The following
glossary is adapted from the Indiana Association for
the Gifted (IAG) Resource Guide for
Indiana Parents & Teachers, 2nd Edition. It was
constructed by modifying and adding to a similar glossary published by the
California Association for the Gifted.
The Glossary appeared in their publication: The Challenge of Raising Your Gifted Child (1998).
IAG included implications in the Resource Guide for the terms in red. View them by clicking on the entry.
Implications are defined as the issues, concerns, and considerations of the
term as it is applied specifically to gifted students and gifted education.
Ability Grouping
Grouping students by ability or readiness level. Groups can be formed
and reformed to meet varied instructional purposes. Ability grouping is not
synonymous with "tracking."
Academic Excellence
Expecting each student to work at maximum level toward a set of external
standards as defined by state, district, and/or local school. Learning and
performing for each student should be at a challenge level commensurate with
each student's skills and developed abilities.
Accelerated Learning Pacing students through the curriculum
at a rate commensurate with their advanced ability. Students may or may not be formally identified as high ability to
participate in some forms of accelerated learning.
Achievement
Test A
test that measures the extent to which a student has mastered the skills and
knowledge of a particular area.
Advanced Placement Any of 33 classes endorsed by the College Board in which a secondary student can earn
college credit by successfully meeting criteria established by higher education
institutions on a nationally given and scored Advanced Placement examination.
Students also earn high school credit upon successful completion of the
course(s).
Affective Learning Incorporating into the curriculum
opportunities for students to address values, attitudes, and appreciations of
self and others.
Anchoring An instructional strategy that provides meaningful and
important independent activities with challenge levels ranging from remediated
to accelerated in content and/or enrichment areas. This is a type of differentiation.
At-Risk Students who may underachieve or who may drop out of
school. Unmet economic, physical, emotional, linguistic, and/or academic needs
may inhibit a student's ability to learn or attend school.
Alternative Assessment Procedures designed to reduce any
assessment biases that may be inherent in other assessment methods used to
evaluate the levels of services needed for high ability students. Also referred
to as other forms of assessment.
Authentic Assessment Process of evaluating student learning
using student products or performance instead of traditional standardized
tests. It allows students to be evaluated with regard to their individuality
and creativity.
Basic
Inclusion As used in Indiana, it refers to
students randomly placed in classrooms without regard to their readiness
levels, abilities, interests, and /or learning styles.
Behavioral
Rating Scale/Checklist A checklist or scale that reports the frequency or extent
to which an individual demonstrates specific actions or characteristics.
Broad-Based Planning Committee In Indiana Administrative Code, Broad-based planning committee means
a diverse group with representation from educators, parents, students,
community members, and other
stakeholders; organized for the purposes of planning and development of
programs for high ability students.
Cluster Grouping A method for organizing a
heterogeneous classroom by purposefully assigning students with similar
readiness levels, interests, learning styles, and/or abilities to the same
classroom.
Collaborative Learning A teaching strategy whereby students
are expected to share expertise and effort in order to create a common
project/product.
Compliance This term is used when the Indiana Department of Education
evaluates school corporation applications for grants for high ability programs. It
indicates agreement between the school corporation and State for the program
components outlined in the Indiana Code and Administrative Rule 511 (Section 1
511 IAC 6-9.1). All items must be adhered to for compliance.
Constructivism This view of learning is based on the premise that all
learners make sense of (construct) their worlds by synthesizing new experiences
with what they already know and understand. Hence, students create as well as
consume knowledge.
Content/ Process /Product The elements of curriculum. Content is
the subject matter. Process is the skill included in the curriculum. Product is
the output of learning or form of communication such as writing, illustrating,
performing, debating, etc.
Cooperative Learning The practice of assigning a common
task and/or project to a group of students with varying ability levels often
reflecting the full range of student achievement and aptitude. The purpose of
such learning is to prepare students to live in a democratic society; to help
them understand group membership and group dynamics; and to allow them to
practice both leadership and follower skills.
Core Curriculum The common knowledge and skills to be learned by all
students of a particular grade; reading, writing, mathematics, history-social
studies, and science make up core curriculum.
