Identifying Gifted Potential in Underrepresented Populations 11/12/2018 Identifying Gifted Potential in Underrepresented Populations

Questions from the Field 11/12/2018 Questions from the Field How does the Depth & Complexity Framework help to identify gifted students? 2

11/12/2018 Identify Outliers What types of questions, thinking, responses, engagement, behaviors etc. have you noticed when students are using the Depth & Complexity prompts that you did not notice before? Chart these on paper at front. When we use DCF to focus students thinking and doing tasks we are unleashing behaviors and abilities we may not have tapped into before. When those abilities or behaviors seem extraordinary compared to the rest of the class, you may be observing gifted potential. 3

Looking for Students’ Strengths 11/12/2018 Looking for Students’ Strengths Look at our chart and then look at the Classroom Observation Tool handout. Do you see similarities or parallels between them? These are the types of behaviors we cannot observe or identify from a standardized test. While some students do very well on these tests, quite often the underrepresented students we are looking for do not. This makes the teacher’s role key in the identification process. 4

Questions from the Field 11/12/2018 Questions from the Field What am I looking for from my students as I use DCF to determine if I need to put them on the observation sheet? 5

Observation Simulation 11/12/2018 Observation Simulation Observe this elementary classroom small group discussion on the development of central ideas for the books Bud not Buddy and Tiger Rising. Make notes on the Classroom Observation Tool and the Observed Leadership Skills documents when a student shows those characteristics. J-John K-Kathy P-Pam S-Sam Allow 7 or 8 min. Repeat if necessary. Turn off a 5:32 6 min. Let’s practice and see what it is we are looking for. 6

Discussion Share your comments on the documents. J-John K-Kathy P-Pam 11/12/2018 Discussion Share your comments on the documents. What were common characteristics most everyone observed? When the group has a difference of opinion about which characteristics were observed, have a group discussion about why these differences may have occurred. How might a classroom teacher use this information to adapt instruction? J-John K-Kathy P-Pam S-Sam Discuss each question for 5 min. After each set, chart on paper at front of room 7

11/12/2018 Discuss How might we best use the Classroom Observation Tool? How might we promote its use? Share ideas and post on chart paper. 8

Teacher’s Role is Twofold 11/12/2018 Teacher’s Role is Twofold Ask focused questions and structure inquiry so students think with depth & complexity. 1 Observe and document exceptional, outlier behaviors as a result of the above. 2 The teacher’s role is twofold in the identification process. The teacher used the DCF to ask focused questions and structure inquiry so student think with depth and complexity. Teachers observe and document exceptional, outlier behaviors as a result of using the DCF. 9

Referral 11/12/2018 2 min. Briefly describe what each of those referrals looks like. Using the Depth & Complexity Framework alone will not identify students as gifted. What it will do is provide opportunities for students to demonstrate gifted characteristics. If teachers are observing their students using the observation tool CLICK CLICK and/or keeping anecdotal records CLICK those can be used to refer the student for further data analysis used in the gifted identification process. This is a crucial step to identify gifted students from underrepresented populations and one that is often missing because teachers do not know what to look for AND are not providing opportunities for students to demonstrate those characteristics. Implementation of the DCF and teachers’ observations using the Classroom Observation Tool fill that crucial step. 10

Questions from the Field 11/12/2018 Questions from the Field Who in the school/district should be receiving the observation tool, or notes gathered as teachers are using DCF? Take a moment to arrive at the answer to this for each participant. Is there a gifted coordinator in each building? Does gifted identification go through the MTSS or RtI problem solving team? 11

Questions from the Field 11/12/2018 Questions from the Field What happens once the information is given from the classroom teacher to the person responsible for gathering it? The identification process begins with a referral. Once the identification team has the referral they begin to collect a body of evidence. 12

BOE Qualifying Data Additional Data Norm-referenced test 11/12/2018 BOE Qualifying Data Additional Data Norm-referenced test Criterion- referenced test Norm-referenced observation scale Performance Evaluation Anecdotal records Interview Informal Observation Checklist A body of evidence will contain data that are used to qualify a student for a gifted determination. Additionally, there will be supplemental data in the body of evidence that will be used to develop a student’s learning profile. One piece of supplemental data is the classroom teachers referral using the Classroom Observation Tool. 13

