Glossary of Commonly Used AIG Terms

Glossary of Commonly Used AIG Terms

• Acceleration: A flexible pacing strategy, which places students at an appropriate instructional level (regardless of age)

• Achievement Testing: Instruments that measure what a child knows academically and what he/she can do academically

• Advanced Content: Student is learning content beyond the grade level curriculum

• AIG Program: Program of instruction for Academically or Intellectually Gifted students

• AIG Pull-out Services: Student is pulled to participate in AIG activities

• Aptitude Testing: Instruments that measure a child's mental ability

• Cluster Grouping: Student has purposely been placed in at least one class with students of similar academic scores

• Concurrent (Dual) Enrollment: Student is enrolled in classes at another institution while taking classes at their school

• Counseling: Student meets with District Lead AIG teacher to discuss classes, grades, opportunities, or other AIG related content

• Curriculum Compacting: Adapts the regular curriculum to meet the needs of advanced students by eliminating work that has already been mastered or condensing work that may be mastered at a pace more appropriate for the student’s ability level; Student is working alone on independent, advanced content beyond the grade level curriculum

• DEP: Differentiated Education Plan; outlines the program services which a students will receive

• Differentiation: Modifying instructional strategies, complexity, and/or activities to meet the needs of the learner

• Enrichment: A  program that is designed to enrich students who demonstrate advanced reading and/or math abilities for their age; This service addresses the needs of children who are early bloomers, but it does not necessarily mean that they are gifted

• Extended Learning: Extending knowledge and skills through instruction or study outside of the traditional classroom

• Flexible Grouping (class, Intervention, and/or enrichment): Student is routinely but purposely placed in groups with a variety of students to draw out academic strengths; Grouping patterns may include ability/skill level (students are grouped for instruction based on their ability or level of skill), interests (students are grouped with other students without regard for age or grade level), or subject grouping (students are grouped for instruction based upon need in a specific subject area)

• Grade Acceleration: Allows a student to proceed to an advanced grade level in all subject areas to meet the student's ability and performance needs

• Higher Level Thinking Skills: Activities that promote thinking levels such as application, analysis, evaluation, and synthesis

• Independent Study: Students take Independent Investigation to the next step by creating a real life product and becoming an “expert”, develop their own research, etc.

• Learning Contracts: Individual or group agreements, between teacher and student, outlining content to be learned, options for the learner and the time frame for completion

• Mentoring: Student, with the support of an “expert”, is involved in investigative activities, inquiries and productions in which the learner attempts to think, feel and act like a practicing professional

• Placement with AIG Credentialed Teacher: AIG student has been purposefully placed in an honors class with and AIG certified teacher

• Problem-Based Learning: Student is learning about a subject through the experience of solving an open-ended problem; Involves research skills, group dynamics, and problem solving, and operating like a practicing professional in related fields

• Remediation Services: Student is receiving extra support in an academic area

• Seminar: Increased understanding of ideas by means of Socratic questioning using active participation in group discussion in order to generate, articulate, justify and clarify the student’s own ideas

• STEM: Student is participating in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics activities on an advanced level

• Subject Acceleration: Allows students to move to an advanced grade level in one or more core academic subjects but remain identified with their own age mates (Subject placement above grade level)

• Tech-based instruction: Student is enrolled in a class with frequent use to technology in order to maximize learning

• Tiered assignments: Student is participating in classroom projects and activities that have been tiered to an advanced level