GROUP E: Differentiation Strategies for the Gifted Learner UNFINISHED Our primary gifted endorsement text, The Strategic Teacher, has 20 in-depth research-based differentiation strategies across all content areas that not only meets the needs of the gifted learner, but of all learners. However, in addition to these strategies, there are a variety of differentiation strategies that also meet the needs of the gifted learner. This overview will just add to your “toolbox” of strategies as a gifted program teacher and are important to “be familiar with”. 1

Directions: The goal of these presentations is to introduce others to new instructional strategies. You may be familiar with quite a few of the mini-strategies described, and several overlap so choose a strategy you haven’t tried before. There are 6 strategies listed and each has a number of links to search out. Follow each link to see what additional information is provided for your use. If you wish to do so you may look for additional information on your strategy, but that is optional. Then meet with your group to select what each person will implement and share. Read the directions in your syllabus and consult the rubric. 2

#1 –Paul’s Reasoning Web summer 2014 issue page standards/ eb.pdf 3 Instructional Strategy in which a teacher… Uses a problem students encounter in history or science to teach critical thinking Students use the Reasoning Web to break apart the various arguments for and against some idea(s) or proposals Then students take their critiques and as a small group and then as a class use the 9 foundational intellectual standard: clarity, accuracy, precision, relevance, depth, breadth, logic, significance and fairness to evaluate their reasoning.

#2 – Specialty Teams n+Student+Interest 4 Instructional Strategy in which a teacher… Gives a group of students a special mission to work on a specific concept or skill in order to introduce it or teach to the rest of the class. Members of the team can be homogeneously or heterogeneously grouped and often this is the opportunity to group students of varying readiness but with similar interests. The team works on the assignment and then presents their findings to the class in a discussion Rotate the teams so as to avoid “tracking” students in groups so that everyone gets to know their peers and learns from everyone in the class at some point during the year.

#3 – Secret Gender based Strategies Instructional Strategies in which a teacher… o Using the same content specifically differentiates activities that might be preferable for boys or girls without stating that he/she has done that. Allows students to choose which group’s activities to join. There may be multiple groups working on the same activities. o Each group works on its set of activities and then reports back what was learned to the whole group o Discussion about the differences in their activities and why or why not they liked them.

#4 –Choice Boards (includes tic tac toe, think tac toe, learning and extension menus, dinner menus, etc…) 6 Instructional Strategy in which a teacher… Creates a board that organizes a variety of activities. Allows students to choose one or several activities to complete as they learn a skill or develop a product. [Choice boards can be organized so that students are required to choose options that focus on several different skills.] (lots of examples) instruction/resources---strategies Google – See “Choice Boards” in Images

#5 & #6 – Reading Strategies html see the surprise chapter offered for preview eed.pdf 7 Instructional Strategies in which a teacher… o Employs several strategies to entice and enhance student reading o Block Party: Pre-Reading Text-Based activity; o Dancing Minds and Shouting Smiles (for young gifted); o Turn on the Writer and other suggestions o Planting the Seed Text Protocol Consult for more ideashttp://

#6 – Instructional Strategy in which a teacher… 8

Bibliography Northey, S.S. (2005). Handbook on Differentiated Instruction For Middle and High Schools, Larchmont, NY: Eye of Education. Silver, H. F., Strong, R.W. & Perini, M.J. (2007). The Strategic Teacher: Selecting the Right Research-Based Strategy for Every Lesson. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. [TST] Tomlinson. The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. ASCD, VanTassel-Baska, J. & C. Little (2003). Content Based Curriculum for High Ability Learners. Waco, TX: Prufrock Press. Winebrenner, S. (2001). Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs of the Gifted and Talented, Free Spirit Publishing. 9