Step 1: Academic Content Selection and Learning about Students

Student Sample 1

Advisor: Lorelei Coddington

California Teaching Performance Assessment

Task 2: Connecting Instructional Planning to Student Characteristics for Academic Learning

Step 1: Academic Content Selection and Learning about Students

Directions:

An important step in planning instruction is to learn about your students. Select one class, content area, and the state-adopted academic content standards for students to work with at this time. Respond to the prompts below about the class, unit of study, and how you learn about the students.

Academic Content Selection

Grade level 5 Content area (e.g., mathematics) __mathematics ____________ Subject matter (e.g., geometry)_geometry____________

1.

List the state-adopted academic content standards for students that you will cover at this time.

Key Standards

Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability 1.4 Identify ordered pairs of data from a graph and interpret the meaning of the data in terms of the situation depicted by the graph. 1.5 Know how to write ordered pairs correctly.

Algebra and Functions 1.1 Use information taken from a graph or equation to answer questions about the problem situation. 1.4 Identify and graph ordered pairs in the four quadrants of the coordinate plane. 1.5 Solve problems involving linear functions with integer values; write the equation; and graph the resulting ordered pairs of integers on a grid.

2.

Describe the unit of study that addresses those standards.

The unit of study requires students to write ordered pairs and graph relationships. Students are required to plot both positive and negative numbers on the coordinate plane and determine the relationship between numbers.

3.

What is (are) the academic learning goal(s) for this unit of study?

The learning goal is to develop skill and accuracy in identifying, writing, and graphing ordered pairs on a coordinate plane.

June 2003 Copyright © 2003 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. All Rights Reserved.

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Class Information

Age range of students 10-11 Number of male students

Total number of students 30 Number of female students

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Student Characteristics linguistic background academic language abilities, content knowledge, and skills

June 2003

What information, that may influence instruction, do you want to learn about your students?

I want to know if the parents speak English, Spanish, or a combination of both. I also want to know how many years the student has been learning English.

I want to know how my students performed on the 4 th grade district assessment exam. Additionally, I want to know how the students performed on state exams. I would like to speak with the students so they may express their familiarity with the math strand. I would also like to learn what type of intelligence they possess regarding their preference of learning style.

How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods.

I will conduct an interview with the student to determine the parent’s language ability and years of learning English. Additionally, I will refer to the records on the ELD levels of the students.

I will access IDMS, the online database of student assessment.

This data is specific and organized in a way that will allow me to know how the student performed with respect to geometry. I will also speak with past teachers to determine academic language abilities and skills in this domain. I will also interview the students and parents to obtain primary information from the individual’s

Copyright © 2003 by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. All Rights Reserved.

How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area?

I will use this information to adjust my speech rate in order to slow down the input process. I will post definitions of coordinate plane, coordinates, x and y-axis to help with acquisition of the new vocabulary.

The information will allow me to either compact or expand the lesson to best meet the learning needs of the student. If the student demonstrates advanced learning, I will devise a plan that will require higher level problem solving abilities. Conversely, I may need to explore alternative teaching methods that strengthen the student’s content knowledge to ensure understanding. This may include vocabulary development or regular

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Task 2: Connecting Instructional Planning to Student Characteristics for Academic Learning perspective.


Advisor: Lorelei Coddington physical, social, and emotional development cultural and health considerations interests and aspirations

I want to know whether the student requires special attention.

I want to know if the student performs best in a small or large group environment. Additionally,

I want to know how the student responds to difficult material that may induce stress.

I want to know whether mathematics plays a part in the students’ culture. Additionally, I want to learn about the student as an individual so that I may provide meaningful instruction. I want to learn if the student has established participatory relationships. This will help to determine the degree to which I must empower the student with trust and respect.

I want to know about the students’ career goals and hobbies so I may tailor my instruction to demonstrate subject applicability to the student.

I will consult the school psychologist or resource teacher to determine whether the student has any identified needs. I will speak with such professionals due to their familiarity with the student. It would also be helpful to consult the students and their family to obtain information.

I will interview the student to determine this information. I will ask whether any family member has emphasized the importance of mathematical skills and the level of participatory relationships in the family. This will provide me with a fast and reliable answer.

