Step 1: Assessment Selection and Planning for the …ckohn/files/TPA 1 Score 4.doc · Web viewThe strength in this teacher’s assessment plan is that she uses assessment to inform

Task 1: Principles of Content-Specific and Developmentally Appropriate Pedagogy ID #46277704

Task 1 includes four scenarios. Each scenario focuses on a different aspect of teaching: Scenario 1: developmentally appropriate pedagogy Scenario 2: assessment practices Scenario 3: adaptation of content-specific pedagogy for English Learners, and Scenario 4: adaptation of content-specific pedagogy for students with special needs.

To complete Task 1, read the scenario, think about the teaching situation presented, and answer each question.

Scenario 1: Developmentally Appropriate Pedagogy

A. Contextual Information for Scenario 1:

1. Elements of a Learning Experience in a Unit

Grade: 2Content Area: Language ArtsSubject Matter: Reading and WritingTime Period for the Learning Experience: Two 30-minute sessions in the same day

Learning Goals for the Learning Experience:Students will be able to do the following with a focus on literary response and analysis: Compare and contrast settings presented by different authors Describe the settings in detail in writing

State-adopted Academic Content Standards for Students:Reading: Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level Appropriate Text3.1 Compare and contrast plots, settings, and characters presented by different authors. Writing: Applications2.1 Write brief narratives based on their experiences

b. Describe the setting, characters, objects and events in detail

Instructional Resources Available:Age-Appropriate children’s literature and writing journals

2. Class DescriptionThis is a self-contained, second grade class. It is mid-year of the academic year. Most students are 7 year-olds. The class has a combination of on-grade readers, developing readers, and reluctant readers. Almost all of the students enjoy school, are friendly to each other, and like to explore new content. Students prefer to have adults read to them to reading silently. They do like to make up their own stories, but their vocabulary is not fully developed, and they struggle with writing their thoughts on paper. Some students are frustrated with their penmanship because their fine motor skills are still somewhat limited. The school is located in the students’ neighborhood, which contains a small playground and a small shopping area. For most students, there are movie theatres, a museum, a

CA TPA August 2005 1Copyright © CCTC, 2003


shopping mall, a public library, game arcades, and playing fields within a 30-minute car or bus ride, but not within walking distance.

3. Developmental Needs of the Students in Grades K-31) Experience a structured day2) Develop age-appropriate literacy skills3) Participate in hands-on experiences.

B. Questions for Scenario 1:

1. Given the contextual information for Scenario, think about a lesson you might use with these students that addresses the subject matter learning goals and the developmental needs of the students described. In the columns below describe:

1.1 Instructional strategies1.2 Student activities1.3 Instructional resources

Note: Instructional strategies are what the teacher does during instruction and student activities are what the students do during the lesson.

Instructional Strategies Student Activities Wearing an apron and chef hat,

holding a big stew pot and ladle, I will instruct the students that we will be cooking a setting today. I will use questions to spark curiosity and tell students that all good writers cook settings; in fact, they, themselves, have cooked a setting, probably without even knowing it.

Setting ingredients will be introduced and discussed: Location Weather Time period Time

Have students discuss and give examples of each from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Create a chart as a class using the four categories of setting. Ask students to help write words on the chart.

Ask each group to come and place their visual representations in the stew pot. They will tell the class what their ingredient is as they drop it in. Once all the ingredients are in

Read Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with a partner.

Following the creation of the chart and discussion, place students in groups. Spin a wheel containing the four elements of plot. The element the pointer lands on is the element that group will focus on. Students will have the option to either give a visual representation of the section or write about it on a paper plate. Students may discuss in their groups, but each student must have his own finished product (Repeat this task for Snow White in New York).

Number the plates students have drawn or written on and place them on the floor in a circle. Have students walk around in a circle beside the plates while music plays. When the music stops, each student must stop at the plate he is beside. I will pull a number out of a hat. The student who is standing beside the plate with that number will tell about what is represented on the plate and tell how it is similar to or different than the other story.

