Chapter 6: Applying the Principles in an Elementary Classroom - Part Two

Maker and Nielson page 181: “If lessons with higher ceilings and broader horizons are offered to all students, many students will find room to grow.”

Step 5: Checking the Defensibility of the Differentiated Instruction

Ask yourself these two questions:Time: Will the modified lesson take the same amount of time for the bright student to complete as average-ability students need to complete the unmodified activity? -Gifted students often finish more quickly when not given developmentally appropriate challenge!

Content: Does the modifies lesson contain the core content that the rest of the class will be expected to know as well as offer an additional challenge and benefit?- When knowledge and skills that gifted students learn differ from the rest of the class due to lack of differentiation, lessons create gaps in their knowledge bases characteristic of gifted students

Six Scenarios- pages 131-136 in pdf module

Differentiation ...

... is ... is not

provision of a variety of ways to explore curriculum content.

making all tasks the same, with adjustments consisting of merely varying difficulty level of questions.

provision of an array of processes for understanding and "owning" information.

marking some students harder than others.

provision of options for demonstrating or exhibiting what has been learnt.

letting those who finish early play games for "enrichment".

giving students extra problems, extra reports, or "extension" assignments.

Source: Riley, T. (2000). “Differentiation for Gifted and Talented Students: Principles and Practices”

Step 6: Implementing Modified Learning Opportunities

FOUR Considerations: - Learning environment- Access- Cooperative learning- Monitoring

Inclusion in the 21st-century classroom: Differentiating with technology

By Bobby Hobgood, Ed.D. and Lauren Ormsby

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/every-learner/6776

“In this video, students in a gifted classroom use the multi-user learning environment Quest Atlantis to explore issues related to the creation of a game reserve in Tanzania. Interviews with the teacher and students offer perspectives on the value of using virtual worlds in the classroom.”

1. Learning environment:

Characteristics of optimum learning environment:

Safe, response, and learner-centered

- there is a direct relationship between the classroom environment and benefits to students

- you must have both optimal learning environment and differentiation, one is not enough

safe, responsive, learner-centered environment

2. Access and Exclusivity:

Ask yourself:

“Once lessons are modified for the bright student, can one or more of them be offered to the whole class?

-choose based on the “best match between the objectives for the activity, the nature of the activity, and the nature of the students”

“If all students in the class can achieve the objective of the unmodified lesson by participating in the modified lesson, let them!

- Maker and Nielson page 192

Tiering to avoid tears: Developing assignments that address all learners' needsBy Linda Pigott Robinson

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/every-learner/6680

“How do we differentiate and still remain fair? How do we meet all students’ needs and still address the Standard Course of Study? Furthermore, how do we develop every child’s full abilities given the heterogeneous nature of our classrooms? Most importantly, how do we do all of this without losing our minds, or crying a lot, or losing great teachers from the classroom?”

Who cares?: Using real-world perspectives to engage academically gifted learnersBy Linda Pigott Robinson

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/every-learner/6682

“In this video, teachers from elementary, middle, and high school discuss the use of assignments based on real-world perspectives, with an emphasis on how diverse groups of learners can benefit from this approach. “

Example: “The Venture”

Pacing principle: “students be permitted to learn at a pace commensurate with their ability”

Encourages students to learn at their own pace

Product-free, independent learning about a topic

Evaluation focused on process, not outcome

“About learning in spare moments or during assigned time just for the joy of knowing”

Uses a contract approach

Constructive use of student’s abilities on a student –selected topic

---> see handouts, figure 6.2, developed by Clark County School District

3. Cooperative learningWhen the Group-Interaction Principle is Needed, choose

cooperative learning for the whole class

Issues to consider for success:

- Keep group size small, 3-4 students

- Be flexible with group composition

- Task provides ALL members with opportunity

- Must be sufficiently complex and challenging

- Sometimes group gifted students together

- Provide training and guidelines for good group work

*IT DOESN’T HAPPEN ON ITS OWN*

- Provide clear feedback about interactions as well as outcome

4. Monitoring the student during the activity

Teachers ask themselves hundreds of questions while teaching a lesson… don’t just ask yourself, ASK THE STUDENTS.

Observe and investigate during and after learning

Provide meaningful opportunities for self assessment (see handout, figure 6.3)

Step 7: Evaluating the Outcome- Use the variety of products and product

modifications from chapter 5 for all students, not just gifted

- Make sure that the core content from the unmodified lesson is included, evaluating the additional content is optional (and can be done separately)

- Gifted students have the “ability to learn to select and apply evaluation criteria” so use SELF-EVALUATION (promotes metacognition!)

See figure 6.3

- Many students waste time and energy trying to figure out “what the teacher really wants” so provide CLEAR CRITERIA and they can redirect that energy to MEANINGFUL LEARNING

Effective RubricsSee sample “

Student Product Assessment Form” by Renzulli and Reis on pages 177-185 of pdf module

http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/sem/pdf/spaf.pdf

Website resources:

Preview samples: www.exemplars.com

Rubric generators:

www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/rubrics/

Create rubrics online:

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

Step 8: Monitoring the Modification

ProcessSO- now that we’re almost done, HOW do I know the differentiation is working? Did I get it right?

Watch for changes in the student

It’s a recursive process so the original behavior characteristics on your chart may change- observe and evaluate again… then change accordingly

You could be rewarded with changes in attitudes toward school, teachers, peers, learning, or task completion!

Don’t forget to ASK students about their thoughts and feelings- provide them opportunities to REFLECT.

PLP – Personal Learning Plan (figures 6.4 and 6.5 in Maker and Nielson)

Multiple Intelligence Priorities

Areas of Strength or Passion

Interdisciplinary Themes

Generalizations

The Needs of Gifted Students

Differentiated Objectives

Differentiated Learning Activities

Monitoring/Evaluating Differentiated Learning Activities

Management Plan

Time for Differentiated Learning Activities

Timeline for monitoring

Resources Needs

Schedule for monitoring/revising

Communication

Special Effects

Additional Comments/Information

Some resources for differentiation:Articles available online:

Berger, S. L. (1991) “Differentiating curriculum for gifted students”

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED342175.pdf

Olenchack, F. R. (2010) “Lessons learned from gifted children about differentiation

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08878730109555263#.U83vWqhn-Rs

Parke, B. N. (1992) “Challenging Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom”

http://www.casenex.com/casenex/ericReadings/ChallengingGiftedStudents.pdf

Riley, T. (2000). “Differentiation for Gifted and Talented Students: Principles and Practices”

[PDF] Differentiation for gifted and talented students: Principles and practices

Willis, S. and Mann, L. (2000) “Differentiating Instruction Finding Manageable Ways to Meet Individual Needs” http://www.ascd.org/publications/curriculum-update/winter2000/Differentiating-Instruction.aspx

More Resources…Books Tomlinson, C. A. The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to

the Needs of All Learners.see her infographic:

http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/Differentiation_Is-IsNot_infographic.pdf

VanTaessel-Baska, J. (1988) Comprehensive Curriculum Guide for Gifted Learners (especially section two on suggestions for adaptations from traditional content areas)

Winebrenner, S. (1992) Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs of the Gifted and Talented. (especially useful reproducibles)

Website:The Differentiation Toolbox by Francine Oliver and Matt Shields http://www.mattshields.com/toolbox/

And video:Starting Small from Teaching Tolerance

http://www.tolerance.org/kit/starting-small