Creativity The human attribute of constructive originality. It is the
process of combining what exists into something new. The something new could be
procedure, idea, or product relative to the individual. Creativity needs to be
nurtured in students to develop the abilities necessary to affect our society
with new ideas and solutions to problems.
Critical Thinking The development of analytical thinking
for purposes of decision making. This includes using specific attitudes and
skills such as analyzing arguments carefully, seeing others' points of view,
and reaching sound conclusions.
Cross-Grade
Grouping Students
from two or more grade levels with similar readiness levels, interests, and/or
learning styles are placed together in a classroom.
Curriculum Compacting A process used to give students
validation for what they already know. It allows students who demonstrate
mastery to omit portions of assigned curriculum, or to move more quickly
through curriculum than would be typical. Students are thus able to "buy
time" which can be used to accelerate content or to pursue enrichment
activities while the unit is being taught to other students.
Curriculum & Instructional Strategies Plan One of the
five written levels of service program plans required for corporations
participating in the State G/T Grant Program. The plan details how the
curriculum and instruction are differentiated in breadth or depth to meet the
needs of one or more high ability students within the corporation through
activities such as compacting, acceleration, enrichment, and problem solving.
It also indicates how the curriculum for high ability students is
differentiated from the general education curriculum to promote such things as
higher order thinking, decisions making, creative problem solving, and
effective researching.
Differentiation Adapting the curriculum to meet the unique needs of
learners by making modifications in complexity, depth, and pacing. It may
include selecting, rather than covering all, the curriculum areas dependent on
the individual needs of students. In
Indiana Administrative Code, Differentiated means providing tiered levels of
services for all educational needs.
Domain As
used in Indiana Code, "domain" includes the following areas of
aptitude and talent: general intellectual, general creative, specific academic,
technical and practical arts, visual and performing arts, interpersonal. See definitions for each of the domains in
this glossary.
Dual/Concurrent
Enrollment
Students earn credit at two levels while enrolled on one course. While this is usually college credit and
high school credit while enrolled in a course of study, it could also apply to
receiving high school credit for a course taken while in an earlier grade.
Early Entrance Students begin their elementary school or college education
prior to the designated chronological age of entrance.
Elitist Advocating the selection and treatment of people as
superior in some way and therefore favored.
Enrichment Activities that supplement the core curriculum. Such
activities are generally not specified in the curriculum and are selected by
the teacher and/or students in a given classroom.
Equity Fair and impartial learning opportunities and access to good
teaching for all students. In order to meet educational needs at all levels of
development, these opportunities should encourage and enable all students to
develop to their fullest potential.
General Creative One of the domains of high ability as
listed in Indiana Code. According to
Indiana Administrative Code, General creative means understanding facts and
concepts, developing skills and generalizations, and evaluating their
relationships as they apply to activities, such as problem finding, divergent
thinking, flexibility, elaboration, and originality.
General Intellectual
One of the domains of high ability as listed in Indiana Code. According to Indiana Administrative Code,
General intellectual means understanding facts and concepts, developing
skills and generalizations, and evaluating their relationships as they apply to
a broad array of disciplines.
Gifted and Talented There is no
single definition of gifted or talented.
In Indiana, each school corporation may determine the identification
criteria used to determine who will participate in programs it designs to serve
students of high ability.
Grade
Skipping
Students progress through grade level instruction skipping one or more grades.
Grading The evaluation of student work by teachers; usually recorded
in letter grades or in percentages.
(1)
academic program planning
(2)
career & life planning
(3)
organization & management skills
(4)
stress management
(5)
bibliotherapy
(6)
individual-, small-, or large- group counseling sessions
Heterogeneous/Homogeneous Grouping Grouping heterogeneously
generally occurs by chronological age level and without regard for the diverse
needs of students, their learning styles, or their interests. Homogeneous
grouping is based on common criteria such as the students' interests, special
needs, or academic abilities.
High Ability Student In Indiana
Code "high ability student" means
a student who performs at, or shows the potential for performing at, an
outstanding level of accomplishment in at least one (1) domain when compared to
other students of the same age, experience, or environment; and is
characterized by exceptional gifts, talents, motivation, or interests.
Honors
Class
Classes at the middle school/junior high or high school level in which content,
pace, or depth of instruction is accelerated.