Have the students write about the setting of the Snow White story of their



the pot, stir it up. Ask students what you have made: setting. Lead them in a discovery of how they could turn this into a story (by adding plot and characters – students are already familiar with these terms). Ask a few students to drop cards in that have plot and characters on them into the pot. Stir all of the ingredients and pull out a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs book. (Repeat this task for Snow White in New York; some adjustments will be made to account for heightened student familiarity with elements of a story).

Read Snow White in New York aloud to students.

Create a chart next to the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs chart using the same format and methods. Have pictures of New York available for student to see and help students find it on a map.

Once the plate representations have been used in the compare/contrast game, hang them up under a picture of the Snow White version they represent. Place the plates in clearly labeled categories (time, weather, etc.)

choice. Instruct them on how to use the charts and the plates as a guide to write detailed descriptions. Also remind them that the chart is a good reference tool for words they may not know how to spell.

Have students share their writing with the members of their group.



2. Based on your knowledge of the content and student development, explain why the instructional strategies, student activities, and resources you listed in question 1:

are appropriate for this class.

My strategies and activities are appropriate for this class. They provide a meaningful and somewhat predictable structure for the students to follow, which was addressed as a need of the class. Additionally, it takes advantage of the classes general friendliness towards one another by using class interaction, group work, and paired readings. It also incorporates hands on activities and gets the students out of their desks and moving.Further appropriateness of this plan is evidenced in the variation of ways students have the opportunity to succeed and use their skills. This class has a range of needs and skill levels. By giving students the option to draw, English Learners still have the opportunity to express themselves and be successful. By including students in the creation of the chart, I am encouraging them to use their literacy skills and building their confidence. This will also often create teachable moments.

address the developmental needs of these students

Since may of these students are reluctant to read on their own, preferring to be read to instead, I will have them read Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with a partner. Because it is a story line they are familiar with the text is appropriate for their grade level, this will be a successful approach for these students. The New York version, however, would not be familiar and is above their independent level; therefore, I will read this aloud to the class, modeling the reading process for my students.

help these students make progress toward achieving the state-adopted academic content standards for students in this content area.

My plan will help these students progress towards achieving the standards because it addresses the multiple intelligences and provides comprehensible input on standard-based issues. It begins by establishing a clear foundation (what is a setting) and internalizes subject matter. This plan will build and reinforce students’ understanding of compare and contrast. Upon completing this plan, students will be able to compare and contrast settings presented by different authors and write about settings in detail; these skills put students on the road to achieving the given standards.

END OF SCENARIO 1



Scenario 2: Assessment Practices


1. Elements of a Learning Experience in a UnitGrade: 3Content Area: MathematicsSubject Matter: Measurement and GeometryTime Period for Whole Unit: 3 weeks

State-adopted Academic Content Standards for StudentsMeasurement and Geometry,1.0: Students choose and use appropriate units and measurement tools to quantify the properties of objects.1.2: Students estimate or determine the area and volume of solid figures by covering them with squares or by counting the number of cubes that would fill them2.0: Students describe and compare the attributes of plane and solid geometric figures and use their understanding to show relationships and solve problems2.1 Identify, describe, and classify polygons2.2 Identify attributes of triangles2.3 Identify attributes of quadrilaterals

Learning Goals for Whole Unit Students will be able to do the following: Identify, describe, and classify polygons (including pentagons, hexagons, and

octagons) Identify attributes of triangles (e.g. isosceles – two congruent sides, equilateral – three

congruent sides, right – a right angle) Identify attributes of quadrilaterals (e.g. parallelogram – two pairs of parallel sides,

rectangle – all congruent angles, square – all sides and angles congruent). Calculate the area of rectangles, right triangles, and polygons that can be partitioned

into rectangles and right triangles (side length will be integral).

2. Teacher’s Dilemma

I am not pleased with the assessment plan I used for the last unit of study. I gave the students a diagnostic test at the beginning of the unit, two quizzes during the unit, and a final test from the teacher’s guide. The information that I got from those assessments was minimal, and I’m just not getting a handle on what they really know and understand, their misconceptions, what they learned during the instruction, and their progress toward achieving the learning goals. I am looking for ways to improve my assessment plan, so I can have a more complete understanding of how well these students learned the subject matter.



