Gifted and Talented Education
Quality Teaching and Curriculum Planning
© State of New South Wales through the Department of Education and Training, 2008. This work may
be freely reproduced and distributed for personal, educational or government purposes. Permission
must be received from the Department for all other uses. Licensed Under NEALS
 State of NSW, Department of Education and Training, Curriculum K-12
Directorate, 2008
Copies of this document may be made for use in connection with DET
activities on the condition that copies of the material shall be made without
alteration and must retain acknowledgement of the copyright.
Any enquiries about alterations, or about reproduction for other purposes
including commercial purposes, should be directed to Curriculum K-12
Directorate on (02) 9886 7743 in the first instance.
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© State of New South Wales through the
Department of Education and Training, 2008
The Quality Teaching Framework and Gifted Education
The purpose of this document is to explore how the NSW Quality Teaching model might be
used to inform curriculum, assessment and teaching practice for gifted and talented students.
The NSW Quality Teaching model (Department of Education and Training, 2003) is a
generalised model of pedagogy that relates quality teaching practice to the enhancement of
students’ achievement outcomes. This includes curriculum implementation, classroom
practice and assessment design. This document includes suggested activities that can be
used for teacher professional learning in gifted education.
What do gifted and talented students need?
Gifted and talented students need a curriculum that is modified or differentiated to provide
them with an appropriate level of challenge. Differentiation ranges from slight to major
modifications of the curriculum through adjustments to content, processes and skills. It
provides a planned, documented and challenging curriculum that matches the ability of gifted
students to:
 learn at faster rates
 find, solve and act on problems more readily
 manipulate abstract ideas and make connections to an advanced degree.
(NSW Department of Education and Training, 2004)
What is curriculum differentiation?
A differentiated curriculum is a program of activities that offers a variety of entry points for
students who differ in abilities, knowledge and skills. When a curriculum is differentiated,
teachers offer different approaches to what students learn (content), how students learn
(process) and how students demonstrate what they have learned (product). Differentiated
instruction is a mix of whole-class, group and individualised activities. For further information
on the nature of curriculum differentiation consult the support document at
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/support/index.htm
Differentiation should include enrichment and extension activities. Enrichment refers to the
broadening of the curriculum to develop knowledge, application, thinking skills and attitudes
to a degree of complexity appropriate to the students’ developmental level (Braggett, 1997).
Enrichment activities are often found only in extra-curricular provisions and need to be
written into programs to ensure all students have access. Extension activities involve the
deepening of students’ knowledge, understanding and skills. These concepts are consistent
with the elements of good practice, as described in Quality teaching in NSW public schools:
Discussion paper (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2003).
Activity
The development of quality curriculum and teaching and learning activities suited to gifted
and talented students (GATS) depends on an understanding of their needs, characteristics
and interests. Tables one, two and three outline the elements of each dimension,
Intellectual Quality, Quality Learning Environment and Significance, of the Quality
Teaching Model and provide questions to consider in catering for the needs of GATS.
 Select one element (or more) from a dimension and consider how the NSW Quality
Teaching Model supports curriculum differentiation.
 How does this element impact on the needs of gifted and talented students?
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© State of New South Wales through the
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SC
M
HOT
PK
DU
DK
Table one
INTELLECTUAL QUALITY
Summary
Essentially teacher
business.*
What the teacher plans to
teach and how that
content is presented or
delivered.
Essentially student
business.*
How students show what
they have learnt and
demonstrate
understanding.
Implications for GATS
Clarify key concepts
Focus on concepts and
principles
Increase complexity
Flexible delivery of content
Adjust pace
Assess for learning
Provide different ways of
demonstrating
understanding and showing
insight
Provide quality feedback
Knowledge is not ‘fixed’
and is open to question.
Explore multiple or conflicting
perspectives
Tolerance of ambiguity
More than learning facts,
applying, using, creating
and critically evaluating
knowledge.
Apply and transfer learning to
new and more complex
situations and problems
Deconstruction and
analysis of written, spoken
and artistic texts
Analyse the language using
non-specialist terms so that
students can interpret the
content
Sustained focus on and
demonstrated
understanding of key
concepts.
Apply the methods of inquiry
used by professionals in the
real world
DK deep knowledge
HOT higher-order thinking
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Questions to consider in catering for the needs of gifted and talented students.
 What ‘concepts’ (knowledge, skills and understandings) are central to the learning
experience? How are these key ideas related to syllabus outcomes?
 Does the content extend beyond material presented in the normal program in terms of
greater depth and breadth (complexity)?
 Do I modify how I deliver and present that content? (outcomes, pacing, materials and
resources)
 Do tasks require students to explore relationships, solve problems, construct explanations
and draw conclusions in systematic, integrated or complex ways in relation to the central
ideas or concepts?
