The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), in collaboration with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the Association for the Gifted (CEC-TAG), has developed national standards for teacher preparation programs in gifted and talented education. Typically, these programs are at the masters level, but they may also be endorsement…

This leadership framework, based on practices employed by some the nation's most successful principals, can be used to diagnose and address school needs. The framework is excerpted from "Breakthrough Principals" © 2016 by Jean Desravines, Jaime Aquino, Benjamin Fenton, and New Leaders, published by Jossey-Bass, a Wiley brand. The…

The purpose of this research was to determine if reading specialist candidates improve the reading proficiency of their students through the use of digital, technology-based teaching techniques and materials. The candidates were certified teachers who provided individualized and small-group instruction to K-6 children while the candidates were…

Adapting support contingently to student needs by first diagnosing their current understanding, that is, scaffolding, is considered a key aspect of excellent teaching. The use of classroom scaffolding is rare, however. We therefore investigated the benefits to teachers of a professional development program that was based upon a model of contingent…

This report is designed to help state and local policymakers identify the policy changes needed to expand access to quality personalized learning in their states and communities, and to give them the tools to make those changes. Each of the 15 policy ideas, or "plays," in this playbook provides background context on the challenges it is…

In "Educating English Learners," Joyce W. Nutta and her colleagues offer practical tools for helping schools and teachers successfully integrate English learners into mainstream classrooms. Drawing on the One Plus model presented in their award-winning book, "Preparing Every Teacher to Reach English Learners," the authors now…

The educational system has an increasing population of students with diverse learning needs that must be addressed to ensure all students are academically successful. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether differentiated instruction had a positive effect on the vocabulary and the reading comprehension of struggling 2nd grade…

The perception of high school special education math students and their teachers regarding the collaboration and provision of specially designed instruction was explored in this qualitative study. The theoretical framework proposed that a balance between constructivism and direct instruction within a student-centered classroom would encourage…

This quantitative study explored the academic progress of at-risk students in English language arts (ELA) when they were given differentiated instruction (DI) and universally designed curriculum (UDC) to address their academic needs. The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a significant change in passing rates on the California…

Today's classroom differs greatly from the classroom a decade ago. This is due, in part, to the changing demographics of students across the United States where diversity is now the norm. As children enter the educational system with diverse backgrounds, they are exposed to new experiences that facilitate changes in interests, behaviors, and…

Using a cross-sectional survey design, this study was conducted to explore teacher educators' perceptions and use of differentiated instruction practices. Data were collected using an original questionnaire that was designed to reflect Tomlinson's model of differentiation. Although the results suggest some congruence between teacher educators'…

"Accelerated Math" software creates individualized assignments aligned with state standards and national guidelines, scores student work, and generates reports on student progress. The software can be used in conjunction with the existing math curriculum to add practice components and potentially aid teachers in differentiating…

Educating students with disabilities gained national attention in 1975 with the passage of Public Law 94-142 the Education of All Handicapped Children Act. This law provided students with disabilities with equal access to the same free and appropriate education as students without disabilities, and mandated that schools provide students with…

The achievement gap problem is a growing phenomenon in the United States of America. In many schools, minority student populations are failing at alarming rates and are looking at different outcomes than those of their White and Asian counterparts. However, a few schools are breaking through the barriers of poverty, poor school attendance, low…

(Purpose) This article describes the use of tiered instruction, a specific form of differentiation, within the author's high school Physics classroom. A background and discussion on the nature of tiered instruction is also included. (Findings) Topics addressed in this paper include: (1) the necessity of differentiation within the classroom; (2)…