3. Assessment Plan

Day 1 Day 6 Day 11 Day 15Goals Assessed

Identify shapes, count edges and angles, and find the area of rectangles

Identify, describe, and classify polygons of 4,5, 6 and 8 sides

Identify attributes of triangles and quadrilaterals

Identify, describe, and classify all polygons. Find area of rectangles, right triangles, and irregular shapes that can be partitioned into rectangles and right triangles

Type Formal, diagnostic test from curriculum guide; multiple choice; formative

Formal quiz from the textbook; multiple choice; formative

Formal quiz from the textbook; multiple choice; formative

Formal, final chapter/unit exam from textbook; multiple choice and fill in the blank; summative

Purpose Assess previous knowledge and skills

Assess acquired concepts and skills

Assess acquired skills and concepts

Assess acquired knowledge and skills from instructional unit

Implemen-tation

Individual assessment; paper and pencil; teacher corrects with an answer key




Feedback Strategies

Tell students of scores and inform student of correct and incorrect items

Inform students of correct and incorrect items



Informing Instruction

To determine what needs to be reviewed and where to begin teaching

To determine who has learned the material presented

To determine who has learned the material presented

To determine the achievement level of each student towards the goals




1a) Identify one strength in the assessment plan and explain why it is a strength in relation to the learning goals of this unit.

The strength in this teacher’s assessment plan is that she uses assessment to inform instruction. This process is began in day one – assessing prior knowledge to determine what should be reviewed and where to begin – and is continued throughout the unit in order to monitor the students changing needs.

1b) Identify one weakness in the assessment plan and explain why it is a weakness in relation to the learning goals of this unit.

The weakness of this teacher’s assessment plan lies in its dependence on the same types of tests. Reflective teachers recognize the bias in tests. Some students are more likely to perform well on certain assessments than others. It is important to use a variety of assessment strategies in order to achieve a more accurate view of student knowledge. Variation of assessment methods also allows you to plan assessment to fit the objectives and incorporate all the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and the various learning styles.

Note: Refer to this additional assessment when responding to questions 2 and 3.Additional Assessment

Students are given boxes of plastic triangles, squares, rectangles, pentagons, hexagons, and octagons. The boxes contain similar as well as dissimilar examples of each type of polygon. Students are to group the polygons by similar attributes. Attributes include: number of sides, number of angles, parallel sides, perpendicular sides, and equilateral sides. In addition, students will group and describe figures with matching angles.

2) Suppose you found the additional assessment in a supplementary resource. Think about how the additional assessment could improve the teacher’s assessment plan. Explain to the teacher how it might be used to improve the plan by answering the following questions: When in the plan would you use this assessment?

Day 6 (Can also be included as a part of the summative exam on day 16)

What goals would be assessed by this assessment?

Identify, describe, and classify polygons of 4,5,6, and 8 sides

What type of assessment would it be? Performance TaskWhat would be the purpose of the assessment?

Progress monitoring; gather data about what students have achieved during the learning experience and to what extent they have achieved it.



How would you implement the assessment?

Ensure that each student has plenty of space. Give each student a box of shapes. Instruct them to sort shapes according to their similar attributes. Students will record their results by tracing the shapes only paper. Each sheet of paper will represent one of the created groups. Students will label the groups at he top of the paper with a description of the similar attributes of that group. The same will be done for the figures with matching angles, but a description will be added.

What feedback strategies would you use?

After all of the students have performed and recorder their results, we will conduct the same sort as a class. This will allow for instant feedback and solidify material. I will later give the students feedback on their personal work. This will be written unless the student is struggling and needs further instruction.

How would the results of the assessment inform instruction?

I will know if mini-lessons were necessary and, if so, for who and in what areas. It would also logically follow that I will know if students are ready to continue.

3) Explain how using the additional assessment as you described in question 2 improves the teacher’s assessment plan and addresses the teacher’s dilemma of needing more information about what the students really know and understand, their misconceptions, and their progress toward achieving the learning goals.