Traditionally, students who meet prerequisite criteria are accepted into
these courses.
Independent Study or Self-Directed Study Allowing
students to follow individual or self-selected areas of interest and specific
aptitude by designing and implementing their own study plans. Close monitoring
by teachers is an essential component of independent study.
Individualization Providing a specific program that
meets the particular needs, interests, and/or abilities of an individual
student for some part of his/her educational experience. It does not mean,
however, that every child is working in isolation on a different level or a
different subject at all times. It does mean that students are working on
levels commensurate with their assessed ability, needs, and/or interests.
Instructional Scaffolding An apprenticeship approach to
instruction which places the teacher in a collaborative, interactive role with
students by providing carefully structured and sequenced support as they
undertake new and more difficult tasks. Emphasis is on teacher modeling,
extension, rephrasing, questioning, praise, and correction rather than on the
teacher as evaluator.
Intelligence
Quotient (I.Q.) A measure of ability or aptitude at a
given point in time, comparing children of the same chronological age. It is a
test designed to measure one's potential for learning including abstract
thinking and reasoning, knowledge acquisition, and problem-solving abilities. Originally it was considered to be the sole
way of measuring student ability. Current thinking now accepts I.Q. as one of
the many ways to measure a student's academic potential.
Interdisciplinary Curriculum A curriculum that is structured
to study a topic or concept by gathering and relating information and ideas
from multiple disciplines.
International Baccalaureate (IB) A rigorous international
pre-university course of study, leading to examinations, that meets the needs
of highly motivated and academically superior secondary school students. IB has
a comprehensive classics curriculum (languages, sciences, mathematics, and
humanities) that allows its graduates to fulfill education requirements of
various nations. Only schools approved by the IB organization may offer the program.
Also, school fees are charged by the IB organization.
Indiana Administrative Code (IAC) The rules developed by the State Board of Education which
are most frequently contained in Indiana Administrative Code 511. They are the State School Boards
interpretation of the statutes passed by the Indiana General Assembly. (Also
known as Rule 511)
Indiana Code (IC) The state
statutes created by the Indiana General Assembly. After passing a statute, the
legislature may delegate authority to a
state agency (such as the DOE) or board to develop further rules (regulations)
to carry out and implement the law.
Interpersonal One of the
domains of high ability as listed in Indiana Code. According to Indiana Administrative Code, Interpersonal means
understanding facts and concepts, developing skills and generalizations, and
evaluating their relationships as they apply to areas, such as leadership,
mediation, counseling, and
communication.
Learning Styles A student's preference for a mode of learning and/or a type
of learning environment. For example, a student could favor auditory learning
in an independent learning environment.
(2) Acceleration
(3) Enrichment
(4) Problem-Solving
(5) Creative
Thinking
Magnet School or Magnet Program Many school districts,
especially those with large student enrollments, select individual schools to
emphasize particular programs or services. Some magnet programs focus on
specific learning areas such as math, science, or performing arts. Others are
designed to serve a specific student population such as highly gifted or gifted
and high ability students. Since space is usually limited, special entrance
requirements may apply.
Mandated Program A legally required program or action
authorized by law.
Mentor An adult member of the community who can provide expertise
and/or advice in a field of study or other community endeavor when matched with
a student on a one-to-one basis.
Multifaceted Assessment
According
to Indiana Administrative Code, Multifaceted assessment means collecting and
analyzing data to identify the educational needs of high ability students
through the following:
(1) Performance-based
assessment, which includes evaluating the performance of students involved in
complex learning opportunities through the use of instruments, such as rating
scales, observation or interviews, portfolios, structured observations or
interviews.
(2) Potential-based
assessment, which includes evaluating the potential performance of high ability
students through the use of instruments, such as standardized intelligence
tests, standardized achievement tests, behavior rating scales.
(3) Other forms of
assessment, which include using procedures designed to reduce any assessment
biases that may be inherent in other assessment methods used to evaluate the
levels of services needed for high ability students.
Multifaceted
Assessment Plan One of the five written levels of service program plans
required for corporations participating in the State G/T Grant Program. It
outlines the instruments used to identify the needs of high ability students
and measure their progress and must include at least one performance-based measure,
one potential-based measure, and one other form of assessment.
