Differentiating Instruction for Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom

How do we accommodate for students who are gifted? PACE DELIVERY PRODUCT DEPTH BREADTH

Change the Pace If a student already has mastered an expectation, it does not need to be re-taught. Many Gifted students will either already know the concepts to be taught, or will learn them very quickly. If a student can show mastery of the topic of instruction, their time is better spent extending their knowledge through an enrichment or extension activity.

Change the Pace Pre-testing Curriculum Compacting Tiered Activities Most Difficult First Alternate Assignments Learning Contracts Independent Study Learning Centres Anchor Activities Discovery Learning

Change the Pace What might it look like? The class is given a pre-test before beginning a math unit. Jeffrey has demonstrated that he has already mastered most of the concepts to be presented. He will need instruction for only one of the concepts. Jeffrey is given an alternate assignment to work on during math class. When the class arrives at a concept that Jeffrey has not mastered, he participates in the lesson. He completes the most difficult questions first, and if he shows mastery in the skill, returns to his independent project.

Change the Delivery Gifted students need instruction in skills they have not yet mastered, but whole class modelling and repetition of concepts may be frustrating. Students may need to participate in the first lesson on a new topic, and then work independently to complete the task. They may not need lessons that review the same topic, but could be ready to move forward and need instruction on the next step. Gifted students may also work on the same skills using higher-level texts or books with more abstract concepts.

Change the Delivery Mini-lessons Different Resources Independent Novel Studies Curriculum Compacting Independent Study Open Ended Questions Learning Contracts Teacher Conferences Reading Journals Previewing Resources

Change the Delivery What might it look like? The class is learning about Celebrations in Social Studies. The teacher gives Nicole three books or articles about World Celebrations that are at her independent reading level. Nicole reads these texts, and recommends the best one for the teacher to read out loud to the class, justifying her choice. This text preview requires Nicole to think critically about the texts as well as giving her a purpose for reading. It also allows Nicole to explore the same concept as the rest of the class while gearing it to her advanced reading level.

Change the Product By changing the product, gifted students are allowed an opportunity to apply their knowledge of content to their other talents and abilities. Many gifted students are interested in technology or the arts. Allow students to use these interests to create their final product. Remember that you don’t need to know how to use a piece of software or technology - the student does!

Change the Product Choice Boards Tic tac toe menu RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic) Game Show Menu Student Choice option Websites Wikis Podcasts Movie Making Game creation

Change the Product What might it look like? The class is working on independent novel studies. The teacher provides a choice board with activities such as writing letters, performing skits, or creating posters to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the book. The teacher also provides a “Your own idea” option. Megan meets with her teacher and asks if she can create a“Book Trailer” for her book using images, audio, and text using Microsoft Movie Maker. The teacher isn’t familiar with the program, but conferences with Megan to make sure the learning expectations will be met in this form.

Add Depth Gifted students often quickly master the facts of a new concept. They should be encouraged to delve more deeply into concepts. These students need to focus on the problems and issues rather than the basic facts and information. Allow the student to choose one specific area of the topic of study that interests them and encourage them to become an “expert” on that topic.

Add Depth Tiered Activities Open-ended activities Higher level questions Bloom’s Taxonomy Curriculum Ladders Students as Experts Totally Ten Increase the complexity Decrease the structure

Add Depth What might it look like? The class is looking at websites about the War of 1812 for History and Media Literacy. The teacher creates three Tiers of expectations. For the Tier One assignment (for students working below grade level), the teacher provides several websites to the students. They use a prepared worksheet and analyze each site based on the given criteria. For the Tier Two assignment for students working at grade level, students work in groups and find three websites on the same topic to compare. Students then work individually to analyze the sites, then compare their results within the group. The Tier Three assignment is for those who need extensions. Josh and Greg work together to create a 4-point rubric for evaluating websites using five or more features. The students work together to find one website that exemplifies each level, justifying their decisions.

Add Breadth Gifted students often are able to make connections between ideas, subject areas, and concepts. Encourage students to see the “big picture” by connecting history to art and science and examining how one influences the other. Use choice and flexibility to allow students to find an interest that they are passionate about it and connect that passion to the broader theme.

Add Breadth Tic Tac Toe Menu Interdisciplinary Units Orbital Studies Totally Ten Menu Your Own Idea option Choice Boards RAFT Assignments Interest Centres Case Studies Role Play/Simulations

Add Depth What might it look like? Tyler’s grade 6 class was studying Space in Science. Tyler has been interested in Space for several years, and has already mastered the expectations of the unit. Tyler and his teacher work together to create an interdisciplinary unit to explore Space from all areas of the curriculum. Tyler examines the history of the telescope, creates a work of art that incorporates constellations and the signs of the zodiac, writes a piece of speculative fiction about colonizing a planet, Compares personal written accounts by the astronauts on Apollo13, and calculates the time that would be needed to travel to other planets and stars.

Differentiating Instruction It is not always possible nor advisable to move to the next grade’s curriculum when a student requires enrichment in a subject. Often, differentiating instruction will allow a gifted student to gain deeper, broader understanding of content. By changing the pace of instruction, allowing independent work and choice of assignment, and encouraging students to bring their individual talents into their classroom work, the needs of the gifted learner can be met in the regular classroom.

For more information... Beales, B. (2008, November 21). Differentiating Courses using Learning Styles (Workshop). (B. Beales, Performer) EdGO Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Cooper, D. (2007). Talk About Assessment: Strategies and Tools to Improve Learning. Toronto: Thomson Nelson. Delisle, J., & Galbraith, J. (2002). When Gifted Kids Don't Have All the Answers. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, Inc. Education, I. S. (2008). Curriculum Ladders. Retrieved March 19, 2009, from For Idaho Teachers: http://www.foridahoteachers.org/curriculum_ladders.htm Lambton Kent District School Board Differentiated Instruction Team. (2008). Differentiated Instruction Binder. Retrieved March 17, 2009, from Lambton Kent District School Board: http://www.lkdsb.net/program/elementary/intermediate/di/index.html Matthews, D. J., & Foster, J. F. (2005). Being Smart about Gifted Children. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press, Inc. Ministry of Education. (2009). Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner Special Education Companion. Retrieved 01 24, 2009, from Ontario Curriculum Unit Planner Special Education Companion: http://www.ocup.org/resources/documents/companions/speced2002.pdf Powers, E. A. (2008, Summer). The Use of independent Study as a Viable Differentiation Technique for Gifted Learners in the Regular Classroom. Gifted Child Today , pp. 57-65. Expert Panel on Literacy and Numeracy Instruction for Students with Special Education Needs(2005). Education for All. Toronto: Queen's Printer for Ontario. Westphal, L. E. (2007). Differentiating Instruction with Menus: Math. Waco, TX: Profrock Press, Inc. Westphal, L. E. (2007). Differentiating Instruction with Menus: Science. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press, Inc. Winebrenner, S. (2003). Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing. Wood, P. F. (2008, Summer). Reading Instruction with Gifted and Talented Readers. Gifted Child Today , pp. 16-25.