Assessment strategies should be selected based on what you want the students to learn. Previously, the teacher seemed to be focused o knowledge and understanding. By incorporating this assessment in week 6, the teacher was able to observe students’ reasoning proficiency and performance skills in action in addition to measuring their knowledge and understanding of the subject matte. By seeing the ways they categorized the shapes and the difficulty or ease with which they did so, she could have a much deeper grasp of where the students’ are at (She would, of course, be using informal observation while the students performed the tasks). She would also learn about the students’ grasp of terminology by their use of the terms in the descriptions.

END OF SCENARIO 2



Scenario 3: Adaptation of Content-Specific Pedagogy for English Learners


1. Elements of a Learning Experience for 2 Days in a Unit

Grade: 4Content Area: ScienceSubject Matter: Life SciencesTime Period for Whole Unit: 3 weeks

State-adopted Academic Content Standards for StudentsLife Sciences3 Living organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival. As a

basis for understanding this concept, a) students know ecosystems can be characterized by their living and nonliving

componentsb) students know that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals

survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at allc) students know many plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and

animals depend on plants for food and shelterd) students know that most microorganisms do not cause disease and that many are

beneficial

Learning Goals for Whole Unit Students will be able to do the following with a focus on survival: Perform investigations, including formulating predictions, testing predictions, and

drawing conclusions Collect information by observing, measuring, and graphing Compare, contrast, and evaluate basic principles of survival

Relationship to Preceding and Subsequent Learning ExperiencesBasic principles of survival will be covered in a manner similar to other scientific units. Science process skills are important investigation tools, and opportunities for developing them are provided throughout the unit. Some of the skills, such as observation and measurement, have been covered in other scientific units and will again be used in the next unit on rocks and minerals.

2. Outline of Plans for Days 1 and 2The following outline addresses some of the academic content standards and unit goals, but it is not expected that the students will achieve them during the two days.



Instructional Strategies On Day 1, lead a discussion about the term ”living organisms:” characteristics,

examples, and habitats. Write student ideas on the board. Have students independently read a handout concerning a frog that has recently become extinct. Then present the following scenario: “Choose an animal and investigate its habitat and how it meets its needs. “ Have students use library resources, encyclopedias, or the internet and write two or three paragraphs using newly acquired scientific terms to explain their answer to classmates.

On Day 2, allow students to complete written response. Have students practice with a partner orally summarizing their written work. Then have them individually share their oral summaries using newly acquired scientific terms with the whole class and receive feedback on the accuracy of their understanding of animal habitats.

Student Activities Participate in discussion about “living organisms.” Read the handout about an extinct

frog. Listen to and carefully consider the scenario. Use library resources, encyclopedias, or the Internet to research answers and write two or three paragraphs using newly acquired scientific terms and applying them to the scenario.

Complete the written response. Practice with a partner to orally summarize their written work. Present oral summary, using newly acquired scientific terms, to whole class. Provide feedback to other students on the accuracy of their understanding of animal habitats.

Progress Monitoring Teacher will use class discussions, oral presentations, journal writing, quizzes on

scientific terms, and portfolios to determine the level of learning. Students will receive written and oral feedback from the teacher and oral feedback

from peers.

3. Student Description

Elena is a 9 year-old 4th grader and an English learner. She is from Mexico and both of her parents are professionals. Her extended family includes aunts, uncles, and cousins. Her grandparents live in Mexico and she and her family visit them in the summer. She has been in the Unites State for one and a half years. She is literate in Spanish and often reads Spanish books and magazines. Her report cards from her school in Mexico indicate above average grades. Elena is somewhat shy socially but is well liked and works well in small groups. She is seldom absent from school. The CELDT results indicate overall score in the Early Intermediate range, and she has been identifies as an English learner. (Listening and Speaking=240, Early Intermediate level. Reading = 121.25, Early Intermediate level. Writing =120, Early Intermediate level.)



Written Response to: “What is your favorite family day?”A Special Family CelebrationMy grandparent have special celebration. They have marry 45 year. My mother and father and me make long trip to Mexico to celebrate. We carry especial gift it is a picture of all family. My tio, tia and primos going to. We like visit grandparent and especial celebration. All family cook especial food of Mexico for celebration. I remember in Mexico we all time together. I miss my abuelita and abuelito. That is the name we say for grandparent in my country. The celebration is fun we see friends and play. My grandparent very happy. I want to stay in Mexico. Soon we say adios.