 Does feedback inform future learning? Are students able to assess their work and the
work of others?
 Do students have opportunities to demonstrate understanding in different ways?
( modes of communication etc)
 Are questions designed that have no fixed answer?
 Is divergent thinking encouraged?
 Are debate, argument and different points of view supported?
 Are humour, satire and paradox explored?
 Do students spend more time engaged in analysis, synthesis and evaluation in the
lesson/unit?
 Is problem solving, critical and creative thinking and research encouraged?
 Are tasks ‘open -ended’ or do they put a limit on student performance?
 Are there opportunities to explicitly name and analyse knowledge as a specialist
language and explore the various ways in which language (including written, spoken and
artistic texts) is constructed
 Are there opportunities to examine the ‘language’ of multimodal texts?
 Are students given opportunities for sustained communication (including written, spoken
and artistic texts) of ideas, concepts, performance or arguments focused on the
substance of the task?
 Are opportunities planned for students to observe or talk to practitioners or specialists
with particular expertise and/or skills?
DU deep understanding
M metalanguage
PK problematic knowledge
SC substantive communication
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
EQC
Table two
QUALITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Summary
Implications for GATS
Stating the
characteristics of a
quality product or
performance.
State the EQC – for
process and product and
mode of communication.
(Self evaluation and self
reflection is central to
learning)
Cater for individual learning
needs
Aiming high and
presenting realistic
challenges.
Support for learning
and mutual respect
among teachers and
students.
Students regulating
their own behaviour.
Design appropriate
challenges and conceptual
risk-taking
Catering for students social
and emotional needs
Students having
choice.
Negotiate learning goals
Provide choice in learning
activities
SD
SSR
SS
HE
E
Student interest and
involvement with work.
Students are active and
responsible learners
EQC (explicit quality criteria)
SS (social Support)
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Questions to consider in catering for the needs of gifted and talented students.
 Are the characteristics for a ‘quality’ product /performance made clear?
 Are students able to evaluate their own work/learning using clearly articulated or
negotiated explicit quality criteria?
 Does assessment inform the direction of teaching and learning for both student
and teacher?
 Is feedback provided to students to inform their learning?
 Does learning cater for differences in student readiness, interest and learning
profiles?
 Do students feel challenged most of the time? Are students engaged in the
substance of the lesson?
 Are students able to pursue areas of interest or passion?
 Are students supported to take conceptual risks in demonstrating their learning?
 Are all students encouraged to ‘aim high’?
 Is there an appropriate balance of group and individual tasks?
 Does the learning environment support the learning needs of GATS?
 Is respect for others’ ideas, opinions and work modelled and fostered?
 Is this evident in relationships with the wider community?
 Do all students, most of the time, demonstrate autonomy and initiative in
regulating their own behaviour?
 Are students helped to learn about their needs and those of others?
 Are goals and work contracts negotiated?
 Do students determine significant aspects of the learning program?
 Do students set their own learning goals?
 How can students exercise choice of content, process, product, learning
environment, pace of learning? Criteria for evaluation?
 Is there a balance between teacher-assigned and student-selected tasks?
E (engagement)
SSR (student self regulation)
H (high expectations)
SD (student direction)
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Table three
Implications for GATS
What students already
know and can do.
Establish student
 readiness
 interest
 learning profile
 Does the background/prior/out-of-school knowledge of students inform teaching and
learning?
 Does pre-assessment or pre-testing lead to appropriate differentiation?
 Do I pre-test in terms of student readiness, interest and learning profile? Do I know the
extent of student abilities? Do I use ‘off-level’ tests?
Recognition and valuing
of the knowledge of
diverse cultural groups:
different ways of being,
seeing and knowing.
Experience different ways of
being, seeing and knowing opportunities for enrichment
and extension beyond the
dominant culture
 Is the knowledge, traditions, beliefs, skills, languages, practices and protocols of diverse
social/cultural groups (race, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability etc) valued and
an integral part of curriculum design?
 What role can the community play in this regard?
 What cultural knowledge do students bring to the classroom?
Narrative used
purposefully to deepen
understanding, deliver
content and engage
students.
Access a wide range of
stories: biographies,
bibliotherapy of particular
interest to students
Valuing and celebrating
students’ differences.
Ensure social and cultural
diversity is represented in
classrooms and programs for
the gifted and talented.
Celebrate difference.
Learning has value
beyond school.
Plan learning experiences with
real purpose, real audiences
and real deadlines.
Engage in transformational
learning
Use macro-concepts as a
conceptual organiser for
connecting learning within and
across subject domains.
 Do stories written, told, heard, read, viewed help illustrate or bring to life
knowledge/learning addressed in the project?