Multiple Intelligences The theory that intelligence can be
expressed in a variety of ways and is not limited to the rational linear mode.
The theory commonly associated with Howard Gardner identifies at least seven
intelligences: linguistic, musical, spatial, logical-mathematical,
bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal.
Nomination A referral process for consideration of a student into a
specialized program.
Non-Traditional Identification An alternative means of
identification using instruments and procedures that provide an assessment of
students that is not norm-referenced or standardized.
Norm-Referenced or Standardized Test A test used
to determine an individual's status with respect to the performance of other
individuals on that test. A "norm" group is the large number of
examinees who have taken a particular test and whose scores form the basis of
the norms. Such a test may be based on national norms, state norms, or local
norms. At every level of educational test usage, it is necessary to match the
scope of the test with the purpose that test is supposed to perform.
Off-Grade
Level Tests
A test one or more grade, or age, level(s) above the student's actual grade
placement or age used to assess a student's ability or achievement.
Open-Ended Question Provides opportunities for more than
one "right" solution or answer. Student response is judged by the
logic by which the response is explained or defended. Students must be able to
recognize tasks without a label, draw upon prior knowledge, generate relevant
approaches on their own, and articulate their reasoning.
Other Forms of Assessment Procedures designed to reduce any
assessment biases that may be inherent in other assessment methods used to
evaluate the levels of services needed for high ability students. Also referred
to as alternative assessment.
Outcome-Based Education (OBE) The underlying principle of OBE
is that decisions about curriculum and instruction should be based on desired
competencies students would demonstrate at the end of their formal education.
Peer Grouping A practice which indicates voluntary or assigned matching
of students by shared characteristics such as age, ability, need, and/or
interest in order to affect teaching and learning.
Performance-Based
Assessment
Evaluating the performance of students involved in complex learning
opportunities through the use of instruments, such as
(1)
Rating scales
(2)
Observation or interviews
(3)
Portfolios
(4)
Structured observations or interviews.
Portfolio Assessment A collection of student products used
to measure student progress and achievement. A collection of student products
is often used to evaluate abilities to determine the appropriateness of
placement in a program such as visual and performing arts. This practice allows
students to demonstrate a wide variety of abilities and talents that
traditionally are not measured well by standardized tests. Material in a
portfolio may be student selected. (See also Authentic Assessment.)
Potential-Based
Assessment Evaluating the potential performance of high
ability students through the use of instruments, such as
(1)
Standardized intelligence tests
(2)
Standardized achievement tests
(3)
Behavior rating scales.
Problem-Based Curriculum Problem-based curriculum is a model
that enables the learner to solve a problem using knowledge and skills across
the disciplines. It enables gifted students to practice critical and creative
thinking while researching information and organizing ideas to solve a
real-world problem.
Productive Thinking The set of
skills and/or processes that make up higher order thinking such as creative
problem solving and critical thinking.
Professional
Development Plan One of the
five written levels of service program plans required for corporations
participating in the State G/T Grant Program. The plan describes the
opportunities provided by the corporation to promote professional growth in all
areas of high ability services. This plan may include:
(1)
corporation in-services for teachers, administrators,
paraprofessionals, volunteers
(2)
staff release time for attending workshops, seminars,
conferences, etc
(3)
resources within the corporation
(4) study groups
within the corporation
Program for High Ability Students
According
to Indiana Administrative Code, Program means educational services
differentiated in depth and breadth designed to meet the needs of one (1) or
more high ability students through activities, such as compacting,
acceleration, enrichment, problem solving, and
creative thinking.
Pull-Out
Program Students with
similar readiness levels, interests, and /or learning styles are pulled from
their classrooms on a regular basis to work with each other and a resource
teacher to facilitate accelerated and/or enriched learning experiences.
Rubric A rubric or scoring guide is an assessment scale. Each
interval along the scale represents a specific level of learning from the
novice to expert. The levels of learning are accompanied by specific descriptors
of the type and quality of work.
School Improvement
Plans According to Indiana
P.L.221, all schools have a School Improvement Team which develops a School
Improvement Plan. This plan, reviewed
and revised annually, establishes achievement objectives of the school for a
three year period. These achievement
objectives must be consistent with academic standards and include improvement
in (at least) attendance, percentage of students meeting academic standards
under the ISTEP program, and for a secondary school, graduation rate.
