Abstract
This article summarizes the main educational provisions developed and implemented for gifted and highly able students in Victoria, Australia. It emphasizes the strong influence that different governments have had on policies and guidelines providing for the education of these students. Among the options offered it is possible to differentiate those based on acceleration and high ability grouping. Accelerated learning options include early entry, grade skipping, subject acceleration, Higher Educational Studies program, and International Baccalaureate. High ability grouping includes Select Entry Accelerated Learning programs, select entry high schools, specialized high schools. The identification of students’ advanced intellectual and academic needs and the implementation of effective provisions for these students are strongly related to the level of knowledge and attitude that teachers have towards gifted and highly able students. The implications of the current educational provisions are discussed to reflect and promote better guidelines and more research in the field.
Highlights
This article summarizes the main educational provisions developed and implemented for gifted and highly able students in Victoria, Australia
Southern and Jones (2015) mention that “a student is considered to have grade skipped if he or she is given a grade-level placement ahead of chronologicalage peers” (p. 9). As it was established in the 2012 Inquiry into the education of gifted and talented students, there are no clear guidelines in Victoria for year level acceleration, leaving this decision to the responsibility of the schools and principals
Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) students have a wide range of options for their senior years, which may include the completion of additional Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) units, Higher Education Studies Program or early entry to tertiary education (State of Victoria, 2014)
Summary
The Victorian DET stipulates that some gifted children may benefit from starting school or kindergarten at an earlier stage. Having academic strength and being emotionally and socially mature, a gifted kid may be ready to participate in a school-based program before the expected age (DET, 2017a). As has been described in the literature, many concerns are related to this decision, especially regarding maturity, socialization, and academic overload, among others (Assouline, Marron, & Colangelo, 2014; Rimm, Siegle, & Davis, 2018). Other authors affirm that early entrant students can develop a positive adjustment in academic and social terms (Gagné & Gagnier, 2004). In the same way, Davis, Rimm and Siegle (2011) argue that “without such early admission, many gifted children will underachieve” In the same way, Davis, Rimm and Siegle (2011) argue that “without such early admission, many gifted children will underachieve” (p. 128)
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