Reading Assignments

Acceleration is a concept that is not new in education, and has frequently met much resistance. It is a strategy that allows a student to progress through school at a faster pace than the regular education student. Critics of acceleration point to emotional development and the need to be with age appropriate peers as two of the bigger issues standing against it. However, those who support acceleration have much research to show that, by and large, students who are carefully (and thoughtfully) accelerated do well in school and are typically much happier since they are being challenged by their academic environment.

No study of acceleration would be complete, however, without first reading A Nation Deceived, the Templeton Report on Acceleration in the United States, completed in 2004. This report presents a compelling case for acceleration as policy and answers the ‘myths’ regarding acceleration.

Section One - Please read the following for this topic:

A Nation Deceived, Chapters 1, 2, 12, & 13
The link above will direct you to a modified PDF containing only the required reading passages. If you would like to read the entire 82 page document in PDF you may download directly from the website.

The NAGC Position Statement on Acceleration

 

Section Two - In addition to the reading above, read any two (2) of the following articles:

Should Gifted Students Be Grade-Advanced? (Lynch)

Acceleration (Elkind)

Radical acceleration and early entry to college: A review of the research (Gross and Van Vliet)

Types of acceleration and their effectiveness (Bailey, et.al.)

Susan and Goliath (Reed)

When Schools Fail: Is Homeschooling Right For You and Your Highly Gifted Child? (Morse)

In a Class by Themselves Stanford University Magazine November/December 2000

If there are other articles or resources you would like to read regarding Acceleration and/or Homeschooling that are not listed here, please contact your instructor before you read.