1	COMPACTING AND DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES SUSAN WINEBRENNER EDUCATION CONSULTING SERVICE NAGC, NOVEMBER 2007 susan@susanwinebrenner.com
2	GOAL OF COMPACTING AND DIFFERENTIATION Less pressure on always being perfect Consistent opportunities to learn that hard work and significant effort lead to learning success.
3	COMPACTING CONTENT ALREADY MASTERED Spelling, Vocabulary, Handwriting, Math computation, other basic skills Students receive full credit up front; spend class time working on extensions. Grades come from required standards; extensions receive “credit” but grades should not lower student‘s average Misbehavior/carelessness may indicate absence of learning challenge
4	FASTER PACING THROUGH NEW CONTENT Use study guides and extension menus Excuse students from doing work related to required standards if they do well on assessments. Students work on extension activities instead – in class. Experience assessments with the class Grades from combination of assessments and their independent study work.
5	ALTERNATE ACTIVITIES FOR THOSE WHO NEED THEM Extensions related to regular curriculum, but not confined to required standards Opportunities for independent study Connections to students’ personal interests within the subject area parameters
6	COOPERATIVE LEARNING Students experiencing differentiation work together in their own groups on advanced content in cooperative learning experiences. Tutoring or helping others learn should be limited and voluntary Avoid group grades; use other methods for grading the cooperative learning activities
7	USE THE SCHOOLWIDE CLUSTER GROUPING MODEL (SCGM)* Group gifted students together in clusters in otherwise heterogeneous classes. Place them with a teacher who understands and uses compacting and differentiation Group all other students at each grade level so there is academic leadership in all classes. Expect consistent compacting and differentiation opportunities for all students who need them. *Winebrenner and Brulles, The Cluster Grouping Handbook. Feb.’08
8	Suggested classroom composition for the SCGM