I will interview the student to learn about interests. I will share my interests and find a commonality that we may both share. This approach lowers the affective filter and creates a safe environment for the student. comprehension checks to ensure proper pacing.

I will place the student in an appropriate setting, either small group or large group. I can pair the student with an individual who can relate to their developmental differences. I may also provide one-to-one assistance if the student requires individualized support.

If culture proves to play an importance, then I will share allow the students to share that culture with fellow students in order to broaden our cultural perspectives. The presence of the healthy human relationship will help create a nurturing environment.

I will incorporate the students’ interests to make the content relevant to their future aspirations. I will also incorporate any hobbies related to the unit of study and enable the student to share those experiences with others.


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Step 2: Learning about Two Focus Students

Directions:

Select two focus students from the class you identified in Step 1. Select one student who is an English learner and one student who presents a different instructional challenge. Use some of the methods you described in Step 1 to learn about these two students.

Consider your selected content area (e.g., mathematics) mathematic and subject matter (e.g., geometry) _geometry__ when describing what you learned about the two focus students. Complete the table below. In each box include:

• a description of what you learned for each of the students, and

• an explanation of how the information will influence your academic instructional planning.

Student Characteristics Student 1: An English learner Student 2: A student who presents a different instructional challenge

What did you learn about this student’s:

…linguistic background?

Female ___ Male _Y___ Age _10_

Why did you select this student?

I choose this student because he struggles with his speech as well as language acquisition.

Despite his troubles, he is determined to succeed in his academics.

I learned that his parent’s primary language is

Spanish. The parents know conversational

English. I learned that the student has made tremendous improvement in his speech over the

Female ___ Male _Y__ Age _10_

Why did you select this student?

This student is extremely eager to leave his special education class and visit my class during math instruction. He is social and frequently tells me that he loves math.

How is the instructional challenge that he or she presents different from that of the other student?

He is a special education student that has difficulty processing information if provided at too fast of a rate.

I learned that his mother knows English and Spanish.

The father only speaks Spanish. The student is able to clearly speak English, however at a slow rate due to his developmental skills. I will allow the student


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…academic language abilities in relation to this academic content area?

…content knowledge and skills in this subject matter?

…physical, social, and emotional development relevant to this academic content area? last 2 years and is advanced in ELD. I understand that I must allow him to speak with other English learners to help improve his language skills. I will have students’ pair-share during parts of the unit study.

I have not gained access to the online database of

IDMS at this time. The system is being updated and I will soon receive my user information to access student assessment results. However, my assessment of current data demonstrates that he is proficient in math. This is based on homework completion and quiz accuracy. Additionally, informal observations have concluded that the student understands the material. Therefore, I will continue to deliver the material at a medium pace and adjust as I see fit.

I do not have access to IDMS at this time. I need to acquire my user information and the system has not been updated. The student has proven basic in the area of geometry. This is based on recent quiz grades and class participation. I will continue to use non verbal cues to check for understanding. He responds well to such questioning which helps him pace.

I learned from the parents that the student requires much individualized support. Therefore, my planning allows for focused small group interaction to accommodate his needs.

Furthermore, I learned that the student benefits from a social learning environment consisting of

3 to 4 students. Through observation in larger groups, the student did not contribute to the group as frequently.


Advisor: Lorelei Coddington ample time to reflect and form questions during the unit study to ensure he stays with the pace.

I have not gained access to IDMS at this time.

However, my assessment of current data states that he is basic in math. This is based on homework completion, quiz accuracy, and observation. Since the student has proven comfortable with the content thus far, I will continue to deliver while reinforcing key vocabulary and repeating the steps orally and visually on the board.

I do not have access to IDMS at this time. However, he has proven knowledgeable in the area of geometry.

He has been presented with geometry related concepts earlier this year and demonstrated a proficient understanding. This is based on recent quiz grades, class participation, and a test. I will teach lessons while allowing opportunities for independence throughout the lesson.

I learned from the Special Education teacher that he can become easily frustrated. I experienced this first hand as the student began to cry and complained of stomach pain. The reality is that he was frustrated and did not know how to respond. I spoke with the student after the fact and let him know to be sure to tell me to slow down when needed. Now the student will tell me to slow down if I move beyond his pace.


