Task Analysis Process

Step 4: Identify ELP Standards

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Step 3 Identify Disciplinary Practice(s)

Task Analysis Process

Step 2: Identify Task Demands

Language Analytical Skills Content Knowledge

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Task Analysis Process

Step1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Task •  Choose a “touchstone” task the first few times •  Ask yourself, is/does this task:

–  Clear in its expectations? –  Grade-level appropriate? –  Aligned to the standards? –  Require students to use language and analytical skills as well

as demonstrate their content knowledge? •  Common pitfalls: –  Task is too narrow or too broad

Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Example Instructional Task  

Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Analyzing the Example Task

q Choose a “touchstone” task the first few times •  Ask yourself, is/does this task:

q Clear in its expectations? q Grade-level appropriate? q Aligned to the standards? q Require students to use language and analytical skills as well

as demonstrate their content knowledge? •  Common pitfalls:

q Task is too narrow or too broad

Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Task Analysis Process

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Task Analysis Process

Step 2: Identify Task Demands

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Task Analysis Process

Step 2: Identify Task Demands

Language Analytical Skills Content Knowledge

Step 2: Identify Task Demands •  Write down everything that students need to

demonstrate, know, or do in order to successfully complete this task

•  To do this, read (or watch) the task instructions

Step 2: Identify Task Demands Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Content Knowledge Analytical Skills Language

Discrete content-specific knowledge or skills

Analytical skills or practices that cut across content areas

Language students are required to understand and use

Example Instructional Task  

Step 2: Identify Task Demands Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Initial Identification Demands •  What do students need to do and know?

–  Read the story, Frog Girl –  Orally discuss the story with a partner –  Decide on and use appropriate adjectives (e.g. courageous,

helpful, etc.) to describe character –  Justify this decision, providing evidence from the text –  Decide which big idea is more important in the text –  Orally explain and justify choice, using supportive examples

from the text

Step 2: Identify Task Demands Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

•  What do students need to do and know? –  Read the story, Frog Girl –  Orally discuss the story with a partner –  Decide on and use appropriate adjectives (e.g. courageous,

helpful, etc.) to Frog Girl –  Justify this decision, providing evidence from the text –  Decide which big idea is more important in the text –  Orally explain and justify choice, using supportive examples

from the text

Content  &  Language     Language    

Content  &  Language    

Analy/cal  Skills  

Language  &  Analy/cal  

Content  

Initial Brainstorm Step 2: Identify Task Demands Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Step 2: Identify Task Demands Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Content Knowledge Analytical Skills Language

�Read the story, Frog Girl �Decide which adjective describes Frog Girl �Decide which big idea is more important in the text

�Justify this decision, providing evidence from the text �Orally explain and justify choice, using supportive examples from the text

�Comprehend the language of the story �Discuss the story with a partner �Orally explain and justify choice, using language from the text �Use adjectives (e.g. courageous, helpful, etc.)

Three Task Analysis Lenses

Overlap between the Three Lenses Step 2: Identify Task Demands Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Content Knowledge

Analytical Skills

Language Practices

Decide which adjective describes Frog Girl

Read & comprehend language of story

Orally discuss story with partner

Justify decision, providing evidence

from text

Decide which big idea most important in

text

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Task Analysis Process

Step 2: Identify Task Demands

Language Analytical Skills Content Knowledge

Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Content Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Content Knowledge Guiding Question Resources •  Common Core Content Standards or Next Generation Science Standards •  Other relevant standards (e.g., district, state, etc.)

What specific content knowledge or skills must students demonstrate in order to successfully complete this task?

Example Instructional Task  

Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Content Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Common Core ELA Second Grade Standards •  CCSS.ELA.Literacy.RL.2.7

–  Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot

•  CCSS.ELA.Literacy.R.L.2.10 –  Read and comprehend literature in grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with

scaffolding as needed at the high end of range •  CCSS.ELA.Literacy.R.F.2.4

–  Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension •  CCSS.ELA.Literacy.R.F.2.4A

–  Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding •  CCSS.ELA.Literacy.L.2.6

–  Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe.

Use the Standards as a Guide

Step 1 Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Content Step 3 Step 4

Paraphrase Content-Related Knowledge/Skills

•  Use information gained from text to demonstrate understanding of the character of Frog Girl and the story theme

•  Read and comprehend Frog Girl proficiently •  Read text with sufficient fluency and accuracy to support comprehension •  Read text with purpose and understanding •  Choose and use appropriate adjectives to describe Frog Girl, based on

understanding of text

What specific content knowledge or skills must students demonstrate in order to successfully complete this task?

Step 4 Step 3 Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Content Step 1

Compare Original & Revised Demands

Step 4 Step 3 Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Content Step 1

Content Knowledge �Read and comprehend the story, Frog Girl proficiently � Read with sufficient fluency and accuracy to support comprehension �Read with purpose �Use information from text to demonstrate understanding of Frog Girl character and theme �Choose and use appropriate adjectives to describe Frog Girl, based on understanding of text

Content Knowledge

�Read the story, Frog Girl �Decide which adjective describes Frog Girl �Decide which big idea is more important in the text

A5er  Brainstorm  

A5er  Resource  

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Task Analysis Process

Step 2: Identify Task Demands

Language Analytical Skills Content Knowledge

Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Analytical Skills Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Analytical Skills Guiding Question Resources •  Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) chart(s) •  Framework for English Language Proficiency Development Standards

corresponding to CCSS and NGSS •  Valdes, Kibler & Walqui, 2014

What discrete analytical skills must students demonstrate when engaged in this task?

