Teays Valley understands that a differentiated curriculum is the best way to meet the day-to-day needs of the gifted child. Differentiated instruction provides developmentally appropriate material for gifted children, giving them optimum opportunity to grow. Elements of our gifted programming include flexible grouping, progress monitoring, intellectual peer interaction, and support provided by a gifted intervention specialist. Teachers use a variety of teaching strategies to meet the needs of high achieving learners in the classroom.

Classroom teachers proactively plan varied approaches to what students need to learn, how they will learn it, and/or how they will show what they have learned. Differentiating instruction involves three steps: assessing the needs of the students, designing activities to address those needs, and assessing the results. (See chart below.)

Teays Valley supports a variety of educational options through our gifted and talented programming that is appropriate for children who have been identified as gifted. A continuum of services include:

Cluster Grouping
Curriculum Compacting
Enrichment
Higher Level Questioning
Tiered Assignments
Pull-Out

*Options are aligned with the Ohio Association for Gifted Children continuum of services.

Challenges gifted students every day, all day 
Creates learning and leadership opportunity for all students
On-going assessment of students' strengths and needs
All students have opportunities for extended learning
Cluster grouping allows for specialized learning accommodations

*Sue Winebrenner & Dina Brulles

The GIS provides a pull-out service that uses a variety of instructional approaches to reach the cognitively gifted student. Inquiry, problem solving, research and peformance based tasks provide an enriched learning experience. The GIS also embeds technology and other 21st century skills into integrated units.

Gifted students need to spend time learning with others of like ability to experience challenge and make academic progress. Clustering gifted children in a regular classroom provides social, emotional, and academic advantages to students.