Transcript of Oral Response to:“Tell my about your dance class.”I like my dance class at community center. I think pretty things. I dance in pretty dress. I like my dress everybody look me and say “Elena is pretty.” Everybody take my picture. I am in newspaper. When I dancing I feel good. I like that.


1) Identify two specific learning needs the student has as an English learner, based on the student description and the responses.

Elena’s Spanish literacy will be beneficial, as these skills can transfer. Her spelling and word order are both excellent. However, she needs instruction on the structure of English, as evidenced by the frequent lack of articles and verb conjugations in her speaking and writing. To help remedy this, she needs constant exposure to the various forms of the English language, such as modeling good speaking grammar and reading predictable texts. A second learning need comes in the area of vocabulary enrichment. She often substitutes the Spanish form of words for English words she does not know Constant exposure, mini-lessons, reading, and word walls are all good ways to enrich her vocabulary. She will need to develop academic language (CALP) in order to succeed in her coursework.

2a) Identify one instructional strategy or student activity from the outline of plans that could be challenging for the student.

She may have difficulty with the task of investigating an animal’s habitat and needs and writing about it.

2b) Explain why the strategy or activity you chose could be challenging to the student. Use your knowledge of English learners and your analysis of the student’s learning needs in your explanation.

While she is becoming stronger in her BICS, what I have seen from her, and know about English Learners in general, does not suggest that her CALP is adequate for such a procedure. The scientific vocabulary she would encounter, with no help, would be overwhelming to an English Learner at this level. Additionally, writing 2-3 paragraphs in English may



bring her to a frustration level without assistance; especially considering the content and vocabulary involved.

3a) Describe how you would adapt the strategy or activity you identified above to meet the learning needs of the student. Consider specific subject matter pedagogy when writing your description.

Since Elena works well in small groups, I would pair her with a student who is a fluent in English and also speaks Spanish. Based on her background, Elena is a strong student and probably has adequate background knowledge in this area that can be transferred if she is given comprehensible input. Her partner will help her to comprehend the information, translating when necessary. Since she is literate in Spanish, I would also consider allowing her to do a portion of her research in her native tongue. This, however, would depend on state and district policies as well as availability of such material. In lieu of the 2-3 paragraph assignment. Elena could write a few summarizing statements and then dictate further information in English for her partner or another capable individual to record. She would also have the option of illustrating her writing.

3b) Explain how your adaptation would be effective for the student in making progress toward the learning goals of the lesson. (In your explanation of the

adaptation, refer to specific aspects of the student description and to the samples of proficiency in English.)

Since Elena is performing the same core tasks of collecting information and performing an investigation, she will still be fulfilling the goals of the lesson. With this adjustment, the goals are not only met sufficiently, but the comprehension she gains on the material is more extensive.

3c) Explain how your adaptation would be effective for the student in making progress toward English language development. (In your explanation of the

adaptation, refer to specific aspects of the student description and to the samples of proficiency in English.)

She will have practice reading and writing and will also orally identify the basic sequence of written test as she dictates information to her recorder.

4a) Which progress monitoring assessment from the outline of plans would you choose to monitor this student’s progress toward achieving the learning goal(s)?

Portfolio



4b) Give a rationale for your choice of progress monitoring assessment. Use your knowledge of content in this unit, and this student’s English language abilities in your rationale.

Both an early intermediate English speaker and a shy student, group discussions and oral presentation would raise her affective filter and not likely present an accurate measure of her knowledge. Additionally, quizzes on scientific language would also be an unfair measure, as she may have a solid understanding of the information, yet lack the academic language in English to transfer the ideas. A journal could be used effectively with alterations, but a portfolio offers and even greater variety of assessment opportunities that are more fitting to Elena’s needs. Models, drawings, group work (since works well with groups), anecdotal notes could also be included along with Elena’s own writing and dictations. This would offer a fairer, more in depth measure of her progress.

