Gifted and Talented Education

Quality Teaching and Curriculum Planning

State of New South Wales through the Department of Education and Training, 2008. This work may be freely reproduced and distributed for personal, educational or government purposes. Permission must be received from the Department for all other uses. Licensed Under NEALS

 State of NSW, Department of Education and Training, Curriculum K-12 Directorate, 2008 Copies of this document may be made for use in connection with DET activities on the condition that copies of the material shall be made without alteration and must retain acknowledgement of the copyright. Any enquiries about alterations, or about reproduction for other purposes including commercial purposes, should be directed to Curriculum K-12 Directorate on (02) 9886 7743 in the first instance.

GAT Unit Curriculum K-12

2 State of New South Wales through the Department of Education and Training, 2008

The Quality Teaching Framework and Gifted Education

The purpose of this document is to explore how the NSW Quality Teaching model might be used to inform curriculum, assessment and teaching practice for gifted and talented students. The NSW Quality Teaching model (Department of Education and Training, 2003) is a generalised model of pedagogy that relates quality teaching practice to the enhancement of students achievement outcomes. This includes curriculum implementation, classroom practice and assessment design. This document includes suggested activities that can be used for teacher professional learning in gifted education. What do gifted and talented students need? Gifted and talented students need a curriculum that is modified or differentiated to provide them with an appropriate level of challenge. Differentiation ranges from slight to major modifications of the curriculum through adjustments to content, processes and skills. It provides a planned, documented and challenging curriculum that matches the ability of gifted students to: learn at faster rates find, solve and act on problems more readily manipulate abstract ideas and make connections to an advanced degree. (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2004) What is curriculum differentiation? A differentiated curriculum is a program of activities that offers a variety of entry points for students who differ in abilities, knowledge and skills. When a curriculum is differentiated, teachers offer different approaches to what students learn (content), how students learn (process) and how students demonstrate what they have learned (product). Differentiated instruction is a mix of whole-class, group and individualised activities. For further information on the nature of curriculum differentiation consult the support document at http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/support/index.htm Differentiation should include enrichment and extension activities. Enrichment refers to the broadening of the curriculum to develop knowledge, application, thinking skills and attitudes to a degree of complexity appropriate to the students developmental level (Braggett, 1997). Enrichment activities are often found only in extra-curricular provisions and need to be written into programs to ensure all students have access. Extension activities involve the deepening of students knowledge, understanding and skills. These concepts are consistent with the elements of good practice, as described in Quality teaching in NSW public schools: Discussion paper (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2003). Activity The development of quality curriculum and teaching and learning activities suited to gifted and talented students (GATS) depends on an understanding of their needs, characteristics and interests. Tables one, two and three outline the elements of each dimension, Intellectual Quality, Quality Learning Environment and Significance, of the Quality Teaching Model and provide questions to consider in catering for the needs of GATS. Select one element (or more) from a dimension and consider how the NSW Quality Teaching Model supports curriculum differentiation. How does this element impact on the needs of gifted and talented students?
GAT Unit Curriculum K-12 3 State of New South Wales through the Department of Education and Training, 2008

Table one
Summary Essentially teacher business.* What the teacher plans to teach and how that content is presented or delivered. Essentially student business.* How students show what they have learnt and demonstrate understanding. Knowledge is not fixed and is open to question. Implications for GATS Clarify key concepts Focus on concepts and principles Increase complexity Flexible delivery of content Adjust pace Assess for learning Provide different ways of demonstrating understanding and showing insight Provide quality feedback Explore multiple or conflicting perspectives Tolerance of ambiguity Apply and transfer learning to new and more complex situations and problems Analyse the language using non-specialist terms so that students can interpret the content Apply the methods of inquiry used by professionals in the real world

