Teacher Language Rubric
Responsive Classroom
Reflect on what you currently know about the area of practice you are planning to assess.
Then decide where your practice is on the rubric continuum.
Language
tone and
rate of
speech
Voiceovers
When talking to …often speak
students, I…
with a raised,
angry,
pleading, or
rushed voice.
When students …often repeat
respond to my
all or part of
questions or
what the
offer
student said.
comments,
(A student
before I speak
says, “All
further or call
mammals have
on another
fur.” I respond,
student, I…
“Yes, fur.
What else do
all mammals
have?”
Reinforcing
language
When I am
reinforcing a
student who is
behaving
appropriately, I
will typically…
…express
general
approval.
(“Good job,
Marisa” or
“Nice
drawing.”)
Reminding
language
When students
need reminders
about
expectations for
behavior, I…
….usually reexplain the
expectations
for them. (I
might say,
“Don’t forget
to pack your
homework” or
….sometimes
speak with a
raised, angry,
pleading, or
rushed voice.
…sometimes
respond to the
student’s
comment but
sometimes
repeat all or part
of what the
student said.
…typically speak
with a calm,
respectful, and
firm voice.
…typically pause
a moment and then
respond to the
student’s comment
or call on another
student but do not
repeat student’s
comments back to
him/her. (“All
mammals have
fur.” And I nod.
Then I ask, “What
else do all
mammals have?”
…express
…describe
approval for
concrete and
concrete and
specific behaviors.
specific
(“I see lots of
behaviors. (“I
people who
like how lots of remembered to
people pushed in push in their
their chairs” or
chairs” or “Marisa,
“Marisa, good
I notice that you
job cleaning up
cleaned up your
your materials
materials faster
faster today.”)
today.”
…sometimes ask …often ask a
a question or
question or make a
make a
statement that
statement that
invites them to
invites them to
remember and
remember and
demonstrate the
demonstrate the expected behavior.
expected
(“What do you
Reminding
language
Redirecting
language
Usually, I use
reminding or
redirecting
language when
I am…
When
redirecting
students, I…
Reminding
When
redirecting
students, I
am…
Language
frequency
I spend…
“You should
stop running.”)
behavior.
…angry or
upset and
students are
out of control
or upset.
…often phrase
the command
as a question.
(“Mario, do
you want me to
take those toys
away?” or
“Sonya, would
you sit down,
please?”)
…often angry
or upset.
…still calm but
sometimes
students are out
of control or
upset.
…sometimes
give brief
directions in the
form of a
statement but
sometimes
phrase the
command as a
question.
…more time
on general
praise,
reminders, and
redirections
than on
reinforcing
language.
…often calm but
sometimes don’t
intervene until
the students are
out of control or
upset.
…about the
same amount of
time on
reinforcing
language as on
general praise,
reminders, and
redirections.
need to be doing
right now?” or
“Show me how
you will follow
our rules.”
…still calm and
students are not
yet out of control
or upset.
…typically give
brief and
nonnegotiable
directions in the
form of a
statement.
(“Mario, hands in
your lap” or
“Sonya, walk.”)
…usually calm
and intervene
before students are
out of control or
upset.
…more time on
reinforcing
language than on
general praise,
reminders, and
redirections.
Total number of points = ________ divided by _____ items = _______
Strength area = 4.0 or more (practice is strong but needs refinements at a very
sophisticated and complex level)
Good progress = 3.0 - 3.9 (teacher is making good progress but still has some areas
for growth)
Area to be improved = less than 3.0 (teacher recognizes their implementation needs
work)