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content area? content area?

Describe other information relevant to this academic content area that you learned about the student, (e.g., attendance, extracurricular activities, etc.).



…cultural background including family and home relevant to this academic

…special considerations, including health issues relevant to this academic

…interests and aspirations relevant to this academic content area?

Cultural background does not play any significant role in this content area. He receives support in math from his parents. Therefore, I will continue to plan my instruction to allow the parents to assist in completing the assignments.

I learned that the student enjoys working in small groups. I will provide the student with such opportunities for participatory relationships as I structure my lesson for small group activity. This will allow him to utilize key vocabulary in context and build upon his fluency.

After speaking with him, I learned that he has struggled with math in the past. Despite set backs, he is very motivated to do well this school year. I will teach my lessons at a reasonable pace to reduce the chance of future set-backs and keep his attitude positive.

The student was absent recently. He followed up immediately with me to find out what lessons he missed. He was very concerned with the content he missed and how he could make up the assignment. parental involvement.



The student’s parents are supportive in meeting academic needs outside of class. I will modify my planning to include homework that incorporates

I learned that the student feels most satisfied when he is able to work independently. He expressed to me that he enjoys coming to my class. He takes notes during my lesson and often asks for permission to work ahead. After completing his assignment, he always asks if that is all we will be doing for math. I usually tell him yes, and then he leaves the classroom to return to his special education class. He is very independent and happy with that arrangement. I will allow for independence in my planning.

He would like to become an architect in the future. I will modify my planning to include architectural applications that are relevant to his aspirations. This will create meaning and a lasting impression of the content.

The student recently was informed that he would not be able to attend my science class as frequently due to a conflict with his speech class. He said that he was happy that he would still come to my math class every day. He has not missed a single day.


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Step 3: Planning for Academic Instruction for the Whole Class

Directions:

Consider your academic content selection in Step 1 and what you want the students to learn. As you begin to think about a lesson that falls within the selected unit of study, respond to the prompts below about your plan for academic instruction for the whole class.

1.

At what point in the sequence of the unit is this lesson? Check one:

____ at the beginning of the unit of study

__X_ between the beginning and the end of the unit of study

____ at the end of the unit of study

2.

List the state-adopted academic content standard(s) for students you will address in the lesson.

Statistics, Data Analysis, and Probability 1.4 Identify ordered pairs of data from a graph and interpret the meaning of the data in terms of the situation depicted by the graph. 1.5 Know how to write ordered pairs correctly.

Algebra and Functions 1.4 Identify and graph ordered pairs in the four quadrants of the coordinate plane.

3.

What is (are) your academic learning goal(s)? What specifically do you expect students to know or be able to do as a result of the lesson?

I want my students to be able to identify ordered pairs and graph the points in a quadrant. I want my students to learn to work independently and in small groups. As a result, students will learn how to be independent problem solvers and share their knowledge with classmates in a small group.

4.

How is (are) your academic learning goal(s) related to the state-adopted academic content standards for students?

The state-adopted academic standards require students to identify ordered pairs of data from a graph and know how to write ordered pairs correctly.

This is aligned with my learning goals as I want my students to locate points and coordinates, and then transfer that information onto a graph and share with classmates.

5.

How will the content of the lesson build on what the students already know and are able to do?

The students currently know how to graph relationships. The process requires students to identify x and y coordinates and plot those values on the appropriate axis. The current lesson builds upon their knowledge of the positive values along the x and y-axes. Students will broaden their knowledge of the coordinate plane by learning to graph points in the negative quadrants.

6.

How will the content of the lesson connect to the content of preceding and subsequent lessons?


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The current lesson content connects to the preceding lesson by having the student continue to identify and build upon the skills of using x and y values. The lesson builds upon the previous by requiring the students to plot negative and positive x and y values in the same coordinate set. The students will not graph in the current lesson, however they will plot points on the coordinate plane. The subsequent lesson requires students to access their knowledge of graphing relationships in order to identify an equation to graph x and y values.

7.

What difficulties do you anticipate students could have with the lesson content and why?

I anticipate student could have difficulty plotting negative x and y values. Thinking in terms of negative values has posed difficulty for students when we covered addition and subtraction problems that resulted in a negative number. Several students did not understand how a number could result in a negative value.