INTELLECTUAL QUALITY
Questions to consider in catering for the needs of gifted and talented students. What concepts (knowledge, skills and understandings) are central to the learning experience? How are these key ideas related to syllabus outcomes? Does the content extend beyond material presented in the normal program in terms of greater depth and breadth (complexity)? Do I modify how I deliver and present that content? (outcomes, pacing, materials and resources) Do tasks require students to explore relationships, solve problems, construct explanations and draw conclusions in systematic, integrated or complex ways in relation to the central ideas or concepts? Does feedback inform future learning? Are students able to assess their work and the work of others? Do students have opportunities to demonstrate understanding in different ways? ( modes of communication etc) Are questions designed that have no fixed answer? Is divergent thinking encouraged? Are debate, argument and different points of view supported? Are humour, satire and paradox explored? Do students spend more time engaged in analysis, synthesis and evaluation in the lesson/unit? Is problem solving, critical and creative thinking and research encouraged? Are tasks open -ended or do they put a limit on student performance? Are there opportunities to explicitly name and analyse knowledge as a specialist language and explore the various ways in which language (including written, spoken and artistic texts) is constructed Are there opportunities to examine the language of multimodal texts? Are students given opportunities for sustained communication (including written, spoken and artistic texts) of ideas, concepts, performance or arguments focused on the substance of the task? Are opportunities planned for students to observe or talk to practitioners or specialists with particular expertise and/or skills? DU deep understanding M metalanguage 4 PK problematic knowledge SC substantive communication

PK HOT M SC

DU

DK

More than learning facts, applying, using, creating and critically evaluating knowledge. Deconstruction and analysis of written, spoken and artistic texts Sustained focus on and demonstrated understanding of key concepts.

DK deep knowledge HOT higher-order thinking

GAT Unit Curriculum K-12

State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Table two Summary Stating the characteristics of a quality product or performance. Implications for GATS State the EQC for process and product and mode of communication. (Self evaluation and self reflection is central to learning) Cater for individual learning needs

QUALITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Questions to consider in catering for the needs of gifted and talented students. Are the characteristics for a quality product /performance made clear? Are students able to evaluate their own work/learning using clearly articulated or negotiated explicit quality criteria? Does assessment inform the direction of teaching and learning for both student and teacher? Is feedback provided to students to inform their learning? Does learning cater for differences in student readiness, interest and learning profiles? Do students feel challenged most of the time? Are students engaged in the substance of the lesson? Are students able to pursue areas of interest or passion? Are students supported to take conceptual risks in demonstrating their learning? Are all students encouraged to aim high? Is there an appropriate balance of group and individual tasks? Does the learning environment support the learning needs of GATS? Is respect for others ideas, opinions and work modelled and fostered? Is this evident in relationships with the wider community? Do all students, most of the time, demonstrate autonomy and initiative in regulating their own behaviour? Are students helped to learn about their needs and those of others? Are goals and work contracts negotiated? Do students determine significant aspects of the learning program? Do students set their own learning goals? How can students exercise choice of content, process, product, learning environment, pace of learning? Criteria for evaluation? Is there a balance between teacher-assigned and student-selected tasks?
E (engagement) SSR (student self regulation) H (high expectations) SD (student direction)

EQC E

Student interest and involvement with work.

SSR

Aiming high and presenting realistic challenges. Support for learning and mutual respect among teachers and students. Students regulating their own behaviour.

SS

Design appropriate challenges and conceptual risk-taking Catering for students social and emotional needs

HE

Students are active and responsible learners

Students having choice. SD

Negotiate learning goals Provide choice in learning activities

EQC (explicit quality criteria) SS (social Support)

GAT Unit Curriculum K-12

State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Table three
Summary What students already know and can do. BK Implications for GATS Establish student readiness interest learning profile Experience different ways of being, seeing and knowing opportunities for enrichment and extension beyond the dominant culture Access a wide range of stories: biographies, bibliotherapy of particular interest to students

SIGNIFICANCE
Questions to consider in catering for the needs of gifted and talented students. Does the background/prior/out-of-school knowledge of students inform teaching and learning? Does pre-assessment or pre-testing lead to appropriate differentiation? Do I pre-test in terms of student readiness, interest and learning profile? Do I know the extent of student abilities? Do I use off-level tests? Is the knowledge, traditions, beliefs, skills, languages, practices and protocols of diverse social/cultural groups (race, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability etc ) valued and an integral part of curriculum design? What role can the community play in this regard? What cultural knowledge do students bring to the classroom? Do stories written, told, heard, read, viewed help illustrate or bring to life knowledge/learning addressed in the project? Do students reflect on their learning through narrative form? (e.g. project journal, diary, poetry, media) Is narrative used as content and/or process? Are analogy and metaphor used as teaching tools? Are individual differences celebrated? Do I unconditionally accept students as they are and expect students to become all they can be?" Do I cater for difference different learning needs, ways of knowing, ways of being and seeing? Are the contributions of all students valued? Are students supported to pursue their interests and passions? Is talent development fostered? Do I structure real-life contexts or problems, and provide opportunities for students to share their work with audiences beyond the classroom? Does the students work influence an audience or impact beyond the classroom? Do students produce real work for real purposes and real audiences? Do beyond school connections link to outcomes (e.g. mentors, service learning) Are meaningful connections made among subject areas which contribute to the deep understanding of core concepts central to the project? Are students are asked to address problems/issues/ themes which require knowledge from multiple topics or subject areas?

