Gifted Education at the Middle School Level 2008-2009

Gifted Education at theMiddle School Level2008-2009 Gifted support is a service, not a place!

CHAPTER 16 – SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR GIFTED STUDENTS • State law mandating special education services for students • Placement (16.41) • should ensure that the student is able to benefit meaningfully from the rate, level and manner of instruction • should provide learning opportunities that go beyond the program the student would receive as part of regular education • does not require, but may include, the categorical grouping of students • ensure that the student is able to benefit meaningfully from the rate, level and manner of instruction • provide opportunities to participate in acceleration or enrichment as appropriate for the student’s needs • Districts are free to group across grades, according to academic talent, or based upon other performance characteristics

Use of a varied approach and best practice strategies that address content, process, learning environment and product in response to a student’s interests, ability levels, readiness and learning needs May be offered through a variety of settings and selections Should feature enrichment, complexity, depth, challenge and creativity Curricula should be an extension of core learning, using enrichment strategies Should stress higher-level thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills Should set high standards that demand rigorous expectations for student work and performance demonstration Instruction should allow for the development and application of productive thinking skills to enable students to re-conceptualize existing knowledge and/or generate new understanding PROGRAMMING OPTIONS / CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

Overview of ResearchSpecific to Gifted Learners

Full-time Gifted Programs (Kulik, 1985; Kulik & Kulik, 1982, 1984, 1990) Marked academic achievement gain across all subject areas Moderate increase in attitude toward the subjects in which these students are grouped.

Cluster Grouping Within Heterogeneous Classrooms(Kulik, 1985; Kulik & Kulik, 1982, 1984, 1990) Sizeable academic gain across all academic areas was reported for this option. Greater gains reported than full-time grouping

Grouping for Acceleration of the Curriculum (Kulik, 1985; Kulik & Kulik, 1982, 1984, 1990) • Gifted accelerates showed substantial achievement gains over their gifted counterparts who were not accelerated, and there was no difference in their performance from their equally gifted older-aged peers.

Regrouping for Enriched Learning in Specific SubjectsKulik and Kulik (1990) • Substantially higher effects for gifted students when they are regrouped for specific instruction than for students at other ability or achievement levels.

Enrichment Pull-out ProgramsVaughn, Feldhusen and Asher's (1991) • Produced substantial improvements in achievement, critical thinking, and creative thinking for gifted and talented learners. • Gains appeared to be greatest for achievement when the pullout experience was an extension of the regular classroom curriculum.

Within-class Ability Grouping Kuliks (1982, 1984, 1990) and Vaughn et al. (1991) meta- analysis • There is every reason to believe that such forms of ability grouping, although short-term, are extremely beneficial to gifted learners when the materials for those groupings have been appropriately differentiated.

Cooperative Grouping for Regular Instruction Robinson (1990) • Exhaustive search of the literature was unable to uncover any solid research to substantiate academic achievement gains for gifted learners when placed in cooperative settings with students of mixed ability.

Research Summary • Gifted learners need some form of grouping by ability to effectively and efficiently accomplish several educational goals, including appropriately broadened, extended, and accelerated curricula. • They must be in groups so that their school curriculum may be appropriately broadened and extended. • The pacing of instruction, the depth of content, and advancement in knowledge fields, which these students must have, cannot be effectively facilitated without a variety of ability-grouped arrangements. Conclusion based on a meta-analysis by Karen B. Rogers from The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, University of Connecticut

Development of a Gifted / Talented section in each grade level Identified as gifted or meet rigorous academic criteria Maximum of 25 students in section / class Enriched curriculum in all major content areas beyond attainment of proficiency in district written curriculum MIDDLE SCHOOL 2008-2009

GIEP’S & TEACHER TRAINING • Teachers on team share responsibility for development of GIEP’s • Use of gifted survey for student and parent input on development of goals • Teacher training on development of GIEP’s • Use of AP Vertical Teaming model • Training on differentiation for enrichment • Teacher attendance at IU Gifted conference in Fall, 2008

HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT MY CHILD?? Gifted students will be clustered throughout a majority of the school day Focus on enrichment for these clusters Research supports sizeable academic gains when such clustering occurs Team approach to gifted education Parents / Student input through surveys for the development of the GIEP’s Vertical AP Teaming model supports and helps prepare students for advanced (AP) high school classes Broadened and extended district curricula for students in all four core subjects

Gifted Education at the Middle School Level 2008-2009