Elementary School
- Enrichment extends the curriculum. It is sometimes offered in a “pull-out” setting once or multiple times per week.
- Acceleration has many different meanings. It can be a replacement curriculum with the content of a higher grade level, or a mixture of the current grade level and the next grade level’s content.
- In-class differentiation is offered by teachers within the classroom setting. Teachers pre-assess and adjust the curriculum as needed in order to create respectful tasks for advanced learners. Some strategies might include accelerated pace, choice in content, open-ended projects, more complexity and depth, etc. Ddifferentiation should not result in more work for a gifted learner.
- After-school enrichment opportunities might include activities like Lego Robotics, Math Counts, Math Olympiad, or Odyssey of the Mind. These should not be the only services a school offers for advanced learner. However, they are a great addition to the menu of options.
- Cluster grouping allows schools to “cluster” gifted learners in one classroom so that the teacher can effectively differentiate for a larger group of students.
- Social and emotional interventions include “GT (gifted/talented) Discussion Groups,” in which a counselor or trained teacher gathers GT students to discuss issues that affect their social/emotional well-being. Some of these issues might address peer relationships, academic and achievement expectations, perfectionism, post-secondary preparation, challenge, etc.
Middle School
- Advanced coursework: Courses labeled Honors, IB, or Pre-AP are designed to meet the needs of advanced learners. While these courses are not exclusively for gifted learners, they are part of the menu of options a school offers gifted students. A good question to ask is “What is the qualitative difference between this advanced course and the regular course?”
- Accelerated math: SPS uses an accelerated math program in which 5th graders are assessed and potentially placed in 7th grade math as 6th graders. At this point, students continue to learn math skills at a higher grade-level than their age peers. The program is vertically aligned so that students can continue to grow in advanced math throughout high school.
- Extended Learning Opportunities: Some middle schools offer gifted services through the Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) time that is built into the schedule. In these situations, courses that are more complex or rigorous are offered to gifted learners either in an area of interest, or in a structure that allows gifted students to pursue an area of interest in a more in-depth manner. The titles of these ELOs vary by school.
- GT/Highly capable class: Some middle schools offer a “Gifted and Talented” class that replaces the regular course. For example, students might take a “GT Language Arts” class if they are identified gifted in Language Arts.
- Cluster grouping: This practice allows schools to “cluster” gifted learners in one classroom so that the teacher can effectively differentiate for a larger group of students.
- Social and emotional interventions: Some middle schools offer “GT Discussion Groups” in which a counselor or trained teacher gathers GT students to discuss issues that affect their social/emotional well-being. Some of these issues might address peer relationships, academic and achievement expectations, perfectionism, post-secondary preparation, challenge, etc.
- In-class differentiation: This service is offered by teachers within the classroom setting. Teachers pre-assess and adjust the curriculum as needed in order to create respectful tasks for advanced learners. Some strategies might include accelerated pace, choice in content, open-ended projects, more complexity and depth, etc. Differentiation should not result in MORE work for a gifted learner.
- After-school enrichment opportunities: While these are excellent options for students to pursue an area of interest at deeper levels, these should not be the only services a school offers for advanced learners. They are, however, a great addition to the menu of options.
High School
- Social and emotional interventions: Some schools offer “GT/Highly Capable Discussion Groups” in which a counselor or trained teacher gathers GT/highly capable students to discuss issues that affect their social/emotional well-being. Some of these issues might address peer relationships, academic and achievement expectations, perfectionism, post-secondary preparation, challenge, etc.
- In-class differentiation: This service is offered by teachers within the classroom setting. Teachers pre-assess and adjust the curriculum as needed in order to create respectful tasks for advanced learners. Some strategies might include accelerated pace, choice in content, open-ended projects, more complexity and depth, etc. Differentiation should not result in MORE work for a gifted learner.
- Cluster grouping: This practice allows schools to “cluster” gifted/highly capable learners in one classroom so that the teacher can effectively differentiate for a larger group of students.
- After-school enrichment opportunities: While these are excellent options for students to pursue an area of interest at deeper levels, these should not be the only services a school offers for advanced learners. They are, however, a great addition to the menu of options.
- Advanced coursework: AP and IB courses offer a higher level of rigor for advanced and highly capable learners. These courses, while they are not a “gifted program,” are a great component to a school’s overall Highly Capable program.