Recognition and valuing of the knowledge of diverse cultural groups: different ways of being, seeing and knowing. Narrative used purposefully to deepen understanding, deliver content and engage students. Valuing and celebrating students differences.

CK

Ensure social and cultural diversity is represented in classrooms and programs for the gifted and talented. Celebrate difference. Plan learning experiences with real purpose, real audiences and real deadlines. Engage in transformational learning Use macro-concepts as a conceptual organiser for connecting learning within and across subject domains.

I CONN. KI Learning has value beyond school. Meaningful links between and within subjects and KLA areas that connects learning.

B (background knowledge) C (cultural knowledge) N (narrative) I (inclusivity) C (connectedness) K (knowledge integration)

GAT Unit Curriculum K-12

State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

An approach to designing quality curriculum, assessment and teaching instruction for all students
The following process for curriculum planning is recommended by the NSW Board of Studies: Step 1 Select outcomes A manageable number of outcomes are chosen to form a focus for the unit. It is important that the outcomes relate in a meaningful way to present a clear purpose for the teaching, learning and assessment activities. Outcomes may be incorporated from within or across subject/Key Learning Areas (KLAs). Step 2 Decide on the subject matter or focus of the unit of work The context and subject matter of the unit should be determined once the outcomes have been selected. These decisions will help determine the selection of relevant syllabus content and the evidence of learning that is required. The question to be addressed is Why does this learning matter (to the student)? Step 3 Select the relevant syllabus content Content from the learn about column relevant to the outcomes is selected and organised in a logical sequence. The amount of content selected should be manageable in the time allocated to the unit. Content relevant to the outcomes is then identified from the learn to column. In some cases the learn to statement has a direct relationship to a single learn about statement. In other cases the learn to statements are presented so that they can be applied across a range of content that students will learn about. What will students need to learn and to do in order to be able to achieve the key assessment task in the unit of work? Step 4 Decide on the evidence of learning As the outcomes form the focus of the unit, it is necessary to identify the specific evidence of learning to be observed through the teaching and assessment activities. The selection of a key assessment task helps to identify more specifically what students are to learn. How will students apply their knowledge and show that they have learnt the intended content? How well are students expected to do it? The criteria for assessing students learning can be developed by addressing the following questions: What is the standard for a quality performance or product? Have clear criteria been provided that explicitly state the quality of work expected? How will students evaluate and reflect on the quality of their work? What models, samples, examples will be provided to assist in self-evaluation? Before the unit of work is taught it is important to find out what outcomes the students have already achieved. Step 4a and relevant questions are included here to assist in the development of differentiated programs. STEP 4A: Design a pre-test or pre-assessment task to find out what students already know about the intended content What would students need to know (knowledge) and be able to do (skills) in order to demonstrate achievement of unit outcomes? How will students communicate their understanding? What is the expected standard for a quality performance or product? Do they already have the knowledge and skills needed to communicate understanding? Which students demonstrate significant mastery of the core concepts: knowledge, skills and understandings?
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State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Step 5 Plan the teaching, learning and assessment activities Assessment for learning activities should occur as a normal part of the teaching process. Teachers plan the most suitable teaching, learning and assessment activities for the selected content, ensuring that they will provide the desired evidence of learning determined in Step 3. Teaching, learning and assessment activities should be student-centred to promote the development of knowledge, skills and understanding. A key assessment task should be developed to drive the unit of work and smaller scale tasks may act as checkpoints for formative assessment, along the path to the major assessment task. What other evidence of student learning could be collected. Step 6 Plan feedback opportunities Feedback provides students with information to guide their learning and occurs routinely through good teaching practice, mostly in an informal manner. However, when planning units of work, teachers should consider how to maximise feedback and how it contributes to student learning. Feedback should focus on students progress in relation to outcomes and indicators. Both formal and informal evaluation of student work indicates how well students have achieved including whether they have misconceptions or gaps in skill development. At this point it may be appropriate to address these issues.