 Do students reflect on their learning through narrative form? (e.g. project journal, diary,
poetry, media)
 Is narrative used as content and/or process?
 Are analogy and metaphor used as teaching tools?
 Are individual differences celebrated? Do I unconditionally accept students as they are and
expect students to become all they can be?"
 Do I cater for difference – different learning needs, ways of knowing, ways of being and
seeing? Are the contributions of all students valued?
 Are students supported to pursue their interests and passions? Is talent development
fostered?
 Do I structure real-life contexts or problems, and provide opportunities for students to share
their work with audiences beyond the classroom?
 Does the students’ work influence an ‘audience’ or impact beyond the classroom?
 Do students produce real work for real purposes and real audiences? Do beyond school
connections link to outcomes (e.g. mentors, service learning)
 Are meaningful connections made among subject areas which contribute to the deep
understanding of core concepts central to the project?
 Are students are asked to address problems/issues/ themes which require knowledge from
multiple topics or subject areas?
N
CK
BK
Summary
I
CONN.
KI
SIGNIFICANCE
Meaningful links between
and within subjects and
KLA areas that connects
learning.
Questions to consider in catering for the needs of gifted and talented students.
B (background knowledge)
C (cultural knowledge) N (narrative)
I (inclusivity)
C (connectedness)
K (knowledge integration)
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
An approach to designing quality curriculum, assessment and teaching instruction
for all students
The following process for curriculum planning is recommended by the NSW Board of Studies:
Step 1
Select outcomes
A manageable number of outcomes are chosen to form a focus for the unit. It is important that the
outcomes relate in a meaningful way to present a clear purpose for the teaching, learning and
assessment activities. Outcomes may be incorporated from within or across subject/Key Learning
Areas (KLAs).
Step 2
Decide on the subject matter or focus of the unit of work
The context and subject matter of the unit should be determined once the outcomes have been
selected. These decisions will help determine the selection of relevant syllabus content and the
evidence of learning that is required. The question to be addressed is ‘Why does this learning
matter (to the student)?’
Step 3
Select the relevant syllabus content
Content from the ‘learn about’ column relevant to the outcomes is selected and organised in a
logical sequence. The amount of content selected should be manageable in the time allocated to
the unit. Content relevant to the outcomes is then identified from the ‘learn to’ column. In some
cases the ‘learn to’ statement has a direct relationship to a single ‘learn about’ statement. In other
cases the ‘learn to’ statements are presented so that they can be applied across a range of content
that students will learn about. What will students need to learn and to do in order to be able to
achieve the key assessment task in the unit of work?
Step 4
Decide on the evidence of learning
As the outcomes form the focus of the unit, it is necessary to identify the specific evidence of
learning to be observed through the teaching and assessment activities. The selection of a key
assessment task helps to identify more specifically what students are to learn. How will students
apply their knowledge and show that they have learnt the intended content? How well are students
expected to do it? The criteria for assessing students’ learning can be developed by addressing the
following questions:
 What is the standard for a quality performance or product?
 Have clear criteria been provided that explicitly state the quality of work expected?
 How will students evaluate and reflect on the quality of their work?
 What models, samples, examples will be provided to assist in self-evaluation?
Before the unit of work is taught it is important to find out what outcomes the students have
already achieved. Step 4a and relevant questions are included here to assist in the
development of differentiated programs.
STEP 4A: Design a pre-test or pre-assessment task to find out what students already know
about the intended content





What would students need to know (knowledge) and be able to do (skills) in order to
demonstrate achievement of unit outcomes?
How will students communicate their understanding?
What is the expected standard for a quality performance or product?
Do they already have the knowledge and skills needed to communicate understanding?
Which students demonstrate significant mastery of the core concepts: knowledge, skills and
understandings?
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Step 5
Plan the teaching, learning and assessment activities
Assessment for learning activities should occur as a normal part of the teaching process. Teachers
plan the most suitable teaching, learning and assessment activities for the selected content,
ensuring that they will provide the desired evidence of learning determined in Step 3. Teaching,
learning and assessment activities should be student-centred to promote the development of
knowledge, skills and understanding. A key assessment task should be developed to ‘drive’ the
unit of work and smaller scale tasks may act as ‘checkpoints’ for formative assessment, along the
path to the major assessment task. What other evidence of student learning could be collected.
Step 6
Plan feedback opportunities
Feedback provides students with information to guide their learning and occurs routinely through
good teaching practice, mostly in an informal manner. However, when planning units of work,
teachers should consider how to maximise feedback and how it contributes to student learning.
Feedback should focus on students’ progress in relation to outcomes and indicators. Both formal
and informal evaluation of student work indicates how well students have achieved including
whether they have misconceptions or gaps in skill development. At this point it may be appropriate
to address these issues.
