By Mamon Gibson.
When beginning to develop a long-range academic plan for the education of your gifted child, find out if your school offers any of the following options as you look at available elementary gifted programs.
Program Format
· Homogeneous or ability grouping with intellectual peers
· Full-Time program, including all subject areas for a full school year or one or two subject areas for a full year
· In class cluster program for gifted students in a heterogeneous classroom
· Part-Time (Pull-out or Resource program) one day for several hours per week
Differentiation of Instruction
· Appropriate pacing. How much time is spent learning new concepts or new content?
· Varying levels of content to be studied
· Enrichment. Are there options for broadening the scope of the curriculum and/or increasing the depth of study?
Acceleration
· Early entrance to any level of schooling
· Grade skipping, faster progress through the grades (e.g. completion of grades 1 through 8 in 6 or 7 years)
· Telescoping, compacting two years of study into one year
Access to High School or Advanced Content Programs
· International Baccalaureate Programmes (Primary Years, grades 1- 8; Middle Years, grades 6-10; Diploma, grades 11-12)
· Advanced Placement Program, college level courses while still in high school
· Dual Enrollment, early access to college content
· Early Entrance to College
Other Programmatic Options
· Distance Learning
· Competitions
· Summer Programs
· Internships