Gifted and Talented Program

1. Little Silver School District Gifted and Talented Program

2. Gifted and Talented Students • As defined by the regulations readopted on June 1, 2005 by the State Board of Education, gifted and talented students are: • ” Those students who possess or demonstrate high levels of ability, in one or more content areas, when compared to their chronological peers in the local district and who require modification of their educational program if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities.”

3. Vision • The Little Silver School District is committed to providing the best educational experiences for all of its students. Little Silver is committed to developing and providing educational services that promote the potential of its exceptionally able students.   

4. Understanding the needs of our students ~Who are these children we call gifted? ~How do we know they have different and differing learning needs? ~How do we help others understand this?

5. A Visual Model 8%-15% 8%-15% 2%-5% 2%-5% 30%-40% 30%-40% Differentiated Instruction

6. Very Bright vs. Gifted Learners

7. NAGC Gifted Program StandardsProgram Design • Guiding Principle • Gifted learners are not just gifted for a specific time each day or week • Services are a required part of their total educational environment in order for maximum learning to take place • Guiding Principle • Differentiated curriculum for the gifted learner must span across the grade levels

8. Characteristics of Gifted Learner

9. Gifted children typically… Are intensely curious and have many interests Process information with great speed and deep understanding Remember forever what they learn Readily grasp underlying principles and make generalizations Are highly sensitive Prefer to work alone Relate well with older students and adults Demonstrate advanced sense of humor Require little direction Sustain long periods of attention and concentration

10. Gifted children typically… • Have original ideas and challenge existing ideas • Enjoy complexity • Tolerate ambiguity and delay of closure • Are intensely aware of beauty • Take risks and lack inhibition • Delight in non-conforming behavior • Ignore disorder • Appreciate time alone

11. Gifted children may… • show reluctance beginning a task • start work over often and work slowly to avoid mistakes • be needy of teacher attention and cry easily when frustrated • argue in response to teacher comments Parents can: • model acceptance of mistakes • teach realistic goal setting • show appreciation of the learning process • emphasize “personal best” not “being the best” • avoid win/lose situations

12. Planning programs for gifted students Begins with identification… • Use “non-verbal” tests of general ability that do not rely on language • Use multiple measures that examine cognitive abilities, achievement, classroom performance, and teacher observations • Evaluate learning behaviors, motivation, social abilities, leadership, creativity, and problem-solving abilities

13. Selection and Criteria PAST FUTURE CogAT: Each year administered in 2nd grade 2011 3rd grade 2011 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th grade challenge students SAGES: administered to 2nd 3rd graders who score high in CogAT NJASK: administered 3-7 SIGS: 2011 Administered to all current challenge students and top 15% of second and third grade top scores from CogAT Grades On-line Standards Based Assessment Learnia Study Island • TCS: • Test of Cognitive Skills administered in 3rd and 6th grade • NJASK: administered 3-7 • Grades • Learnia

14. Research Shows… • The ideal age for testing is between 5 and 8½ years. • “Acceleration versus enrichment" is a false dichotomy. Good acceleration contains some enrichment, while good enrichment is accelerative. Proper pacing and the opportunity to study the subject in depth are both needed for the curriculum to be matched to students’ abilities.

15. Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

16. Entrance Criteria - Intelligence • CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) • The CogAT measures students’ learned reasoning abilities in the three areas most linked to academic success in school: Verbal, Quantitative and Nonverbal. Although its primary goal is to assess students’ reasoning abilities. • While CogAT is well-suited to help educators make important student placement decisions, such as selecting students for Gifted and Talented programs, exclusive features such as the Ability Profile Score can be used to expand the educational opportunities of all students.

17. Interpreting Scoreshttp://www.riverpub.com/products/group/cogat6/input.jsp

18. Entrance Criteria - Achievement • SAGES (Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary Students) • Developed specifically for achievement • Designed to measure the curriculum standards • Provides information to help target students strengths and weaknesses • NJASK (New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge)

19. Entrance Criteria - Surveys • SIGS (Scales for Identifying Gifted Students) • SIGS offers a comprehensive observational instrument available for identifying gifted students ages 5–18. Used as part of a comprehensive process for identifying gifted children, SIGS offers schools an instrument with extensive statistical and research support. This standardized, norm-referenced instrument is completed by teachers and parents and provides an effective method for identifying gifted children.

20. Curriculum and Schedule 1st grade- inclusion cluster 2nd grade- inclusion cluster 3rd grade-inclusion cluster top 2-5% push in two 50 minute periods 4th grade-inclusion cluster top 2-5% push in and pull out challenge 5th grade- inclusion cluster and enrichment period 3x 6th grade- inclusion cluster and enrichment period 3x 7th grade- inclusion cluster and enrichment period 3x 8th grade- inclusion cluster and enrichment period 3x 5th - 8th grade enrichment period pull out 3x 6 day cycle for top 2-5 % Options for other 3 days: Performing Arts or Enrichment classes

21. Teacher Training

22. Resources for Parents • NAGS: National Organization for Gifted Children http://www.nagc.org/ • Prufrock Press: Educational Resources http://www.prufrock.com/?gclid=CP2oscC3yqgCFUiK4AodFjJipA • New Jersey Association for Gifted Children http://njagc.org/ • Child Development Institute http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/gifted_children.shtml Books: