Specialized Instruction
Differentiation
•Precocity
•Complexity
•Intensity
•Creative
•Conceptual
•Perfectionistic
Joyce Van
Tassel-Baska
2009
Learner Char. and Corresponding
Emphasis in the Curriculum
The Learner
The Curriculum
Precocity
Advanced Content
Intensity
Process/product
depth
Complexity
Issues/concepts/
themes/ideas
Creativity Dimension
• Design/construct a model based on
principles or criteria
• Provide alternatives for tasks, products
• Direct oral and written communication to
a real-world audience
Quest Model for Creative Writing
The Hero
(Create a character
with heroic qualities)
Returns home
with the
solution,
answers, and/or
wisdom
(Define the
outcomes of the
quest – new
understandings,
insights, and tangible
rewards for the hero)
Encounters a
problem or
challenge
(Define the
challenge)
Has exploits
that tests
his/her
commitment to
the quest
(Define
adventures/people/
situations
encountered)
Goes on a journey
to seek answers
to the
problem/challenge
(Define the journey in
respect to type,
duration and purpose)
Freytags Plot Line
Katie Carson’s Classroom
1.Once upon a time…
2.And every day…
3. Until one day…
4. And then…
5. And then…
6. Until finally…
7. And ever since…
Tomlinson, Carol Ann and Doubet, Kristina; “Reach Them to
Teach Them” Educational Leadership: Summer 05, Vol. 62, #
10.
Hamburger Model for
Persuasive Writing
Definition: A
closed plane
bound by 3 or
more line
segments
Characteristics:
more line
segments,
multiple angles
Polygon
Examples:
square,
triangle,
rectangle,
quadrangle
Non-examples:
circle, arc
Vocabulary Map
Word
Definition
Use in sentence
Part of speech
A synonym
An antonym
Purpose/ Goal
Implications/
Consequences
Point of View
What will
the group
do this
evening?
Inferences
Evidence/ Data
Concepts/Ideas
Assumptions
1. Identify your issue or problem
2. Read about your issue and identify points of view
or arguments through information sources
3. Form a set of questions that can be answered by
a specific set of data
4. Gather evidence through research techniques
such as surveys, interviews, or analysis of
primary and secondary source documents
5. Manipulate and transform data so that they can
be interpreted.
6. Draw conclusions and make inferences
7. Determine implications and consequences
8. Communicate your findings
Reasoning about a Situation or
Event
What is the situation?
Who are the
stakeholders?
What is the point
of view for each
stakeholder?
What are the
assumptions of
each group?
What are the
implications of
these views?
Consists of
Different
Types
sand
Rock and
gravel
including
clay
silt
?
?
B
y
r
y
y
g
Rules from Tom Kelley’s book, The Ten Faces of Innovation:
1. Go for Quantity. Good ideas emerge from lots of
ideas. Set a numerical goal – say, a total of one
hundred ideas.
2. Encourage Wild Ideas – Extremism is a virtue.
The right idea often flows from what initially
seems outlandish.
3. Be Visual – Pictures unlock creativity.
4. Defer Judgment – There’s no such thing as a
bad idea, so banish the naysayers. Think
creatively first and critically later.
5. One Conversation at a Time – Listen, be polite,
and build on others’ suggestions.
Curriculum Compacting
1) What’s important?
2) What can be skipped
or eliminated?
3) What do students
already know or are
able to do?
4) What will they grasp
easily?
5) What can be
accomplished quickly?
The goal is to modify or “streamline”
curriculum to allow students to move at a
quicker pace and then have time to pursue
an alternate topic or go into greater depth
in an area of study.
Basic Skills Compacting
Content Compacting
Spelling, Math Computation,
Language Arts Basic Skills
Social Studies, Science,
Literature, Math Applications,
and Problem-Solving
Pretesting is easily used to
document proficiency.
Students may already know
some material or may be able
to read advanced material or
master objectives more
quickly.
