Acceleration/Previewing: Worth the Effort!

Debbie Cargill
Jul 14, 2008

In a recent evaluation, the Center on Education Policy reported that mandated tutoring may not have produced the achievement gains hoped for. If the tutoring model was a remediation model in which students were re-taught concepts and skills, then the effectiveness may be attributed to the model itself. Research on remediation shows that students in typical remedial programs may fall further behind over time and have a harder time making sense of the learning.

Consider instead an acceleration model in which 60-70% of the time is spent on previewing concepts, skills, and vocabulary; building prior knowledge; and providing experiences to connect the learning. Acceleration and remediation together will help to "catch kids up." Four instructional practices have been proven to be important to increasing student achievement and reducing the achievement gap. The second of these practices focuses on acceleration/previewing for students in need of extra help. Catching Kids Up materials and workshops address this area.

Schools may choose to implement an acceleration model at the school level, i.e. embedded in REP, Title I pull-out, or Special Education programs. Or, individual teachers may choose to insert previewing strategies into their classroom structure. Strategies include previewing key vocabulary 2-4 days in advance of their introduction in the lesson, previewing/scaffolding content, and previewing advance organizers such as student learning maps and graphic organizers.

The "proof is in the pudding." When acceleration strategies are implemented consistently and pervasively in a school, teachers report gains in achievement for those students who have needed the extra help. Additionally, teachers report that students' self-esteem and motivation increase because they are more confident in their ability to contribute and become engaged learners.

Barb Simpkins, 7th/8th grade science teacher in Lincoln County, WV, shared this experience recently. "It really works," she said one day last spring. Barb had made a concerted effort to preview new vocabulary prior to beginning the lesson. She found that as students worked in their collaborative pairs, she heard them using the vocabulary that they had learned in the previewing activity. Their conversations reflected the connections they were making.

So, is it worth the effort? Absolutely! Whether as a school-wide effort or classroom implementation, acceleration/previewing does make a difference for students.