Communication - Assessment System Product/Performance Tasks

Chipola College

Communication - Assessment System Product/Performance Tasks

MAE/SCE 4945 – Student Teaching in Mathematics/Science

Task Number: / 2.3.1
Task Name: / Classroom Interaction between Teacher and Students (Observation)
Educator Accomplished Practice Indicators: / 2.02, 2.03, 2.06, 2.09
INTASC Indicators: / 6.03, 6.04, 6.05, 6.06, 6.07, 6.09, 6.10, 6.11, 6.12
EAP-ACP Critical Skills: / 2.3, 2.4
Observation Forms, Directions for using the Interactive Communication Observation Forms and Scoring Rubric
View the complete text of Standard and Indicators for this Task

Task Description

The teacher's ability to maintain a positive climate within the classroom through verbal and non-verbal interactions is observed by a support team member for a thirty-minute period (three ten-minute time intervals). Teacher/student interactions, student on-task/off-task behaviors, and other communication techniques are observed. Videotaping may be substituted for live observation.

What to submit?

The observer completes the rubrics and shares the results with the cooperating teacher and intern.

Directions

In this task, you will provide documentation of your communication skills as expressed in verbal and nonverbal interactions with students during a planned guided discussion as part of a lesson.

1. Plan a lesson or part of a lesson that incorporates interactive discussion and communication, involving all students or a group of students.

2. Determine and list the things you need to say or explain as a set of talking points.

3. Create the questions you expect to use to foster learning.

4. Make a list of nonverbal behaviors you think will help the lesson, such as moving near the student you are talking to, looking at the student who is the focus, or pointing at a display.

5. If helpful, make a list of specific students you plan to involve or prompt.

6. Practice your statements and questions so you are familiar with them.

7. Teach the lesson in front of an observer. Remember to:

o Maintain the focus of the lesson.

o Use both statements and questions intermittently.

o Keep the conversation moving with gestures and movement.

o Use non-verbal behavior to keep students on task.

o Involve as many students as possible.

8. Have the observer score your interactive lesson using the prescribed forms.

07/19/07

Task 2.3.1: Interactive Communication Observation Form

Recording Form

Teacher’s name: ______Date: ______

Observer’s name: ______Observer’s title: ______

Type of Lesson: ______Observation #______

Part I: Teacher/Student Interaction

Minutes

/ Teacher / Student/Class / P/N
Positive / Negative / Positive / Negative
Verbal / Non-Verb / Verbal / Non-Verb / Verbal / Non-Verb / Verbal / Non-Verb
Column / A / B / C / D / E / F / G / H
Minute 1
Minute 2
Minute 3
Minute 4
Minute 5
Minute 6
Minute 7
Minute 8
Minute 9
Minute 10

Percent of Positive Interactions: ______

Part II: On-Task and Off-Task Behavior

Minutes / Number
Off-Task / Is the number of students off-task less than half of the class?
Check if yes.
Minute 1
Minute 2
Minute 3
Minute 4
Minute 5
Minute 6
Minute 7
Minute 8
Minute 9
Minute 10

Percent of Times Majority of Students were on task: ______

Part III. Other Communication Techniques

Behavior / Effective / Ineffective / % Effective
Tallies / # of tally marks / Tallies / # of tally marks
The teacher varies communication, both verbal and non-verbal, according to the nature and needs of individuals.
The teacher encourages students in a positive manner.
The teacher reacts appropriately to a lack of understanding or communication errors and rephrases accordingly.
The teacher repeats questions so that the students answer when they do not understand the question initially.
When students are not focused, the teacher uses verbal and non-verbal behaviors to regain the focus of the students so that the class stays on task.
The teacher uses good grammar. / Grammar Mistake Made / Number of Grammatical Errors

Notes on Ineffective Behaviors:

Alternative Certification Program (ACP) Assessment System
Task 2.3.1: Interactive Communication Observation Form

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Description:

This is a thirty-minute observation designed to measure the effectiveness of communication between the teacher and the students, the extent to which students remain on-task, and several other important indicators of communication. The observation is conducted in three ten-minute intervals.

In the first ten-minute interval, the observer records both teacher and student behaviors in four categories each: Positive Verbal, Positive Non-verbal, Negative Verbal, and Negative Non-verbal. In the second ten-minute interval, the observer records the approximate number of students on and off-task. In the last ten-minute interval, the observer counts the frequency of specified behaviors.

Operational Definitions of Behaviors:

· Positive Verbal: The teacher or student is speaking -- giving information or instructions, explaining, asking, answering, or prompting for information.

· Positive Non-Verbal: The teacher or student is moving, looking, or using appropriate gestures and facial expressions to enhance or demonstrate a point, directing the focus at a person or object or place, or responding to something being verbalized by the other party.

· Negative Verbal: The teacher or student is yelling, being sarcastic, or using strong language.

· Negative Non-Verbal: The teacher or student is ignoring (not watching), using glaring or threatening expressions, or making inappropriate movements or gestures.

