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Should talented students skip a grade? A literature review on grade skipping

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Abstract

Since 2004, many researchers have considered that grade skipping has a positive impact on academic achievement and is not detrimental to psychosocial development. However, some recent works have called this evidence into question. Therefore, this literature review aims to verify the consistency and robustness of historical and recent results. This review concludes that: (a) on a global level, recent results are more robust (confounding factors are better controlled) and confirm previous results, but many other controls of confounding factors would need to be made; and (b) professionals may continue to recommend grade skipping, but they must remain cautious. Finally, it is still premature to argue that grade skipping has a definite positive impact, even if the results are encouraging and may at least invite teachers to consider grade skipping as a possible solution.

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Acknowledgements

Professors Andre Tricot and Franck Amadieu for their encouragements.

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  1. Epsylon Laboratory, University of Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France

    Sébastien Miravete

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Sébastien Miravete. Epsylon Laboratory, University of Paul-Valery Montpellier, Montpellier 3, France. E-mail: sebastien.miravete@gmail.com

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Miravete, S. Should talented students skip a grade? A literature review on grade skipping. Eur J Psychol Educ 38, 903–923 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-022-00614-z

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