One of the acceleration methods in the education of gifted children, grade skipping, is an application carried out in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades upon the request of the parent. In this process, an exam is conducted to evaluate all the knowledge and skills of the grade the student wishes to skip. Additionally, the student’s social, emotional, and physical development characteristics are also taken into account. Grade skipping is a one-time process that must be completed within one month from the start of the academic year. This practice is generally considered for 1st-grade students who have learned to read and write at an early age and possess a broader knowledge base compared to their peers.
For such students, the boredom resulting from having known basic skills like reading and writing for 2-3 years may make grade skipping a necessary option from the parents’ perspective. Furthermore, this situation can also create a burden for teachers. Preparing a special study plan for such a student, assigning appropriate tasks within the classroom, providing guidance, and designing new activities can be a highly challenging process for the teacher. Therefore, before deciding on grade skipping, an evaluation must be conducted to determine whether the student is indeed gifted.
What Are the Early Signs of Superior Intelligence?
Among the early signs exhibited by gifted children are advanced language skills, a wide vocabulary, the ability to connect words and form sentences, which emerge earlier than in their peers. These children exhibit a rapid development process and require more words to understand their environment, people, and the world. This turns reading and writing into a necessity and forms the foundation of learning through exploration.
Should a Grade-Skipping Decision Be Made?
The decision to skip a grade often comes up for children who have learned to read and write at an early age. However, it is crucial to accurately assess whether early reading and writing are true indicators of superior intelligence. In the context of giftedness, early reading and writing are linked to a child learning through exploration before the age of 5, driven by their own interest and curiosity. In contrast, reading and writing skills acquired at age 6 or later, influenced by enriched environmental stimuli or family and school education policies, should not be considered indicators of superior intelligence.
Research shows that children who are at the same level as their classmates but start reading and writing a few months earlier due to external interventions lose this advantage by the 2nd grade at the latest. This indicates that early learning not associated with superior intelligence does not provide a long-term advantage. Therefore, grade skipping should not be considered for a child who has not been evaluated for giftedness. Unless traits such as rapid and deep learning skills, general academic curiosity, and learning motivation are observed, grade skipping should not be brought up.
Should Only Cognitive Development Be Considered in Grade-Skipping Decisions?
When deciding on grade skipping, not only cognitive development but also physical, emotional, and social development should be considered. *Asynchronous development* (where developmental areas do not progress at the same pace), often seen in gifted children, does not mean that superiority in one area guarantees superiority in others. While this may allow the child to be among the best in the class, their perfectionist nature could lead to issues when they cannot compete with peers.
Moreover, after grade skipping, the child is likely to encounter older and potentially gifted students in the new class. This situation, especially at a young age, can create significant disadvantages in areas such as attention span.
Long-Term Effects of Grade Skipping
In some cases, grade skipping may lead to short-term brilliant results for the student. However, in the long run, particularly in processes requiring consistent effort, such as national exams (LGS, scholarship exams, BİLSEM), it may cause the student to underperform relative to their potential. Success in such exams depends not only on learning potential but also on emotional resilience (coping with stress) and social maturity.
If the goal is for a child believed to be gifted to qualify for BİLSEM, this process should not be left to chance, and the family must support the child. However, since there is no age norm in the BİLSEM tablet application, a child who has skipped a grade and is younger than their peers is expected to perform at the same level as older students, which may put them at a disadvantage.
Alternative Solutions Instead of Grade Skipping
Instead of grade skipping, it is recommended to support the student within the classroom through horizontal enrichment methods. These methods may include advanced reading materials tailored to the student’s interests, more challenging resources, project work, research, and report preparation. Additionally, assignments should be adjusted to the student’s level. For example, repetitive tasks like reading a sound 10 times can negatively affect the student’s learning motivation.
Outside of school, parents are advised to implement an acceleration program covering the upper-grade curriculum in a way that supports the child’s dominant talents. Activities focusing on reasoning, problem-solving, and logical thinking skills should be included in this process.
What Should Be Considered Before Deciding on Grade Skipping?
Before deciding on grade skipping, the student’s academic performance should be observed for a year, and acceleration activities should be conducted. Grade skipping should not occur without first ensuring the student has mastered the knowledge and skills of the grade to be skipped. Skipping the 1st grade, in particular, is not recommended, as rapid learning is not the same as knowing untaught information and skills.
Before making a grade-skipping decision, the child’s intelligence level must be evaluated by an expert. This evaluation should confirm that the student’s performance is significantly above the average of their peers.
Which Grades Should Grade Skipping Be Preferred For?
Since grade skipping is a one-time application, the grade in which this decision is made is crucial. Rather than skipping the 1st grade, skipping the 2nd grade and transitioning directly to the 3rd grade is considered a more suitable option. The 1st grade is a critical period for the student to adjust to school, and skipping this phase is not recommended.
Conclusion
While grade skipping is an appropriate acceleration method for gifted children, all areas of the child’s development must be considered when making this decision. If the child’s emotional state is overlooked and they are expected to cope with multiple variables, it could negatively impact their self-perception. Therefore, the decision to skip a grade should be evaluated with great care.
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Author: Yusuf Aydın
Expert Psychological Counselor
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