1. The teacher previews the student task and selects the
most difficult examples.
2. The examples are marked (*) and students are given
the opportunity to do these items first as a means of
demonstrating mastery or understanding.
3. If students are able to demonstrate mastery, then they
are provided alternate activities for that period of time.
Student’s Name: ________________________________
Content Area
Documenting Mastery
Alternate Activities
Content Area
Math ---Decimal
Fractions
Documenting Mastery
Score of 85 percent or
higher on the pretest
Alternate Activities
Will work with class on days
they learn concepts she has not
mastered
Will work on alternate math
enrichment activities on other
days
Content Area
Documenting Mastery
Social Studies--Colonial Living Unit
Students will read chapters
5 & 6 in text at own pace
High Interest Strong
Readers---- Will read
and pick up concepts
quickly
Do chapter exercises 3, 7,
&9
Take unit test when ready
Alternate Activities
Students will select a topic
of interest from a list of
alternate activities related to
an aspect of colonial living
for an independent study
4
3
2
Fluency
I can think of
many ideas.
I can think
of some
ideas
If I get some I have a
help, I can
hard time
think of ideas thinking of
ideas
Flexibility
I notice what
is surprising
and unusual
I notice
unusual
things
around me
When
someone
reminds me,
notice
I hardly
ever notice
unusual
things
Evaluation
I know
several ways
of deciding
I can tell
which ideas
are worth
working on
With help, I
can tell which
ideas
worthwhile
I cannot tell
which ideas
are
worthwhile
Risk-taking
I like to try
new ideas
I try new
ideas
Sometimes I
try new ideas
I do not try
new ideas
Seeking
Challenges
Goal setting
(etc.)
Goal
setting
Goal setting
(etc.)
I do not set
goals
I can
usually add
details to
make
better
Sometimes, I
can think of
way to make
better
I do not
know how to
make better
Elaboration When I have
good idea, I
add details to
make great
1
Score
Criteria
Exemplary (45)
Good
(2-3)
Needs
Improvement
(0-1)
Initial
Questions
Questions are
probing and help
clarify facts
All questions may
not be relevant
Few or no
questions
formulated
Understanding
the problem
Clearly defines
the problem
Statement has
some vagueness or
missing information
Problem defined
incorrectly
Seeking
information
Identifies
several sources
of information
Relies on few
sources
Not clear as to
what is needed
Risk-taking
I try new ideas
Sometimes I try
new ideas
I do not try new
ideas
Integration of
knowledge
Effectively
applies previous
knowledge
Applies limited
amount of prior
knowledge
Unable to connect
previous
knowledge
Is this fair?
1. Asking the same as other students; to
stretch a bit, learn new skills
2. Promoting success at new level; not
failure at new level
3. Acknowledging skills; to not do so would
be malpractice
4. Perfect time to do this
“Challenging the Gifted Child in the Classroom. The Challenge
Magazine of The Center for Gifted Studies. Western Kentucky
University. No. 20 Winter 2008
Renzulli, Joseph, Reis, Sally, Swicord, Curriculum
Differentiation for Gifted and Talented Students – Webinar –
Slideshare
Tomlinson, Carol Ann (1995). How to Differentiate Instruction
in Mixed-Ability Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Tomlinson, Carol Ann & Doubet, Kristina (2006). SMART in the
Middle Grades – Classroom That Work for Bright Middle
Schoolers. Westerville, OH: National Middle School
Association.
Tomlinson, Carol Ann (1995). How to Differentiate Instruction in
Mixed-Ability Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development.
Tomlinson, Carol Ann & Doubet, Kristina (2006). SMART in the Middle
Grades – Classroom That Work for Bright Middle Schoolers.
Westerville, OH: National Middle School Association.
Van Tassel-Baska, Joyce (2003). Content-Based Curriculum. Waco,
TX: Prufrock Press, Inc. p. 16