"Smutny has assembled a group of colleagues who bring very practical and useful insights to this issue and suggest practices that will make the use of this important curricular modification justifiable, manageable, and, most of all, normal. Acceleration is not treated as a strategy of last resort but as a logical and reasonable way to acknowledge and provide for the growth and continuous progress of all children. By broadening the idea of acceleration as a way to meet academic, emotional, and social needs, the book turns the concerns about acceleration into strengths."
-Barbara Clark, Professor Emeritus, California State University, Los Angeles
"A well-written, extremely useful guide for parents and educators who wish to provide gifted students an opportunity to learn at a pace and level appropriate to their abilities. Offers valuable insight on the social and emotional aspects of effective acceleration."
-Jan Davidson, President and Cofounder, Davidson Institute for Talent Development
Coauthor, Genius Denied: How to Stop Wasting Our Brightest Young Minds
Raise the bar on accelerated learning and discover new possibilities that go beyond minimum proficiency!
Written for K-5 teachers, this practical guide corrects misunderstandings in the field of acceleration and provides the tools necessary to effectively determine the most appropriate learning options for gifted students. Through real-life stories, well-known authors in gifted education Joan Franklin Smutny, Sally Y. Walker, and Elizabeth A. Meckstroth, dispel the common myths about acceleration and describe what it is, what forms it takes, and what it can do for gifted learners-intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
Presenting nuts-and-bolts guidance, this valuable resource provides:
- Numerous case studies, helpful checklists, and reproducible forms
- Prevailing theories and current research
- Social-emotional aspects of acceleration practices
- Instructional strategies for implementation in various school settings
- Learning opportunities for underserved groups, such as multicultural and urban students
- Bibliographies and helpful Web sites
Offering a new perspective on how prevailing attitudes have deprived students of opportunities to develop their talents, Acceleration for Gifted Learners, K-5, directly reflects the 2004 Templeton Report in validating the urgency to meet gifted students' needs.
Industry Reviews
"A must-read resource. Parents and teachers will value highly the content of this book on acceleration as they work together to address the needs of children who are gifted and talented." -- Julia Link Roberts, Director "Acceleration is not treated as a strategy of last resort, but as a logical and reasonable way to acknowledge and provide for the growth and continuous progress of all children." -- Barbara Clark, Professor Emeritus "Gives readers excellent step-by-step guidance on extensive ways to provide appropriate acceleration adjustment for our young advanced learners." -- Nicholas Colangelo, Myron and Jacqueline Blank Professor of Gifted Education "Each chapter is an in-depth manual on how to sensitively and effectively achieve acceleration collaboratiively with parents, educators, and students." -- Susan G. Assouline, Associate Director "A well-written, extremely useful guide for parents and educators who wish to provide gifted students an opportunity to learn at a pace and level appropriate to their abilities. Offers valuable insight on the social and emotional aspects of effective acceleration." -- Jan Davidson, President and Cofounder, Davidson Institute for Talent Development "A practical guide for all stakeholders in gifted education: parents, teachers, counselors and administrators. A 'how to' with heart and compassion focusing on the whole child that addresses the social and emotional aspects of effective acceleration." -- Dorothy Sisk, Professor and Conn Chair for Gifted Children "Provides a much-needed implementation guide for educators and parents who support acceleration. A critically important addition to the professional libraries of all who support gifted, young people in their quest for an excellent education." -- Susan Winebrenner, Author & Staff Development Specialist "A renewed interest in acceleration and powerful support from the research community have triggered a need for practical guidance to effectively implement acceleration practices. This book provides teachers with the tools for assessing individual student's academic strengths and differentiating classroom practices to accommodate the needs of highly able learners." -- Joseph S. Renzulli, Director "A detailed and humane resource for achieving the proper educational match between the curriculum and gifted students' ability levels, interests, and motivation. All educators and parents interested in the progress of gifted education should read and apply the pedagogically enlightening and inspirational ideas presented." -- Gifted Education News-Page, February/March 2007 "This delightful book, packed with resources and ideas for working with gifted learners, helps us be aware of all the children in the classroom. It is easy to read and provides a wonderful resource for teachers, parents, and staff." -- PsycCRITIQUES, October 2007, Vol. 52(42)