STEP 6A: Address misconceptions and/or reteach

Step 7 Plan opportunities for teacher reflection and evaluation It is important to reflect on the degree to which the focus has remained on syllabus outcomes during the teaching, learning and assessment process. Identification of the evidence of learning as described in step 4 will assist with this. After the unit has been implemented it is also necessary to evaluate students achievement and what should be done next to assist them in their learning. The Quality Teaching framework (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2003) may be used to design units of work and to reflect on their implementation and effectiveness. (Adapted from the NSW Board of Studies, 2008) Further information on assessment practice is available on the Board of Studies web site at http://arc.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/sc/afl How does the NSW Quality teaching model support curriculum differentiation? The process of curriculum planning is assisted by addressing these questions: What do you want students to learn? What will students do or produce? Why does this learning matter? How well do I expect them to do it? (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2003) Each of these questions can be aligned with the recommended steps in the curriculum planning process and also with elements in the Quality Teaching framework (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2003). These relationships are shown in Figure one The throughline of a task. This diagram illustrates the importance of planning curriculum where the outcomes, learning activities and assessment tasks are logically organised and aligned.

GAT Unit Curriculum K-12

State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

The throughline of a task

Outcomes

What do you want students to learn?

deep knowledge knowledge integration higher-order thinking problematic knowledge, cultural knowledge background knowledge

Indicators

What will students do or produce?

deep (demonstrated) understanding substantive communication higher-order thinking narrative connectedness metalanguage student direction

Task content

Why does this learning matter?

background knowledge cultural knowledge narrative inclusivity connectedness knowledge integration

Explicit Quality Criteria Feedback

You have, you should now
Figure one

How well do I expect them to do it?

explicit quality criteria high expectations student direction higher-order thinking substantive communication metalanguage scaffolds

What and how well?

refer back to indicators and explicit quality criteria for appropriate feedback deep knowledge, metalanguage substantive communication provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and its demonstration

GAT Unit Curriculum K-12

(M. Genner, 2007)

State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Evaluating the effectiveness of assessment task design

The NSW Quality Teaching model (2003) provides a common language for analysing the effectiveness of assessment, curriculum implementation and teacher instruction that can be applied from K-12 across all KLAs (Table four).

Table four Questions to guide evaluation 1. What do I want students to learn?

Does the task focus on core concepts and key ideas central to the topic, subject or KLA? Does the task meet syllabus requirements: aims, objectives, foundation statements, stage outcomes and content? What do students already know, understand and can do? Is there evidence of planning for individual student learning needs? Is there evidence of pre-testing or pre-assessment?

QT elements deep knowledge

background knowledge

2. What am I going to get the students to do or produce?

How will students demonstrate their understanding of the key ideas and core concepts? How will students show they have learnt the intended content? How will students apply/use this new content? Are students asked to analyse, synthesise (creative thinking) and evaluate (critical thinking)? Is the demonstration of understanding sustained and focussed on key concepts?

deep understanding higher-order thinking substantive communication

3. How well do I expect them to do it?

Is the standard made clear? Are there high expectations for the performance and/or product? How will students know what a quality product or presentation looks like? Are the criteria for success made explicit to the students? e.g. written criteria, oral instructions, modelling, feedback during completion of the task. Are opportunities and processes for feedback to students evident? (key aspect of assessment for learning)

high expectations

explicit quality criteria connectedness

4. Why does this learning matter (to the student)?

Does the learning connect to the students world outside the classroom and the school Does it link to prior learning? Does it form a basis for future learning?

background knowledge

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State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Activity
The document Quality teaching in NSW public schools: An assessment practice guide (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2004a) and the information in Table four can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of an assessment task. For example consider how well the task outlined in Table five fulfils the requirements of good assessment practice. If an element in the Quality Teaching model codes poorly the following questions should be addressed: 1. Is there an issue/problem with the task? 2. If so what could be done to improve the task?