Body of Evidence Cognitive Test Achievement Test 11/12/2018 Cognitive Test Achievement Test Behavior Observation Scale Performance Evaluation Talent Ability or Creativity Tests Parent Informal Input Additional Data Body of Evidence A body of evidence is made up of many assessments. Some are used for qualifying information for gifted identification and some are used to develop a student profile. The check marks indicate tools that might be used in the gifted determination process. The team can begin by collecting evidence in any order. They might begin with achievement data the district already has collected. If the student has scored at the 85th percentile or higher, the team will continue to look for other qualifying data. A cognitive score might be given or a norm-reference observation scale. If there is one piece of qualifying data, the team can decide to place the student in a talent pool. This means the students receives programming “as if” he or she were identified as gifted. If the programming is successful and student scores increase to qualify, the student will be identified. If the student is successful in the programming but qualifying data points are not forth-coming, the child can still remain in the programming opportunities because it fits their needs and abilities. No ALP is written for a student in the talent pool. If the student does not have qualifying scores and is not successful in the programming that is a good indication that the student is not gifted and needs to receive more appropriate instruction. 14

Questions from the Field 11/12/2018 Questions from the Field In what categories are students identified and what are the criteria? 15

11/12/2018 Criteria Criteria Criteria are the rules for evaluating a level of exceptionality for identification assessment. The 95th percentile ranking and above describe the rule for demonstration of exceptionality on a norm- referenced standardized test. Distinguished/advanced performance levels describe exceptionality on qualitative tools, portfolios, performance assessment, and criterion-referenced tests. Criteria are not cut-off scores. Criteria are … Rules state the criterion for gifted identification on a cognitive assessment is the 95th percentile or above. However, if a student does NOT score a 95th percentile or above on a cognitive test this does NOT mean he/she cannot qualify for gifted identification if other qualifying measures demonstrate gifted abilities. This would be an example of using the cognitive score as a cut-score to prohibit a student from identification. 16

Domains (Areas) of Identification 11/12/2018 Domains (Areas) of Identification General or Specific Intellectual Ability Thinks Reasons The first domain is the area of general or specific intellectual ability. Intellectual ability refers to how a student thinks, problem solves and uses general and fluid reasoning. You may hear this referred to as the “G Factor.” A variety of instruments have been created over the years to measure the G Factor. As noted before, some of these cognitive assessments have nonverbal types of questions. If a student demonstrates an exceptional score on the nonverbal section of a cognitive assessment, the student is not gifted in the nonverbal domain, but rather we refer to this student as gifted in the area of general intellectual ability. Problem Solves 17

Domains (Areas) of Identification 11/12/2018 Domains (Areas) of Identification Specific Academic Aptitude Reading Writing Mathematics Science Social Studies World Language The second domain of identification is Specific Academic Aptitude. 18

11/12/2018 “Content Areas” Rules state students are identified in all “content areas” Colorado has 10 content areas: Colorado Arts Music Visual Arts Theatre Dance Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Mathematics Reading, Writing and Communicating Science Social Studies World Languages Rules state…. (Note: This is not new wording to the rules. Therefore, identification in areas such as science and world language is not a NEW requirement. Because assessment data are more available in content areas such as reading, writing and math, these have been the most common areas for content identification.) 19

Domains (Areas) of Identification 11/12/2018 Domains (Areas) of Identification Specific Talent Aptitude Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Musical, Dance or Psychomotor Abilities Creative or Productive Thinking   Leadership Abilities The third area is specific talent aptitude which includes:…. 20

Talent Pool Common Terminology 11/12/2018 Common Terminology Talent Pool A talent pool is defined as a group of students who demonstrate advanced performance or potential in a particular area, but at this time do not meet the criteria for gifted identification; or the determination team decides additional differentiation and observation is needed prior to making an identification decision. A talent pool is ….. Again, considered best practice in gifted education, the creation of a talent pool is not mandated by law. A district can choose to develop a talent pool and determine the criteria for selection into a talent pool. If students are identified as participants in a talent pool, differentiated programming must be provided to students in the pool. Just flagging names of students to be included in a list to track over time is not considered a talent pool. Students in the talent pool must receive different instructional programming options. These are the students you are looking for in your classrooms. These are students who show their strengths in other ways besides standardized tests. 21

Questions from the Field 11/12/2018 Questions from the Field How do I, as a classroom teacher, know what has happened with the information? What are the next steps in the process for me and how am I informed of them? 22

Talent Development Model 11/12/2018 Talent Development Model This form of identification is called a talent development model. It requires time to make an informed decision about formal identification. But through the use of the DCF, you are providing appropriate challenge and complexity for these students as they grow. 23