Schooling Options
Single-subject acceleration (or Advanced offerings in a specific subject)
Single-subject acceleration allows a student who has demonstrated that they have advanced knowledge and skills in a particular domain to access a curriculum at least one year in advance of their current year-for-age level. Where a student has specific talents in a subject area, such as mathematics or languages, single-subject acceleration may be beneficial to the student’s overall academic achievement and school satisfaction.
Example
A student in Year 3 displays a keen interest and aptitude in Japanese. The Year 3 teacher plans a program of Japanese study which is designed to broaden the language base of the student with advanced content, but also provides a learning framework for the student to gain skills in grammatical structures. The student may undertake research-type projects on negotiated topics.
When to consider single-subject acceleration
Students most suitable for this option are usually of above average ability, working well in most subjects, and displaying a real interest in the particular domain. Ideally the student should have demonstrated significant skills (perhaps as much as two year levels above their current level) in this subject. The student should have demonstrated sound study attitudes and be capable of working independently.
How single-subject acceleration works
The student might physically go to a higher class (if block or vertical timetabling is in place in the school), or the student may work on the advanced material in their current classroom. The instance of a primary student who may go to a nearby high school for some classes or instruction, or a high school student who may attend university, is considered in the section under Concurrent Enrolment.
Few schools operate on block timetabling. It is therefore likely that the student will be utilising self-contained materials, prepared by subject-specific teachers in a higher year level, whilst being supervised by their own (lower-year level) teachers. As such, particularly in the case of primary school children, a sound assessment of the student needs to take into account that the student is, in fact, capable of this independent learning and self-directed study.
More information about Concurrent Enrolment
Key elements in the research
In Victoria for Year 10 students may undertake VCE studies one year ahead of their current year level. There has been a steady growth in the number of schools that allow their high potential Year 10 students to undertake one, sometimes, two Unit 1 and 2 VCE subjects.
When this curriculum option is put into place with gifted and high potential students, international research, most recently by Rogers (2002), suggests sound academic achievement gains are made in the specific subject and more broadly across all areas.