Schooling Options

Telescoping

Telescoping is when a student or group of students is allowed to complete several years of the school’s curriculum in less time. For example, Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 are completed in a total of three, rather than four years.

In a ‘telescoped’ curriculum material is not necessarily ‘skipped’ but students move more speedily through all material. In this way the needs of one or a number of gifted and high potential students may be met by eliminating repetition and considerably increasing the pace of instruction.

When to consider telescoping

In international studies, students in the accelerated classes outperformed students in the non-accelerated classes, who were equivalent in age and intelligence. (Rogers 2002)

Bearing in mind the work which must be undertaken to ‘telescope’ the curriculum, and considering the benefits of students working in a supportive group, telescoping can be considered an ideal option for a group or class of gifted and high potential students to work through the curriculum together. The Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) program in some Victorian secondary schools is an example of this.

More information about the Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) program