Instructional Strategies—Acceleration

Acceleration – the process of allowing high-ability students to progress through school curriculum at a rate faster than the average. These students are able to cover the same amount of material, with the same degree of understanding as students in a regular classroom setting, but in a shorter time frame. Some common acceleration strategies used in schools include:

  • Advanced Placement (AP) – students have the opportunity to complete college level coursework and earn college credit through examination while still in high school. Visit the College Board’s AP site <www.apcentral.collegeboard.com>.
  • Continuous Progress Curriculum (Flexible Pacing) –– the content and pacing of curriculum and instruction are matched to the student’s abilities and needs. Students are pre-tested and begin learning right where they are ready. Students are able to advance as they master the curriculum.
  • Concurrent or Dual Enrollment – students are enrolled in elementary school and middle school or middle school and high school, or high school and college simultaneously.
  • Curriculum Compacting ––allows highly able students to “compact” or eliminate material already mastered from the curriculum, thus allowing them to complete subject material in a shorter time span. The time that is freed by compacting can be used for more challenging learning opportunities.
  • Early Entrance –students enter school (i.e., kindergarten or college) earlier than is expected.
  • Grade Advancement or “Skipping” ––occurs when a student advances into a new grade that is at least one grade beyond the next in sequence, also known as double promotion or grade skipping; for example, a third grader who begins fifth grade without entering the fourth. This option is probably the most controversial way of meeting the needs of high ability students.
  • Subject Acceleration ––taking a course earlier than is typical. For example, a third-grade student advanced in reading may join a fifth-grade class for reading instruction.

Further Reading