UNDERSTANDING
THE CLASS
Developed by
LACOE Head Start-State Preschool
CLASS Overview Outcomes
Participants in this overview will gain an understanding of:
 the CLASS dimensions
 the CLASS framework and its potential uses
 the connections between effective teacher-child
interactions (as measured by the CLASS) and child
outcomes
 the importance of using the CLASS
 the types of strategies that can be used to enhance child
interactions
DISCUSSION
What contributes to a
high quality classroom?
What is the CLASS?
The Classroom Assessment
Scoring System© (CLASS)
is a research-based observation
tool used to help teachers and
schools improve the quality
of classroom interactions.
What is the CLASS?
CLASS observations are conducted
in 4 cycles.
A cycle consists of:
- one 20-minute observation period
- one 10-minute recording period
What is the CLASS?
CLASS measures:
 The quality of classroom interaction
processes
 The overall classroom experience
based on all adult and child participants
Who uses the CLASS?
The CLASS has been
used by researchers,
policymakers, educators
and technical assistance
providers to measure
and improve classroom
practices.
Why use the CLASS?
Why use the CLASS?
Disadvantage and Disparities
• Disparities in child outcome are evident at 9 months
and grow larger by 24 months of age (Child Trends,
2009)
• These disparities exist across cognitive, social, health
and behavioral outcomes
• “Low-income 4-5-yr-old children are 12-14 months
below national norms in language development at the
beginning of kindergarten.” (Jean Layzer, 2010)
9
Why use the CLASS?
 Research in thousands of early childhood classrooms
across the country shows that children in classrooms
that score higher on the CLASS tool make greater
gains in language, math, and early literacy
development.
 Children in these higher-scoring classrooms also show
more positive social development over the course of
the year than their peers in lower-scoring classrooms.
Pre-K CLASS Dimensions Guide - Teachstone
Why use the CLASS?
• The Office of Head Start believes that the
domains of quality measured by the CLASS
remain central to its approach to child
development and education and serve as
important indicators of the future school
readiness of all Head Start children.
ACF INFORMATION MEMORANDUM Log No. ACF-IM-HS-08-11
SUBJECT: Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
Why use the CLASS?
• The Office of Head Start uses CLASS as a
part of it’s review process to determine a
Grantee’s competition status for the
upcoming funding cycle.
• CLASS is a contractual requirement for
program’s receiving Head Start funding from
LACOE.
How can CLASS results be used?
CLASS Dimensions are scored using a 7-point
scale. The results can then be used for:
 Professional development
 Program planning
 Research and evaluation
How is the CLASS
observation instrument
organized?
Organization of the CLASS instrument
Classroom Quality
Emotional
Support
Classroom Instructional
Organization
Support
CLASS-AT-A-GLANCE
Domains
Emotional
Support
Positive relationships
among teachers and
children, teachers’
abilities to support
social and emotional
functioning in the
classroom
Classroom
Organization
Instructional
Support
Well-managed
classrooms that
provide children with
frequent, engaging
learning activities
Interactions that teach
children to think,
provide ongoing
feedback and
support, and facilitate
language
development
Each domain includes Dimensions, Indicators and Behavioral Markers
that focus on various aspects of adult-child interactions.
CLASS-AT-A-GLANCE
EMOTIONAL
SUPPORT
CLASSROOM
ORGANIZATION
INSTRUCTIONAL
SUPPORT
CLASS-AT-A-GLANCE
EMOTIONAL
SUPPORT
CLASSROOM
ORGANIZATION
INSTRUCTIONAL
SUPPORT
Positive
Climate
(4 Indicators)
Behavior
Management
(4 indicators)
Concept
Development
(4 indicators)
Negative
Climate
(4 indicators)
Productivity
(4indicators)
Quality of
Feedback
(5 indicators)
Teacher
Sensitivity
(4 indicators)
Instructional
Learning
Formats
(4 indicators)
Language
Modeling
(5 indicators)
Regard for
Student
Perspectives
(4 indicators)
CLASS Resources
Early Childhood Knowledge
and Learning Center
(http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc)
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
DIMENSIONS
(pgs. 4-11)
Positive
Climate
Negative
Climate
How teachers help students develop:
 Warm, supportive relationships with
teachers and peers
 Enjoyment of and excitement about
learning
 Feelings of comfort in the classroom
Teacher
Sensitivity
Regard for
Student
Perspectives
 Appropriate levels of autonomy
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
DIMENSIONS
(pgs. 4-11)
Positive
Climate
Negative
Climate
Teacher
Sensitivity
Regard for
Student
Perspectives
GROUP DISCUSSION
 What does Emotional Support
look like in the Classroom?
 What strategies do you use that
are related to Emotional
Support?
CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION
DIMENSIONS
(pgs. 12-17)
Behavior
Management
How teachers help students:
 Develop skills to help them regulate
their own behavior
 Get the most out of each school day
Productivity
Instructional
Learning
Formats
 Maintain interest in learning activities
CLASSROOM ORGANIZATION
DIMENSIONS
(pgs. 12-17)
Behavior
Management
Productivity
Instructional
Learning
Formats
GROUP DISCUSSION
 What does Classroom
Organization look like in the
Classroom?
 What strategies do you use that
are related to Classroom
Organization?
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT
DIMENSIONS
(pgs. 18-23)
Concept
Development
Quality of
Feedback
Language
Modeling
How teachers help students:
 Learn to solve problems and think
creatively
 Get individualized feedback about
their learning
 Develop more complex language
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT
DIMENSIONS
(pgs. 18-23)
Concept
Development
Quality of
Feedback
Language
Modeling
GROUP DISCUSSION
 What does Instructional Support
look like in the Classroom?
 What strategies do you use that
are related to Instructional
Support?
DISCUSSION
What contributes to a
high quality classroom?
CLOSING
Q&A
Evaluation