5) Based on what you learned about this student’s English proficiency, what would be your next steps in planning to facilitate her English language development? Consider specific information from the student description and her written and oral language samples when responding.

I would attempt to integrate her culture in order to enhance her interest and motivation. I would continue to build on her foundation of knowledge and enrich her language to allow for transfer of that knowledge base. I would also be sensitive to error correction, focusing on errors of meaning rather than errors of function. Since her parents are professionals and are probably literate in English, I would communicate with them ways that they could support Elena in her education.

END OF SCENARIO 3



Scenario 4: Adaptation of Content-Specific Pedagogy for Students with Special Needs

A. Contextual Information for Scenario 4

1. Elements of a Learning Experience for 3 Days in a Unit

Grade: 4Content Area: Social StudiesSubject Matter: California History Time Period for Whole Unit: 3 weeks

State-adopted Academic Content Standards for Students4.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic

features that define places and regions in California4.3 Students explain the economic, social and political life in California from the

establishment of the Bear Flag Republic through the Mexican-American War, the Gold Rush, and the granting of statehood.

4.4 Students explain how California became an agricultural and industrial power, tracing the transformation of the California economy and its political and cultural development since the 1850s.

Learning Goals for Whole Unit Students will be able to do the following: Describe the Gold Rush and place it in the state’s historical timeline Identify how the region’s physical environment affected human activity Use maps and charts to identify and describe the Gold Rush region Describe how the Gold Rush changed and influenced life in California Describe life of people participating in the Gold Rush

Relationship to Preceding and Subsequent Learning ExperiencesThe Gold Rush will be covered in a manner similar to other historical events. Events are being studied in chronological order. Some of the skills, such as map reading, have been covered with other historical events.

2. Outline of Plans for Days 3, 4, and 5The following outline addresses some of the academic content standards and unit goals, but it is not expected that the students will achieve them during the three days.

Instructional Strategies On Day 2, present to whole class what it was like at beginning of the Gold Rush by

reading excerpts from biographies and lead a whole-class discussion. Read textbook passages (vary between silent and oral reading). Lead discussion about the concepts



in the passages. Have students respond in writing to the questions in the book for homework.

On Day 3, review homework from Day 2. Do a mock interview with a prospector from the biographies as example for students. Students work in small groups to create their own interviews with other people in the biographies. They present to class and receive feedback from classmates.

On Day 4, have students read in their textbook a letter written by a resident of California describing the Gold Rush and how it changes his or her life. Have students discuss the letter with a partner. Have individual students select a role from the list of societal roles during the Gold Rush and write their own letters. Have students “send” letter to a classmate for review.

Student Activities

Listen to excerpts from biographies and participate in discussions. Read textbook and participate in class discussion about concepts. Complete written responses to questions in textbook for homework.

Listen to mock interview and participate in class discussion. Work with group members to select a character from the biographies previously covered. The group members create and write the script for an interview with the character. Perform interview for whole class. Provide feedback to other groups.

Read silently the letter in their textbook. Discuss with partner. Select a role from the list and write a letter describing how life has changed for them. Exchange letter with a classmate. Read and analyze the classmate’s letter for historical understanding and accuracy.

Progress Monitoring To monitor student progress, the teacher will use class discussions, written responses

to questions, group role-playing or interviews, and a letter describing how life has changed for them.

Students will receive written and oral feedback, peer review and feedback on group work as well as individual conferencing with the teacher when needed.

3. Student DescriptionAlex is a 9-year-old boy in the 4th grade. He had difficulty with the development of his early literacy skills, including the acquisition of sound/symbol relationships and word identification, demonstrated in both his reading and writing. In the second grade, Alex was identified as a student with specific learning disabilities. Since then, Alex has received special education support primarily in a resource room for language arts, while he is included in the general education curriculum. He is able to independently read text at a first grade level and continues to struggle with decoding words. Alex also has asthma for which he takes daily medication and occasionally needs to use an inhaler. He is a self-isolating person who does not readily join into whole-class conversations or contribute to group learning situations. His tendency is to sit alone at lunch and to be by himself on the playground. There is no in-class support for this student.




