Differentiated Instruction

Scheduled (Purposeful) Movement

A behavioral and instructional strategy that builds short, defined physical movement into a student's instructional day.

Benchmark Assessment

A benchmark translates the standard into what the student should know and be able to do at developmentally appropriate levels. Benchmarks are models for judging performance that teachers, parents, and students can refer to when designing, implementing, and assessing student outcomes.

Knowledge Domain

A body of information commonly associated with a particular content area or field of study.

Modification

A change in what the student is expected to learn and/or demonstrate. It is "what the student is expected to learn."

Accommodation

A change made to teaching or testing procedures in order to increase the student's access to information and to create an equal opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and skills. It is "how" instruction is delivered and/or learning is assessed.

Self-Knowledge and Self-Control

A component of metacognition that involves commitment, attitudes, and attention.

Knowledge and Control of Process

A component of metacognition that involves executive control of declarative, procedural, and conditional information relative to a task.

IDT (Instructional Design Tool)

A differentiation instruction tool that provides a step-by-step "mental model" for instructional planning based on the Dallas Curriculum Framework. The tool outlines instructional activities, and individual student decisions.

Tiered Learning

A differentiation strategy that addresses a particular standard, key concept, and generalization, but allows several pathways for students to arrive at an understanding of these components, based on the students' interests, readiness, or learning profiles.

Metacognition

A dimension of thinking that involves knowledge and control of self and knowledge and control of process.

Multi-Age Grouping

A flexible or alternate grouping strategy in which students of different ages are grouped together in a single classroom for the purpose of providing effective instruction.

Setting Goals

A focusing skill that involves establishing direction and purpose.

Defining Problems

A focusing skill used in clarifying puzzling situations.

Flexible Grouping

A key strategy in differentiating instruction that consists of varying student learning groups based on instructional goals, activities, and student learning needs (e.g., learning style, multiple intelligence, skill level, student interest, cross-ability, multi-age, etc.)

Pre-Assessment Checklist

A list of characteristics, behaviors, or skills that a teacher could use to determine readiness for a specific student or group of students.

Assisted Note-Taking

A method for creating lecture notes on the behalf of students who have difficulty with receptive language (i.e., hearing impaired or perceptual difficulties) or written expression (i.e., learning disability or dysgraphia).

Anecdotal Information

A narrative description based on reports of observations or an informal gathering of data, occurrences, and information. A written account of an actual observation.

Concept Teaching

A planning strategy that allows the teacher to select a broad concept under which a wide variety of learning, on an interdisciplinary basis, occurs.

Knowledge Board

A pre-assessment process where students self-assess their concepts, skills, and knowledge through identifying vocabulary and key terms related to the unit of study.

Conferencing

A pre-assessment strategy for determine what a student already knows or can do. The teacher can informally observe and/or directly work/talk with the student to gather information about level of performance.

Graffiti Fact

A pre-assessment strategy that involves a class posting of what is already known about a topic of study.

Paper Pass

A pre-assessment strategy whereby several large chart sheets are passed between groups. Each sheet has a different subject heading and each group must brainstorm each topic. The last group to ass to a sheet adds reference for the statements, including page numbers and source.

Reading Survey

A pre-assessment tool aimed at gathering information about a student's reading level and topical interests.

KWL Chart

A pre-assessment tool, whereby the "K" stands for what I know; the "W" stands for what I want to know; and the "L" stands for what has been learned.

Mnemonics

A set of encoding strategies that involve linking bits of information together through visual or semantic connections.

Music Smart (Musical-Rhythmic)

A specific intelligence in the performance, composition, and appreciation of musical patterns, that encompasses the capacity to recognize and compose musical pitches, tones, and rhythms.

Conversation Circles

A strategy that is aimed at improving communication. The technique involves a group of three students, who are each assigned "A, B, or C" names. "A" starts talking and continues until a signal is given, when "B: and "C" take turns, continuing with the topic. The conversation is continued until there are no more facts or ideas to add.

Active Listening

A structured form of listening and responding that focuses the attention on the speaker. The listener must take care to attend to the speaker fully, and then repeats, in the listener's own words, what he or she thinks the speaker has said.

Curriculum

A structured series of intended learning outcomes.

Multi-Sensory Learner

A student who learns best when information is presented using a combination of the visual, auditory, and tactile/kinesthetic pathways.

Self-Assessment

A student-guided practice that allows individual students to reflect on their learning or progress, providing feedback to their teacher.

Multiple Intelligence

A theory originally proposed by Dr. Howard Gardner that suggests eight categories of intelligence, including verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical, spatial, bodily/kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic/environmental.

Summative Assessment

A type of assessment that takes place after a period of instruction and requires making a summed-up judgement about the learning that has occurred (e.g., by grading or scoring a test or paper).

Visual Learner

A type of learner that often thinks in pictures and learns best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs. During a lecture or classroom discussion, visual learners often prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information and benefit from seeing the teacher's body language and facial expressions.

Retrieval

Accessing previously encoded information.

Elaborating

Adding details, explanations, examples, or other relevant information from prior knowledge.

Philosophic Tradition

An approach to studying thinking that focuses on broad issues about the nature and quality of thinking and its role in human behavior.

Psychological Tradition

An approach to studying thinking that focuses on the nature of specific cognitive operations.

Commitment

An aspect of knowledge and control of self that involves a decision to employ personal energy and resources to control a situation.

Differentiated Assessment

An assessment philosophy that integrates on0going assessment (before, during, and after instruction) to continually meet each student's needs and create appropriate flexible groups.

Portfolio

An assessment process that is based on the collection of student work (such as written assignments, drafts, artwork, and presentations) that represent competencies, exemplary work, or the student's developmental progress.

Rubric

An authentic assessment strategy that uses specific descriptions for evaluating a given task at several different levels of quality. Teachers use rubrics to evaluate student performance on performance tasks and often provide students with a copy to help with expectations and self-monitoring of outcomes.

Rehearsal

An encoding strategy that involves repeated processing of information.

Pre-Assessment

An essential step in the differentiation process that allows teachers to determine what students know and don't know, thereby helping with lesson planning and flexible grouping.

Journals

An information writing tool that can be used for pre-assessment by the teacher or as a reflection log by students reflecting on their learning, providing the teacher with more student profile information.

Observing

An information-gathering skill that involves obtaining information through one or more senses.

Formulating Questions

An information-gathering skill that involves seeking new information through inquiry.

Large (Whole) Group Instruction

An instructional arrangements involving the entire class or group population, with no small or flexible grouping and that often leads to a "one size fits all" approach.

Jigsaw

An instructional process activity that allows students to work in small groups and also cover a large body of information. Students meet in "home groups," and separate into "expert groups" for in-depth study on one topic. They return to their home group to teach all members the content learned during their expert group time. This technique has many benefits, including more student responsibility, use of natural peer supports, breaking information into manageable segments, and allows students to best internalize information by teaching others.

Small Group Instruction

An instructional strategy that divides the large group of students in a classroom into several, smaller groupings so that instructional activities can be tailored more specifically to the needs of the students in the group.

Problem Solving

Analyzing a perplexing or difficult situation for the purpose of generating a solution.

Predicting

Anticipating an outcome based on the use of one's personal knowledge.

Evaluating (as applied to metacognition)

Assessing one's current knowledge state.

Self-Management

Behavioral strategies which help a student control his or her own behavior and reactions through such practices as self-assessment, self-monitoring, and self-reinforcement. The Self-Management portion of the Student Profile refers to those characteristics of students in relation to how they get along with other students and adults, how well they handle conflict situation, and their level or organizational skills.

Restructuring

Changing existing knowledge structures to incorporate new information.

Representing

Changing the form of information to show how critical elements are related.

Regulating

Checking one's progress toward a goal.

Core Thinking Skills

Cognitive operations used in thinking processes.

Summarizing

Combining information efficiently into a cohesive statement.

Research

Conducting inquiry for the purpose of confirming or validating one or more hypotheses.

Verifying

Confirming the accuracy, truth, or quality of an observation, hypothesis, claim, or product.

Attention

Conscious control of mental focus on particular information.

Integrating Skills

Core skills that involve connecting or combining information.

Organizing Skills

Core thinking skills that involve arranging information so that it can be used more effectively.

Evaluating Skills

Core thinking skills that involve assessing the reasonableness and quality of ideas.

