Gifted Qualification and Services Determination ANSWER DOCUMENT Using the state and local manuals as a guide, determine if each of these students qualifies for gifted services. Determine relative strengths and weaknesses as indicated by assessment results, then make suggestions as to services and/or differentiation that would benefit the student. For each example, respond to the following items. 1. A. Does this student qualify? If yes, Option A or Option B? Why did you choose that Option? If no, why not? B. Describe this student’s strengths. C. Describe any weaknesses or areas of concern. D. Explain services and/or differentiation areas you would recommend for this student. 2. A. Does this student qualify? If yes, Option A or Option B? Why did you choose that Option? If no, why not? B. Describe this student’s strengths. C. Describe any weaknesses or areas of concern. D. Explain services and/or differentiation areas you would recommend for this student. 3. A. Does this student qualify? If yes, Option A or Option B? Why did you choose that Option? If no, why not? Yes, this student qualifies under option B. The student scored in 3 out of the 4 areas. Iowa reading score was a 90, Portfolio score was a 92, creativity test score was a 90. The student’s strengths are in the areas of: nonverbal, creativity, reading, and portfolio work (student’s work samples from the teacher). This student is weak in quantitative areas of: problem solving, logical puzzles/brain teasers, & solving math problems with numbers & patterns. I would recommend the target program; however, this student needs daily practice with logical number sense and patterns (possibly in guided math instruction where number & logic problems & pattern work can be taught as stepped activities where the problems begin easy, then get increasingly harder each time); working in pairs or small groups would help increase scores in these math areas. Yes, qualifies under option A. Their Cogat composite was a 99 and Iowa reading was a 90. The student’s strengths are: mental abilities, problem solving, reading, verbal & non-verbal. Weak in the areas of motivation and creativity. I would recommend the target program for this student due to test scores. He needs activities that will keep him focused and engaged because he is not an independent worker (possibly taught in small groups or paired learning). A study skills group would also help with organizational skills; use colored folders or a binder with dividers. In addition, give this student topics he is interested to help motivate him. No, This student does not qualify because they only have 1 out of the 4 areas filled for option B. B. Describe this student’s strengths. C. Describe any weaknesses or areas of concern. D. Explain services and/or differentiation areas you would recommend for this student. 4. A. Does this student qualify? If yes, Option A or Option B? Why did you choose that Option? If no, why not? B. Describe this student’s strengths. C. Describe any weaknesses or areas of concern. D. Explain services and/or differentiation areas you would recommend for this student. 5. A. Does this student qualify? If yes, Option A or Option B? Why did you choose that Option? If no, why not? This child is highly motivated, reasonable to say, a high achiever, gets fairly good grades and has creative ideas which are probably demonstrated through classwork. This child is weak in reading, math and problem solving work. I would recommend small group instruction in these areas of weakness; (possibly in guided math instruction where word problems can be taught as stepped activities where the problems begin easy, then get increasingly harder each time or guided reading where close reading can take place). Individual help or extra tutoring in math and reading skills would also help to help increase test scores. Yes, this student qualifies through Option B. Their Cogat verbal score was a 90, Iowa reading score was a 95. Additionally, the TTCT was given and the score was 91 (3 out of 4 areas makes them qualify). This student demonstrates strengths in verbal skills & reading. His TTCT score shows a great deal of potential in creativity. This child’s motivational score is average, so he/she is probably not entirely interested in school, nor will they be a high achiever. Their non-verbal area also demonstrates a weakness. This student needs more instruction with nonverbal activities such as projects that require oral presentations (they can begin with small group or partner projects, then eventually independent). It would be beneficial to use lots of visuals, shape relationships and hands-on activities when solving problems. No, this student did not qualify because they only had 1 out of 4 categories for option B. B. Describe this student’s strengths. Mental ability is this student’s strength. C. Describe any weaknesses or areas of concern. Intelligence is high, but has a motivation score that is very low. They may have another issue at hand (ADD, ADHD, LD), so special education services should be notified (possibly begin RTI), especially if the child isn’t scoring up to their full mental ability potential. The discrepancy range is D. Explain services and/or differentiation areas you would recommend for this student. 