Compacting Curriculum for Gifted Learners

Sometimes it is necessary to spell things out. When students object to the fact that the teacher has different expectations for different students, it is time to talk about what it means to be unique.

What is “fair?” Is it okay for the gifted students to not have to do all the work required for the rest of the class? How come they get to do all the fun stuff?

An atmosphere of respectful teaching and learning includes reminders that different individuals have different learning needs. Fair is about maximizing learning for each student, also known as compacting curriculum.

When compacting a lesson:

1. Document the student’s mastery in writing.
2. List skills and standards that still need to be learned.
3. Include replacements tasks of particular interest to this student.
4. Use a compacting curriculum form for completion by student, parents and teacher.

When compacting a unit:

1. Establish goals.
2. Identify students who might have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the subject matter.
3. Create and use a pre-assessment tool.
4. Establish the use of a form to document readiness. Keep this record nearby!
5. Create a learning agreement with replacement tasks for enrichment and acceleration. This is agreed to and signed by student, teacher and parent.

The process of compacting curriculum is popular among gifted learners as it allows students to dig deeper into a particular area of study and pursue a topic of genuine interest.

How can you compact the curriculum to meet the needs of gifted learners in your classroom?

From Professional Learning Board’s online continuing education course for teachers: Differentiation for Gifted Learners in the Classroom