Accelerated Progression Theories

Gifted education strategies are informed by accelerated progression models. One such model is the developmental concept of giftedness. This model "acknowledges the influence and importance of the environment on a child's performance and stresses the crucial role regular classroom teacher in the development of talented behavior" (Braggett, 1997). This theory is simple, but it has important implications for the early development of gifted students.

In many instances, gifted programs are not available until older ages, but it is important for the development of gifted students that they have support in the earlier stages of education. In a first grade classroom, the regular classroom teacher can still play a critical role in the development of talents of gifted children. Another model that can be applied is Gagne's differentiated model of giftedness and talent.

Gagne argues that there is a meaningful difference between "behaviors that appear spontaneously easy and those that require mastery through extensive training" (TIP, 2011). One of the elements of Gagne's model is that there are two types of gifted children, those who excel and those who are underachievers. He argued for different pathways for the two groups. Only achieving children should be included in academic talent development programs, a theory that basically takes those gifted students who are farthest ahead (i.e.

bored the most) and holds back their progress to leaving them out of the gifted pathway. There would be significant implications for the early childhood educator here. The first is that students would be "triaged" at a young age in terms of both their giftedness but also their socioemotional state and learning difficulties (Wellisch & Brown, 2012). Embedded here is the distinction between giftedness and talentedness, which is basically the output of giftedness.

Those students who are able to reach a high level of achievement in their giftedness are supported in those model, but it seems that those who do not are basically left to their own devices -- to continue to be a squandered resource through inadequate support. This model is really not one that I would want to implement in my classroom, writing off gifted students in Grade One because they are bored or awkward. Other models also focus on identification of gifted students at this age.

The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth model is a good example (Anderson, 2013). This model seeks to identify those students who are gifted in mathematics and begin providing them with accelerated instruction at an early age. With a planned course for these students, they will be able to excel, and move more quickly through the mathematics curriculum, better preparing them for much more advanced material as they get older.

The common trait in these models is the need to identify gifted students early, grade one being a good time, and then to get that into accelerated learning programs. The students need to have their natural ability identified, and then the teachers and the education system will need to nurture that ability. This can happen by moving them more quickly through the curriculum, providing these students with the support that they need, and surrounding them with peers who can challenge them, and make them feel more comfortable.

The identification process itself has several different models, and the grade one teacher should be familiar with some of these, in order to best identify those students that have gifts. This is critical at the early stages of education, because the students can be set on a positive path early, and get them progressing more quickly. The only idea of these theories that I would have to reject is the idea that gifted children who are underachieving should be taken out.