DIFFERENTIATION FOR GIFTED LEARNERS Presented by carol wooten and angie Parham cwooten@wcpss.net, aparham@wcpss.net

Introductions Presenter introductions Audience Post-It survey: What grade levels are you teaching and what are your content interests?

What does it mean to be gifted? Is the student gifted or just bright? Kahoot.it game survey

Service options for academically and intellectually gifted learners Elementary Classroom Students have several models for service: Pull-Out: an AIG teacher takes a group of students out of the regular education classroom to work with them Co-Teaching: an AIG teacher works in the classroom with the regular education teacher Consultation/Collaboration: the classroom teacher and AIG teacher collaborate on ideas Middle and High School Classrooms Students enroll in accelerated classes in middle school. Middle schools may use some of the same models as elementary. High schools also offer Honors and Advanced Placement options where students can receive college credit. Sometimes, advanced learners may attend a local college or university to take classes.

Why Differentiate? Think-pair-share

Why Differentiate? According to Diane Heacox in Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom, “Differentiating instruction means changing the pace, level, or kind of instruction you provide in response to individual learners’ needs, styles, or interests.” You are meeting the needs of a variety of learners through rigor, relevance, flexible and varied instructional practices, and complexity of concepts.

Differentiation: The Process 1. Determine what the students need to know for the unit. 2. Pre-assess 3. Group students 4. Plan appropriate instruction for each group. Are you differentiating the content, process, or product? What are the student differences regarding readiness, learning profile, or interests? 5. Instruct/teach. 6. Assess and begin again. Adapted from Carol Ann Tomlinson and Cindy A. Strickland, Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum Grades 9-12, ASCD, 2005

We Can Differentiate… The Content The Process The Product Adapted from The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners (Tomlinson, 1999)

Content includes the material for instruction and how that instruction is delivered to the students.

Process refers to the investigations or activities that are designed to make sure the students have a firm understanding of the information. Process

Products are ways in which students demonstrate their understanding of a concept as well as extending their learning. Product

What does differentiation look like in the classroom? Types of groups: Flexible Heterogeneous Strategy/skill Homogeneous Using data to enhance differentiation For example, pre-assessment data can be utilized to show what components of the curriculum concepts students already firmly grasp. Then, specific groups can be developed by using this valuable data.

Early Finishers www.quia.com When gifted students finish early, you need to be sure to have a plan of action. What are they going to do next? Ideas: Create game show style questions on the content Develop and produce a video on how the content relates to real life

Choice Assignments Tic-Tac Toe 1. Identify the instructional outcomes. 2. Use previous data to determine student levels and interests. 3. Design various tasks. 4. Organize tasks on choice board. 5. Place required task in center of board. 6. Students will complete three tasks in a row of choice. One must be the middle square.

Choice Assignments Menus 1. Determine the most important lesson components. 2. Create an assignment that assesses basic understanding for all students. This part is referred to as the “main dish.” 3. Develop the “side dishes” and “appetizers,” which provide student choices and builds upon the “main dish.” This part includes the higher order thinking skills. 4. Design “dessert” options, which provide students with enrichment by further extending the content.

Project-Based Learning ELA and Social Studies Example: Students researched a specific state in assigned US regions. Then, students worked cooperatively to create a product that represented the region. Their final products were sold during a school-wide Regional Market. Mathematics and Science Example: Students used a scenario about developing the best design for a lunar rover to carry a load in a given time. They used K-Nex pieces to design and develop the vehicle. Students also added the load to test the vehicle.

Tiered Assignments Different levels of tasks are used in order for students to use their schema to explore ideas. There are varied degrees of difficulty, but the basic concept is the same. Benefits: use with heterogeneous classes, include various levels, focus on consistent concepts, promotes success, and develops a sense of community as everyone is working on the same concept.

Differentiated Questioning Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy Remember What does the term quadrilateral mean? Understand Summarize the story. Apply What questions would you ask the character in the book? Analyze Compare and contrast two ecosystems. Evaluate What are the consequences of the Boston Tea Party? Create - Create an alternative ending to the book.

Differentiated Questioning Activity Kahoot.it “Levels of Questioning” activity

Jigsaw Jigsaw allows students the opportunity to learn from each other in small groups. First, students are assigned a home group. Then, each home group member is assigned an expert group. Students meet with their expert group first to learn material. Then, students return to their home group to share the material they have just learned. * It is important that every group member completes the task as each person is an vital piece of the puzzle.

Jigsaw Read “What it Means to Teach Gifted Learners Well.” Everyone read the first two paragraphs. Expert group 1: Read #1 under “Good Instruction for Gifted Learners” and #1 under “Inappropriate Instruction for Gifted Learners.” Expert group 2 will read #2 for both and so on… Summarize your assigned section in the chart. When time is called, return to your home group and share your findings.

Socratic Seminar Named after Socrates Collaborative discussion about complex issues or ideas Student-led Teacher as a facilitator Can be used to discuss and evaluate short stories, poetry, art prints, historical documents, or plays Teacher facilitates a focus lesson around the text, art, etc. Students complete a response to the text and develop three open-ended questions for the discussion. Students gather in a circle with their text and questions. The teacher poses an opening question and sets a timer for a pre-determined time frame. Students have a rich discussion about the text, art, etc. Conduct a follow-up with the class where students reflect on what was discussed or write about the discussion.

Develop an AIG Lesson How can you use what you have learned today in your classroom? What are you currently teaching or will teach in the near future? Select one of the differentiation strategies we discussed today and create a plan for a concept. For example, if you are teaching a unit on fractions, you could create a tic- tac-toe choice board to use in your classroom. Please adhere to the time frame so we will have the opportunity to share ideas with the whole group.

Time to Share

Resources Bibliography Carolyn, C. (1997). Teaching Tools for the 21st Century. Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning. Coil, C. (1999). Encouraging Achievement. Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning. Coil, C. (1999). Teacher's Toolbox--Integrating Instruction in Units for the Study of Society and Environment. Australia: Haeker Brownlow Education. Coil, C. (2004). Standards-Based Activities and Assessments for the Differentiated Classroom. Marion, IL. Coil, C. (2007). Successful Teaching in the Differentiated Classroom. Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning. Eidso, C., Iseminger, B., & Taibbi, C. (2007). Demystifying Differentiation in Middle School: Tools, Strategies, and Activities to Use NOW. Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning. Eidson, C., Iseminger, B., & Taibbi, C. (2008). Demystifying Differentiation in Elementary School: Tools, Strategies, and Activities to Use NOW. Marion, IL: Pieces of Learning. Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom: How to Reach and Teach All Learners, Grades 3-12. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing. Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Tomlinson, C. A., & Eidson, C. C. (2003). Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum Grades 5-9. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Website Resources tpri.wikispaces.com (Toolbox for Planning Rigorous Instruction) https://create.kahoot.it (website for creating a kahoot.it game) http://carolwooten.weebly.com

Thank You! Thank you for attending our session on differentiation! If you have additional questions, please contact us. Carol Wooten: cwooten@wcpss.net Angie Parham: aparham@wcpss.net