[Oz-gifted] FW: Ability Grouping

[Matthew & Tracey Wood]

I agree wholeheartedly with what Michelle is saying...acceleration is
certainly rare in Public schools in WA but it doesn't mean it can't be done.
It takes a Principal to take a chance, which most are unwilling to take. As
a teacher and parent of an accelerated child,  find it quite horrifying that
a child who had been successfully accelerated was put back. I can't imagine
how that could be in the best interests of the child.

Tracey

 

-----Original Message-----
From: oz-gifted-bounces at rite.ed.qut.edu.au
[mailto:oz-gifted-bounces at rite.ed.qut.edu.au] On Behalf Of Michelle Gabriel
Sent: Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:28 AM
To: oz-gifted at rite.ed.qut.edu.au
Subject: [Oz-gifted] FW: Ability Grouping


Kirsty,
Who told you that children in WA had to stay in aged based groupings in
State schools?  Was it this principal?  

I found this unacceptable, and thought I'd go the Western Australian
Department of Education site and see what I could find out about this. I
wanted to see the wording, to see if it could be "bent".

I found nothing that said anything about kids having to be in age based
groupings, in fact, I found information that showed that WA had a Gifted and
Talented Policy (It is actually rather good) and that it also discussed
acceleration.  So your child should not have been put back into grade one
under this policy!

Here are some areas I've copied from different parts of the site.  I am not
sure if this is acceptable net etiquette - I know I should know but I've
never copied anything before to a list so I'm not sure.

"Primary and secondary school-based provision occurs within the individual
classrooms of all teachers on an ongoing basis. Additionally, schools may
develop strategies, which allow the most able students to learn together."

So in the above it shows that ability based can happen in primary schools in
WA. 

"Developing a school-based program

A Total School Approach

School-based gifted and talented programs should reflect the schools unique
priorities, population and individual learning needs as documented in the
school development plan and as required by the gifted and talented policy
and supporting guidelines."

The above shows that schools can develop their own programs. There is
flexibility.

"Gifted and Talented
All policy and procedural statements contained within this document are
lawful orders for the purposes of section 80(a) of the Public Sector
Management Act 1994 (WA) and are therefore to be observed by all Department
of Education and Training employees."

The above was written at the bottom of each page I read.   This school
should be following these guidelines. The following was from those pages.

"7.4 ACCELERATION

Acceleration is a placement strategy that enables a gifted student to work
within an older chronological grouping.  It is one form of flexible
provision.  The decision to accelerate any student needs to be made with
considerable care by a principal in consultation with the student, parents,
teachers and school psychologists.

The development of a range of suitable options to meet a child's learning
needs, of which acceleration may be one possibility, is necessary in this
process.

Decisions regarding permanent, full-time acceleration of younger students in
particular should proceed only after thorough and careful consideration of
the implication for the whole long-term schooling experience of the student.
This includes the academic, social, emotional and behavioural needs of the
student.  In certain situations acceleration may be the best option for a
small number of exceptionally gifted students.

Decisions may have to be made on behalf of younger students to address their
individual learning needs.  It is desirable that gifted students become
progressively more involved in, and responsible for, the decisions regarding
provision of appropriate education and development programs.
To determine the appropriateness of acceleration for a particular student it
is desirable to monitor and evaluate the relevance and effectiveness of
strategies that may include learning and teacher adjustments, such as an
individual Education Plan, peer tutoring and/or mentoring programs.  The
Curriculum Framework's principles of assessment need to be kept in mind when
evaluating the suitability of acceleration; any measure of the child's
readiness to accelerate should be valid, educative, explicit, fair, and
comprehensive."
 
The above shows that there is a policy with WA with regard to acceleration
in state schools. Your child should not have been put back into an age based
class IMHO if she was gifted and had already been accelerated.

I would be worried what this principal is trying to tell you and the wool he
is trying to pull over your eyes. He is not following policy IMHO.

There is also information on ability grouping as well.

I learned a long time ago not to always believe what principals told me and
to do my own research. Please have a look at the site and have some
ammunition for the next time you talk to this person.  If he is the one that
told you this information, he needs to be better informed and review the
documentation available.

Cheers

Michelle G