Identifying Analytical Skills: Using DOKs

(Webb,  2002)  

Step 1 Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Analytical Skills Step 3 Step 4

Step 1 Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Analytical Skills Step 3 Step 4

Example Instructional Task

Step 1 Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Analytical Skills Step 3 Step 4

Depth of Knowledge (DOKs) What discrete analytical skills must students demonstrate when engaged in this task?

(Webb,  2002)  

Step 1 Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Analytical Skills Step 3 Step 4

Depth of Knowledge (DOKs)

(Webb,  2002)  

What discrete analytical skills must students demonstrate when engaged in this task?  

Comparing Original & Revised Demands

Step 4 Step 3 Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Analytical Skills Step 1

Analytical Skills

�Explain adjective choice for Frog Girl, citing evidence from the text �Analyze text to draw a conclusion regarding which big idea (or theme) is most important �Develop a logical argument and justify theme choice, citing evidence from the text to back up thinking

Analytical Skills

�Justify this decision, providing evidence from the text �Orally explain and justify choice, using supportive examples from the text

A5er  Brainstorm  

A5er  Resource  

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Task Analysis Process

Step 2: Identify Task Demands

Language Analytical Skills Content Knowledge

Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Language Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Language Guiding Question Resources •  Language Functions and Forms PDF •  Framework for English Language Proficiency Development Standards

Corresponding to CCSS and NGSS •  Webb’s Depth of Knowledge (DOK) chart(s)

How are students required to understand and use language?

Example Instructional Task  

Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Language Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Language Demands Language Functions •  Comprehend language of text,

read aloud or silently •  Listen and comprehend

partner’s textual analysis •  Analyze textual meaning with

partner, presenting character and thematic analyses

•  Support analyses with evidence from text

 

Language Forms •  Use descriptive adjectives (e.g.

compassionate, courageous, helpful) to characterize

•  Use verbal phrases (e.g. being courageous, showing kindness) to describe theme

•  Use conjunctions (e.g. because, as, since) to link descriptions and support

•  Use textual language to support claims

Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Language Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Compare Original & Revised Demands

Step 4 Step 3 Step 2: Identify Task Demands: Language Step 1

Language � Comprehend language of text, read aloud or silently � Listen and comprehend partner’s textual analysis � Analyze textual meaning with partner, presenting character and thematic analyses � Use descriptive adjectives (e.g. compassionate, courageous, helpful) to characterize � Use verbal phrases (e.g. being courageous, showing kindness) to describe theme � Support analyses with evidence from text � Use conjunctions (e.g. because, as, since) to link descriptions and support � Use textual language to support claims

Language

� Comprehend the language of the story � Discuss the story with a partner � Orally explain and justify choice, using language from the text � Use adjectives (e.g. courageous, helpful, etc.)

A5er  Brainstorm  

A5er  Resource  

Step 2: Identify Task Demands Step 3 Step 4 Step 1

Content Knowledge Analytical Skills Language �Read and comprehend story, Frog Girl, proficiently � Read with sufficient fluency and accuracy to support comprehension �Read with purpose �Use information from text to demonstrate understanding of Frog Girl character and theme �Choose and use appropriate adjectives to describe Frog Girl, based on understanding of text

�Explain adjective choice for Frog Girl, citing evidence from the text �Analyze text to draw a conclusion regarding which big idea (or theme) is most important �Develop a logical argument and justify theme choice, citing evidence from the text to back up thinking

�Comprehend language of text, read aloud or silently � Listen and comprehend partner’s textual analysis �Analyze textual meaning with partner, presenting character and thematic analyses �Use descriptive adjectives (e.g. compassionate, courageous, helpful) to characterize �Use verbal phrases (e.g. being courageous, showing kindness) to describe theme �Support analyses with evidence from text �Use conjunctions (e.g. because, as, since) to link descriptions and support �Use textual language to support claims

Revised Task Demands

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Task Analysis Process

Step 2: Identify Task Demands

Language Analytical Skills Content Knowledge

Analyzing the Example Task

q Choose a “touchstone” task the first few times •  Ask yourself, is/does this task:

q Clear in its expectations? q Grade-level appropriate? q Aligned to the standards? q Require students to use language and analytical skills as well

as demonstrate their content knowledge? •  Common pitfalls:

q Task is too narrow or too broad

Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Step 1: Examine & Identify Appropriate Instructional Task

Step 3 Identify Disciplinary Practice(s)

Task Analysis Process

Step 2: Identify Task Demands

Step 4: Identify ELP Standards

Language Analytical Skills Content Knowledge

•  How is this process similar or different than from how you typically examine instructional tasks? 

•  What lingering questions do you still have about the task analysis process? •  What are the advantages of first brainstorming a list of task demands and then

going back to consult resources related to each lens? •  Can you envision engaging in this task analysis process as part of your

professional learning? •  In what venue (e.g. professional learning community, grade-level planning

meetings, individually) can you imagine using this process?

Reflection Questions