The document provides strategies for differentiating instruction for gifted students in the classroom. It discusses using assessment before, during and after instruction to modify content. Teachers should provide multiple levels of thinking through Bloom's Taxonomy and various learning modalities. Questioning techniques should encourage higher-level thinking. Anchor activities can be used for independent practice. Choice boards allow for student choice in content and process. Flexible grouping and peer teaching can be used. Cubing and think dots are strategies to guide student thinking. Curriculum compacting provides time for enrichment. Independent study builds skills. Lessons should be tiered based on pre-assessment data.

1. Doing Differentiation Strategies to use in your classroom today

2. Gifted Kids Need Differentiation Miamisburg City Schools currently serves only 13% of its identified gifted students through the Challengers program and advanced coursework. 87% of students with a gifted identification receive no services outside of what is provided in the regular classroom.

3. Nature and Needs of Gifted Children Gifted children are characterized by their ability to process information quickly and to make connections within and among disciplines. Gifted children benefit from differentiated content, process, and product.

4. Assessment Assessment before, during, and after instruction is critical for making appropriate modifications for your students. Think outside the box- assessment is not limited to written tests and quizzes! See the assessment packet for some ideas for quick and easy ways to assess your students. Note- OAGC recognizes content mastery at 85%

5. Levels of Cognition and Multiple Intelligences Differentiation of process involves offering opportunities to process information at different levels of Bloom’s taxonomy as well as providing students with options to take in information through a variety of learning modalities. See the Thinking in Bloom packet for information on integrating these learning theories into your instruction.

6. Questioning Higher level questioning strategies encourage discussion and thinking beyond recall of information. Open-ended questions give students room to make content connections and to think critically and creatively about the material being presented.

7. Anchor Activities Anchor activities provide students with relevant, meaningful activities that can be completed independently. These can be leveled to meet different student needs, and can be used as a management tool for early finishers and to facilitate small group instruction to meet student needs.

8. Tic Tac Toe and Choice Menus Tic tac toe boards and other choice menus are great tools for integrating student choice, different levels of thinking, and multiple intelligences. 2-5-8 menus allow for student choice and more teacher control over the types and quantity of work completed by each student.

9. Flexible Grouping Gifted students are not necessarily gifted in everything. Flexible grouping allows for students to move in and out of groups based on need, ability, interest, etc. Every student deserves the opportunity to work with intellectual peers on appropriately challenging tasks. Gifted students are not always the best teachers. Peer teaching is most appropriate for students who have just gotten a concept- not for a student who has already mastered it.

10. Cubing Incorporating cubing in your classroom allows you to guide student thinking in multiple directions and to differentiate process and product for students of varying abilities. Don’t want / have time to make a bunch of cubes? Consider using think dots- correlate activities and questions with the number of dots on each side of a regular die.

11. Curriculum Compacting Curriculum compacting is a great way of finding time for enrichment and extension activities for gifted students. It is guided by demonstration of student mastery (85%) and allows students to substitute projects and activities that more appropriately meet their learning needs.

12. Independent Study Students participating in independent study learn time management and organizational skills in addition to research and content related understandings. When discussing independent study topics, consider using connections to real life problems, student interest, and depth of the content covered. Students can present their independent study as an enrichment to other students in the class.

13. Tiered Lessons Differentiate content, process, and product for students based upon data obtained from pretesting. Students must have the understanding that not everyone needs the same thing. Each tier must have motivating and challenging activities that are appropriate to student needs.

14. Resources http://guest.portaportal.com/renegar http://www.orc.org http://www.ohiotresurechest.org http://www.hoagiesgifted.com http://www.oagc.com