Table five
Topic Phase of Development Learning Area Strategy Design a healthy food meal Early Childhood Crosscurriculum Creative Thinking Healthy Choices

Topic

Students will Show different healthy foods or from pictures discuss different types of healthy and non-healthy food Activity Conduct a survey of the class to find out what the healthiest food is. Design an original healthy food lunch using drawings and labels Participate in healthy living scenarios

Optional: (Develop a new healthy lunch) Assessment The extent to which students were able to produce unusual designs?

An important part of the curriculum implementation process is to evaluate how well assessment tasks measure students achievement outcomes in relation to syllabus standards. A possible approach to developing teaching and learning activities and assessment tasks that are logically organised is shown in Table six. This approach to curriculum planning is based on Tomlinson & McTighe (2006) and the plan has been developed using a Healthy Choices unit for students in Stage One.

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State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Planning backwards The approach displayed in Table six centers on the idea that the design process should begin with identifying the desired results and then "work backwards" to develop instruction rather than the traditional approach which is to define what topics need to be covered (Wiggins & McTighe, 2001). The process involves three main stages: Stage 1: Identify desired outcomes and results. Stage 2: Determine what constitutes acceptable evidence * of achievement in the outcomes and results (assessment). Stage 3: Plan instructional strategies and learning experiences that bring students to these levels of achievement.

Start with the end in mind and begin with the intended outcomes and the most difficult task. If students have already completed all of the learning experiences in the unit, what final key assessment task would demonstrate understanding of the necessary knowledge and skills, values and attitudes?

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State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Quality Teaching and curriculum planning

Table six Stage 1: Desired results
Foundation statement Outcome(s) Students make simple decisions in relation to health .The y describe balanced eating habits and healthy personal habits.. PHES1.12 DMES1.2 Displays basic positive health practices. Identifies some options available when making simple decisions. Step1: Select outcomes What do I want students to learn? What do I want students to understand?

Enduring Understandings

*A balanced diet keeps us healthy * We can make choices *Choices have consequences

Step 2: Decide on the subject matter focus of the unit of work? Why does the learning matter (to the student)?

Subject matter or focus Healthy choices Life requires people to make choices Task scenario The school canteen wants to encourage students to choose healthy foods. They have asked students to suggest new interesting healthy meals and snacks other students would like to eat. Learn to (skills) VERBS Make simple decisions Describe Describe Displays/demonstrates Learn about (knowledge) NOUNS

CONTENT Core Content Basic Abstract

Step 3: Select the relevant syllabus content in relation to health balanced eating habits healthy personal habits basic positive health practices What do I want students to learn?

Core Contributing Questions relating to core outcomes and content

How does food keep you healthy? What foods are good for you? Do I have a choice about what I eat? How do I know what to eat? Are some foods good for me and not for others? How can I encourage others to make healthy food choices? 13

GAT Unit Curriculum K-12

State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Table six (continued) Stage 2: Evidence of learning

Key assessment task Students will demonstrate their understanding by producing different models (real or simulated) for healthy meals to be trialled at the school canteen Students will be assessed on their ability to Identify basic healthy foods representing a balanced diet Make simple decisions about healthy and non-healthy foods Explain their choices and decisions Teacher prompt: Can identify and classify foods as healthy and non-healthy (Work sample) Test: Can recognise common sight words on packaging Dramatic scenarios : Makes simple health- related choices and explain decisions Skill check :Can use charts and packaging for information Step 4: Evidence of learning: Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate understanding? What will students do or produce? How well do I expect students to do? Step 4A: Pretesting or pre-assessment What do students bring to the table? What do they already know? What can they already do? How do they currently make sense of this? ?material? Step 5: Plan the teaching and learning and assessment experiences Step 6: Plan feedback opportunities Step 7: Plan opportunities for teacher reflection and evaluation Step 6: Address misconceptions and/or reteach

Criteria for assessing learning

Other evidence of and for learning

Pre-testing and pre-assessment (Diagnostic assessment)

Stage 3: Plan the teaching, learning and assessment experiences

Teaching and Learning Assessment FOR learning Step 5: Plan the teaching, learning and assessment experiences Step 6: Plan feedback opportunities

(Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe, 2001)

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State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Planning for differentiation