1a) Identify one instructional strategy or student activity from the outline of plans that could be challenging for the student, considering the description of the student’s learning disability.

On day 3, the students are instructed to create and present an interview.

1b) Explain why the strategy or activity you chose could be challenging for the student, based on specific aspects of the student description.

Alex does not tend to contribute to group learning situations. Since this one is based so heavily around the very skills he struggles in – reading and writing – he will likely self-isolate and avoid involvement.

1c) Describe how you would adapt the strategy or activity you identified to meet the needs of the student.

I will strategically place him in a group of responsible learners who will actively seek to involve him in a sensitive manner and praise him for attempts rather than put him down. Perhaps having such group select roles would help. For example, one could record, one could facilitate discussion, and another could create a visual to go with the presentation. This would give Alex an are where he could be a successful contributor to the group. Alex could be the group illustrator and would then be responsible for explaining to the class how his illustration related to the interview. The group could brainstorm ideas for this presentation in order to help Alex feel more prepared and at ease.

1d) Explain how your adaptation would be effective for the student in making progress toward achieving the learning goal(s) of this unit.

The student would be encouraged and rewarded with praise when he participated in a group setting. He would also give a meaningful task where he could give a significant contribution to the group. The presentation would also be made more attainable since Alex would be talking about his creating instead of reading and stumbling over words in a written text that is too high for him. These adjustments would greatly lower the affective filter and increase his chances for success.



2a) Identify one additional instructional strategy or student activity from the outline of plans that could be challenging for the student, considering the student’s other learning needs.

In day 2, students are expected to read their textbooks, varying between silent and oral reading.

2b) Explain why the strategy or activity you chose could be challenging for the student, based on specific aspects of the student description.

Textbooks are efferent reading and generally pose a greater difficulty to students. It requires students to use different reading skills than pleasure books and often has new vocabulary. Reading at a first grade level and having difficulty decoding words, this text will be at Alex’s frustration level. He will, most likely, not make it through the first paragraph before mentally shutting down to the text. Even then, it is not likely that he would have gained much knowledge since so much effort would have been used in decoding.

2c) Describe how you would adapt the strategy or activity you identified to meet the needs of the student.

Seek out audio versions of the text that Alex can listen to with headphones while the other students read. An option could also be given for students to choose between reading alone or with a partner. Alex would be paired with a strong, responsible reader.

2d) Explain how your adaptation would be effective for the student in making progress toward achieving the learning goal(s) of this unit.

The text could be read orally in its entirely, however, there is value in reading alone and with a partner. Varying instruction is important, but it should be done so in a way that is not to the detriment of the entire class. By giving Alex the audio version or having them read with a partner, he can be exposed to the same text and participate in any of the other activities. This will also strengthen his reading as he follows along with the text he hears.

3a) What progress monitoring assessment would you choose to obtain evidence of the student’s progress toward a learning goal(s)?

Group role-laying or interview



3b) Give a rationale for your choice of assessment. Use your knowledge of academic content in this unit, and this student’s learning needs in your rationale.

With his reading level at a first grade level, it would logically follow that his writing would be at a first grade level, at best. Therefore, Alex’s own writing would not reflect his knowledge accurately; he simply would not be able to express that which he has learned. Class discussions, also, would be a poor measure, since Alex does not readily join. This would greatly raise his affective filter and effect his performance. The choice of group role-playing or interview, consequently, is therefore selected, not by being an excellent match for Alex in this situation, but by process of elimination; it is simply the least of all evils. While it will stretch and challenge him, there are better methods to measure this particular student’s knowledge in the give area. However, given the adaptations discussed in 1b, this method will certainly be the best of these methods, as he will be able to present a prepared statement about his visual representation. This will give Alex a chance to succeed and showcase his artwork and knowledge. My only concern comes from the health issues discussed. Alex has asthma. I would want to know the severity and cause (is it athletically induced, do stressful situations bring on attacks). I would not want to put a student in this position without such knowledge.

END OF SCENARIO 4


Documents

Step 1: Assessment Selection and Planning for the …ckohn/files/TPA 1 Score 4.doc · Web viewThe strength in this teacher’s assessment plan is that she uses assessment to inform