STEP 6A: Address misconceptions and/or reteach
Step 7
Plan opportunities for teacher reflection and evaluation
It is important to reflect on the degree to which the focus has remained on syllabus outcomes
during the teaching, learning and assessment process. Identification of the evidence of learning as
described in step 4 will assist with this. After the unit has been implemented it is also necessary to
evaluate students’ achievement and what should be done next to assist them in their learning. The
Quality Teaching framework (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2003) may be used to
design units of work and to reflect on their implementation and effectiveness.
(Adapted from the NSW Board of Studies, 2008)
Further information on assessment practice is available on the Board of Studies web site at
http://arc.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/sc/afl
How does the NSW Quality teaching model support curriculum differentiation?
The process of curriculum planning is assisted by addressing these questions:




What do you want students to learn?
What will students do or produce?’
Why does this learning matter?
How well do I expect them to do it?
(NSW Department of Education and Training, 2003)
Each of these questions can be aligned with the recommended steps in the curriculum planning
process and also with elements in the Quality Teaching framework (NSW Department of Education
and Training, 2003). These relationships are shown in Figure one ‘The throughline of a task’. This
diagram illustrates the importance of planning curriculum where the outcomes, learning activities
and assessment tasks are logically organised and aligned.
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The ‘throughline’ of a task
Outcomes
What do you want students to learn?
Indicators
What will students do or produce?’
Task content













deep knowledge
knowledge integration
higher-order thinking
problematic knowledge,
cultural knowledge
background knowledge
deep (demonstrated) understanding
substantive communication
higher-order thinking
narrative
connectedness
metalanguage
student direction
Why does this learning matter?






Explicit
Quality
Criteria
Feedback
You have, you
should now…
Figure one
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background knowledge
cultural knowledge
narrative
inclusivity
connectedness
knowledge integration
How well do I expect them to do it?






explicit quality criteria
high expectations
student direction
higher-order thinking
substantive communication
metalanguage scaffolds
What and how well?





9
refer back to indicators and explicit quality
criteria for appropriate feedback
deep knowledge,
metalanguage
substantive communication
provide opportunities for students to reflect
on their learning and its demonstration
(M. Genner, 2007)
© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Evaluating the effectiveness of assessment task design
The NSW Quality Teaching model (2003) provides a common language for analysing the
effectiveness of assessment, curriculum implementation and teacher instruction that can be
applied from K-12 across all KLAs (Table four).
Table four
Questions to guide evaluation
1. What do I want students to learn?
QT elements
deep knowledge
 Does the task focus on core concepts and key ideas central to the
topic, subject or KLA?
 Does the task meet syllabus requirements: aims, objectives,
foundation statements, stage outcomes and content?
 What do students already know, understand and can do?
 Is there evidence of planning for individual student learning needs?
 Is there evidence of pre-testing or pre-assessment?
background
knowledge
2. What am I going to get the students to do or produce?
 How will students demonstrate their understanding of the key ideas
and core concepts?
 How will students show they have learnt the intended content?
 How will students apply/use this new content?
 Are students asked to analyse, synthesise (creative thinking) and
evaluate (critical thinking)?
 Is the demonstration of understanding sustained and focussed on
key concepts?
deep
understanding
higher-order
thinking
substantive
communication
3. How well do I expect them to do it?
 Is the standard made clear?
 Are there high expectations for the performance and/or product?
 How will students know what a quality product or presentation looks
like?
 Are the criteria for success made explicit to the students? e.g. written
criteria, oral instructions, modelling, feedback during completion of
the task.
 Are opportunities and processes for feedback to students evident?
(key aspect of ‘assessment for learning’)
high
expectations
explicit
quality
criteria
4. Why does this learning matter (to the student)?
connectedness
 Does the learning connect to the student’s world outside the
classroom and the school
 Does it link to prior learning?
 Does it form a basis for future learning?
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background
knowledge
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Activity
The document Quality teaching in NSW public schools: An assessment practice guide (NSW
Department of Education and Training, 2004a) and the information in Table four can be used to
evaluate the effectiveness of an assessment task. For example consider how well the task outlined
in Table five fulfils the requirements of good assessment practice.
If an element in the Quality Teaching model codes poorly the following questions should be
addressed:
1. Is there an issue/problem with the task?
2. If so – what could be done to improve the task?
Table five
Topic
Design a healthy food meal
Phase of
Development
Early Childhood
Learning Area
Cross–curriculum
Strategy
Creative Thinking
“Healthy Choices”
Topic
Students will

Show different healthy foods or from pictures discuss different types of healthy
and non-healthy food ·
Activity



Conduct a survey of the class to find out what the healthiest food is.