8.

What evidence will you collect during the lesson and/or at the end of the lesson that will show the extent to which the students have learned what you intended?

I will collect the class work to assess the students’ ability to accurately complete the assignment following my lesson. I will collect the homework assignment the following day, after I review problems that posed difficulty for the students. After I have answered student questions, I will distribute a quiz that assesses the students’ ability to solve problems similar to the types they have been exposed to thus far.

9. Think about how you will sequence your instruction of the academic content to be covered in this lesson. Describe your plan for instruction in the order in which it will be implemented. Address each of the following and provide a rationale for each of your decisions:

• Communicating the academic learning goal(s) to the students

• Instructional strategies

•

Student activities

• Student grouping

• Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the room

•

Progress monitoring of student learning


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Instruction Plan

I will require the students to access prior knowledge by stating what they learned in the previous lesson. I will ask students how they think graphing relationships and graphing integers on the coordinate plane may be related. I will guide students in making the connection of recording information onto a graph. Students will then be familiar with my learning goal through this exercise.

I will review the lesson from the previous day and focus on vocabulary including x-axis and y-axis. In a direct style of teaching, I will define coordinate plane, origin, and coordinates. I will give examples of each term through specific problems in the text. As a whole class, we will work through a succession of problems. Students will record their answers on individual white boards.

I will provide an additional example that requires whole class participation. I will place the students in rows and columns to demonstrate that each person represents on point in the classroom. I will designate a student for the origin and identify an x and y-axis.

Students will identify their point on the “classroom plane”.

Students will pair-share during the lesson instruction. I will have the students work independently during the majority of the class assignment. I will meet in a small group with students that express any difficulties with the content. I will use a medium sized white board at the back of the room to reinforce concepts and answer





Rationale

By requiring the students to connect to prior learning, I will engage them in a more meaningful process as compared to be given the information they learned the previous day. Student can then create unique meaning that answers why they feel this in pertinent to the current lesson. The students will have an understanding of what they are expected to know at the conclusion of the lesson. The process will help students to identify important steps and note take throughout the lesson.

By reinforcing the vocabulary, the students will become more familiar with the academic language and its execution. The examples will help the students to put the words into context and create greater meaning. As I work through problems with the students they will discover any difficulties with the material. I will identify those difficulties as they immediately share their results on the white boards for my observation. I will identify common problems and immediately re-teach as necessary. The ability to monitor progress immediately will ensure the students do not adopt incorrect methods that lead to frustration.

The exercise will provide a tangible example through a kinesthetic approach for the alternative types of learners in my class. Additionally, the example will engage the students through active participation from all.

The initial learning process for some students may require additional support from their classmates. It will provide them the opportunity to ask questions and have concepts clarified through verbal questioning to build fluency. The class work will allow the students to work at a comfortable pace. At the conclusion of the class, students will share their learning and


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Task 2: Connecting Instructional Planning to Student Characteristics for Academic Learning questions. During this time, the remainder of the class will work independently. any final misconceptions. The small group instruction will enable students to feel more comfortable working at a reduced pace while asking questions.

They will also benefit by learning from each other. This activity will enable me to monitor student ability more closely. Students who demonstrated understanding during the lesson will have the freedom to work at their pace.

10. Given the difficulties you anticipate students could have with the content, what additional steps would you take to foster access and comprehension for all students?

I will conduct a teaching exercise that demonstrates the similarity between the zero on a number line and the coordinates (0, 0) at the origin of a graph. I will teach how numbers become negative as they move past 0 into the negative domain. I will create a visual representation of these concepts. The relationship may help them comprehend the boundary for when a number is associated with a negative sign.

11. How would you share the results of student academic learning with students and/or families?

I will share the information with the student by identifying the correct steps that the student implemented in the process. I will ask the student to explain why the process was correct, and how it compared to answers that posed difficulty, or that were incorrect. I will guide the student in the process on discovering the appropriate process and correcting any wrong answers.

I will share this information with families by explaining how student learning is aligned with the academic content standards.


