Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Subject acceleration and differentation?

What are your opinions on subject acceleration and differentation? If I understand correctly subject acceleration is when the child visits a higher grade level for that subject. Is that right? Differentation is where the teacher provides different work for the child? Who instigates the accommodation?

Did either of these methods work for your child?

I have a meeting with ds's teacher tomorrow. I am nervous.

TIA

Your definitions are correct, as I understand it. You can look at "A Nation Deceived" for explanations. Our school refused to do subject acceleration and our teacher last year wouldn't differentiate (at least not so that we could tell). Sometimes the 3 gifted kids were given extra homework projects - like a diorama or report with prop but I don't really see that as differentation. Sorry I'm not much help.

I think you have to instigate the accommodation unless the teacher really understands gifted education and your child.

Good luck.

Hi xoxosmom,

You are correct in your understanding of subject acceleration. The school decided to subject accelerate DS7 last year in language arts. He went to a 2nd grade class for L.A. in the morning and then back to his 1st grade class for all the other subjects. I don't really think it was too ideal for him since both of his teachers were new to the school and out for various trainings (and it was never made too clear on where he should go if there was a substitute). There were other times when the 2nd graders were doing state testing and he ended up missing a week or more of class. Other times there were assemblies or events where the schedule changed so he missed out again.
I think if he was allowed to spend the whole time in 2nd grade (with a grade skip) he would have been much happier since his 1st grade class was chaotic and the teacher had some difficult kids to deal with. He also really needed to start the class right at the start of school (it didn't start until almost the end of October which made it more difficult).
Differentiation of curriculum has never come up so I don't have experience with that.
I would say that both you and the teacher could have ideas ready to discuss for acommodation. It sounds like you have been doing a bit of reading which always helps.
Good luck!

A good book about differentiation is Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom.

In my experience, it's very hard to get truly differentiated instruction. Our school supposedly does differentiation in K-3. But what I have seen was a token effort at best.

My son has been accelerated, both whole grade and by subject, because that is typically the easiest way for the school to accommodate the learning needs. Differentiation takes a lot more work on the teacher's part, as opposed to just moving the child into a different class.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. You should investigate what the school's resources are, what they are most comfortable with, the teachers who would be doing differentiation and/or accepting your child into a higher level grade/class, and what your child's needs are. It really is an individualized decision.

Ultimately, subject acceleration in math wasn't enough for my son. He needed individualized instruction. Also, whole grade acceleration hasn't been enough. We are now waiting for a meeting this month to discuss either subject acceleration in other subjects or differentiation in the 3rd grade classroom. What we come up with will depend on how the teachers and school administration respond.

When DS was in 5th grade, he was differentiated in English and subject accelerated (and compacted) in Math.

His teacher knew him from another situation and knew what he was capable of. She was really excited to teach him English and she found books that she wanted to teach him. For example, she gave him an anthology of essays from the founding fathers and had him read them, answer essay questions, and put together a poster on the revolution. This was timed to go with the curriculum that she was doing with the rest of the class. It worked really well.

But the teacher was nervous about her ability to offer math at his level. We were able to work with our state's online charter school and we enrolled him in just the math class. I prepared assignments for him including letting him test out sections he already knew. He did 2 years of math in one year and was ready to start Algebra once he got to middle school. since it was through the charter school, he got credit for the math classes, just through a different school.

Because math has a more set sequence, I felt better about doing acceleration for him in math since we didn't have a teacher who felt that she could give him more depth.

With reading and English, there is so much to read and write, I felt comfortable with letting him explore and go into more depth with his enthusiastic teacher and didn't care that he wasn't officially moving ahead.

I think the key for us was working with the resources that we had, the teacher's strengths, DS's interests etc. There is no cookie-cutter answer. Look at what you have available and what your child's needs are and see if they can be arranged in a way that works for your DC.

That's not quite right, although that is certianly how subject acceleration is usually done. Subject acceleration is anything that allows a child to move through the normal curriculum in less than the normal amount of time. Online classes count if the school accepts them as substitutes for the regular class. Working alone, or with a Mentor in the back of the classroom with a Math book from a higher grade and then getting to test out of a grade of math is another example of subject acceleration.

Our school's policy in the elementary years is to offer Differentiation. To them it means that the same old material will be covered at the same pace, only in more depth, perhaps using higher order level of thinking skills. Reading groups are a familiar example of differentiation. I got Wienbrenner's book and cryed my way through it, to think that a classroom could be run so beautifully and respectfully. The problem is that this approach places more work on the teacher than most teachers could possibly do, and also, that once the year is over, the student and advocate are back at square one.

I've heard a Mom's rule of thumb, that differentiation works when the grade is within 2 years of the child's readiness level. Most effective teachers will do differentiation to some degree, but getting differentiation alone to work for HG/PG kids is 'unlikely.' But it makes for wonderful Public Relations.

I think that a combination of all the various stratagies is best, as so much depends on the child.

Good luck on your meeting tommorow. Remember to pace yourself. Things rarely are 'all or nothing' with school meetings. Bring a pad and take notes, and bribe yourself to type the notes up later. It's really helpful to drop an email to the teacher and say, "This is what I heard you saying, do I have it right?"

Good luck,
Grinity