Could COVID-19 Actually Benefit the Gifted Learner?

Is it time to accelerate?

Source: Photo by Saffu on Unsplash

Things this fall in school are going to get crazy. Schedules for students, at this point, will most likely be modulated on a weekly basis at the very least. Schools and students have been forced to go virtual for quite a while—typically by mixing the week with some face-to-face teacher content and the rest of the instruction being offered online. For gifted students, this has the potential to be a very real opportunity. Could this be an opportunity for acceleration?

Let’s do the basics first. What do we even mean by this term? Acceleration entails studying content earlier or at a faster pace than most students. There are a number of ways that this can be done.

Students could be admitted to school programs or grade levels at a younger age than usual. Students might study one (on more) subjects at a grade level higher than their regular homeroom class. Students might look to grade skip, moving for example from 3rd grade to 5th. Gifted or advanced students might “collapse” grades in which case they, for instance, could opt to complete three years of middle school in just two years, or complete four years of high school in just three. Finally, accelerated students may try dual enrollment, in which case they might, say, enroll in classes at a community college while still in high school, receiving that credit towards high school graduation.

The possible benefit of the online platforms or virtual learning experiences is that all of these are potentially easier to take advantage of since most courses or units of instruction are typically organized by modules. Why couldn’t an advanced learner, for example, enroll in Mr. Willet’s 7th-grade math class for a unit on quadratic equations—especially when it’s clear that this student doesn’t need the review she’ll get of fractions in her 6th-grade class?

An essential element to making these kinds of decisions centers on answering the following question: Why should he or she be accelerated? There are two reasons to consider advancing a student in any number of the ways previously mentioned. First, students who are accelerated need to be offered this option in order to provide them with a learning environment in which others are working at a similar academic level. Secondly, accelerated students really need to streamline or shorten their course of study so that they are able to move from the typical content to higher academic opportunities like mentorships, internships, employment, or any number of other experiences that life offers sooner rather than later.

To help think through this, here are some factors to consider when thinking about whether or not content acceleration is wise or a good fit for the gifted learner.

• Is the student performing several grades beyond their age level? If so—that is, if grade skipping is being considered—performance should be considered advanced across multiple subject areas.
• As discussed in a previous article, is there a match benefit to the social and emotional needs of the student? The student really needs to be able to adjust to the new setting, format, and new classmates who likely are more mature.
• What is the attitude of the student who may be accelerated? Truly, the student needs to be eager and willing to move forward in school. Typically this is not an issue as he or she may, in fact, be bored or left feeling unchallenged by the current curriculum.

Research on acceleration tends to show a positive impact on academic achievement. Put another way, accelerated students do as well or better than other equally adept pupils who are not given acceleration opportunities. Naturally, this is not a guarantee, so carefully considering the questions listed above are critical to determining which acceleration options might be a good match for the student’s cognitive and social-emotional needs. If a child is socially as well as intellectually mature, he or she should have little trouble finding a peer group among other students. Clubs, sports, service groups, and other interest-based opportunities can increase the chances of finding friendly and meaningful relationships.

Just like any other student, the needs of gifted children will inevitably change over time. It’s possible that skipping a grade entirely or just in a single subject might be meaningless if the content remains undifferentiated. Parents should be vigilant and advocate for their child, demanding a challenging and appropriate program of study that ensures that the person’s needs are being met.