The curriculum plan in Table six does not include modifications to the proposed unit of work to cater for gifted and talented students. Some students who are gifted may demonstrate achievement of syllabus outcomes and so are capable of accelerated progression in the form of curriculum compacting. This means that extension work can be substituted for tasks where students have demonstrated prior achievement of syllabus outcomes. A system of curriculum differentiation for compacting the curriculum is outlined in Module 5 Curriculum differentiation for gifted students, (MacLeod, 2005) and is available at http://www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/54063D73-3271-4AF1-84AF10E601B26F38/5469/Module5_SECONDARY.pdf Module 5 outlines the following steps to develop a differentiated unit of work: decide on the skills and content outcomes to be assessed identify the key concept(s) that underpin(s) the unit devise focus and contributing questions write one structured/support question and two extended questions for each contributing question where appropriate design pre-tests or pre-assessments (graphic organiser, flow chart, concept map, discussion questions) develop supported and extended outcomes to correlate with support and extended questions construct the activities for support, core and extension write assessment tasks, formulate criteria and determine date of assessment conduct formative and summative evaluation.

Why do you pre-test? Pre-testing and on-going assessments inform the proposed instruction. What do you pre-test? Pre-test the key assessable outcomes. If students are able to demonstrate mastery, then alternate learning activities need to be planned and negotiated. This approach to differentiation, presented diagrammatically in Figure two, allows for three levels of student readiness. Students who are achieving at stage level will be appropriately challenged by finding answers to the core-level questions. However, some students will not be ready to work at stage level and will need teacher support and learning activities to assist them to achieve stage outcomes. Extension questions and activities need to be developed for those students who have demonstrated achievement of outcomes at stage level through pre-testing. This approach to the development of a differentiated unit of work can be organised in the planning stage by using a concept map. For example, the planning of the Healthy Choices Unit using a concept map is illustrated in Figure three. A curriculum plan which includes modifications to cater for gifted and talented students is shown in Table seven.

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State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Syllabus outcomes for unit. N.B. You might choose to list only the assessable outcomes

Macro-concept(s) + Focus question

Core Contributing question

Core Contributing question

Core Contributing question

Core Contributing question

Pre-testing or pre-assessment of outcomes to establish prior understandings and skills of students

Extended questions + extended outcomes+ assessment evidence Planning the criteria for assessing learning: Key assessment task + other evidence of learning

Planning the teaching, learning and assessment for learning activities

Planning feedback

Planning opportunities for teacher reflection and evaluation

Figure two
GAT Unit Curriculum K-12

(Adapted from MacLeod, 2005)

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State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

PHES1.12 DMES1.2

Displays basic positive health practices. Identifies some options available when making simple decisions.

What might happen if I didnt eat vegetables?

How does food keep you healthy? How can we keep healthy?

Can the right food ever be the wrong food?

Key

Responsibility and Well-being

What foods are good for me?

Core contributing questions Extension questions Support question

Does an apple a day keep the doctor away?

The PROBLEM/ISSUE/CHALLENGE

Why is our health important? Figure three

GAT Unit Curriculum K-12

CORE - The school canteen wants to encourage students to choose healthy foods. They have asked students to suggest new interesting healthy meals and snacks other students would like to eat. EXTENDED - Help! Some students have 17 allergies to certain foods. How can we cater for (Adapted from MacLeod, 2005) these students too? State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

How do I make healthy choices?

Differentiating a unit of work

Table seven
Focus Focus question: Macro-concepts: Enduring Understandings: Core Scenario Extended scenario
Foundation statement Core Outcome(s) Extended Outcome(s) Content Basic Abstract

(Adapted from Tomlinson & McTighe, 2006)

Step 1: Frame the unit in a macroconcept that frames the learning. This will ensure that enrichment and extension flows out of the core program. devise a focus question to hook students identify the enduring understandings devise a real problem, issue or scenario Step2: Plan extended outcomes using Blooms Taxonomy (1956) to increase the level of complexity and abstraction. Ensure that the content, assessment task and criteria for learning align with the level of thinking and doing required. Step 3: Locate the verbs and nouns in the content. The verbs point to the kind of thinking and doing required and thus point to an appropriate performance-based task. Use the macroconcept to increase breadth and depth so that the content (knowledge, skills and understandings) extends beyond the topic.

