Differentiation That Really Works

Cheryll M. Adams is director of the Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development at Ball State University. She teaches graduate courses for the license in gifted education. For the past 25 years, she has served in the field of gifted education as a teacher of gifted students at all grade levels, Director of Academic Life at the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, and as the principal teacher in the Ball State Institute for the Gifted in Mathematics program. Additionally, she has been the founder and director of various other programs for gifted students. Dr. Adams has authored or coauthored numerous publications in professional journals, as well as several book chapters. She serves on the editorial review board for Roeper Review, Gifted Child Quarterly, Journal for the Education of the Gifted, and The Teacher Educator. She has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children, has been president of the Indiana Association for the Gifted, and currently serves on the board of The Association for the Gifted, Council for Exceptional Children. In 2002, she received the NAGC Early Leader Award. Rebecca L. Pierce is Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences at Ball State University and fellow at the Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in mathematics and statistics. For the last 30 years, Dr. Pierce has taught mathematics to elementary, middle school, high school, and college students. Dr. Pierce directs the Ball State Institute for the Gifted in Mathematics. Additionally, she worked as a Senior Research Engineer for Bell Helicopter and as a statistical consultant for a variety of industries. She has authored or coauthored numerous publications in professional journals, as well as several book chapters. She serves as a reviewer for Roeper Review, Gifted Child Quartely, Journal for the Education of the Gifted, and The Teacher Educator. She received the Leadership Award from the Indiana Association for the Gifted in 2002.

This is an intensely practical work for the many teachers who want to differentiate the lessons in their 6 through 12 classrooms. Feeling the usual pressures of limited time and testing, they are often frustrated in their attempts to accommodate abilities and learning styles. Juggling the varied needs of their several groups of students becomes so unwieldy that they often give it up. Adams and Pierce use their experiences as teachers of gifted students, and later, teachers of teachers, to craft strategies and templates that are clear and usable. Many teachers they have coached contributed lesson samples and techniques, showing the techniques in practice.,Ann Rubino,NSTA Recommends, 2/3/12

• Acknowledgements CHAPTER 1 Introduction CHAPTER 2 Exit Cards CHAPTER 3 Choice Boards CHAPTER 4 Cubing CHAPTER 5 Graphic Organizers CHAPTER 6 Learning Contracts CHAPTER 7 Tiered Lessons References About the Authors