Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics

by Diane Heacox, Richard M. Cash

Overview

Revised and updated edition helps educators increase rigor and depth for all advanced and gifted learners to fulfill their potential.

With increasing numbers of students receiving gifted services every year, it’s more important than ever for differentiated instruction to go beyond adjusting content levels, task complexity, or product choice—it must truly challenge and support learners on all levels: academic, social, and emotional. This award-winning resource in the field of gifted education has been revised and updated to include:

• a discussion of underserved learners—particularly English language learners, students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and economically disadvantaged students
• updated information on learning standards, MTSS, and universal screening
• new guidelines for honors courses
• a focus on scholarly questioning, ethics, and empathy
• a novel new strategy to increase curricular depth and complexity
• information on learning orientations
• new research on neurological differences of gifted learners
• the pros and cons of co-teaching and how to assess its progress
• new tools to increase achievement, plus a discussion of “underlearning”
• the benefits of coaching and lesson study
• the authors’ perspectives on and guidelines for grading

Downloadable digital content includes customizable reproducible forms and a PDF presentation; a free PLC/Book Study Guide for use in professional development is also available.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631984327
Publisher:	Free Spirit Publishing
Publication date:	10/22/2019
Series:	Free Spirit Professional®
Edition description:	Second Edition, Revised & Updated Edition
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	5 - 13 Years

About the Author

Diane Heacox, Ed.D., is a consultant and professional development trainer focusing on strategies to increase learning success for all students. She is professor emerita at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is a national and international consultant and professional development trainer to both public and private schools on a variety of topics related to teaching and learning.

Dr. Heacox has taught at both elementary and secondary school levels and has served as a gifted education teacher and administrator, as well as an instructional specialist in public education. Dr. Heacox is also the author of four books. Her first book for Free Spirit Publishers was Up From Underachievement: How Teachers, Students, and Parents Can Work Together. Her second book, Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom: How to Reach and Teach All Learners was updated and re-released in 2012. Making Differentiation a Habit earned the 2010 Association of Education Publishers Distinguished Achievement Award and was updated in 2017.

Her book coauthored with Richard Cash, Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics, received the 2014 Legacy Book Award for Educators by the Texas Association for Gifted and Talented. Dr. Heacox’s books have been translated into Dutch, Hungarian, Korean, Arabic, and Portuguese.

Her Differentiation Classroom Practices Inventory was used by the Ministry of Education in Portugal for conducting a national survey of classroom practices. Dr. Heacox serves on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (MN ASCD) and the Minnesota Department of Education Gifted Education Advisory Board.

She is the past chair for the Middle Level Network and the Education committee for National Association for Gifted Children and the current facilitator of the Higher Education Division for international ASCD.

Dr. Heacox was recognized by the Minnesota Educators of Gifted and Talented as a Friend of the Gifted for service to gifted education. She is also in the University of St. Thomas Educators Hall of Fame for contributions to the field of education.

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Dr. Richard M. Cash is an award-winning author and educator who has worked in the field of education for over thirty years. 

His range of experience includes teaching, curriculum coordination, and program administration. Currently, he is an internationally recognized education consultant. His consulting work has taken him throughout the United States, as well as into Canada, the Czech Republic, China, England, Indonesia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Spain, South Korea, and Turkey. 

Richard earned his doctorate in educational leadership and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Along with his bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Minnesota, Richard holds a bachelor’s degree in theater from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. For over ten years, he codirected a children’s theater company in Minnesota and coauthored four award-winning children’s plays. 

He was the recipient of the National Association for Gifted Children’s Early Leader Award (2011), recognizing his leadership in programming for gifted children. Richard was also named the “Friend of the Gifted, 2016” by Minnesota Educators of the Gifted and Talented. His areas of expertise are educational programming, rigorous and challenging curriculum design, differentiated instruction, 21st-century skills, brain-compatible classrooms, gifted and talented education, and self-regulated learning. 

Dr. Cash is the author of Advancing Differentiation: Thinking and Learning for the 21st Century (2011/2017), a finalist for the Association for Educational Publishers Distinguished Achievement Award and winner of the The Legacy Book® Award; Self-Regulation in the Classroom: Helping Students Learn How to Learn (2016); and coauthor of (with Diane Heacox) Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics (2014/2020), winner of The Legacy Book® Award. 

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Table of Contents

List of Figures viii

List of Reproducible Forms ix

Foreword Marcia Gentry, Ph.D xi

Introduction 1

What's New in This Edition 1

About This Book 2

How to Use This Book 4

Chapter 1 Giftedness Defined Through an Equity Lens 6

Definition of Gifts and Talents 6

Identifying Giftedness in All Communities 9

Twice-Exceptional (2e) Learners: Gifted Students with Learning or Behavior Challenges 13

Chapter Summary 17

Chapter 2 Using Brain Research to Improve Differentiation 19

Brain Research and Giftedness 19

Putting the Research to Practice 22

Chapter Summary 26

Chapter 3 Gifted Learners and Standards-Based Education 33

How Standards Affect Gifted Students 33

Guidelines for Adapting Grade-Level Standards 34

Considerations in Reframing Curriculum for Gifted Students 38

Chapter Summary 39

Chapter 4 Defensible Programs and Services 40

General Characteristics of Gifted Elementary Students 40

General Characteristics of Gifted Secondary Students 42

Gifted Programming Models 43

Effective Grouping Practices Within Gifted Program Options 63

Chapter Summary 68

Chapter 5 Creating Authentic Honors Courses 82

Articulation: Clearly Defining the Rigors of an Honors Course 82

Differentiating an Honors Course 84

Alignment: Effective Practices in Student Selection 99

Accountability: Continuous Review for Continuous Improvement 102

Chapter Summary 103

Chapter 6 Changing Roles for Educators of Gifted Students 112

Defining the Role of the Teacher 112

Teacher as Mindset Shifter 113

Teacher as Knowledge Guide 114

Chapter Summary 118

Chapter 7 Co-Teaching: A Collaborative Approach to Differentiation 120

Getting Started with Co-Teaching 120

The Co-Teaching Roles of Classroom Teacher and Gifted Specialist 121

Co-Teaching Strategies for Addressing Learning Differences 123

Co-Planning Lessons for Gifted Learners 125

Benefits and Constraints of Co-Teaching 125

Chapter Summary 127

Chapter 8 Understanding and Reversing Underachievement 136

Defining Underachievement 136

Factors That Influence Academic Achievement 137

Potential Risks for Underachievement 138

Talent Development and Underlearning 141

Reversing Underachievement 143

Chapter Summary 149

Chapter 9 Grading and Assessment and the Gifted Learner 160

Types of Assessment 160

Integrating Assessment into Instruction 162

Using Assessment with Gifted Students 164

Assessment That Builds Autonomy 170

A Brief History of Grades 170

Grading Gifted Learners 171

Chapter Summary 174

Chapter 10 Leadership 193

Gifted Education Specialist: Administrator or Teacher Leader? 193

Embedding Differentiation for Gifted Learners into Classroom Practice 194

Instructional Coaching 195

Lesson Study 204

Chapter Summary 207

Chapter 11 Streamlining Your Lesson Planning 229

References and Resources 234

Index 240

About the Authors 251

Editorial Reviews

The highest praise for the authors! This new revision spans the gamut of how all aspects of teaching can be differentiated using formative assessments to create authentic learning and real-world connections. Heacox and Cash skillfully consider the roles of teaching and leadership, defensible gifted programming, and how to ensure equity when differentiating instruction. Through surveys, questionnaires, reflection guides, and observation and feedback forms, the authors show teachers how to design lessons that engage and challenge all learners. They then provide an abundance of practical templates, lesson plans, and ideas that create a complete system for taking differentiation beyond the basics.

Dina Brulles

Heacox and Cash hit a home run again. With a strikingly fresh and updated perspective, the authors take Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics to a new level of possibilities with their revised and updated edition. If you liked the original book, you will love this new edition. It promises to be a must-have classic that all educators should read. This book is not to be missed!

