- 1). Assign a test or series of tests to measure the relevant aptitudes of the students in your class. Because an aptitude test is designed to measure natural strengths and weaknesses, it is important that you not tell the students how to study for the test. Standardized testing is an exacting science, so you will need to speak with your school board or a test provider to find which recognized test is an appropriate measure of the relevant aptitudes at the grade level you are teaching (see the Resources).
- 2). Group the students in your class according to their aptitude levels. Depending on the tests administered, these groupings may vary. For example, if you are teaching a music class, intellectual giftedness and/or handicap may be less relevant than particular aptitudes relevant to music. Most modern tests come with assessment schemes that categorize test takers based on performance, so the test results should be enough to base your decisions on. However, if you feel that a particular student in your class demonstrates aptitude or interest in a subject not reflected in her test score, you may elect to place her in a different stream.
- 3). Group the learning objectives in your lesson plan according to different achievement levels. If your class has students who range in ability from average to gifted, assign the prescribed objectives for the grade level to the average students, and bring in some objectives from the next level for the gifted students. Also differentiate between concrete and abstract questions, simple and complex questions and clear and vague questions, and assign questions in the latter category to the gifted curriculum standard (see the Resources). Do not explicitly state this division to your students, however, because an open atmosphere of differentiation can engender a lack of motivation in some students and low self-esteem in others.
- 4). Write a list of questions for each class you teach, setting aside one set of questions to be directed specifically at the gifted or special needs students. It is a well-established pedagogical principle that a teacher should ask questions to the class to test whether the students are picking up on what is being said. To apply this principle to differentiated curriculum, call on individual students to answer questions, and ask each student a question that is appropriate to his aptitude level.
- 5). Modify tests to permit assessment on differentiated levels. The best way to do this is to include bonus questions on the tests that bring in some concepts from the next grade level curriculum on the subject being tested. It is best not to hand out one set of tests to one group of students and another set of tests for another group of students because it will clue the students in to the fact that they are being differentiated and will make it impossible to recategorize a student based on test performance. With a system of bonus questions, you can accelerate a student into the gifted curriculum if she is repeatedly able to answer the higher level questions.
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