Design an original healthy food lunch using drawings and labels
Participate in healthy living scenarios
Optional: (Develop a new healthy lunch)
Assessment
The extent to which students were able to produce unusual
designs?
An important part of the curriculum implementation process is to evaluate how well assessment
tasks measure students’ achievement outcomes in relation to syllabus standards. A possible
approach to developing teaching and learning activities and assessment tasks that are logically
organised is shown in Table six. This approach to curriculum planning is based on Tomlinson &
McTighe (2006) and the plan has been developed using a Healthy Choices unit for students in
Stage One.
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Planning backwards
The approach displayed in Table six centers on the idea that the design process should begin with
identifying the desired results and then "work backwards" to develop instruction rather than the
traditional approach which is to define what topics need to be covered (Wiggins & McTighe, 2001).
The process involves three main stages:

Stage 1: Identify desired outcomes and results.

Stage 2: Determine what constitutes acceptable evidence* of achievement in the outcomes
and results (assessment).

Stage 3: Plan instructional strategies and learning experiences that bring students to these
levels of achievement.
Start with the end in mind and begin with the intended outcomes and the most difficult task. If
students have already completed all of the learning experiences in the unit, what final key
assessment task would demonstrate understanding of the necessary knowledge and skills, values
and attitudes?
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Quality Teaching and curriculum planning
Table six
Stage 1: Desired results
Step1: Select outcomes
Foundation
statement
Students make simple decisions in relation to health ….They describe balanced
eating habits and healthy personal habits…..
Outcome(s)
PHES1.12
DMES1.2
Enduring
Understandings
*A balanced diet keeps us healthy * We can make choices *Choices have
consequences
 What do I want
students to learn?
 What do I want
students to understand?
Displays basic positive health practices.
Identifies some options available when making simple decisions.
Subject matter or focus “Healthy choices”
Life requires people to make choices
Task scenario
The school canteen wants to encourage students to choose healthy foods. They
have asked students to suggest new interesting healthy meals and snacks other
students would like to eat.
CONTENT
Learn to (skills) VERBS
Step 2: Decide on the
subject matter focus
of the unit of work?
 Why does the learning
matter (to the
student)?
Learn about (knowledge) NOUNS
Step 3: Select the relevant
syllabus content
Core Content
Basic
Abstract
Core Contributing
Questions
relating to core outcomes
and content
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Make simple decisions
Describe
Describe
Displays/demonstrates





in relation to health
balanced eating habits
healthy personal habits
basic positive health practices
 What do I want
students to learn?
How does food keep you healthy?
What foods are good for you?
Do I have a choice about what I eat? How do I know what to eat?
Are some foods good for me and not for others?
How can I encourage others to make healthy food choices?
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Table six (continued)
Stage 2: Evidence of learning
Key assessment task
Students will demonstrate their understanding by producing different models (real or
simulated) for healthy meals to be trialled at the school canteen
Criteria for
assessing learning
Students will be assessed on their ability to
 Identify basic healthy foods representing a balanced diet
 Make simple decisions about healthy and non-healthy foods
 Explain their choices and decisions
Other evidence of and
for learning
 Teacher prompt: Can identify and classify foods as healthy and non-healthy
(Work sample)
 Test: Can recognise common sight words on packaging
 Dramatic scenarios : Makes simple health- related choices and explain
decisions
 Skill check :Can use charts and packaging for information
Pre-testing and pre-assessment (Diagnostic assessment)
Stage 3: Plan the teaching, learning and assessment experiences
Teaching and
Learning
Assessment FOR
learning
Step 5: Plan the teaching, learning and assessment
experiences
Step 6:
Plan feedback opportunities
Step 4: Evidence of
learning: Through what
authentic performance task
will students demonstrate
understanding?
 What will students do or
produce?
 How well do I expect
students to do?
Step 4A: Pretesting or
pre-assessment
 What do students bring
to the table?
 What do they already
know?
 What can they already
do?
 How do they currently
make sense of this?
?material?
Step 5: Plan the teaching
and learning and
assessment
experiences
Step 6: Plan feedback
opportunities
Step 7: Plan opportunities for
teacher reflection and
evaluation
Step 6: Address
misconceptions and/or
reteach
(Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe, 2001)
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Planning for differentiation
The curriculum plan in Table six does not include modifications to the proposed unit of
work to cater for gifted and talented students. Some students who are gifted may
demonstrate achievement of syllabus outcomes and so are capable of accelerated
progression in the form of curriculum compacting. This means that extension work can be
substituted for tasks where students have demonstrated prior achievement of syllabus
outcomes.