6. A. Does this student qualify? If yes, Option A or Option B? Why did you choose that Option? If no, why not? B. Describe this student’s strengths. C. Describe any weaknesses or areas of concern. D. Explain services and/or differentiation areas you would recommend for this student. 7. A. Does this student qualify? If yes, Option A or Option B? Why did you choose that Option? If no, why not? B. Describe this student’s strengths. C. Describe any weaknesses or areas of concern. D. Explain services and/or differentiation areas you would recommend for this student. so great between the motivation score and the cogat composite score. Their reading score is below average; Iowa total is average between math and reading combined. This student should be recommended for special education services (begin Tier 2 for RTI and call a meeting with parents to review scores). Needs small group reading setting in the classroom to practice needed skills and maybe individual tutoring to help improve the 46 below average reading score. No, this student did not qualify because the NNAT score was not high enough. Usually with a creativity test score like this, the student would have the TTCT given to them. No evidence of this was shown. The student shows strengths in both math and quantitative ability. Areas of concern are this student’s verbal skills and low Iowa test score total. I would recommend daily practice with word analogies & problem solving practice in smaller groups preferably in guided math instruction where word problems can be taught as stepped activities where the problems begin easy, then get increasingly harder each time. Guided reading where close reading can take place would also help their reading score. Yes, This student qualifies through Option B. Both the CAIMI math score and the SS were a score of 90. The Iowa math score is 91, the reading score is 99 and non-verbal component score is 98. These options qualified in option B. The student demonstrates strengths in Reading and non-verbal skills. Math score is good as well. Verbal and quantitative scores are average, and both the TTCT and motivation scores are average as well. Qualifies for gifted, so I would recommend the program; however, this student needs practice in many areas including verbal skills, quantitative skills, number pattern practice, number sense to solve problems, and word analogy practice. Small group or paired instruction would work best with this student. Number Talks and guided math would help, as well as instruction with non-verbal activities such as projects that require oral presentations (they can begin with small group or partner projects, then eventually independent). It would be beneficial to use lots of visuals, shape relationships and hands-on activities when solving problems. 8. A. Does this student qualify? If yes, Option A or Option B? Why did you choose that Option? If no, why not? B. Describe this student’s strengths. C. Describe any weaknesses or areas of concern. D. Explain services and/or differentiation areas you would recommend for this student. Yes, This student qualifies through Option A. The NNAT (96) counts as a composite score and the math Iowa 94 is a qualifying score. This student demonstrates strengths in both nonverbal and mental abilities (NNAT). I would be concerned with their low motivation score and average creativity score. Student may need verbal practice skills, reading skills and comprehension practice (this can be done in small group guided reading instruction using close reading with high-interest passages and retelling of events done orally to help with verbal practice skills.) May need extra practice & guidance to help with organization (colored folders and binder with labeled tabs) as well as motivation (having the student choose the topics he is most interested in reading and/or researching about. Summary - Discussion with Mentor: I thoroughly discussed each component of both options A & B with my gifted mentor, Bill McAllister. He explained in detail how he often tests students who JUST miss the mark with an 85 percent in creativity and motivation. There are so many students who seem like they aren’t going to be eligible, but there are loopholes, which end up making them qualify. He explained the TTCT, the Hawthorne Gifted tests and teacher checklists they use to test the students’ motivation & creativity in class (which I found highly interesting). He shared with me how he continues to use the evaluation/guideline (appendix F) in the gifted procedures manual even after eight years of teaching ALP students. Whatever works is what I say! He explained the importance of parental consent and extended testing when qualifying students for the gifted program in Cobb County. I didn’t realize how extensive this can get. I feel like I learned so much in that short period of time. He is very knowledgeable in this area; I feel more confident knowing I have someone to go to I f I ever have questions about the gifted program.