A Multiple Perspective Framework to Differentiate Curricula

Introduction

The concept of differentiation traditionally has been perceived as the process of amending a curriculum to respond to the fundamental question: How can this curriculum be adapted to meet the needs of gifted students? Over the years, educators have increasingly defined and interpreted the phrase “meeting the needs of gifted students” in a myriad of ways to accomplish successfully the goal of differentiation. However, the interpretation of the phrase “meeting the needs of gifted students'' changes within and over time due to many factors: (a) emphasis on the basic, fundamental, or rudimentary curriculum due to the political, social, and economic factors that impact the curricular focus on subjects, and (b) the physical, social, emotional attributes of students affected by their developmental age and the contemporary “focus” of society in defining “quality education” for all students. Recognizing the variables that affect the concepts of need as it relates to curriculum, gifted students, and differentiation, this framework is responsive to the ever-changing needs of both curriculum and gifted students within and over time.

The framework provides a set of alternatives that are suggested to differentiate curriculum with respect to potential changes in both curricular emphasis and gifted students’ needs. The premise is to align specific differentiated strategies with a definitive understanding of the curricular intent and precise contemporary and multiple acknowledgements of both the cognitive and affective interpretations of the needs of gifted students with regard to time and place. The implementation of this proposed framework to differentiate requires teachers to be multi-level decision-makers responsive to gifted students’ needs as individuals within a group who are studying the curriculum on three levels: expectations for all students, some students, and a student. Table 1 provides a framework for making differentiated decisions.