Healthy choices Will an apple a day keep the doctor away? Responsibility and well-being * A balanced diet keeps us healthy * We can make choices * Choices have consequences The school canteen wants to encourage students to choose healthy foods. They have asked students to suggest new, interesting healthy meals and snacks other students would like to eat. Help! Some students have allergies to certain foods. How can we cater for these students too?
Students make simple decisions in relation to health .They describe balanced eating habits and healthy personal habits.. PHES1.12 Displays basic positive health practices. DMES1.2 Identifies some options available when making simple decisions. PHES1.12 Evaluates positive and negative health practices. DMES1.2 Considers a range of options when generating complex decisions.

Stage 1: Desired results

Learn to (skills) verbs Learn about (knowledge) nouns & adjectives Make simple decisions in relation to health Describe balanced eating habits Describe healthy personal habits Displays/demonstrates basic positive health practices Content Make complex decisions in relation to well-being and responsibility Complex Evaluate balanced eating habits in different situations Abstract Analyse healthy personal habits Step 3: Consider the contributing Devises positive health practices questions and devise questions that Contributing How does food keep you healthy? extend the core questions. The questions What foods are good for you? questions should be open-ended Do I have a choice about what I eat? How do I know what to eat? and invite substantial inquiry. You Are some foods good for me and not for others? can ask students to devise their own How can I encourage others to make healthy food choices? and build them into the unit. You GAT Unit 18 eat vegetables? can use Blooms (1956) or models Extended What might happen if I didnt Curriculum K-12 questions from Williams (1993) and Maker Can the right food ever be the wrong food? State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008 ideas. (1982) to generate If you could only eat five foods for the rest of you life what would they be and why?

Stage 2: Evidence of learning Core task Students will demonstrate their understanding by producing different models (real or simulated) for healthy meals to be trialled at the school canteen. Extended task AND consider how to adapt or adjust the lunch for children with particular dietary requirements Core task Criteria for assessing learning Extended task Criteria for assessing learning Product modifications Students are assessed on their ability to: make simple decisions about healthy and non-healthy foods explain their choices and decisions create a model that communicates positive health and food messages. Students will be assessed on their ability to: evaluate the special dietary needs of some children and devise a range of solutions justify their choices and decisions communicate (optional) positive health and food messages through written, spoken and/or artistic texts. Students could choose an alternative mode of communication as long as the performance of understanding meets explicit quality criteria. If the product (e.g. model) is to be assessed, appropriate outcomes, indicators and content must be built into the task design.

Step 4: Students need to be challenged with work that requires them to think beyond the topic. They can consider problems, issues, themes, paradoxes and questions to which there are no fixed answers. Complexity can be added in terms of content, process and product. The task should demand new learning. The Bloom taxonomy(1956) or models from Williams (1993) and Maker (1982) can be used to generate ideas. Step 4: The criteria for a quality product or performance needs to be explicitly stated. This process can be negotiated and may involve an audience beyond the school. Providing opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding in different ways, negotiation and choice are central to a learning environment that supports the needs of GATS. Provide quality feedback that sets the direction for future teaching and learning. Guide students in setting goals and provide feedback that supports them in working towards their personal best.

Stage 3: Plan the teaching, learning and assessment experiences Step 5: Plan the teaching, learning and assessment Teaching and experiences Learning Step 6: Plan feedback opportunities Assessment FOR learning
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State of New South Wales through the NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008

