Differentiation in Your Classroom Created by Amanda Arthur and Dale Casper Gifted Intervention Specialists Huron City Schools Created by Amanda Arthur.

Differentiation in Your Classroom

Differentiation in Your Classroom

Created by Amanda Arthur and Dale CasperGifted Intervention Specialists

Huron City Schools

Created by Amanda Arthur and Dale CasperGifted Intervention Specialists

Huron City Schools

Definition of Gifted and Talented Students Children and youth who give evidence of

high performance capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership and/or specific academics who require services not ordinarily provided by schools to develop such capabilities (Davis and Rimm).

Characteristics of Gifted and Near Gifted Positive Behaviors Inquisitive Rapid learning Superior reasoning Task oriented Witty Independent Abstract thinking

Negative Behaviors• Underachievement• Depression• Perfectionism• Interpersonal

difficulties• Frustration• Poor self image

Almost Gifted…

90-94%tile in the nation (95%tile=gifted) High Ability High Functioning High Performing Require alternate assignments

Howard Gardner & Multiple Intelligences

• Logical/Mathematical “number/reasoning smart”

• Visual/Spatial “picture smart”• Body/Kinesthetic “body smart”• Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence “music smart”• Interpersonal “people smart”• Intrapersonal “self smart”• Verbal/Linguistic “word smart”• Naturalist “nature smart”

Differentiation Independent studies (advanced concepts) Alternate spelling lists (menus, extension

activities) Choices (ex. contracts, menus, tic tac toe boards) Product lists (ex. 101 Ways to Share a Book) Flexibility (grouping, assignments) Presentation of alternate assignments Detailed rubrics

Differentiating ReadingWhole-Group Instruction

• All read the same book• Whole-class learning• Students read different

books but do the same learning tasks.

• Skill work by direct instruction

• Theme-based literature circles; teacher-directed learning

• Standards and regular curriculum are taught directly to students.

Differentiation for Gifted and Almost Gifted

• Different books/same theme• Study guide with or without

Extension Menu.• Read self-selected book

different learning tasks.• Compacting and contracts for

selective skill work and faster pacing.

• Self-selected literature with study guide and Extension or reading activities menu.

• Direct instruction only on content not mastered

• Students take instruction only on content they have not

“Jumping at several small opportunities may get us there more quickly than

waiting for one big one to come along.” -Hugh Allen

“Jumping at several small opportunities may get us there more quickly than

waiting for one big one to come along.” -Hugh Allen

Teaching for UnderstandingThinking Routines

Thinking is a learning activity.Thinking Routines cannot be rushed; time must be allotted for thought processing.

Teaching for Understanding Performances of Understanding

The student can: Explain and give examples Use and apply flexibly Ask probing questions Compare and contrast Generalize Examine differing points of view Recognize a performance that shows Understanding Show confidence to teach to others

Teaching for Understanding Bloom’s Taxonomy of Thinking Skills

Knowledge: Recall of data (facts, definitions, numbers, letters, etc.). Comprehension: Understand the meaning, translation, interpolation,

and interpretation of instructions and problems. State a problem in one's own words.

Application: Use a concept in a new situation or unprompted use of an abstraction. Applies what was learned in the classroom into novel situations.

Analysis: Separate material or concepts into component parts so that its organization or structure may be understood. Distinguish between facts and inferences. 

Synthesis: Build a structure or pattern from diverse elements. Put parts together to form a whole, with emphasis on creating a new meaning or structure.

Evaluation: Make reasonable judgments about the value of ideas or materials.

Teaching for Understanding Thinking Routines – Six Key Practices:

Describe what is there –What do you see and notice?

Build explanations – What’s really going on? Capture the heart – What’s at the core or

center of this? Make connections – How does this fit in? Reason with evidence – Why do you say

that? Consider differing viewpoints – What’s

another angle

Teaching for Understanding Core Thinking Routines:

See – Think – Wonder What Makes You Say That? Think – Puzzle – Explore Think – Pair – Share Circle of Viewpoints I used to Think… Now I Think….

Teaching for Understanding

See – Think – Wonder

Teaching for Understanding

Assessment As A Moment of Learning Rubrics

Items for evaluation must be grounded in the discipline.

Descriptors must be instructional by using concrete terms.

Emphasize creative and critical thinking.

Teaching for Understanding Assessment As A Moment of Learning

RubricsA rubric is a scoring tool that lists

the criteria for a piece of work, or "what counts"

(for example, purpose, organization, details, voice, and mechanics are often what count in a piece of writing);

it also articulates gradations of quality for each criterion, from excellent to poor.

Teaching for Understanding Assessment As A Moment of Learning

Rubrics are powerful tools for both teaching and assessment. Rubrics can improve student performance, as well as monitor it.

Rubrics help students become more thoughtful judges of the quality of their own and others' work.

Rubrics reduce the amount of time teachers spend evaluating student work.

Rubrics are readily adaptable, plus easy to use and to explain.

Teaching for Understanding Assessment As A Moment of Learning

Making Rubrics is Simple

1. List criteria for a piece of work, or "what counts"

2. Articulate gradations of quality: Describe the best and worst levels of quality, then fill in the middle levels based on your knowledge of common problems and the discussion of not-so-good work.

Teaching for Understanding Assessment As A Moment of Learning

Making Rubrics is Simple

List 4 gradations of quality

Brainstorm gradations of quality as: "Yes" "Yes, but…" "No, but…" and "No."

Link to Paragraph Rubric

“There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal

people.” Thomas Jefferson

“There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal

people.” Thomas Jefferson