Classroom Strategies that Support Differentiation Eastern PA Special Education Conference Hershey, PA October 2010

1. Classroom Strategies that Support DifferentiationEastern PA Special Education ConferenceHershey, PA October 2010 Presented by: Susan Winebrenner Education Consulting Service, Inc. www.susanwinebrenner.com susanwinebrenner86@gmail.com

2. Pace Method/Learning Style Amount Peer Interaction Teacher Interaction Content Product Type Choice/Menus Project Work Creativity Link to interests Movement ONESTWOSTHREES

3. How Differentiation Techniques Benefit All Students • Students are more likely to demonstrate appropriate behaviors in the classroom and in the school when learning styles are attended to, and when they perceive the curriculum is challenging, meaningful and relevant. • Accommodating learning “styles” can greatly improve successful learning outcomes for all students. • Students with advanced learning ability also have a learning “style” that requires differentiation of learning activities, teaching approach and grouping practices.

4. AUDITORY Logical, Analytical, Sequential Learns by hearing; teaches by telling Wants direction in verbal detail Shopping list logical & sequential Thinks logically and sequentially; organized and neat; clothes match Recalls names, facts, and dates VISUAL:TACTILE-KINESTHETIC Global, Holistic, In Context Learns by seeing; teaches by showing Wants direction in a map Shopping list random and impulsive Think randomly; appears disorganized; clothes may not match Recalls faces, images, and patterns Learning Styles (Dunn and Carbo)

5. GLOBAL and ELL LEARNERS • Use visual clues in text, videos, demonstrations, examples, learns by doing – not listening • Chews, eats, doodles, or moves while learning • Learns “backwards” from whole to parts • Graphic organizers, mapping • Should learn phonics “later" in context • Likes excitement and humor in stories • Show correct examples - never errors • May not be AM learner

6. WHOLISTIC needs of global learners • Whole to parts • Hands on learning • Organize information visually • Learning styles’ focus • Immerse the senses • Seek patterns and connections • Technology assistance • Integrate skills into meaningful contexts • Concrete to abstract

7. Learn new material rapidly Operate at complex and abstract levels Remember what they’ve learned forever Review and re-teaching unnecessary Standards may already be mastered Operate on multiple brain channels simultaneously – can multi-task effectively Don’t have to watch speaker to hear him Have passionate interests Have great fear of being imperfect Find school painful from being misunderstood Gifted Learners Are Different from Age Peers

8. Learning Challenges Demonstrated byTwice-Exceptional Students • Gifted in some areas; remedial in others • Ability to express oneself verbally but an apparent inability to write down any of the ideas. • May seem bright and motivated outside of school, but have major difficulty completing traditional learning tasks. • General lack of self-confidence that shows itself as inflexibility, unwillingness to take risks, super-sensitivity to any type of criticism, helplessness, socially inadequate behaviors, & other behaviors designed to deflect attention from their learning inadequacies

9. When a child is constantly being praised for how intelligent or smart she is, she may perceive that all her powers come from natural ability, and therefore conclude that effort can play no part in her ability to be successful at any given task. Facilitating lifelong achievement • From: Bronson and Merryman: Nurture Shock Twelve Books.com • When children are constantly praised for their innate intelligence, they may conclude that effort cannot make any difference. • They may become fearful that if they are observed to work hard on a task, people may conclude that they are not really so smart since smart people just “know it”, and don’t have to work hard. • The safest thing to do is to avoid challenging tasks!

10. How to praise effectively • Praise youngsters for their hard work and effort rather than for the product or outcome or innate abilities. • They will be more willing to persist at tasks when they believe their efforts are responsible for the outcomes. Bronson and Merryman: Nurture Shock Bronson, Po. How Not to Talk to Your Kids. www.nymag.com

11. When one perceives that a lower level need is not being met, all energy and attention are focused on that level until the need is met. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Basic Human Needs Self-Actualization Needs To develop our talents and be true to our goals; to realize our potential; to have “peak experiences” Self-Esteem and Competence Needs To achieve; to gain approval and recognition from others for our achievements; to be able to trust in our own abilities Belonging and Love Needs To love and be loved; to have relationships and be accepted; to know that we are a valued member of a group Safety Needs To feel safe, secure, and out of danger; to feel confident that we will not be harmed either physically or psychologically Physiological Needs To have the food, water, clothing, shelter, sleep, exercise, and comfort we need to survive

12. Goal Planning Chart

13. Teaching Spelling by “Styles”

14. Spelling Styles Record Sheet

15. Compacting definition • To “compact” the curriculum is to give students full credit before you teach the content for what they already know. • With new content, we compact by allowing advanced students to move at a faster pace. • During the “choice time” created, students work on extension activities or projects. When prior mastery has been demonstrated, extension work is not graded. When content is new, extension work might be graded.

16. Motivation and productivity Gifted students resist work that is repetitive and beneath their learning level. • They will stretch themselves to do challenging work if they are convinced: • They will not have to do more work than their classmates • Their advanced work will not lead to lower recorded grades • They are not expected to finish the “regular work” before working on extension activities.

