Start Date
27-8-2012 2:45 PM
End Date
27-8-2012 4:00 PM
Subjects
Differentiated curriculum
Abstract
Concurrent Session Block 2
Recommended Citation
Munro, J. (2012, August 27). Effective strategies for implementing differentiated instruction [Paper presentation]. 2012 - School Improvement : What does research tell us about effective strategies?. https://research.acer.edu.au/research_conference/RC2012/27august/14
Place of Publication
Melbourne, Australia
Publisher
Australian Council for Educational Research
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons
Aug 27th, 2:45 PM
Aug 27th, 4:00 PM
Effective strategies for implementing differentiated instruction
Concurrent Session Block 2
Comments
The need for modified curriculum provision for exceptional learners has long been recognised. This requires the differentiation of regular curriculum. For those exceptional learners who have learning difficulties, this differentiation is increasingly seen as the responsibility of classroom teachers. For those students who are gifted and talented, on the other hand, the differentiation has been implemented in alternative ways. Experts in the provision of education for gifted and talented students attribute this lack of regular classroom teacher involvement to various reasons. One is the relevant professional knowledge of the teacher. This includes an understanding of gifted knowledge and thinking and the ability to integrate this with modifications to the regular curriculum. This paper on successful differentiation examines how the model of the gifted and talented learner as an expert knower and thinker can be used to differentiate the regular curriculum. It reviews the novice to expert knower transition in terms of its implications for teaching and uses the model to recommend strategies for identifying gifted and talented knowers in terms of their entry level understanding of a topic. The model has helped teachers to infer how gifted and talented students might understand regular topics on the curriculum. This professional knowledge assists teachers in turn to identify various types of gifted interpretations, to evaluate these in terms of the assessment criteria for the regular curriculum.