Differentiation Strategies for GT and/or Highly Able Students Welcome! Differentiation Strategies for GT and/or Highly Able Students

Make a Name Tent for Yourself Make a tent out of a sheet of card stock paper. On one side of your “tent” write your name large enough for others to see. Divide the other side of your “tent” into four quadrants. In the upper left quadrant, write the name of your school. In the upper right quadrant, write the grades and courses you teach. In the lower left quadrant, draw a picture/symbol that shows something about you. In the lower right quadrant, draw or write about your plans for the summer.

Characteristics of Advanced Learners Activity: Brainwriting Chapter Four : pages 100-102 Reaching All Learners ~Bertie Kingore

A written variation of brainstorming increases mental engagement for all students. Results invite students to compare and contrast concepts related to a topic. Products are a rich resource for summarization or expanded writing about a topic.

Why Differentiate? We all know what you what key elements we should be differentiating: Content Process Product Environment Assessment We all know what the research says we are supposed to differentiate. We’ve seen the list many times, I am sure. What we want to do today is look at some (SOME) of the strategies that we can use to provide for the more specific needs of the advanced learner---that those requiring GT, Honors, and Advanced classes.

Why Differentiate? Why differentiate instruction with a group of students, whether GT or standard? The simple answer, we all know, comes from some well known gifted education researchers--- Carol Tomlinson, Joyce Van Tassel-Baska, Donna Ford, Susan Winebrenner, Nicholas Colangelo and Gary Davis, Paul Slocumb, and Ruby Payne, and, of course, Bertie Kingore, and others…. They emphasize that all students are different, and therefore, require different instruction in order to teach/engage them. (Differences can be ethnic, racial, cultural, socio-economic.) Joyce Van Tassel-Baska, Ed. D. from the Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary, Virginia: http://www.openc.k12.or.us/reaching/tag/context.html (2 min. audio on “Experience”) Our sound bites deal with curriculum, but here we are talking about differentiating/tweaking lessons within the curriculum to meet the needs of the student(s).

Why Differentiate? Differentiated classrooms offer learning options that tap into readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. You will see: 1. A variety of ways for students to explore content 2. A variety of activities/processes enabling students to understand and “own information and ideas” 3. A variety of options through which students can demonstrate/exhibit mastery Why are we trying to use different mentions to reach are learners? We attempt this because we want to reach the visual, auditory, kinesthetic learner. We want to reach the quiet student, the boisterous student.

Why Differentiate? Wordle gives us the answer: http://www.wordle.net/ When you send the previous slide through Wordle.net, and add a couple of options you can see what the key words are: variety, students, learning, options. This is just a quick example of the options we can use to try to better engage our students---creating building blocks, visual and otherwise, to create interaction with the content…..AND PACE!

Why Differentiate? Pace and variety in instruction are especially important for the advanced learner. Potential issues DI addresses for the advanced learner: May become bored Can become mentally lazy, even though they do well in school May think grades are more important than ideas May become perfectionists May fail to develop a sense of self-efficacy May fail to develop study and coping skills

Why Differentiate? “Integrating elements of abstract thinking, complexity, and depth (ACD) avoids instruction based on advanced and gifted students doing more, working harder, or making less errors; the focus instead is on students thinking differently.” --Bertie Kingore, Ed. D. "When gifted students exceed standards at given stages of development, accelerate them to the next level within or across subjects, within or across levels.“ --Joyce VanTassel-Baska, Ed. D.

Why Differentiate? Bertie Kingore---to provide ACD: “Teachers concluded that when they prompt more abstract thinking, complexity, and depth they are more likely to get the advanced thinking they expected. Gifted learners need opportunities for abstract thinking and complex content to stay mentally engaged in learning...” See Kingore handout on ACD related to thinking and inquiry (discussion): Abstractions, Change over time, Essential questions, Ethics, Generalizations, Interdisciplinary content, Issues, Language and terminology, Methodology, Patterns, Perspectives, Resources and technology

Why Differentiate? Coming up….We’ll look at moving the advanced learner to “other activities.”

Grouping for Differentiation Turn and Talk What concerns do teachers sometimes have with using small group instruction in their classroom?

Steps to Establishing Small Group Instruction Routines Set rules together. Create a contract to be signed by both the student and a parent. Start small! Use grouping strategies frequently so that students remain “trained”.

Steps to Establishing Small Group Instruction Routines Examine the “Small Group Implementation Schedule”

Steps to Establishing Small Group Instruction Routines “Getting Started” suggestions on pages 63-66. “Learning Behaviors Rubric” on page 56. Reaching All Learners ~Bertie Kingore

Different Grouping Options Whole Class Similar-Ability Small Groups Mixed-Ability Small Groups Individual Work What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of grouping?