Information-Gathering Skills

Core thinking skills that involve bringing to consciousness the relevant data needed for cognitive processing.

Analyzing skills

Core thinking skills that involve clarifying information by examining parts and relationships.

Remembering Skills

Core thinking skills that involve conscious efforts to store and retrieve information.

Generating Skills

Core thinking skills that involve producing new information, meaning, or ideas.

Focusing Skills

Core thinking skills that involve selected to selected pieces of information and ignoring others.

Identifying Attributes and Components

Determining characteristics or parts of something.

Planning

Developing strategies to reach a specific goal; delineation of end-means relationships.

Identifying Errors

Disconfirming or proving the falsehood of statements.

Executive Control

Evaluating, planning, and regulating the declarative, procedural, and conditional information involved in a task.

Declarative Information

Factual information.

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)

Federal legislation, amended in 2004 and 1997, that requires states to provide all children with disabilities a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).

Comprehending

Generating meaning or understanding.

Inferring

Going beyond available information to identify what may reasonably be true.

Classifying

Grouping entities on the basis of their common attributes.

Activity-Based Learning

Hands-on learning experiences that allow students to learn by practicing concepts in real-world contexts and by becoming directly involved with the content to be learned.

Process

How the teacher plans instruction. The engagement in activities that help students make sense of the ideas and skills being taught.

Curriculum Compacting

Identifies student learner objectives, pre-assesses for prior mastery, and identifies what students already know, eliminating unnecessary or redundant teaching by grouping students according to their prior knowledge.

Four Corners

Identify a concept, topic, or vocabulary in the center of a sheet of paper. In four areas of paper place one element of the skill to be studied. Have students write in each are what they know about that element. Then, share with the group.

Disposition

Inclinations to engage in some types of behavior and not to engage in others. Certain dispositions are associated with critical and creative thinking.

Conditional Information

Information about the appropriate use of an action or process important to a task.

Procedural Information

Information about the various actions or processes important to a task.

Student Data

Instructional, behavioral, social, or other information about an individual student that helps a teacher meet the student's needs by developing appropriate activities and an effective learning environment.

Schemata

Knowledge structures associated with a specific state, event, or concept.

Comparing

Noting similarities and differences between or among entities.

Concept Formation

Organizing information about an entity and associating the information with a label (word).

Creative Thinking

Original and appropriate thinking.

Authentic Assessment

Performance assessments that are not artificial or contrived. These performance-based student evaluations require students perform a task or demonstrate competency, rather than select an answer from an already made list.

Attitudes

Personally held principles or beliefs that govern much of one's behavior.

Activating prior knowledge

Recalling something learned previously relative to the topic or task.

Principle Formation

Recognizing a relationship between or among concepts.

Identifying Relationships and Patterns

Recognizing ways elements are related.

Thinking Processes

Relatively complex and time-consuming cognitive operations - such as concept formation, problem solving, and composing, all of which employ one or more core thinking skills.

Recalling Skills

Remembering skills that involve retrieving information from long-term memory.

Encoding Skills

Remembering skills that involve storing information in long term memory.

Decision Making

Selecting from among alternatives.

Ordering

Sequencing entities according to a given criterion.

Establishing Criteria

Setting standards for making judgments.

Oral Discourse

Talking with other people.

SDAA II

Texas State-Developed Alternative Assessment II is an updated version of the SDAA. It assesses more of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) than the State-Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA) did and asks questions in more authentic ways. SDAA II has been developed to better reflect good instructional practice and more accurately measure student learning.

NCLB (No Child Left Behind)

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. The Law's stated purpose is to close the "achievement gaps" between high- and low-performing students by monitoring schools' "adequate yearly progress."

IEP (Individualized Education Plan)

The annually written plan of an eligible individual's special education and related services. The IEP describes the unique educational needs of the student and the manner in which those educational needs will be met. The IEP is developed by a team of professionals (teachers, therapists), the child's parents, and the child when appropriate.

People Smart (Interpersonal)

The capacity to excel in the understanding of the intentions, motivations, and desires of other people, allowing people to work effectively with others.

Classroom Management

The environment created by a teacher that established procedures, routines, rules, consequences, and positive behavior supports for operating a positive and safe learning setting.

