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School counselors' perceptions and experience with acceleration as a program option for gifted and talented students
Journal article   Peer reviewed

School counselors' perceptions and experience with acceleration as a program option for gifted and talented students

Susannah Wood, Tarrell Awe Agahe Portman, Dawnette L Cigrand and Nicholas Colangelo
The Gifted child quarterly, Vol.54(3), pp.168-178
2010
DOI: 10.1177/0016986210367940

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Abstract

School counselors are ubiquitous to schools and it is expected that they will assume an important role in the academic planning of students. In addition, they are looked to for consultation on the social and emotional development of students and how these dimensions may help or hinder academic choices. This study indicates that school counselors are prominent in the academic and social issues of gifted students when it comes to the issue of acceleration. Parents and educators do look to counselors for information and perspective regarding acceleration and counselors do provide their perspective. Also, acceleration has become a more prominent option for gifted students in schools. Unfortunately, the information and perspectives of school counselors on acceleration is not based on formal training and familiarity with the research but on informal information and limited knowledge of the research. School counselors are not well prepared to fulfill their role in helping parents, educators and students make sound decisions regarding acceleration. This study makes it clear that there is need for formal training of school counselors in the research and practice of acceleration both at the preservice and inservice levels. School counselors should participate in acceleration decisions because they bring a general and comprehensive understanding of the student. However, they need a specific understanding of acceleration in order to be effective in such decisions.

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