A system of curriculum differentiation for compacting the curriculum is outlined in Module
5 – Curriculum differentiation for gifted students, (MacLeod, 2005) and is available at
http://www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/54063D73-3271-4AF1-84AF10E601B26F38/5469/Module5_SECONDARY.pdf
Module 5 outlines the following steps to develop a differentiated unit of work:









decide on the skills and content outcomes to be assessed
identify the key concept(s) that underpin(s) the unit
devise focus and contributing questions
write one structured/support question and two extended questions for each
contributing question where appropriate
design pre-tests or pre-assessments (graphic organiser, flow chart, concept map,
discussion questions)
develop supported and extended outcomes to correlate with support and extended
questions
construct the activities for support, core and extension
write assessment tasks, formulate criteria and determine date of assessment
conduct formative and summative evaluation.
Why do you pre-test?
 Pre-testing and on-going assessments inform the proposed instruction.
What do you pre-test?
 Pre-test the key assessable outcomes.
 If students are able to demonstrate mastery, then alternate learning activities need to
be planned and negotiated.
This approach to differentiation, presented diagrammatically in Figure two, allows for
three levels of student readiness. Students who are achieving at stage level will be
appropriately challenged by finding answers to the core-level questions. However, some
students will not be ready to work at stage level and will need teacher support and
learning activities to assist them to achieve stage outcomes. Extension questions and
activities need to be developed for those students who have demonstrated achievement
of outcomes at stage level through pre-testing. This approach to the development of a
differentiated unit of work can be organised in the planning stage by using a concept
map. For example, the planning of the Healthy Choices Unit using a concept map is
illustrated in Figure three. A curriculum plan which includes modifications to cater for
gifted and talented students is shown in Table seven.
GAT Unit
Curriculum K-12
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Syllabus outcomes for unit.
N.B. You might choose to list only the assessable outcomes
Macro-concept(s) + Focus question
Core
Contributing
question
Core
Contributing
question
Core
Contributing
question
Core
Contributing
question
Pre-testing or pre-assessment of outcomes to establish prior
understandings and skills of students
Extended questions + extended outcomes+ assessment evidence
Planning the criteria for assessing learning:
Key assessment task + other evidence of learning
Planning the teaching, learning and
assessment for learning activities
Planning feedback
Planning opportunities for teacher reflection and evaluation
Figure two
GAT Unit
Curriculum K-12
(Adapted from MacLeod, 2005)
16
© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
PHES1.12
DMES1.2
What might happen
if I didn’t eat
vegetables?
Displays basic positive health practices.
Identifies some options available when making simple decisions.
How does food keep
you healthy?
How can we keep
healthy?
Can the right food
ever be the wrong
food?
Key
Responsibility
and Well-being
What foods
are good for
me?
Does an apple a day
keep the doctor away?
Figure three
GAT Unit
Curriculum K-12
Extension
questions
Support question
The PROBLEM/ISSUE/CHALLENGE
Why is our health
important?
Core contributing
questions
How do I make
healthy choices?
CORE - The school canteen wants to
encourage students to choose healthy foods.
They have asked students to suggest new
interesting healthy meals and snacks other
students would like to eat.
EXTENDED - Help! Some students have
17
allergies to certain foods. How can we cater for
(Adapted from MacLeod, 2005)
these
students
too?
© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Differentiating a unit of work
(Adapted from Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006)
Table seven
Focus
“Healthy choices”
Focus question:
Will an apple a day keep the doctor away?
Macro-concepts:
Enduring
Understandings:
Core
Scenario
Extended
scenario
Responsibility and well-being
* A balanced diet keeps us healthy
* We can make choices
* Choices have consequences
The school canteen wants to encourage students to choose healthy foods.
They have asked students to suggest new, interesting healthy meals and
snacks other students would like to eat.
Help! Some students have allergies to certain foods. How can we cater for
these students too?
Stage 1: Desired results
Foundation
statement
Core
Outcome(s)
Extended
Outcome(s)
Content
Basic
Abstract
Students make simple decisions in relation to health ….They describe balanced eating
habits and healthy personal habits…..
PHES1.12 Displays basic positive health practices.
DMES1.2 Identifies some options available when making simple decisions.
PHES1.12 Evaluates positive and negative health practices.
DMES1.2 Considers a range of options when generating complex decisions.
Step 1: Frame the unit in a
‘macroconcept’ that frames the
learning. This will ensure that
enrichment and extension flows
out of the core program.
 devise a focus question to
hook students
 identify the enduring
understandings
 devise a ‘real’ problem, issue
or scenario
Step2: Plan extended outcomes
using Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956) to
increase the level of complexity and
abstraction. Ensure that the content,
assessment task and criteria for
learning align with the level of
thinking and doing required.