Directions:

Part I: For student/teacher interaction (the first ten minutes):

· Put a pair of tally marks, one for the teacher and one for the student(s) in intervals of approximately twenty seconds for student/teacher interactions. If possible, record instances in which the teacher changes behavior. For example, the teacher may change from speaking to questioning, may redirect focus from one student to another, may change facial expression, may move, etc.

· For the decision about student behavior:

o If the teacher is directing verbal or nonverbal action to an individual student, record the reaction of the specific student.

o If the teacher's behavior is targeted toward the entire class, record the reaction of the majority of students.

· EACH TIME A TEACHER BEHAVIOR IS MARKED, A CORRESPONDING MARK FOR ONE OR MORE STUDENTS SHOULD BE MADE. These are paired observations.

· Determine if the interaction was positive or negative and record a "p" or an "n" in the last column.

o For an interaction to be positive, both the teacher and student communication must be positive.

o For an interaction to be negative, either the teacher or student communication must be negative.

o Total the number of positive and negative interactions and calculate the percent of positive interactions (positive divided by total).

· Out of fairness to the teacher, you must observe for ten minutes. Do not do all observations in a shorter or longer period!

Part II: For the on-task/off-task behaviors:

· Count the number of students in the classroom.

· Work in one-minute cycles, as follows:

o In approximately twenty-second intervals, count and record the number of students who are off-task and record the number in the off-task column. (Your goal is three counts per minute.)

o If the majority of students (one more than half) are on-task, record a "y" for yes in the third column of the form.

· Total the number of "yes" decisions and divide by thirty (three counts per minute multiplied by 10 minutes) to calculate the percent of times the majority of students were on-task.

· Out of fairness to the teacher, you must observe for ten minutes. Do not do all observations in a shorter or longer period!

Part III: Other Communication Behaviors

· For a period of ten minutes, using tally marks, record observations of the behaviors identified on the form when they are demonstrated either effectively or ineffectively.

· Count the effective and ineffective tallies, and determine the percentage of effective behaviors.

· While you are conducting this observation, listen for grammatical errors and mark them in the bottom chart. Count the errors at the end of the observation.

· Out of fairness to the teacher, you must observe for ten minutes. Do not do all observations in a shorter or longer period!

01/09/07

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Task 2.3.1: Classroom Interaction between Teacher and Students
Rubric/Compilation Sheet

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Name: ______/ Name of Assessor: ______
Date: ______
Directions to Assessor: Print this form and complete the ratings by hand (not in the tracking system) with the information from the observation sheets. Using the final three observations, determine your rating for each criterion (for entry into the tracking system) as follows:
· Acceptable is defined as consistent performance that is clearly a regular routine for the teacher.
· Marginal is defined as performance in which the behavior is observed on occasion but is not consistently observed and does not reflect routine behavior.
· Unacceptable is defined as performance that is weak, and the behavior of the teacher was inappropriate.
Note: This task will be recorded once as a compilation of the final three observations in the tracking system.
Decision for A.P. on this Task for OVERALL RATING (check one) - TO BE COMPLETED AFTER THIRD OBSERVATION:
Demonstrated: / 3 or more ratings are acceptable; none are unacceptable.
Partially Demonstrated: / 2 to 4 ratings are marginal; none are unacceptable.
Not Demonstrated: / 1 or more ratings are unacceptable.

View an explanation of the rating scale.

Decisions for Target, Acceptable, and Unacceptable on this Task:

Decision / Student/Teacher Interaction / On-task/Off-task Behaviors / Criteria on rubric / Grammar
Acceptable / Teacher/student interactions are positive at least 75% of the times observed. / The majority of students are on-task at least 75% of the times observed. / For all 5 behaviors rated, the teacher is effective 75% of the time. / The teacher makes 3 or fewer grammatical errors.
Marginal / Teacher/student interactions are positive 50-74% of the times observed. / The majority of students are on-task at least 50-74% of the times observed. / For 3-4 behaviors rated, the teacher is effective 75% of the time. There are no behaviors for which the teacher is ineffective more than 50% of the time. / The teacher makes 4-6 grammatical errors.
Unacceptable / Teacher/student interactions are positive less than 50% of the times observed. / The majority of students are on-task less than 50% of the times observed. / The teacher does not achieve the 75% criterion for two behaviors. / The teacher makes 7 or more grammatical errors.

Rating Scale Key: A = acceptable; M = marginal; U = unacceptable

Element / Criteria for "acceptable" rating / Observation 1 / Observation 2 / Observation 3 / OVERALL
RATING
For the Tracking Tool
Interaction / 1 / The teacher interacts effectively with students in the classroom. / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U
Students on-task / 2 / The teacher keeps students on-task. / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U
Other communication strategies / 3 / The teacher demonstrates a variety of appropriate communication techniques, including variation of verbal and nonverbal strategies, positive encouragement, rephrasing, repetition, and strategies to regain focus. / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U
Appropriate grammar / 4 / The teacher uses good grammar. / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U / __ A __ M __ U

Improvements Needed:

Comments:

01/09/07

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