syndrome. The Gifted Child Today, 15 (2), 9-14. [See under Underachievement - General]

 

Rimm, S.B. & Lovance, K.J. (1992) The use of subject and grade skipping for the prevention and reversal of underachievement. Gifted Child Quarterly, 36 (2), 100-105.

"Fourteen sets of parents and 11 students were interviewed to determine their perceptions of the effectiveness of the acceleration strategy. All the parents and all the students indicated they would make the same decision again. ... There appeared to be a period (between one quarter and a semester) during which teachers expressed concern over the students' adjustment, but students did not perceive themselves as having adjustment difficulties." (p.100)

 

Sayler, M.F. & Brookshire, W.K. (1993) Social, emotional, and behavioral adjustment of accelerated students, students in gifted classes, and regular students in eighth grade. Gifted Child Quarterly, 37 (4), 150-154.

"Results indicated that accelerated students and students in gifted classes had better perceptions of their social relationships and emotional development and tended to have fewer serious school behavior problems than regular students. Contrary to commonly held beliefs, most students who entered school early or skipped elementary grades did not report unusual social isolation or experience profound emotional difficulties. They had serious behavioral problems less frequently than regular students." (p.150)

 

Sayler, M.F. & Lupkowski, A.E. (1992) Early entrance to college: Weighing the options. The Gifted Child Today, 15 (2), 24-29.

"The experiences of many early college entrants and much research have shown that most early entrants to college are successful. Some individuals, though, do encounter difficulties." (p.27) Offers ten guidelines, based upon research with early entrants; e.g., "Students considering early entrance should look at their personal organizational skills." "Early entrants should avoid publicity about their decision." (p.27)

 

Sharkey, O.C. (1987) Tony Lai, age 14, B.Sc., prodigy. Roeper Review, 10 (2), 94-96.

"Tony arrived at university at 11 years of age after five years of school. Three years later he graduated with a B.Sc. and the Governor General's Medal for the highest marks in four years of university." (p.94)

 

Southern, W.T. & Jones, E.D. (Eds) (1991) The Academic Acceleration of Gifted Children. New York: Teachers College Press. (371.95/A168)

" ... the value of the present volume derives not only from its summary of what we know about acceleration but also ... from the fact that it underscores what we do not know." (p.viii)

Includes chapters on 'Academic acceleration: Background and issues', 'Selection of candidates for early admission to kindergarten and first grade', 'Objections to early entrance and grade skipping', 'Affective development in accelerated students', 'Young college students: Assessing factors that contribute to success', 'Identification of candidates for acceleration: Issues and concerns', 'Practical concerns in assessment and placement in academic acceleration', and 'Evaluation of acceleration programs'.

 

Southern, W.T. & Jones, E.D. (1992) The real problems with academic acceleration. The Gifted Child Today, 15 (2), 34-38.

"All the participants in the decisions seem to have reservations about acceleration. Like surgery, it is viewed as a treatment of last resort." (p.35) Identifies real and imagined problems and suggests five areas that planning should address.

 

Southern, W.T., Jones, E.D. & Fiscus, E.D. (1989) Practitioner objections to the academic acceleration of gifted children. Gifted Child Quarterly, 33 (1), 29-35.

"The major concern of all groups is the potential for harm to the social and emotional development of accelerants,, though coordinators of programs for gifted and talented show significantly more positive views toward early admission and acceleration along every dimension. Prior experience (self or family member) with acceleration was most highly related to positive attitude toward the practice." (p.29)

 

Stanley, B.S.K. et al. (1984) Colin Camerer: The early professional years of a radical educational accelerant. G/C/T, 33, 33-35.

"The primary concerns most people hold regarding acceleration are the possible problems in social and emotional adjustment. Colin holds an antithetical view to this and states quite eloquently that he found social adjustment somewhat difficult and would have even without acceleration." (p.35)

 

Stark, E.W. & Stanley, J.C. (1978) Bright youths dispel persistent myths about intellectual talent: Panel discussion with parents and educators. Gifted Child Quarterly, 22 (2), 220-234.

Excerpts from a panel discussion featuring mathematically able youths who had experienced educational acceleration.

 

Starko, A.J. (1993) It's About Time. Melbourne: Hawker Brownlow Education. (CR375/S975i, 1993)

Subtitled 'Inservice strategies for curriculum compacting', this book provides a 25-page overview of compacting followed by masters designed for use as transparencies or handouts.

 

Swiatek, M.A. (1994) Accelerated students' self-esteem and self-perceived personality characteristics. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 5 (4), 35-41.

"The subjects are gifted individuals who either did or did not accelerate their educations. Global self-esteem was measured in both groups when the individuals were 13 years old (i.e., upon identification as 'gifted'), and again when they were 18 years old. The results showed no differential change in self-esteem scores according to acceleration status. In addition, individuals' self-perceptions of various personality characteristics were measured and compared over the same time period. Again, no differential changes according to acceleration status were found. Therefore, it appears that the experience of acceleration has no lasting relationship with changes in global self-esteem or self-perception." (p.35)

 

Swiatek, M.A. & Benbow, C.P. (1991) Ten-year longitudinal follow-up of ability-matched accelerated and unaccelerated gifted students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83 (4), 528-538.

"At age 23 few significant differences were found between the groups for the individual academic and psychological variables studied. Both the accelerates and the nonaccelerates reported impressive academic achievements, as well as high personal satisfaction with school and self. When academic variables are considered as a group, the performance of accelerates is slightly higher than that of nonaccelerates. In both accelerated and unaccelerated groups, male students pursued mathematics/science more vigorously than did female students, but there was no diffential response to acceleration on the basis of gender. The findings do not support the common concern that gifted students may be harmed by accelerative experiences." (p.528)

 

Williams, M. (1984) Diamond in the rough. G/C/T, 33, 21-23.

A case study of the successful acceleration of a very bright young boy - "Jonathan could already do everything covered in first grade, and school was only a few weeks old." (p.21)

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