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: 2

Content Area: Language Arts

Subject Matter: Reading and Writing

Time 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 Text

3.1  Compare and contrast plots, settings, and characters presented by different authors.

Writing: Applications

2.1 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 Description

This 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 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-3

1)  Experience a structured day

2)  Develop age-appropriate literacy skills

3)  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 strategies

1.2  Student activities

1.3  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 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.) / ·  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 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

A. Contextual Information for Scenario 2:

1. Elements of a Learning Experience in a Unit

Grade: 3

Content Area: Mathematics

Subject Matter: Measurement and Geometry

Time Period for Whole Unit: 3 weeks

State-adopted Academic Content Standards for Students

Measurement 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 them

2.0: Students describe and compare the attributes of plane and solid geometric figures and use their understanding to show relationships and solve problems

2.1 Identify, describe, and classify polygons

2.2 Identify attributes of triangles

2.3 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 15
Goals 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 / Individual assessment; paper and pencil; teacher corrects with an answer key / Individual assessment; paper and pencil; teacher corrects with an answer key / 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 / Inform students 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


B. Questions for Scenario 2:

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: