Gifted Readers In Need of Challenges Presented by: Christie McConathy, MAE & Jenny Schiltz, MAE Gifted Education Consultants Des Moines Public Schools October 18, 2010

-Esther Meynell, 1940

Gifted Reader’s Bill of Rights* I have the right to read at a pace and level that matches my ability, no matter what grade I am in. I have the right to discuss what I read with my intellectual peers, regardless of their age. I have the right to reread many books and not finish every book I start. I have the right to use reading to explore new and challenging information and to grow intellectually. I have the right to read in- depth about topics of my own choosing. I have the right to learn advanced vocabulary and literary concepts. I have the right to be guided toward the best literature, rather than be told what I must read. I have the right to read several books at the same time. I have the right to discuss my reading choices with others, without having to defend those choices. I have the right to be excused from reading material that I have already learned. *Bertie Kingore, Differentiation: Simplified, Realistic and Effective, TX: Professional Associates Publishing, 2004.

Characteristics of Advanced Readers  Read earlier than peers  Read at least two years above grade level  Read quickly  Spend more time reading  Advanced skills compared to peers  Understand the nuances of language  Expansive vocabulary  Use multiple strategies to create meaning  Enjoy reading a wide variety of material  Look to books to solve problems  Relate literature to own lives  Insightful  Want to choose books  No benefit from conventional reading instruction  Benefit from diagnostically based instruction to ensure continuous improvement Richardson, 2007, Reis, 2006

Winds of Change? NCLB How is it affecting what we do for kids? What can we do about it?

Grades K-2 Libraries Link Learning Project U-STARS Plus

Grades K-2 Creative Activities for Gifted Readers Jacob’s Ladder Level 1

Grades K-2 Gifted Books, Gifted Readers Gifted Biographies, Gifted Readers

Grades 3-5 Literary Reflections: A Language Arts Unit for High-Ability Learners Literature Links: Activities for Gifted Readers

Grades 3-5 Vocabu-Lit: Building Vocabulary Through Literature William and Mary Navigators

Grades 3-5 SEM-REnrichment Units 3-5

Grade 6-8 Resources Challenging Units for Gifted Learners Everyday Words from Classic Origins

Grades 6-8 Junior Great BooksLiterature & Thought

Additional Multi-Level Resources Reaching All Learners Differentiation: Simplified, Realistic, and Effective

Additional Multi-Level Resources Teaching Without Nonsense Activities and Assessments

Contact Information  Christie McConathy  Jenny Schiltz

You are invited to join: