Hi RD,
I would say you are on the right track, on several fronts.

I interpret the Guide the same as you - anything that changes the
curriculum is a modification, whether it is a different grade level,
or a reduced number of expecations at grade level.

For gifted kids I have written mod programs that say they will cover
the content with "greater depth and breadth". With good
differentiated instruction this isn't too hard to deliver. In your
language program it should work well with your writer's workshop
format.

I would be wondering about her lack of output. Are you still in
Intermediate? AS a SERT I had a gifted student in the grade seven
class who suddenly started producing dramatically lower quality
work. When questioned he told me that B's were provincial standard,
which meant that B's were average and he just wanted to be like
everyone else. Typical feeling for kids that age.

If her lack of output is not something new, perhaps in your IEP you
could set some goals for getting more out of her? Involving her in
the IEP writing process might help her to buy in, and give you some
insight into what is holding her back.

Good luck!

On 10/17/09, RD wrote:
> Thanks, Susie. This is my understanding as well, with the
> exception of modifications for MID or LD students who may do
> FEWER expectations AT grade level.
>
> I have been asked by the spec ed lead in our school, to 'enrich'
> the language arts curriculum for a gifted student whose parents
> want her working AT grade level. This student is not very
> motivated to produce. While she does love reading, she provides
> minimal responses to her reading, and very minimalistic (if you
> know what I mean) written assignments. She is only earning B-
> range marks in my class (occasionally A-range marks). I feel
> that this request will result in much more work for me to come up
> with alternate assignments that attempt to draw on the same
> expectations as everyone else who is workiing at grade level,
> with minimal pay off in terms of student effort and achievement.
>
>
> Regardless of the specifics of my situation, I do read the
> document as saying that in language and math modifications refer
> to FEWER expectations at grade level or a different grade level
> for students who need expectations at a lower or higher grade
> level than their age-mates.
>
> On 10/16/09, Susie wrote:
>> My understanding is that modifications by definition are
>> changes that result in a child working at a different grade
>> level's curric. expectations. For gifted it would be a higher
>> grade level - for MID etc. it would be a lower grade level.
>>
>> Acommodations are what a teacher does to enable a child to meet
>> their own grade level's expectations - ie. scribing, more time
>> etc etc etc.
>>
>> Enrichment activities don't require IEP's -- they're a way of
>> extending the grade level curriculum.
>>
>> With gifted kids there's an expression " HOTS not MOTS" which
> means
>> Higher order thinking skills not More of the same.
>>
>> If a gifted kid already knows how to do a skill -- more
>> practice pages is a waste of time and often an invitation for
>> disruptive behaviour as they find it tedious. Put a challenge
>> out to them -- hopefully they'll jump at the opportunity and
>> thrive.
>>
>>
>> There are some options on the drop downs of the IEP engine that
>> specifically address gifted kids.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 10/16/09, RD wrote:
>>> Hopefully someone with spec ed qualifications can answer my
>>> question.
>>>
>>> I've been reading the IEP documents from the ministry and
>>> the following section has been interpreted differently by
>>> various individuals in my school.
>>>
>>> The document reads (p.26 explaining what a modification is):
>>>
>>> ". . . Generally, in language and mathematics,
>>> modifications involve writing expectations based on the
>>> knowledge and skills outlined in curriculum expectations
>>> for a different grade level. In other subjects, including
>>> science and technology, social studies, history, geography,
>>> and health and physical education, and in most secondary
>>> school courses, modifications typically involve changing
>>> the number and/or complexity of the regular grade level
>>> expectations."
>>>
>>> And again on p. 27 when discussing Gifted students:
>>>
>>> " . . . In some cases, the gifted student may be workiing
>>> on learning expectations from a different grade level.
>>> This may occur in language and mathematics. In other
>>> subjects, such as social studies . . . ." And the same is
>>> repeated.
>>>
>>> So, the lack of clarity is about modifying gifted students
>>> AT grade level in language and mathematics. Can a gifted
>>> students be modified at grade level in language and math?
>>> And, if so, what would that look like? Can teachers enrich
>>> the expectations AT THE GRADE LEVEL in this skill-based
>>> subjects?

Share This Post | Report This Post

Next Post >>

Posts on this thread, including this one