with Flexible Grouping and Compacting - NAGC

Make Differentiation “do-able”with FlexibleGrouping and CompactingAnn RobinsonCenter for Gifted EducationUniversity of Arkansas at Little RockNational Association for Gifted Children &Maryland Association for EducationRegional AcademyColumbia, MarylandJanuary 24, 2009

Grouping Gossip What have you heard? Using the Heads Together technique,exchange two examples of groupinginformation with respect to high abilitylearners.

What are common models offlexible grouping? Within-class reading and math groups Cross-grade grouping or the Joplin Plan Cluster Grouping Pull-out Grouping

With-in Class Grouping How to Group– Divide students into smaller groups according toprior performance.– Students work directly and proportionally with theteacher each day.– Individual students or groups work by themselveswhen not with the teacher.– More common at the elementary/middle levels.

With-in Class Grouping Research Evidence– Gains in Mathematics– Gains in overall for high, medium, and lowachievingstudents

Cross-grade Grouping(Joplin Plan) How to Group– Students are regrouped across grade levelsbased on performance.– May have as many as 9 groups for 3 to 5grade levels.– In reading, instruction occurs in multi-agegroups for 90 minutes.– Students return to classroom for 30 minutesof free reading.– -More common at upper elementary/middlelevels.

Cross-grade Grouping(Joplin Plan) Research Evidence– Gains overall frequently reported.– In one study, cluster grouping in math withdifferentiated curriculum produced highergains.

Cluster Grouping How to Group– A cluster of 3 - 10 gifted students areplaced for the year with a teacher trained indifferentiation for high ability learners. Research Evidence– Gains overall reported.– More students reported as high achieving.

Pull-out Programs How to Group– High ability learners are removed from theclassroom to work with a specialist teacher.– Usually enrichment-based.– Meet from 1 hour per week to 1 - 2 days perweek. Research Evidence– Gains in achievement, critical thinking andcreative thinking.– Gains reported for programs articulated withsubject matter curriculum.

Spot the Grouping Pattern . . . Susanna’s Case Antonio’s Casefrom Rogers, 2006

Curriculum CompactingWho needs it?How is it done?

Definition of Compacting•Identifying learning objectives,pretesting students for mastery andeliminating needless teaching or practice.The time saved may be used to provideacceleration or enrichment. The teacherassesses skills or knowledge prior toinstruction and uses this information tomodify the curriculum.

Student Behaviors which suggestcompacting: Focus on students who•Consistently finish tasks quickly•Make careless mistakes•Create own distractions•Bring outside reading materials•Test well despite average or below class work•Consistently perform high in an academic area•Ask questions that suggest advanced familiarity with thematerial•Express interest in pursuing alternate or advanced topics-Starko

Steps To Compacting1. Identify objectives in subject area/grade level2. Find or develop a means of pretesting3. Identify students who have met them4. Pretest5. Eliminate practice, drill or instruction6. Streamline instruction7. Provide individualized, enriched or acceleratedinstruction8. Maintain records and documentation

Strategies For Compacting•Compactor•Most Difficult First•Day 3 Pretest Option

The CompactorTHE COMPACTORJoseph Renzulli & Linda H. SmithStudent Name ____________________________________________Area of Strength Documenting Mastery Alternate Activities- as adapted by Winebrenner

The “Most Difficult First” ProcedureTeacher teaches lesson; gives homework assignment, allows15-20 minutes for students to start in class.Makes offer to all students:Anyone who can complete the exercises I have labeled “5 mostdifficult” before the class ends, NEATLY, LEGIBLY, AND TO____ ACCURACY is finished practicing.Teacher helps only those students who begin at the beginning.-Winebrenner

The “Most Difficult First” Procedure (cont’d)Student who thinks s/he has completed most difficult correctlycomes to teacher.When teacher finds the first paper to meet criteria, its ownerbecomes the CHECKER for others who want to qualify.Those who qualify may do any other work in the “time they buy”as long as they:•BOTHER NO ONE•CALL NO ATTENTION TO THEMSELVES(most useful to mathematics, grammar, geography….)-Winebrenner

The “Day Three Pretest Option”Procedure•Teacher announces on Day One of new unit that anystudent who feels they “know” this area may try to“test out.” Substitute enrichments are described andcriterion levels for test performance are clarified.•For the first two days, the teacher provides anOVERVIEW of the entire unit at an accelerated paceof presentation.

The “Day Three Pretest Option”Procedure (cont’d)On Day Three the criterion-referencedtest/task is administered to all interestedstudents. Teacher begins regular courseof instruction on unit for those who decidenot to “test out.”

The “Day Three Pretest Option”Procedure (cont’d)•By Day Four those who have “tested out” beginworking on long-term enrichment projectsconnected to the unit of study that extend ormore fully develop the objectives of the unit.They are expected to work independently,meeting with the teacher outside of class timewhen they have questions or concerns. If theycannot work effectively as independent learners,they will return to the teacher-directed learningexperiences.-Winebrenner

The “Day Three Pretest Option”Procedure (cont’d)•The “tested out” students’ grades are based onthe averaging of their pretest performance andthe evaluations of their enrichment project.(May be most useful in spelling, grammar, vocabulary,mathematics, map skills, or science/language arts/socialscience units that have been taught in earlier grades,…?)-Winebrenner

The CompactingChallenge•Alternative Activities•Enrichment Projects

Alternative Activities•Where can you find them?•How can you manage them?•When do you use them?•Are they engaging?

If you want to know more….•Gentry, M. & Mann, R.L. (2008). Total School Cluster Groupingand Differentiation (with CD-ROM). Creative Learning Press.•Reis, S.M. & Renzulli, J.S. (2005). Curriculum Compacting: AnEasy Start to Differentiating for High-Potential Students.Prufrock Press.•Starko, A. J. (1986). It’s About Time. Creative Learning Press.•Winebrenner, S. (2001) Teaching Gifted Kids in the RegularClassroom. Updated edition. Free Spirit Press.•Winebrenner, S. & Brulles, D. (2009) The Cluster GroupingHandbook (with CD-ROM). Free Spirit Press.

Ann RobinsonCenter for Gifted EducationUniversity of Arkansas at Little Rock2801 South University AvenueLittle Rock, AR 72204-1099http://giftedctr.ualr.edu