Step 3: Locate the verbs and
nouns in the content. The verbs
point to the kind of thinking and
doing required and thus point to an
appropriate performance-based
task. Use the ‘macroconcept’ to
increase breadth and depth so that
the content (knowledge, skills and
understandings) extends beyond
the ‘topic’.
Learn to (skills) verbs
Learn about (knowledge) nouns & adjectives
Make simple decisions
in relation to health
Describe
balanced eating habits
Describe
healthy personal habits
Displays/demonstrates
basic positive health practices
Content
Make complex decisions
in relation to well-being and responsibility
Complex
Evaluate
balanced eating habits in different situations
Abstract
Analyse
healthy personal habits
Step 3: Consider the contributing
Devises
positive health practices
questions and devise questions that
Contributing
 How does food keep you healthy?
extend the core questions. The
questions
 What foods are good for you?
questions should be open-ended
 Do I have a choice about what I eat? How do I know what to eat?
and invite substantial inquiry. You
 Are some foods good for me and not for others?
can ask students to devise their own
 How can I encourage others to make healthy food choices?
and build them into the unit. You
GAT Unit
18 eat vegetables?
Extended
can use Bloom’s (1956) or models
 What might happen if I didn’t
Curriculum K-12
questions
from Williams (1993) and Maker
 Can the right food ever be the wrong food?
©
State
of
New
South
Wales
through
the
NSW
Department
of
Education
and
Training,
2008 ideas.
(1982)
to generate
 If you could only eat five foods for the rest of you life what would they be and why?
Stage 2: Evidence of learning
Core task
Students will demonstrate their understanding by producing different
models (real or simulated) for healthy meals to be trialled at the school
canteen.
Extended task AND consider how to adapt or adjust the lunch for children with particular
dietary requirements
Core task
Criteria for
assessing
learning
Extended task
Criteria for
assessing
learning
Product
modifications
Students are assessed on their ability to:
 make simple decisions about healthy and non-healthy foods
 explain their choices and decisions
 create a model that communicates positive health and food
messages.
Students will be assessed on their ability to:
 evaluate the special dietary needs of some children and devise a
range of solutions
 justify their choices and decisions
 communicate (optional) positive health and food messages through
written, spoken and/or artistic texts.
Students could choose an alternative mode of communication as long as
the performance of understanding meets explicit quality criteria.
If the product (e.g. model) is to be assessed, appropriate outcomes,
indicators and content must be built into the task design.
Stage 3: Plan the teaching, learning and assessment experiences
Step 5: Plan the teaching, learning and assessment
Teaching and
experiences
Learning
Step 6:
Plan feedback opportunities
Assessment
FOR
learning
GAT Unit
Curriculum K-12
19
Step 4: Students need to be
challenged with work that
requires them to think beyond
the topic. They can consider
problems, issues, themes,
paradoxes and questions to
which there are no fixed
answers. Complexity can be
added in terms of content,
process and product. The task
should demand ‘new’ learning.
The Bloom taxonomy(1956) or
models from Williams (1993)
and Maker (1982) can be used
to generate ideas.
Step 4: The criteria for a quality
product or performance needs
to be explicitly stated. This
process can be negotiated and
may involve an audience
beyond the school.
Providing opportunities for
students to demonstrate
understanding in different ways,
negotiation and choice are
central to a learning
environment that supports the
needs of GATS.
Provide quality feedback that
sets the direction for future
teaching and learning. Guide
students in setting goals and
provide feedback that supports
them in working towards their
personal best.
© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Putting it all together
Using the NSW Quality Teaching Model and other curriculum models to plan
a differentiated unit of work
1.
Select outcomes
What do I want my students to learn?
 Select the syllabus outcomes to be assessed.
 Plan the extended outcomes. Use Bloom’s (1956) Taxonomy to increase the level
of challenge.
2.
Decide on the focus of the unit
Why does that learning matter to the students?
 Select a case study, issue, problem, paradox, theory, scenario etc.
 Identify the overarching macro-concept(s) that underpin(s) the unit.
 Devise a focus question that invites inquiry to guide the learning.
3.
Select the syllabus content
What do I want my students to learn?
 Identify the outcomes related to the KLA, and look at the related content.
 Use the outcomes, content statements (learn to and learn about) to devise
contributing questions. These are questions students would be expected to be
able to answer if the unit had already been taught.
 What will a student need to know, be able to do and understand to demonstrate
understanding?
4.
Decide on the evidence of learning
What will students produce to demonstrate understanding?
 Use a curriculum model, e.g. Maker (1982), Bloom (1956), Williams (1993) to
devise a key performance-based assessment task.
 Plan tasks that have real purposes, real audiences and real deadlines.
