Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments split grade classes...?

Someone mentioned research to me that suggested that split grade levels (i.e. 3/4, 5/6) are better for gifted kids. I tend to question the source that shared the information. I wonder if it was being misconstrued to help substantiate their point, or if there is valid evidence to corroborate this position. This is specifically in regards to a self-contained class of "highly capable" students. Do these students specifically or dramatically benefit from a split class environment?

I wonder if the research spoke of the necessity for grouping based on level, and/or spoke of how these kids are multi-cognitive and asynchronous in their development and therefore can benefit by being in a split class (with older students)? Any thoughts? I did a few quick searches and could find nothing to validate the position that was shared with me. Either way, I would like to know.

Thanks for your help!!

I did a split first-second grade class as a first grader, then skipped into third in the fall. It was great! I did reading with the second graders. It gave more opportunity for more differentiation.

My ds-almost-7 is in a first-second split and will be again next year; all their classes are two-grade splits. Since his school ability groups independent of grade, it's worked well for him. We'll see next year, when half of his class will be younger than he...

My daughter, who read at 4 and had those very important coloring in the lines and drawing skills that my son didn't have, was in a 3/4 grade class when she was a third grader. She did very well academically and socially and she really liked that year, but after that year she became bored with school and by middle school she just wasn't interested in academics, at least the way she was being taught at her school. She tells me now that she thinks she had ADD because she just couldn't keep her mind on the boring lessons in class.

But I remember daydreaming a lot in public school and it got me through the boredom. I couldn't understand why my daughter couldn't do what I did. I could tune in to the lesson enough to get what I needed and then tune out into my more interesting thoughts about something else.
I recently overheard a conversation between my son and daughter. They were talking about how I can look them straight in the eyes and make them think I am listening to every word, when in reality I am thinking about something totally different. When my son realized I was doing this several years ago he would sometimes quiz me to see if I was really listening. He used to tell me all about Yu-Gi-Oh and Pokemon and I just could not keep my mind on what he was telling me, but I could remember just enough to answer some of his questions correctly.

Thanks for your replies!

The thing is, our district is going through budget cuts and is considering consolidating our split self-contained GIFTED classes (3/4 and 5/6) and making them single grade classes - thereby enabling the district to serve more students. However, by doing so, they will end up closing one of the sites that serve this community. The parents from that site are incredibly angry by the inconvenience this would make for them. As it is, the program is housed at three different elementary schools, and so many families already have to transport their children further than they would like.

Anyway, at a meeting of interested parents, one of them said that they found some research that proves that split classes are better for gifted children. However, they couldn't find the reference. They are trying to make a case to not change the set-up (even though more children will end up being served) because of the inconvenience for them.

My strong assumption is that the statement was in reference to something like what you all referenced previously. I too was in a "split grade" (reg ed) class in 5/6 and was only one of three 5th graders in the class. It was a wonderful year for me. However, I have never found research to indicate that in a self-contained GIFTED classroom a split would be preferable to a single grade class. If anyone has any information on research specific to this, I'd be most appreciative. I feel that these families are blinded by their own self-centered-ness and inconvenience. When my husband and I talked about the possibility of having to drive our daughter to stay in this program, we agreed that we would easily drive over an hour each way to keep her in such a program.

Anyway, thanks again for any info you might have!!