17. Compacting Skill Work One Lesson at a Time Most Difficult First • Teach no more than 10-15 minutes, give practice assignment • Allow 15-20 minutes for students to start work in class • Offer to all students MOST DIFFICULT FIRST option: Anyone who can complete the Most Difficult Problems First, NEATLY, LEGIBLY, AND WITH NO MORE THAN ONE WRONG, and in 15 minutes or less, IS DONE PRACTICING • With time they “buy”, they work on “choice” activities • Help only those who begin at beginning of the assignment • Appoint “CHECKER” to correct work of other volunteers Person can be the checker only once a week • Collect their work; enter grades when other papers are collected

18. Pre-Test and Compact One Week at a Time (Spelling, grammar, vocabulary, penmanship, all skills) • Students examine upcoming content for one minute • Offer pretest for volunteers at beginning of each unit • Those who demonstrate mastery receive mastery grade • Then do choice activities; may be assessed but not graded; avoid extra credit Favorite Activity • With partner, choose alternate words; learn spelling and meaning • Partners test each other; unmastered words go to next list REMEMBER: IT’S THEIR TIME; SHOW THEM HOW TO USE IT WISELY

19. The Magic Rules for Independent Work • Don’t bother anyone • Don’t call attention to yourself • Do your work • Keep records of your extension tasks When you follow the rules, you get to choose what to do. When you do not follow the rules, I get to choose for you.

20. Compacting for Primary Students • Do “kid watching” to find students who catch on quickly to new material, appear to already know much of the grade level standards, and/or have a wide storehouse of general knowledge. Always give students full credit for what they have already mastered. Do not expect them to finish the “regular work” before working on extension activities. • If gifted students want to participate in direct instruction, keep them there. However, plan seatwork at 2 levels: grade level and advanced. Dismiss students from direct instruction by sending advanced students to tables that have the advanced tasks on them. • Teach Magic Rules one by one – accumulate them

21. Areas of Strength Documenting Mastery Alternate Activities Language arts, spelling, writing, grammar, mechanics Pre test results of A on review tests Will write his book when the class is working on skills he has already mastered Reading Pre test results of A on review tests of skills and vocabulary • Will read together to gather data for his book • Will write his book • Will join the class for 2 literature circles Map unit in social studies Pre test results of A Will write his book INSTEAD OF doing extension activities for map related work. Was given options and chose this. THE COMPACTOR Joseph Renzulli and Linda Smith Student’s Name: James

22. The Language Experience Method • Students dictates story based on personal experience. • Teacher records it EXACTLY AS DICTATED, pronouncing each word as it is recorded. Start a new line for each sentence. • Teacher reads story aloud to student. • Student reads story aloud to teacher. • Student practices reading story sentences, in and out of order, forward and backward.

23. Marie CarboRecorded BooksMethod • Select high interest story. • Give brief, interesting introduction and time for student to look through the story. • Read each page in meaningful phrases using a pace appropriate for reading aloud. • Record only 3 minutes per side - students listen to each side 3 times before trying to read aloud. • Students track the phrases with 2 fingers of their dominant hand, in loops matching the phrasing, while reading.

24. Paragraph Centipede

25. Sequence Ideas for Sentences Paragraph Organizer The main idea: __________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

26. Topic Development Sheet (No pretest is used) Required Standards Related Topics Topic or unit to be learned:

27. Content Organization Chart

28. Mythology Study Guide BE PREPARED TO: 1. Name at least 6 gods/goddesses from the culture and explain their powers 2 Understand and describe the elements common to all myths. CHECKPOINT:_________________: Assessment for 1–2 * Date 3. Explain the meanings of all designated vocabulary words. 4. Describe the dwelling places of the deities as well as other locations for the myths. 5. Share one myth with your classmates in its entirety in an interesting manner CHECKPOINT:_________________: Assessment for 1–5 * Date 6. Study several heroic figures from a specific religion. Compare and contrast their powers and abilities with several mythological creatures we have studied. 7. Compare and contrast the heroes from popular fantasy literature, such as The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, or Star Wars, with several mythological heroes. . 8. Compare and contrast the elements of myths to the elements of two of the following: fairy tales, folk tales, fables, or legends. . 9. Create a myth about an event that occurred in history during the last 100 years. 10. Investigate an heroic story written by someone in the same culture for which we are studying myths. Note similarities and differences. CHECKPOINT: _________________: Final Assessment for 1–10 Date From The Cluster Grouping Handbook. www.freespirit.com

29. Create a myth to explain a contemporary event, using all the essential elements found in myths. Hypothesize reasons why myths from ancient cultures have remained popular over time. Explain your findings. Compare and contrast the myths of aboriginal people with those of the ancient civilizations of the world. Student Choice Investigate words, expressions, and ideas from mythology that have become commonly used in your language. Compare and contrast religions in which multiple deities are honored with religions that honor one deity only. Explain the effects of these religions on its members. Create your own mythological family of humans or other creatures. Establish the order of power, and create stories that describe the characters’ powers, emotions, and conflicts Visit a local art museum and observe how topics from ancient myths have been represented in the collected works of art Assume the role of storyteller and communicate a myth to younger children in a manner they can understand and appreciate. MYTHOLOGY EXTENSION MENU Winebrenner and Brulles www.freespirit.comFrom: The Cluster Grouping Handbook

