The long term social and emotional effects of elementary school grade acceleration

Abstract

Acceleration for the highly gifted students has been a topic of much debate. Research studies addressing the issue of acceleration in its many forms have been conducted for decades and the findings supporting this format for addressing the academic needs of the highly intelligent, yet under-challenged, have been overwhelmingly positive. The emotional and social implications of grade acceleration (as well as other forms of acceleration) have not been examined as extensively, however. This study takes a critical look at the trends and research that have helped shape the attitudes towards acceleration in the United Stated over the past 50+ years and looks at the patterns of acceptance (or non-acceptance) of this practice in education past and present. It examines the experiences, attitudes, and feelings that affected eight college students over the course of elementary, middle, high school, and college. The impact grade acceleration had socially and emotionally on the experiences is analyzed, compared, and reviewed.