Instructional methodology for gifted and talented learners
Candidates possess a repertoire of evidence-based curriculum and instructional strategies to differentiate for gifted and talented learners.
4.1: Utilize
community and school resources to support differentiated instruction.
1. The article, "What is PBIS?" states that, "Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a
proactive systems approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social
culture and needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional,
and academic success. As a Response to Intervention model, PBIS applies a three-tiered
system of support, and a problem-solving process to enhance the capacity of
schools to effectively educate all students." Since my school, Pacific Cascade Middle School, uses RTI, this article demonstrates how it can be used to support our gifted learners.
4.2: Use
curricular, instructional and management strategies effective for gifted and
talented learners including the underachieving and twice-exceptional student.
1. Post #3 from the course "Teaching the Gifted Underachiever," course explores some of the frustrations that I feel with underachieving gifted students, and some strategies that could be used to motivate them.
2. Post #6 from the course "Teaching the Gifted Underachiever" discusses different strategies that I can use in my classroom that targets different types of gifted underachievers. The post explores strategies for the dependent conforming, dependent non-conforming, dominant conforming, and dominant non-conforming students. This post demonstrates demonstrates my understanding of why different strategies needs to be used when working with different types of gifted students.
3. The paper "A Summary and Critique of RTI" that I wrote for the Nature and Needs of Gifted Learners course analyzes the RTI (response to intervention) trend and whether or not it is advantageous for gifted learners. I found that unlike the No Child Left Behind act, RTI offers increased ability to provide differentiation for our gifted learners; as long as it is implemented appropriately in schools. This paper demonstrates my understanding of RTI and the benefits, and possible downfalls, that is offers our gifted students.
4.2.1: Adjust
instruction for gifted and talented learners based on formative and summative
assessment.
1. The report "A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students" comprehensively explores the importance of providing acceleration and challenge for our nation's gifted population. The report discusses multiple types of acceleration, advantages of acceleration, and what teachers/administrators can do to implement these practices based on the assessment of gifted children. This report demonstrates my understanding of the research behind acceleration of gifted students and the implications that accelerating/not accelerating students might have on the society and the student themselves.
2. Writing Assignment #2 from the "Strategies" course, discusses the importance of preassessment, and how it can be used to influence instruction for gifted and talented learners. This assignment demonstrates my understanding of how assessments can be used to guide and adjust instruction.
4.2.2: Pace
delivery of curriculum and instruction consistent with needs of gifted and
talented learners.
1. The "Geography and Tools of History" unit plan that I developed for the Differentiation course (and then implemented during my field study), shows the pacing of a unit planned for gifted and highly capable learners. The rigor of the unit is increased, and there are differentiated work times, projects, and assignments described in the unit plan. This unit plan demonstrates my ability to plan a unit for gifted and highly capable learners.
4.3: Apply
pedagogical content knowledge to instructing gifted and talented learners.
1. The article, "Challenging Gifted Middle School Students" discusses different instructional strategies that teachers can use in the classroom to differentiate for gifted students. Independent learning, self-assessment, and thematic projects are addressed in the article; and reading this article has given me ideas about how I can differentiate for the gifted learners in my classroom.
2. The Critical Thinking Notes Sheets provide a quick reference handout that describes the stages in shifts of knowledge. These sheets describe the teacher's role during each stage and what kind of critical thinking is important. This can be applied when trying to understand the critical thinking level of students in my own classroom.
4.4: Apply
higher-level, critical, and creative thinking and metacognitive and problem
solving models to content areas to meet the needs of gifted and talented
learners.
1. The "Geography and Tools of History" unit plan that I developed for the Differentiation course (and then implemented during my field study), shows a variety of lessons and activities that were developed for highly capable and gifted learners. The lesson plans, at the end of the unit plan, include critical thinking questions that I used to help my students think and process at higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
2. The Richard Paul Wheel of Reasoning presents a tool that I can use to help gifted students question and critique claims, ideas and perspectives. This can provide higher-level questions for gifted students to use.
4.5: Provide opportunities for gifted and talented learners to explore, develop, or research their areas of interest or talent.
1. The article "The Use of Independent Study as a Viable Differentiation Technique for Gifted Learners in the Regular Classroom" explores how beneficial independent study projects can be when teachers are trying to challenge gifted learners within the confines of the general education classroom. The article discusses the impact that independent study projects have on the motivation and critical thinking skills of gifted learners. This article demonstrates my knowledge of strategies that can be used to challenge gifted students who may already know the material being taught. The independent study project allows students to choose a topic of their own interest and research it in depth before presenting the information to the rest of the class.
2. This collection of independent project forms can help gifted students develop and research their own areas of interest and plan a project to demonstrate their learning.
4.6: Engage
gifted and talented learners from all backgrounds in challenging, multicultural
curricula.
1. Post #3 from the "Strategies" course describes my plan for differentiating for Adora, a gifted student that was profiled in a video we were required to view in class. This post demonstrates my ability to plan for and engaged gifted students.
4.7: Use
advanced oral and written communication tools, including assistive
technologies, to meet the needs of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
1. In order to meet the needs of my highly capable and gifted students, I have created sub-pages on my website that stretch their brains and allow them a place to problem solve and share their learning with others.
4.8: Access
resources and develop strategies to enhance communication skills for gifted and
talented learners, including those with advanced communication skills and/or
English language learners.
1. The Reading and Writing PowerPoint from the "Strategies" course explains differentiated options in reading and writing that can enhance the education for gifted and talented students. Many gifted students have either already read required class novels or will read the novel quickly because it's not very challenging for them. This PowerPoint demonstrates my understanding of communication (reading and writing) strategies that can be used to differentiated for highly capable and gifted students.
4.9: Use
alternative assessments and technologies to evaluate academic growth of gifted
and talented learners.
1. When I assess student writing, I utilize the "track changes" and "comment" features in Word. Highly capable and gifted learners are generally more willing to read detailed feedback from the teacher, and also yearn to know why teachers made the editing changes that they did; so that they can learn from the process. Using these features in word, allows these students to learn more complex writing skills. I've attached a sample personal narrative assignment that has been edited by me.