 Use Anderson et al. (2001) taxonomy to check that planned assessment includes
higher-order thinking skills for all students.
 Consider what other evidence you will need to collect to check that students are
learning the knowledge, skills and understandings required to achieve the key
performance-based task.
4A. Pre-testing (Diagnostic assessment)
What do my students already know, do and understand?
 Use the contributing questions as a guide and Anderson et al. (2001) taxonomy to
ensure that the questions assess the student’s factual and conceptual knowledge,
procedural and metacognitive knowledge.
 Use graphic organisers, flow charts, drawings and tests so students can tell and
show you what they already know.
 Tell students what you are doing so that they can suggest what they’d like to do
and build in their suggestions to the curriculum design.
Use the information from the pre- test or pre-assessment to establish the learner
readiness. Then use your knowledge and assessment of their interests and preferred
ways of learning to plan extension questions that will engage students who have
demonstrated mastery.
Remember:
GAT Unit
Curriculum K-12
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008




GATS may not demonstrate mastery – offer it anyway!
All students may attempt the extension questions if they want to have a go.
Enrichment is work/study beyond the regular curriculum at the same level of
challenge that expands breadth.
Extension is work/study at a level of challenge beyond the core program that
expands depth.
5. Plan the teaching, learning and assessment activities
Use curriculum models such as:
 The Maker Model (1982)
 The Williams Model (1993)
 Bloom’s Taxonomy (1956)
to design challenging extension questions and to generate activities that flow from the
core program. Plan and sequence students’ learning experiences in response to their
learning needs. Take into account their readiness, interests and learning profiles.
Build in ideas from the students and include choice where appropriate.
6. Plan feedback for learning
- How well do you expect students to perform this task?
- What constitutes quality?
- What are the criteria or expected standard?
Talk to your students about your expectations and involve them in developing their own
criteria. Use the syllabus standards to guide the development of criteria assessing student
learning in terms of their
 Factual Knowledge – Basic elements that students must know to be informed
about a subject or discipline and work on it.
 Conceptual Knowledge – Knowledge of how the basic elements or ideas in a
subject or discipline are related.
 Procedural Knowledge – Knowledge of how to do things in the subject or
discipline (techniques, methodology, processes)
 Metacognitive – Knowledge about cognition and a personal awareness of one’s
own cognition and strategies for controlling and applying appropriate thinking
processes. Knowledge and understanding of the type of ‘thinking’ authentic to the
inquiry e.g. thinking as a scientist, or artist, or writer and so on.
(Anderson et al., 2001)
References
Anderson, L.W., Krathwohl, D.R., Airasian, P.W., Cruikshank, K.A., Mayer, R.E.,
Pintrich, P.R., Raths, J. & Wittrock, M.C. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for
learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of
educational objectives. New York: Longman.
Board of Studies NSW. Advice on programming and assessment, viewed 7
February 2008, http://arc.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/sc/afl#Theprinciples-of-assessment-for-learning
GAT Unit
Curriculum K-12
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© State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008
Bloom, B.S. (Ed.). (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: the classification
of educational goals. New York: Longmans, Green & Co.
Braggett, E. (1997). Differentiating programs for secondary schools:Units of work
for gifted and talented students. Highett, Vic.:Hawker Brownlow
Education.
Genner, M. (2007). Personal communication.
Gross, M. U. M., MacLeod, B., Bailey, S., Chaffey, G., Merrick, C. & Targett, R.
(2005). Gifted and talented education professional learning package for
teachers. Retrieved 24 January 2006, from Australian Government
Department of Education, Science and Training web site:
http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/publications_resources/pr
ofiles/gifted_education_professional_development_package.htm#publicatio
n
MacLeod, B. (2005). Module 5 – Curriculum differentiation for gifted students. In
S. Bailey (Ed.), Gifted and talented education professional learning
package for teachers. Sydney: Australian Government Department of
Education, Science and Training and University of New South Wales,
GERRIC (Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre).
NSW Department of Education and Training. (2003). Quality teaching in NSW
public schools: Discussion paper. Sydney.
NSW Department of Education and Training. (2004a). An assessment practice
guide. Sydney.
NSW Department of Education and Training. (2004). Policy and implementation
strategies for the education of gifted and talented students. Sydney.
Tomlinson, C. A. & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction:
Understanding by design. Heatherton, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow Education.
Wiggins, G., McTighe, J., (2001) Understanding by Design. Prentice Hall Inc
Williams, F.E. (1993). The cognitive-affective interaction model for enriching gifted
programs. In J.S. Renzulli (Ed.), Systems and models for developing
programsfor the gifted and talented (pp. 461–484). Highett, Vic.: Hawker
Brownlow Education.
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