Enrichment/Extension in Language Arts
Grades 2-5
Office of Advanced Academics
The following are suggestions for teachers of highly able 2nd-5th grade students and are driven by learner dispositions, essential learner behaviors and the Common Core:
Self-selection of books of different genre should be provided for a highly able student’s comprehensionlevel. The Reading Specialist should help determine the level. It is recommended that the Reading Specialist, Media Specialist and Teacher assist the student in the selection of books. Books should also be selected with the student’s interests in mind. A simple interest inventory of the student is recommended for this purpose. Several interest/learning inventories are availableon the Advanced Academics linkat under Resources. The Reading Specialist as well as the teacher should assess the student’s reading level periodically and change the selection of books accordingly. It is a helpful idea for the student to have a box or container to store his/her selected books. The student may even decorate the container to make it more personal.
Computer Skills such as PowerPoint, Photo Story and Moviemaker, etc. should be taught to highly able students as a means for them to demonstrate what they have learned. There are also many reading based computer programs that can be accessed. Since many highly able students will have the ability to go beyond their grade placement, more advanced computer programs should be available to provide rigor and challenge. The Technology Coordinator in your school can identify possible computer programs available on the school network.
Research skills can be taught to students based on their interests. The Media Specialist might be willing to assist the student with the selection of books in their area of interest
Tiered Literature assignments based on the Common Core are another way to differentiate instruction for students. Literature selections provide a way for the child to read and then respond orally and in writing to questions with varying levels of difficulty. Use “Vocabulary for Developing Tiered Questions and Tiered Assignments,” available on the Advanced Academics link under Questioning, to help write questions that the child can answer orally and in writing. The emphasis on higher level questioning skills is important for reading instruction for talented readers.
Independent Contracts should be provided for some literature selections. Some model contracts are available on the Advanced Academics link under Learning Contracts. Because this is an extension of the Common Core, multiple standards and indicators might be addressed.
Expository Books based on an individual student’s interests can be used to facilitate research. Use “Vocabulary for Developing Tiered Questions and Tiered Assignments,” on the Advanced Academics link, to help write questions that the child can answer orally and in writing. Students should also be encouraged to write their own questions for the text. Sample lists of questions using expository books at each grade level are available on the Advanced Academics link under Challenging Gifted and Highly Able Learners: Enrichment/Extension in Science.
The above materials will help support a differentiated instructional plan for one or more highly able student(s). An engaging curriculumas well as on-goingassessment,flexible grouping, cluster grouping of highly able students and active exploration are very important in order to adequately challenge the student and add rigor to the curriculum. However, time to dialogue with the student one on one and to listen to the student’s oral responses to questions are major keys to assessing the highly able student.
11/19/18