Patti Drapeau

I have been referencing and recommending the first edition of this book, from its first release, to student teachers and practicing teachers. This new edition is even more helpful in establishing a solid foundation in the topics that are so crucial for the field today, especially in areas of equity and in comparing and contrasting historical practices and improvements. At a time when gifted education courses struggle for enrollment numbers and gifted programs around the country are being debated for closure, discussions of defensible practices are critical for meeting the needs of the real students. Teachers also need to see how gifted education fits within the larger scope of education. This book has practical ideas, a clear writing style, and many avenues for conversation. It should be used in teacher preparation courses and professional development opportunities to build expertise and reflection. I look forward to the conversations that I will have with both new and experienced educators as a result of this new edition.

Nikki Myers

In the new edition of Differentiation for Gifted Learners, Diane Heacox and Richard Cash truly do go beyond the basics to help teachers extend their knowledge of the skills needed to differentiate instruction and apply this knowledge to a variety of student populations. Both Heacox and Cash have written and presented extensively on differentiation, and their knowledge of context truly enriches the content in this important book. I was especially interested in the focus on underserved populations, including ELL students and students who have ASD or ADHD and/or face other learning or behavior challenges. This addition is in sync with the trend in gifted education that emphasizes the fact that we teach all types of gifted students and must program for them. I personally appreciated the information in chapter 5, which offers guidelines for creating honors/advanced courses and a curricular framework that infuses the pedagogy of gifted education into secondary courses. Too often we forget secondary gifted students, but Heacox and Cash do not. I endorse this book and encourage those who are serious about meeting the needs of gifted students to read and apply the information presented.

Felicia A. Dixon

2014 Legacy Book Award Winner


“Considering gifted students with learning disabilities to those from diverse backgrounds, authors Diane Heacox and Richard M. Cash address the unique educational experiences of all types of gifted and talented learners . . . The practical suggestions are realistic for classroom teachers to implement and the straightforward tone of the book makes it easy to read and understand.”—Gifted Child Today



“Differentiation for Gifted Learners is the right book at the right time. Finally a book with specific teaching methods that can be used to tailor lessons to meet the unique needs of gifted learners!”—Wendy A. Behrens, coauthor of Exploring Critical Issues in Gifted Education: A Case Studies Approach


“Heacox and Cash clearly understand the landscape of schools and what is needed to make programming work. The many user-friendly lists and suggestions for . . . classroom strategies make this book an excellent reference for daily use.”—Felicia A. Dixon, Ph.D., author of The Handbook of Secondary Gifted Education and Programs and Services for Gifted Secondary Students


“Heacox and Cash have each made significant contributions to the field of gifted education. Together, they more than double their impact in this thoughtful, easy-to-read book. They use current research to address timely issues like differentiating the Common Core State Standards for high ability students, co-teaching as a collaborative effort, and focusing on assessment as a critical element of the instructional process. They tackle topics not previously discussed like working with immigrant students and designing challenging honors courses for secondary students. This book is full of practical suggestions for classroom teachers, gifted education specialists, and principals. It is a must-have for those eager to go ‘Beyond the Basics.’”—Chrystyna V. Mursky, director of professional learning at Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and educational consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction


 


"Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Beyond the Basics takes the reader on a journey that is both conceptual and practical at the same time. It offers direction and sophisticated solutions for issues faced by advanced and progressive schools."—Antarina S.F. Amir, Founder & CEO of HighScope Indonesia Institute


“At last, a comprehensive, up-to-date book that explicitly describes how to differentiate for gifted and talented learners. The heart of the book comes from Heacox and Cash’s step-by-step description of how to differentiate the content, process, or product of a lesson in order to meet the needs of the gifted and talented learners. The authors include a variety of instructional strategies that educators can use immediately with their identified students. If educators are looking for practical information on the topic of differentiation for gifted and talented students, look no further.”—Patti Drapeau, consultant in gifted education at the Maine Department of Education and adjunct faculty at the University of Southern Maine


“Differentiation for Gifted Learners is an excellent resource . . . Filled with practical definitions and explanations, the book offers a straightforward understanding of what it means to be gifted and talented and the components to a strong gifted program.”—Susie Strasser, high school English teacher

From the Publisher