Accelerated learning

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Introduction

The Department of Education aims to provide opportunities for Victorian students to achieve their potential as fully as possible by maximising the development of their abilities and talents. Within that broad framework the Department launched its Bright Futures policy in 1995.The Bright Futures policy outlined a comprehensive approach to the education of gifted students.

The policy addresses a wide range of areas in which students may be gifted and highlights many means of identifying and catering for that giftedness. One key area in which a student may be gifted is academically.One of the ways of providing for the academically gifted is to offer a Select Entry Accelerated Learning program. Keilor Downs College commenced such a program in 2002.

The ProgramFor each Year 7 intake, up to 25 Year 7 students will be chosen to be part of an acceleration group. As at January 2003, there is a Year 7 and Year 8 Select Entry Accelerated group.Homegroups will operate as part of the established Middle School program reflecting the same principles and practices of the Middle Years of Schooling as all other Homegroups and maintaining links with other Homegroups for Sport, Physical Education and LOTE.Within the framework of team work and collaborative learning and the established Year 7,8 and 9 Curriculum, the promotion of higher order thinking skills and the enrichment and extension of students is the major priority.

In addition core curriculum will be covered at an accelerated rate to prepare students for undertaking VCE units in Year 10.

The Accelerated groups will remain as a single Homegroup for Years 7-10. It is anticipated that in Year 10 they will access 2 or more VCE units. This may result in students completing their secondary education in 5 years or undertaking additional unit 3 and 4 studies or a tertiary study in Year 12.

Each student will have a Managed Individual Pathway Plan that Aims to assist in the identification and pursuits of academic and career goals.

Main Aims

The aims of the program are to provide students with:access to a more challenging learning environment a faster paced curriculum with more opportunities for enrichment and extension.

The opportunity to engage with more abstract, complex and in depth texts and issues.

The opportunity to work independently and cooperatively with other students of similar abilities and interestsopportunities for study in areas of interest.

Curriculum

In Years 7 and 8 students undertake studies, as a homegroup, in the Key Learning Areas of:

English

Mathematics

Science

Studies of Society and Environment

Arts

LOTE and PE are taken with other Year 7 and 8 classes.

Selection Of Students

The selection processes are designed to identify students for whom this type of program is appropriate. The selection process will involve:

Formal testing that will draw from the areas of aptitude, mathematical skills and reasoning, reading, comprehension, creative writing and science.

Information from the applicant's primary school information from the applicant's parent(s)/guardian(s) interview with short-listed applicants presenting a portfolio of work.

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