Assessment

The gathering of information to check for student understanding that may include formal and informal tests, student observations, and work products.

Differentiated Instruction

The instructional philosophy based on the creation of multiple instruction paths for acquiring content, processing information, and developing products based on students; different readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles.

Curriculum Alignment

The matching of district, school, or classroom curriculums to the state standards.

Instructional Design

The process of analyzing learning needs, instructional goals, and the development of a delivery plan to meet those needs. It included development of instructional materials, activities, and evaluation procedures.

Composing

The process of developing a composition, which may be written, musical, mechanical, or artistic.

Learning Styles

The student's primary mode of learning, typically described as a strength in receiving information editorially, visually, or tactically/kinesthetically.

Sponge Activities

These activities are used when there is extra instructional time and are often self0directed, involve a personal quest, or provides time to master a difficult skill.

Enrichment Materials

These extension activities provide additional work for students who complete assignments early.

Tactile/Kinesthetic Learner

These students learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around them, through moving, doing, and touching. They may find it hard to sit still for long periods and may become distracted by their need for activity and exploration.

Auditory Learner

These students learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, and listening to what others have to say. Auditory learners interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed, and other nuances. Written information may have little meaning until it is heard. These learners often benefit from reading text aloud and using a tape recorder.

Response Cards

This assessment technique requires all students to actively engage in learning with the use of small cards or write-on boards that are raised in response to teacher questions. This ongoing-assessment practice helps with identifying skill deficit areas before, during, and after the learning process.

Formative Assessment

This diagnostic assessment strategy is focused on providing feedback to teachers and students over the course of instruction to help adapt the teaching to meet the need of the student. It informs students how to improve their learning by providing information in relation to their strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in knowledge.

In-Class Support

This inclusive practice helps ensure students with disabilities will be educated in the least restrictive environments will be educated in the least restrictive environments with the appropriate level of support needed. Levels of support (from least restrictive and informal to more restrictive and formal) involve the use of peer assistants. tutors, paraprofessionals, support facilitators to co-teachers.

Gallery Walk

This instructional process strategy allows small groups of students to move around the learning area and respond as a group to a question, statement, or problem posed on charts around the room. This technique helps in assessing student knowledge and promoting active group interaction.

Body Smart (Bodily-Kinesthetic)

This intelligence entails the potential of using one's whole body or parts of the body to solve problems. It is the heightened ability to use mental abilities to coordinate bodily movements.

Self-Smart (Intrapersonal)

This intelligence involves the capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears and motivations.

Picture Smart (Visual-Spatial)

This intelligence involves the potential to recognize and use the patterns of space and recognize the relationship between line, color, shape, space, and form.

Nature Smart (Existential)

This intelligence involves the recognition, appreciation, and understanding of the natural environment. It includes such capacities as species discernment, communion with natural world and its phenomena, and the ability to recognize and classify carious flora and fauna.

Word Smart (Verbal-Linguistic)

This intelligence is marked by sensitivity to spoken and written language that included the ability to learn languages, and the capacity to use language to accomplish certain goals.

Number Smart (Logical-Mathematical)

This intelligence is marked by the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, investigate issues scientifically, detect patterns, reason deductively, and think logically.

Boxing

This pre-assessment strategy that calls upon students; emotional links and knowledge gathered from past experiences. Students draw one large box and a smaller box inside. The larger, outside box is where the student notes "What I know." The smaller, inside box is where the student notes "What do I want to learn?"

Differentiated Lecture

This technique divided lecture into small segments of time (5-20 min) depending on the age of the students. At each interval, an engagement activity is used, helping students maintain focus on essential learning, increasing participation, and allowing for checking for understanding.

AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress)

Under No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB Act), an individual state's measure of yearly progress toward achieving state academic standards. "Adequate Yearly Progress" is the minimum level of improvement that states, school districts, and schools must achieve each year.

Critical Thinking

Using specific dispositions and skills such as analyzing arguments carefully, seeing other points of view, and reaching sound conclusions.

Graphic Organizer

Visual representations of content, such as pictures, colors, words, or connectors, which enable students to better remember or organize learning. This thinking tools often appeal to Visual or Logical/Mathematical learners.

Content

What the teacher plans to teach. The same core concepts, principles, and skills that teachers what all students to learn.