ABSTRACT
Acceleration has to precede enrichment within core areas of learning, especially in the core areas of foundational skills in reading and mathematics, to ensure that advanced learners will have opportunities to encounter new and increasingly challenging learning opportunities that promote ongoing growth. Using the existing research base on acceleration effectively to improve practices for gifted learners in classrooms is clearly a priority of high-quality education and the mark of educators who are visionary in their work. For the clear majority of gifted and high-ability learners in school, classroom-based acceleration practices are an essential part of making their learning experience meaningful. The core of the approach may be summarized in three steps: diagnostic assessment, cluster grouping, and follow-up advanced work in the diagnosed curricular area. A basic principle of instruction for gifted students is that many of them need content acceleration continuously and at a number of specific stages in their development.
