Some educators argue that children who demonstrate particular aptitude for learning when they are young should be placed in special programs where they are given the opportunity to advance more rapidly than they might in normal classes. Many child psychologists, however, have publicly stated they do not support special programs for gifted children. They claim that separating children by aptitude at an early age is unfair to those in the slower classes, some of whom might also thrive in a more challenging environment.

Which do you find more convincing, the argument of the educators or that of the child psychologists? Explain your point of view using relevant examples, based on your experience, observations, or readings.

Answer :

The issue of separating children with regard to their learning aptitudes has always been a controversial issue and has often opposed educators and psychologists. Separating children based on their learning capabilities will have, in my opinion, more negative results than positive advantages. Thus, I agree wholeheartedly with the psychologists’ view point and I will demonstrate with evidence in the following paragraphs.

First of all, although gathering the children together, who can easily learn, can have a beneficial aspect from a technical point of view, but it will present on the other hand a negative impact from a psychological standpoint. To have a well balance of mind, children must be placed in a multicultural and diverse community.

Secondly, the idea of isolating clever children from the others will have negative social aspects. Indeed, it will create exclusion. By intermingling different learning level children, this will develop the personalities of the children. Having a good technical knowledge does not necessarily imply success in life. For instance, Einstein, who is universally acknowledged to be the best physicist, was a child with learning difficulties.

Finally, having children with a diversity of learning levels will create emulation among children. In consequence, this situation will bolster the children with lower learning capabilities to improve themselves, abetting at the same time the children who learn fast to help other children. It will result in a situation with benefits to all.

In sum, although it could be profitable from a technical point of view to the children with high learning aptitude to be separated from the other children, it will however create major risks and drawbacks from psychological and social standpoints. Therefore, the drawbacks outweigh the positive aspect of separating children based on their learning levels. My recommendation will be to maintain a diversified environment where children with all learning aptitude levels can cohabit.