Definitions
Differentiated Instruction
Modifying curriculum and instruction according to content, packing, and/or product to meet unique student needs in the classroom.
Curriculum Compacting
After showing a level of proficiency in the basic curriculum, a student may then be allowed to exchange instructional time for other learning experiences.
Underachievement
A term used to describe the discrepancy between a student's performance and their potential, or ability to perform at a much higher level.
Learning Styles
Preferred way(s) in which individuals interact or process new information across the three domains of learning identified in the taxonomy of education objectives:
- Cognitive (knowledge),
- Psychomotor (skills), and
- Affective (attitude).
An individual's preferred learning style is how they learns best.
Visual Spatial Learner
Visual-spatial learners think in pictures rather than in words. They learn better visually than audibly. They learn all-at-once, and when the light bulb goes on, the learning is permanent. They do not learn from repetition and drill. They are whole-part learners who need to see the big picture first before they learn the details. They are non-sequential, which means that they do not learn in the step-by-step manner in which most teachers teach. They arrive at correct solutions without taking steps, so "show your work" may be impossible for them.
Visual-spatial learners think in pictures rather than in words. They learn better visually than audibly. They learn all-at-once, and when the light bulb goes on, the learning is permanent. They do not learn from repetition and drill. They are whole-part learners who need to see the big picture first before they learn the details. They are non-sequential, which means that they do not learn in the step-by-step manner in which most teachers teach. They arrive at correct solutions without taking steps, so "show your work" may be impossible for them.
Cluster Grouping
A grouping assignment for gifted students in the regular heterogeneous classroom. Typically, five or six gifted students with similar needs, abilities, or interests are "clustered" in the same classroom, which allows the teacher to more efficiently differentiate assignments for a group of advanced learners rather than just one or two students.