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Step 4: Lesson Adaptations for the Two Focus Students

Directions :

Consider what you have learned about the two focus students in Step 2 and the implications for instruction that you identified for each of them. For the two students, determine what adaptations you will make to this lesson that you have planned for the whole class. Describe those adaptations for each of the two focus students. If you determine that no adaptations are needed for a part of the plan for instruction, indicate that decision. Complete the table below. In each box include:

• your decisions about lesson adaptations, and

• a rationale for those decisions.

Plan for Instruction Adaptations for Student 2: A student who presents a different instructional challenge

Academic learning goal(s) or your expectations of what the student should know or be able to do as a result of this lesson

Evidence of student learning you will collect during the lesson and/or at the end of the lesson

Adaptations for Student 1: An English learner

I will expect my student to learn the same material; however I will place an emphasis in partner sharing. This is due to the fact that the student feels more confident in a partner setting and allows for primary language to be used.

I will collect a writing sample that demonstrates the ability to relate the previous lesson content with the current lesson content. The sample will include similarities and differences using a Venn Diagram.

When accessing prior knowledge, students can create a chart to display the key concepts learned and compare those with the current lessons concepts. I will also collect a writing sample that outlines the application of the material in a real life example. The writing

I will hold the same expectation of my student in the learning goals, only with a modification to allow for a greater focus on independent work. The student feels more secure when allowed the independent option and will not become frustrated by a fellow student that represents a more advanced level of understanding the processes information faster.

I will assess the student’s ability to plot landmarks in relation to each other in the homework assignment.

This extension activity will assess the student’s ability to create a broader application for the content. This will engage the student while utilizing drawing skills that are more developmentally appropriate for his instruction. He is able to process drawings with numbers more so than numbers alone.


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I will create deeper meaning of the content by providing examples that relate to architecture. I will designate a quadrant that a building must be plotted within. I will have the student identify the parameters and plot the specific points that create the border of the building. I assume that the student will gain a greater appreciation and understanding for the importance of points in a coordinate plane. I will then assign homework that allows the student to plot buildings and homes in their community.





Communicating the academic learning goal(s) and/or expectations to the student

Instructional strategies

Student activities aspect will help the student to feel more comfortable and build written literacy skills as compared to verbal answering.

I expect the student to demonstrate the same level of mastery compared to the rest of the class. I will present the expectations with a rubric that will be discussed as a class. I will provide examples of papers that represent exemplary work.

During my direct teaching, I will have the students repeat all of the vocabulary as a whole class. This method is less threatening for a student who demonstrates difficulty in speech. It will also reinforce the proper annunciation of the academic language.

Much of the instruction will focus on choral response of the vocabulary in context of a sentence. Students will practice using the key vocabulary in context with each other. A kinesthetic response from the student will increase the level of comprehensible input.

I will modify the lesson to include a greater emphasis on writing in order to convey thoughts. The student will make a chart that includes similarities and differences among the previous and current chapters.

Additionally, I will have the student write how this content may be applied to real life and demonstrate with an example. The students will also use white boards, which allow the students to provide their answers visually.

I expect the student to learn the same standards as the remainder of the class. I will inform him that he is not expected to complete the assignment as quickly as the others. I will provide him with additional time due to his slower processing.

My instruction will utilize audio and visual processing.

I will modify my instruction by keeping oral instructions concise and reinforce them with a brief cue word. Additionally, I will simplify my input by rewording complicated directions. These adjustments will better suit his slower processing ability.


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Student grouping





Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the room

I will plan the activities to utilize partner learning throughout the lesson. This will help with understanding due to peer tutoring in the primary language. The student feels more comfortable in a partner setting. By allowing the student to present with a partner, or have the partner present their material, I will reduce stress in speaking for the student.

The student has a speech problem, so I will prepare the student ahead of time with vocabulary that he may use in the current lesson discussion. The pair-share will also help the student to hear pronunciation that will help him to pronounce his words more accurately.

Essential materials will include white boards for providing non verbal answers.

I will allow for the option to work in pairs or individually. I will not require the student to pair up, as

I have observed that he excels in independent study.

The student will work at his comfortable pace and not be put into another situation where the class moves quicker than his developmental ability. This will help to eliminate another stressful episode. The student is extremely comfortable with asking questions so I know that he will seek my guidance, as opposed to a partner, when he encounters difficult problems.

