GT Services

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Cook Elementary serves students who are currently identified as academically advanced in one or more areas of language arts, math, science and social studies. GT services include instruction by a teacher who has completed the 30-hour GT Foundations training within a cluster grouping model (small group of identified GT students within the general education classroom) which allows for opportunities for curricular tasks that include greater depth, complexity, and pacing while working independently and with other GT students as well as students not identified as required by the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students. GT students in the classroom will experience some of the following instructional strategies and curriculum modifications:

Academic Acceleration - Students move beyond the regular grade level curriculum through different learning options, such as special projects and activities written at a higher grade level, grade skipping, or advanced course.

Advanced-Level Differentiation - Different learning options that allow the student to work at a more challenging pace and level within the grade level curriculum.

GT Exemplar Lessons - Austin ISD Lessons that offer advanced-level learning opportunities for gifted students.

GT Scope and Sequence Skills Continuum - A set of K-12 skills and strategies developed by Austin ISD and used by teachers when planning advanced-level learning opportunities.

Depth and Complexity - Set of strategies that promote higher levels of thinking and knowledge to help students develop deeper understanding (depth) or understand relationships between different ideas (complexity).

Enrichment - Activities designed to allow students to dig deeper into a topic of study.

Extension Menus - Students are provided with an organized set of learning options to choose from in a menu format.

Flexible Grouping - Students move from group to group flexibly in the classroom according to the student’s academic ability, learning style, or interests based on the lessons planned by the teacher.

Higher Level Questions - Challenging questions that increase the level of rigor and challenge in the classroom.

Independent Study - Students conduct research or study an issue or idea, usually on a topic of choice, with little to no assistance from other students in the class.

Learning Styles - Teachers plan differentiated lessons according to individual student learning styles to help students learn new information more easily.

Research Projects - Students study a topic or issue to collect information, facts, and data to develop a project to share with others.

Student Choice - Teachers provide students with pre-selected choices on topics or assignments to complete in class.

Technology Integration - Different technology tools, programs, or apps are included in a lesson or assignment.

Tiered Assignments - Different learning opportunities are provided to students according to their academic level. Gifted students may work on an advanced activity while other students are working on a grade-level activity on the same topic.

The “Campus Evaluation of Performance in Community and Student Engagement” includes a section on Gifted and Talented which provides information on enrichment activities and academic competitions at each campus in Austin ISD. More information on services at Cook Elementary can be provided by the campus’ GT Advocate, a principal-designated liaison for GT between the campus, district, and community.

Additional information and resources are available through Austin ISD’s Advanced Academics: