Differentiation Content Strategies: Compacting & Contracts Tiered Instruction Acceleration

Wait…Don’t shout it out! On a Post-It note write down as many word associations as you can in the next 30 seconds.

Let’s share some of the word associations… Compact…

According to Webster’s Dictionary: com·pact -verb (k ə m-pākt‘ 1. to compress 2. to condense 3. to consolidate

Content Concepts Depth Complexity

 Content complexity relates to what students need for learning to occur.  There is a direct correlation between access to appropriately leveled resources and increased learning.  Providing access to rich and relevant content promotes learning.

 Compacting  Contracts  Research and Independent Study  Tiered Instruction  Acceleration

 Curriculum Compacting  Flexible Grouping  Learning Centers  Open-ended Tasks  Pre-assessment Bertie Kingore’s book, pages 13-32

 Product Options  Research and Independent Study  Students as Producers  Students’ Self-assessments  Thinking and Inquiry  Tiered Instruction Bertie Kingore’s book, pages 13-32

Not yet Then do this…  Read pages 13,16, 83, & 84 in Kingore’s book.  Create a list of questions you have about compacting and differentiation.  Begin a list of steps needed to compact a lesson or unit. Maybe/Probably Then do this… Take the preassessment below:  Define compacting.  List what types of students would benefit from compacting.  List, in order, the steps needed to create a compacted lesson.

 Use the Differentiation Compacting & Contracting Self-assessment Answer Key to check your answers.  How did you do?  Are you ready for the next step?

Not quite yet…. Then do this:  Join our discussion group on compacting and contracting.  We are looking at pages 13,16, 83, & 84 in Kingore’s book. I am ready to go! Then do this:  Get a contract, look it over, sign it, and begin.  Be ready to share your completed projects with your classmates.

What is it?

“ Compacting is the instructional pacing strategy designed to eliminate further instruction in mastered curriculum and streamline content to a pace commensurate with the students’ readiness.” Kingore, page 16

Why would you use it?

How do you get started?

 What are your school district’s curriculum goals for the topic you want to compact?  What are the state’s standards for this topic?

Step 2 - Identify students who may be candidates for compacting  Which students may already have sufficient knowledge of the basic content?

Does the student.. have consistently high performance? demonstrate the ability to work independently or in small groups without much supervision? have high motivation to learn?

Does the student.. appear to have advanced knowledge of the material? express interest in pursuing alternate or advanced topics? consistently finish work early?

Step 3- Choose students for compacting through pre-assessment  What score is needed for the student to participate in the compaction/enrichment?  How will I document proficiency?  How will my students be graded/ assessed?

Step 4 - Establish procedures for compacting the basic material.  What do the students already know about the topic?  What do the students still need to learn to demonstrate sufficient knowledge?  How do you document this information?

Written documentation should include:  Known standards, concepts and skills, verified by a pre-assessment.  Standards, concepts and skills which may still need to be learned.  Replacement tasks for extension and acceleration.  Signature of teacher and date. See Figure 2.2 Curriculum Compacting, page 17.

Step 5 - Provide options for enrichment or acceleration.  What do you want the students to do with the time that has been created through compacting?  What are they going to do with this information?

A Few Tips

 Based on student interest  Student-directed  Student-controlled parameters  Investigations of real problems  Dependent upon skills  An ongoing replacement task

Identify individual areas of strength through preassessment. Document mastery. Provide alternate activities.

Look at your original list of questions. Are there any we haven’t addressed?

Experts… Show us what can be done through curriculum compacting and contracts!

 Curriculum compacting  Flexible grouping  Learning centers or stations  Open-ended tasks  Preassessment  Product options  Research and independent study  Students as producers  Students’ self-assessments  Thinking and inquiry  Tiered Instruction Bertie Kingore’s book, pages 13-32

Not yet Then do this…  Get your Tiered Task Board from the instructor.  Follow the directions at the top of the Task Board. Maybe/Probably Then do this…  Take the preassessment below:  Define Tiered Instruction.  List what the benefits are to using tiered instruction.  List steps for developing a tiered assignment.

 Use the Tiered Instruction Self- assessment Answer Key to check your answers.  How did you do?  Are you ready for the next step?

Not quite yet…. Then do this…  Get your Tiered Task Board from the instructor.  Follow the directions at the top of the Task Board. I am ready to go! Then do this:  Get your Tiered Task Board from the instructor and begin creating your tiered activity.  Be ready to share your completed activity with your classmates.

Work on your Tiered Task Board You will have 30 minutes

What did you learn? What do you still need to know?  Form groups with 2-3 different Task Board levels.  Share your Task Boards with the group. You will have 10 minutes

A Nation Deceived

“ In 2004, The John Templeton Foundation sponsored a report titled A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students. This national report highlighted the disparity between the research on acceleration and the educational beliefs and practices that often run contrary to the research. The publication of A Nation Deceived has resulted in a national conversation about acceleration and gifted students.”

Independently or with a partner complete the Acceleration Webquest.  Be ready to share your findings. ed/ You will have 30 minutes

 Go to the Edutopia Website  Search Edutopia using these words: grade skipping poll  Click on Does skipping a grade help gifted students, or harm them? Does skipping a grade help gifted students, or harm them?  Read the information.  Vote and view results.

WOW!

Write a reflection in your journal on 2 of the 3 questions:  Why should students be considered for acceleration?  What stories or comments impact your own personal beliefs about acceleration?  Why should schools consider using the Iowa Acceleration Scale? You will have 5 minutes

Ongoing assessment includes:  Pre-assessments  Post Assessments  Formative Assessments  Summative Assessments  Self-assessments How did we use assessment to determine content?