30. GENERIC PRIMARY GRADES EXTENSION MENU From Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom www. Freespirit.com

31. Key Words To Provide Depth And Complexity To Learning Tasks Critical Thinking Skills • Examine ethical considerations • State a generalization, principle or theory • Consider from other points of view • Recognize relevant/irrelevant fact/fiction; cause/effect, authenticity • Recognize changes or trends over time • Redesign to use new technologies • Use the language of the discipline; judging criteria

32. Independent Study Agreement for Study Guide With Extensions Menu Read each condition with your teacher. Initials it to show that you agree to abide by it. Learning Conditions _____ I will learn independently all the key concepts described on the Study Guide. I will not have to complete the actual assigned activities as long as I am working on an independent project. _____ I will demonstrate competency with the assessments for the Study Guide content at the same time as the rest of the class. _____ I will participate in designated whole-class activities as the teacher indicates them—without arguing. _____ I will keep a Daily Log of my progress. _____ I will work on an independent project and complete an Evaluation Contract to describe the grade I will choose to earn. _____ I will share a progress report about my independent study with an audience by________ (date) My report will be 5–7 minutes long and will include a visual aid. I will prepare a question about my report to ask the class before giving my report. Working Conditions _____ I will be present in the classroom at the beginning and end of each class period. _____ I will not bother anyone or call attention to the fact that I am doing different work than others in the class. _____ I will work on my project for the entire class period on designated days. _____ I will carry this paper with me to any room in which I am working on my project, and I will return it to my classroom at the end of each session. Student’s Signature:__________________________________________________ Teacher’s Signature:___________________________________________________

33. Evaluation Contract I am choosing a grade for my project based on these criteria. For a grade of B: 1. I will use secondary sources. This means that I will locate what information I can from several existing sources 2. I will prepare a traditional product. I will present it using a traditional reporting format. 3. I will be learning on the lower levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: Knowledge and Comprehension. This means that I will find information and be able to describe what I’ve learned. For a grade of A: 1. I will use primary sources. This means that I will gather first-hand information myself through surveys, interviews, original documents, and similar methods. 2. I will produce an original type of product. I will present it to an appropriate audience using a unique format. 3. I will be learning on the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy: Application, Analysis, Evaluation, and/or Synthesis. This is the project I will do: This is the grade I intend to earn: Student’s Signature: Teacher’s Signature:

34. Today’sDate What I Plan to Do DuringToday’s Work Period What I ActuallyAccomplished Today Daily Log of Extension Work Student’s Name: Project Topic:

35. The Name Card Method GREAT OUTCOMES: NO HIDING, NO BLURTING, NO TEACHER BIAS, GREAT PARTICIPATION, GREAT THINKING, AND ALMOST PERFECT LISTENING!

36. The Name Card Method • Appoint students to pairs of discussion buddies. • Students sit beside discussion buddy during discussions Use THINK PAIR SHARE (Frank Lyman) • Ask the question. Give 10-15 seconds of “think” or “wait” time. Then, give 30 seconds of “pair” time after you explain to students the signal or words you will use when it is time for them to stop talking to their buddy and redirect their attention to you. • Receive several answers without comment or praise. Do not tell if answers are correct at this point. You can do that later in the discussion. • Ask for volunteers to add things that have not already been said. The consequence for repeating is that the student will not be called on again during this discussion to add, but will still be included whenever their card comes up and each time they “pair” with their partner. Tell students that you are the only one who can comment on “repeats”.

37. The Name Card Method • Use the cards to call on students to share. Tell students they are not allowed to pass or to repeat what others have said. Give students 10 seconds to respond but if they cannot, suggest they consult again with their partner while you move on. Let them know you will return to them in a few moments for their answer. Remember to return!

38. Thoughts from Kenneth Dunn IF THEY CAN’T LEARN THE WAY WE TEACH THEM, LET’S TEACH THEM THE WAY THEY LEARN! DON’T REMEDIATE THEIR WEAKNESSES UNTIL YOU TEACH TO THEIR STRENGTHS!

39. References and Resources Bronson, Po and Merryman, Ashley. Nurture Shock Twelve Books Publishing Freed, Jeffrey and Laurie Parsons. Right Brained Children in a Left Brained World. NY: Fireside Levine, Mel. A Mind at a Time. Simon and Schuster Liebenthal, E. Fingermath(www.amazon.com) Smutny, Joan et al. Teaching Young Gifted Children in the Regular Classroom www.freespirit.com Winebrenner, Susan. Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom; Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom, freespirit.com Winebrenner, Susan. Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom. www. Freesprit.com Winebrenner, Susan and Brulles, Dina. The Schoolwide Cluster Grouping Model.