Putting it all together

Using the NSW Quality Teaching Model and other curriculum models to plan a differentiated unit of work
1. Select outcomes What do I want my students to learn? Select the syllabus outcomes to be assessed. Plan the extended outcomes. Use Blooms (1956) Taxonomy to increase the level of challenge. 2. Decide on the focus of the unit Why does that learning matter to the students? Select a case study, issue, problem, paradox, theory, scenario etc. Identify the overarching macro-concept(s) that underpin(s) the unit. Devise a focus question that invites inquiry to guide the learning. 3. Select the syllabus content What do I want my students to learn? Identify the outcomes related to the KLA, and look at the related content. Use the outcomes, content statements (learn to and learn about) to devise contributing questions. These are questions students would be expected to be able to answer if the unit had already been taught. What will a student need to know, be able to do and understand to demonstrate understanding? 4. Decide on the evidence of learning What will students produce to demonstrate understanding? Use a curriculum model, e.g. Maker (1982), Bloom (1956), Williams (1993) to devise a key performance-based assessment task. Plan tasks that have real purposes, real audiences and real deadlines. Use Anderson et al. (2001) taxonomy to check that planned assessment includes higher-order thinking skills for all students. Consider what other evidence you will need to collect to check that students are learning the knowledge, skills and understandings required to achieve the key performance-based task. 4A. Pre-testing (Diagnostic assessment) What do my students already know, do and understand? Use the contributing questions as a guide and Anderson et al. (2001) taxonomy to ensure that the questions assess the students factual and conceptual knowledge, procedural and metacognitive knowledge. Use graphic organisers, flow charts, drawings and tests so students can tell and show you what they already know. Tell students what you are doing so that they can suggest what theyd like to do and build in their suggestions to the curriculum design. Use the information from the pre- test or pre-assessment to establish the learner readiness. Then use your knowledge and assessment of their interests and preferred ways of learning to plan extension questions that will engage students who have demonstrated mastery. Remember:
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GATS may not demonstrate mastery offer it anyway! All students may attempt the extension questions if they want to have a go. Enrichment is work/study beyond the regular curriculum at the same level of challenge that expands breadth. Extension is work/study at a level of challenge beyond the core program that expands depth.

5. Plan the teaching, learning and assessment activities Use curriculum models such as: The Maker Model (1982) The Williams Model (1993) Blooms Taxonomy (1956) to design challenging extension questions and to generate activities that flow from the core program. Plan and sequence students learning experiences in response to their learning needs. Take into account their readiness, interests and learning profiles. Build in ideas from the students and include choice where appropriate.

6. Plan feedback for learning - How well do you expect students to perform this task? - What constitutes quality? - What are the criteria or expected standard? Talk to your students about your expectations and involve them in developing their own criteria. Use the syllabus standards to guide the development of criteria assessing student learning in terms of their Factual Knowledge Basic elements that students must know to be informed about a subject or discipline and work on it. Conceptual Knowledge Knowledge of how the basic elements or ideas in a subject or discipline are related. Procedural Knowledge Knowledge of how to do things in the subject or discipline (techniques, methodology, processes) Metacognitive Knowledge about cognition and a personal awareness of ones own cognition and strategies for controlling and applying appropriate thinking processes. Knowledge and understanding of the type of thinking authentic to the inquiry e.g. thinking as a scientist, or artist, or writer and so on.

(Anderson et al., 2001) References Anderson, L.W., Krathwohl, D.R., Airasian, P.W., Cruikshank, K.A., Mayer, R.E., Pintrich, P.R., Raths, J. & Wittrock, M.C. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Blooms taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: Longman. Board of Studies NSW. Advice on programming and assessment, viewed 7 February 2008, http://arc.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/sc/afl#Theprinciples-of-assessment-for-learning
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Bloom, B.S. (Ed.). (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: the classification of educational goals. New York: Longmans, Green & Co. Braggett, E. (1997). Differentiating programs for secondary schools:Units of work for gifted and talented students. Highett, Vic.:Hawker Brownlow Education. Genner, M. (2007). Personal communication. Gross, M. U. M., MacLeod, B., Bailey, S., Chaffey, G., Merrick, C. & Targett, R. (2005). Gifted and talented education professional learning package for teachers. Retrieved 24 January 2006, from Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training web site: http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/publications_resources/pr ofiles/gifted_education_professional_development_package.htm#publicatio n MacLeod, B. (2005). Module 5 Curriculum differentiation for gifted students. In S. Bailey (Ed.), Gifted and talented education professional learning package for teachers. Sydney: Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training and University of New South Wales, GERRIC (Gifted Education Research, Resource and Information Centre). NSW Department of Education and Training. (2003). Quality teaching in NSW public schools: Discussion paper. Sydney. NSW Department of Education and Training. (2004a). An assessment practice guide. Sydney. NSW Department of Education and Training. (2004). Policy and implementation strategies for the education of gifted and talented students . Sydney. Tomlinson, C. A. & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction: Understanding by design. Heatherton, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow Education. Wiggins, G., McTighe, J., (2001) Understanding by Design. Prentice Hall Inc Williams, F.E. (1993). The cognitive-affective interaction model for enriching gifted programs. In J.S. Renzulli (Ed.), Systems and models for developing programsfor the gifted and talented (pp. 461484). Highett, Vic.: Hawker Brownlow Education.

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