Progress monitoring of student learning Immediate feedback through the use of white boards will assist in progress monitoring. I will observe the students similarities and differences chart, in addition to monitoring their ability to demonstrate mastery through the creation of an application with an example.

Sharing results of the student learning with I will display the student work in the

I will use the instructional aide from his class as a resource. This will allow the student the opportunity to work with the aide as a partner. This will allow the student to utilize the vocabulary and explain the process that he wouldn’t be able to communicate otherwise, if he worked independently. I will have the student repeat the lesson steps with me so that I may observe his ability. The student is very comfortable with the aide and me.

The instructional aide will assist in progress monitoring when available. She occasionally visits the classroom and her presence will ensure progression of the academic learning. During the majority of the time, I will evaluate the student’s class work, homework, and quiz for adequate process. I will conference the student to better understand their feeling about their progress and comprehension.

I will place his assignment on the class wall so he can


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Task 2: Connecting Instructional Planning to Student Characteristics for Academic Learning the student and/or the family classroom to empower the student with a sense of belonging in the classroom. The work will be sent home at a later time to inform the parents of their child’s learning. I will keep a copy to show during parent conferences. recognize his belonging in the room. The work will eventually be given to him so that he may share his accomplishments with his parents. I will retain a copy for my record to share during parent conferences.


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Step 5: Reflection on Connecting Instructional Planning to Student Characteristics

Directions:

Read your responses to the prompts in Steps 1- 4. Think about what you have learned in Task 2 about the characteristics of the two focus students, your instructional planning for the whole class, and your adaptations for the focus students. Respond to the prompts below.

1. What information that you collected for the whole class and/or for the two focus students most influenced your planning for this lesson? Why?

Several pieces of information influenced my planning for this lesson. Linguistic background along with the social and emotional development of my students was most relevant. For my instructional planning to be effective, I was required to know my students linguistic capabilities. I learned this information from the designated ELD level. Fernando is a limited English proficient student who received an ELD score of 21 points, or advanced. This vital information enabled me to establish higher expectations of content knowledge and application to ensure that he was challenged by the lesson objectives, while simultaneously scaffolding instruction. With the absence of such results, I would be unaware of the student’s abilities and questioning techniques that I should be expected to ask. At the beginning of the year, I had not received testing results so I was unaware of the students English language development skills until the end of the first week. It was extremely difficult to determine how to differentiate instruction in order to satisfy their individual needs. In the process of collecting information for the class, I learned of his literacy level and adjusted my lesson plan.

With respect to Elias, I was aware the he was a special education student. However, I didn’t know why he had been designated as a student with special needs. Through observation and speaking with him in class, I became aware of his needs from a social and emotional perspective. I learned that he was unable to express himself in a situation of confusion as other students typically did, by raising their hand and asking a question. Instead of the typical response or a non-verbal cue, he began to cry and would not share that he felt confused. If I had been more aware of his special needs, I would have been able to address this issue prior to the student creating an unhealthy classroom environment for himself and others. I also learned that he worked better as an individual. In that setting, he was able to process information at his slower pace without creating anxiety for him. Given the information, I was able to allow for ample individual work, yet provide him with a learning environment that allowed for support in the course of the lesson plan.

2. How will you use what you have learned in regard to connecting instructional planning to student characteristics in the future? In your response, you may address collecting student information and/or planning instruction based on student information.

Instructional planning must be adapted to meet the needs of students based upon their characteristics. Students’ characteristics must be identified in order to effectively plan a lesson that will include and engage all students in the classroom. After collecting my data, I have learned to formulate generalizations that can guide my instruction to successfully serve English language learners and students with emotional and developmental needs. Generalizations are certainly never as precise as undergoing the data collection process once again with future students.

Therefore, I will supplement the generalizations with student interviews, observation, and various assessments that will contribute to developing an appropriate instructional plan based on unique student characteristics.


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Step 1: Academic Content Selection and Learning about Students

Step 1: Academic Content Selection and Learning about Students

Step 2: Learning about Two Focus Students

Step 3: Planning for Academic Instruction for the Whole Class

Step 4: Lesson Adaptations for the Two Focus Students

Step 5: Reflection on Connecting Instructional Planning to Student Characteristics

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Step 1: Academic Content Selection and Learning about Students