1. Flexible Grouping Practices

2. Grouping and the Gifted Student
The gifted student ranges in his/her strengths and weaknesses just as do all students
Students are different from each other and challenged when provided programming at the appropriate level of instruction
Teachers must look at each student individually
MCPS content curriculum contain adaptations that are suitable for the gifted student in the cluster grouped classroom
Flexible Grouping for the delivery of instruction is the cornerstone of appropriate differentiation for the gifted student

3. When does grouping facilitate instruction? When it:
allows both for quick mastery of information and ideas
allows for additional exploration by students needing more time for mastery
allows for both collaborative and independent work
gives students and teachers a voice in work arrangements
allows students to work with a wide variety of peers
encourages teachers to “try out” students in a variety of work settings
keeps students from being “pegged” as advanced or struggling

4. Which activities lend themselves to group work?

5. Activities for Heterogeneous Grouping
Open ended activities with use of strategies such as critical thinking,, development of concepts and generalizations
Multidisciplinary themes
When presenting new content
Examples: Hands on Science experiments, and current events activities

6. Group Work - Old and New Traditional Cooperative Groups
Task is usually a project
Some students do more work and take most responsibility
Some students are ignored by others in group
Some students feel success, others feel frustration
Each student cares most about what he/she learns and what grade he/she receives
Task may be a project, brainstorming, problem solving
Shared work and responsibility
Participation of all students is encouraged
Each student’s ideas and work are valued
Students care about group learning

7. Flexible Grouping
Occurs when there is a whole group assessment or instruction initially; and then the students are divided by their need for either review,
re-teaching, practice, or enrichment. Such grouping could be a single lesson or objective, a set of skills, a unit of study, or a major concept or theme. Flexible grouping creates temporary groups for an hour, a day, a week, or a month or so. It does not create permanent groups.

8. Purpose of Grouping
Schools will utilize flexible and varied grouping practices that enhance the opportunity to receive expanded, intensive, enriched and accelerated curricula at all instructional levels.
Source: Policy on Gifted and Talented Education

9. Planning for Grouping: Questions to Consider
When does grouping benefit students?
When does grouping facilitate instruction?
Which activities lend themselves to group work?
How do you determine group membership?

10. When does grouping benefit students?
When the task requires input from different types of learning styles and perspectives.
When the subject matter is new for all students.
When it allows gifted students to be engaged in real learning.

11. Appropriate Activities for Heterogeneous Grouping:
Critical Thinking
Concept and Generalization
Whole Language Experiences
Multi-disciplinary Units
Open ended discussions
Examples: Hands-on science experiments and Current event discussions

12. Appropriate Activities for Homogeneous Grouping:
Drill and Practice
Math computation
Studying for recall type test
Answering comprehension questions about a novel

13. Group Membership Can be determined by: Readiness Interest
Reading Level
Skill Level
Background Knowledge
Social Skills

14. Grouping Method
Teacher Assigned
Student Selected
Random

15. PRE-ASSESSMENT
The purpose of pre-assessment is to determine what students know about a topic before it is taught. Pre-assessment will help the teacher determine flexible grouping patterns and should be used regularly.

16. Pre-assessment Strategies
Teacher prepared pre-test
KWL Charts /Graphic Organizers
Writing Prompts/Samples
Guess Box
Student demonstrations and discussions
Student products and work samples
Show of hands/EPR Every Pupil Response
Standardized Tests/ISM Data
Teacher observation/Checklist

17. Management of Groups Goal of the Activity
Total number of Pupils in Class
Number of Groups
Number of Students in a Group
Roles within the Group
Teacher Role

18. Assessment
A successful end product and/or the fulfilling the pre-stated objective.

19. Processing
Individual and Group accountability activities which reflect the success of:
The student
The group
The objective for the teacher planned activity

20. Flexible Grouping for the delivery of instruction is the cornerstone of appropriate differentiation for the gifted student as well as all students. The use of Flexible Grouping assures Success for Every Student.

21. This program was developed by: Elaine McArdle And Gina Woodward
EII Coordinators Ridgeview Middle School