Grouping “Paper-Wad Reflection” On your blank sheet of paper, write down your response to one of the following questions: What is one idea for grouping that will try to implement next school year? Why does this idea appeal to you? What is one suggestion that you have for a teacher new to grouping based on your prior experience?

How To Differentiate: S.E.E.A. Earlier, we looked at “why to differentiate” for the advanced learner. We reviewed the need to provide “pace and variety” and ACD. But, how to differentiate for these learners? We start with at least two basic pre-instruction activities: 1. Content pre-assessments---whether formal or informal 2. Student Interest Survey/Inventory---learn about talents, passions 2a. BCPS “Learning Preference Survey” 3. This info/data will lead us to “SEEA” or compacting the content

How To Differentiate: S.E.E.A. Once we determine what the student(s) mastery, then we can move to differentiating the content by: S = Substituting E = Extending E = Enriching A = Accelerating

Product Options Possibilities for substituting lesson(s): 1, When the class has already read a particular work, is it possible to substitute a different work by the same author or a work from the same genre? 2. Can you substitute an author of the same time period, style, etc.? Possibilities for extending content: 1. Journaling on a book or author under study 2. Journaling on literary elements 3. Animoto book review 4. Soapstone another book by the same author under study 5. Service Learning projects

Product Options Possibilities for enriching lesson(s): 1. Based on student Interest Survey, student selects a project from the Product List or Choice Box or Options List that they want to do. Example: Research/produce a video on a contemporary African American writer 2. Website/wiki exploring the Great Depression and the current recession 3. A Student Service Learning project related to a contemporary issue of interest to the student Possibilities for accelerating lesson--(earlier and faster paced): 1. Students read books at the next grade level and select their own product/ assessment of the books 2. Students read several of one author’s books, rather than one, then select their own product/assessment

Options List Review Product Options on pages 26-27 in Kingore’s Reaching All Learners and list one product that you could use for each --- Substituting Extending Enriching Accelerating

Options List (Teachers to the PPT for this) Your SEEAs:

The Teaching Palette – 40 Strategies for Differentiating Instruction Chapter Four : pages 85-170 Reaching All Learners ~Bertie Kingore

Strategy Search age Number Strategy Notes on Process Ideas for how you might implement this strategy with advanced learners 88 Assessment and Evaluation Card A & E 92 Analogies 100 Brainwriting 115 Four Corners 145 Riddles 148 SCAMPER 152 Summarization Page 155 T-Time 164 Top Ten 166 Topic Talk Topic Talk and Switch Other

The Thinking Triangle Promotes the review and organization of information Serves as a springboard for summarization, topic discussions, and vocabulary development Encourages students’ high-level thinking Assesses students’ accuracy, depth, and complexity of content Teaching Without Nonsense~Bertie Kingore

The Thinking Triangle A technique for succinctly retelling and organizing information May be completed in words, phrases, or complete sentences which may elicit higher thinking Teaching Without Nonsense~Bertie Kingore

The Thinking Triangle Using the word DIFFERENTIATION on the first line designated as “subject”, use the Thinking Triangle to represent your thoughts and point of view about the strategies you have learned and discussed during this workshop.

Technology Integration Ideas There are two main reasons for providing technology integration with advanced learners: 1. Allow them virtual experiences in their area of interest, passion, gift, or talent that they cannot experience otherwise. 2. Allow them to practice with and create products that go beyond the “pencil and paper” products/assessments/depths provided in traditional instruction.

Technology Integration Ideas Web 2.0 tools and Digital Blooms’ Taxonomy is provided by BCPS and Promotes the use of higher order thinking skills and Internet tools. http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/Reference/reference.html#Blooms

Technology Integration Ideas "For gifted children, there will be information available on almost any interest they have -- anything from sites such as NASA for those interested in Astronomy to sites on literature, geology, history, and Star Trek. Also many of these sites offer more than one-way information. Most WWW authors cheerfully respond to email queries from their pages and will provide specific information requested. Next time you or your child has one of those questions which you can't find an answer, someone on the Internet probably can and will if you ask them." The Internet and Gifted and Talented Children by Gayle Dallaston Web 2.0 tools and Digital Blooms’ Taxonomy: http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/Reference/reference.html#Blooms Free technology for teachers: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/p/free-downloads.html BCCP Web 2.0 wiki: http://bcpslibraryinformationservices.pbworks.com/w/page/12773114/FrontPage

“Alphaboxes” Reflection Complete the alphabet grid with ideas or thoughts that you will take away from this workshop.