Rieke Elementary School

 Definitions of Talented and Gifted Terms

AP or Advanced Placement:  A program developed by the College Board where high schools offer courses that meet criteria established by institutions of higher education.

Cluster Grouping:  Grouping high-ability kids together, sometimes in order to give them accelerated curriculum. This can in different classrooms or within a classroom.

Curriculum Compacting:  After showing a level of proficiency in the basic curriculum, a student can then be allowed to exchange instructional time for other learning experiences; a process that allows a student who already knows the material to pursue enriched or accelerated study.

Differentiated Instruction:  Differentiating instruction means creating multiple ways for students of different abilities, interests or learning needs to experience appropriate ways to absorb, use, develop and present concepts as a part of the daily learning process.  Materials, lessons, instruction…can be differentiated based on student interest, student readiness, the content of the material, the process used to access the material or the product the student creates as a part of their interaction with the lesson or material.

Enrichment:  Activities that add or go beyond the existing curriculum.  This may occur in the classroom or a separate setting.

Flexible Grouping:  Grouping is based on the needs of the students, teachers, and lessons that are dynamic. Flexible grouping changes as needed. A student may work with one group of peers for reading and a different group of peers for math and a different group of peers for music and these groups of peers may change as the level of needed instruction for that student changes.

High-Level Thinking or Questioning:  Refers primarily to Bloom’s Taxonomy and levels of understanding.  Level One:  Basic knowledge, recollection; Level 2: Basic Comprehension; Level 3:  Application of Knowledge; Level 4: Analysis of information; Level 5: Synthesis of information in a new or different manner; Level 6:  Evaluation.  The higher the level of thinking or questioning achieved, usually the deeper the understanding.

IB or International Baccalaureate:  A demanding pre-university program that students can complete to earn college credit. IB emphasizes critical thinking of other cultures or points of view.  A world-recognized diploma is issued at the completion of the IB Program.

Talented and Gifted (TAG):  Broadly defined as a student identified as performing at or above the 97%ile on a nationally normed test in reading, math or intellectual ability.  TAG students were identified using test scores, parent and/or teacher nomination and work samples indicating rate and level.

Tiered Lessons:  A method of differentiating instruction, combined with flexible groups or individual work.  A teacher focuses on the concept to be learned and creates a common experience for all students to anchor them in that concept. Then the teacher provides a lesson that is tiered (multiple activities based on interest, ability, process, content or product) for students to work on individually or in small groups that help them attain that concept at the appropriate rate and level.

What is the rate of learning?

• Rate is a measure of the pace at which the student successfully progresses through the curriculum after being placed at an appropriate instructional level.

• A student's rate of learning will vary, depending on the subject, point in the learning process, degree of interest, level of difficulty, and learning style.

What is the level of learning?

• Level of learning is the student's instructional level in the curriculum and the place where the student will be successful but will encounter knowledge and skills not yet learned or mastered. Level is more than advanced grade level; it involves complexity and sophistication of concepts.