School of Choice Opportunities for parents and students to select a school
of attendance.
Self Contained Classroom A programmatic term defining a
homogeneous setting of students with common needs and/or abilities. The class
can include multiple grades or ages.
Senate Bill 292 Legislation passed during the 2002
legislative session. It requires
(1) the education
roundtable to include a representative of education programs for exceptional
learners (children with disabilities and high ability students)
(2) the department
of education to provide grants to school corporations to carry out plans for
high ability students in kindergarten through 12th grade (timeline
for implementation to be established) in the core curriculum areas.
a. Language Arts
b. Math
c. Science
d. Social Studies
(3) a school
corporation's strategic and continuous school improvement plan to address the
needs of all students, including exceptional learners
(4) a school
corporation to review its programs to determine whether certain practices have
the effect of systematically separating students by race, color, creed,
national origin, or socioeconomic class
Site-Based Management A current school restructuring model
by which local autonomy is given to schools for planning and decision making.
Also known as school-based management. A team of educators and community
members assume responsibility and accountability for all education programs in
a school, striving to assist all students to reach their fullest potential.
(See School Improvement Plans.)
Specific Academic One of the
domains of high ability as listed in Indiana Code. According to Indiana Administrative Code, Specific academic
means understanding facts and concepts, developing skills and generalizations,
and evaluating their relationships as they apply to specific disciplines, such
as English language arts, social studies, foreign languages, mathematics, and
sciences.
Standards Content standards means the specific academic knowledge,
skills, and abilities that all public schools in this state are expected to
teach and all pupils are expected to learn in each of the core curriculum
areas, at each grade level. Performance
standards are standards that define various levels of competence at each grade
level in each of the curriculum areas for which content standards are
established. Performance standards gauge the degree to which a student has met
the content standards and the degree to which a school or school district has
met the content standards.
State
Gifted/Talented Grant Program The state
resources program established by the IDOE (IC
20-10.1-5.1-3 Sec. 3) to award grants to school corporations and others
to
(1)
support school corporations in the development of local
programs for high ability students
(2)
enable educational opportunities that encourage high ability
students to reach the highest possible level at every stage of the students'
development
(3)
provide state integrated services that include, but are not
limited to:
a.
Information and materials resource centers
b.
Professional development plan and programs
c.
Research and development services
d.
Technical assistance that includes the following:
i.
Student assessment
ii.
Program assessment
iii.
Program development and implementation.
Systematic
Program Assessment Plan One of the
five written levels of service program plans required for corporations
participating in the State G/T Grant Program. The plan shows the procedures for
assessing the effectiveness of the corporation's program for high ability
services. It may include topics such as:
(1)
schedule for reviewing and updating the current program
(2)
instruments and methods for evaluating program effectiveness
(3)
procedures for data collection
(4)
plans for action research
Technical and Practical Arts
One
of the domains of high ability as listed in Indiana Code. According to Indiana Administrative Code,
Technical and practical arts means understanding facts and concepts,
developing skills and generalizations, and evaluating their relationships as
they apply to disciplines, such as
vocational-technical education, business technology education, family
and consumer sciences, and technology
education.
Thematic Curriculum A curriculum which focuses on the
study of a topic or concept that is specific, such as "animals," or
global, such as "change." The theme serves as an organizing element
to provide continuity and "connectedness" for learning.
Tiering Providing
assignments varying in level of complexity/challenge while focusing on the same
basic concept or learning experience.
This is a type of differentiation.
Tracking Fixed groups that are rigidly maintained over time. This
word is NOT synonymous with grouping and does not preclude opportunities for
special needs groups for any learner at some time.
Underachieving A discrepancy between recognized potential and actual
academic performance. The causes of underachievement may be social, emotional,
physical, and/or academic.
Visual and Performing Arts
One
of the domains of high ability as listed in Indiana Code. According to Indiana Administrative Code,
Visual and performing arts means understanding facts and concepts, developing
skills and generalizations, and evaluating their relationships as they apply to
disciplines, such as art, dance, music, and theater arts.