Rachael Shoultz
Instruction Commentary
In Task 2: Instructing and Engaging the Focus Learner, you will write a commentary responding to the prompts below. Your commentary should be no more than 8 single-spaced pages, including the prompts. If needed, insert no more than 2 additional pages of supporting documentation for the videorecordings at the end of the commentary (e.g., digital copies of indiscernible materials or transcriptions of comments that are inaudible or signing that is uninterpretable).
1. Which lesson or lessons are shown in the clip(s)? Identify the lesson(s) by lesson plan number. Describe any changes in the lesson plans for the lessons shown in the clip(s) and the reasons for those changes.
The first video shows the modified day 2 lesson. Day 2 lesson originally required Natalie to hear an unfamiliar story read aloud, and then draw pictures of the beginning, middle, and end of the story. I modified the lesson for day 2 based on the results from the lesson from day 1. For the first lesson, I read Natalie the story Little Red Riding Hood. Natalie then sequenced eight pictures from the story with 100% accuracy with no prompts. However, when Natalie retold the story, she forgot key details, as well as added inaccurate information. When asked who the main character was, Natalie referenced the pictures, but named all the characters in the story. Natalie was unable to state the setting, problem, and solution of the story. On day 2 I decided to practice the target of beginning, middle, and end using unfamiliar sequencing pictures, as well as continue working with Little Red Riding Hood from the day before. I gave Natalie a set of three pictures that she put in order. Once those were in order, I showed her, using visuals, that each picture corresponds to the beginning, middle, and end of the story. I gave her a total of three sets of sequencing pictures. Natalie correctly sequenced the pictures, as well put them under the correct heading of beginning, middle, and end. Using these pictures Natalie could accurately tell characters, problem, and solution, with minimal prompts. She still could not tell the setting of the story. After practicing sequence pictures, I gave Natalie the pictures from Little Red Riding Hood, except this time I gave her only three pictures instead of eight. She sequenced them correctly, categorized them by beginning, middle, and end, as well as retold the story with better accuracy and no incorrect details. She still needed prompts to accurately state the main character and setting.
The first video clip also shows the end of our SPIRE lesson, which was decoding word and sentences. This activity was part of the original day 2 lesson in which Natalie would complete lessons 3 and 4 of the SPIRE program.
The second video clip is from day 4 lesson plan. This activity was in the original day 4 lesson. Natalie counts her tickets, reviews what prize she is saving tickets for, and then explains how she earns tickets during the lesson. After her explanation, I perform a running record while Natalie reads an unfamiliar story. I also ask her comprehension questions about the story when she is finished reading.
2. If applicable, provide any additional information (beyond that provided in Task 1) needed to understand the learning environment or interactions seen in each clip.
a. Identify the district, school, cooperating teacher, or student teaching requirements or expectations (e.g., prescribed reading curriculum) that affect your instructional delivery related to the primary learning target described in Task 1.
b. If more than one learner appears in a clip, provide information to identify the focus learner (e.g., clothing, position in setting).
Every Friday my cooperating teacher does a running record for the students to see any changes in accuracy on a regular basis. She provides the students with unfamiliar stories from the reading program’s workbook, SPIRE. Stories chosen have mastered target sounds embedded within. Natalie’s story had the short vowel /u/ as well as the short vowel /o/ incorporated within.
3. Promoting a Positive Learning Environment
Refer to scenes in the video clip(s) where you provided a positive learning environment.
a. Describe how you demonstrated respect for and rapport with all learners.
b. Describe how you provided a positive learning environment that both supported and challenged your focus learner in relation to the primary learning target, moving the focus learner toward self-determination.
During the first video clip, I showed respect towards Natalie when, at 14:20, she states that the ball in the dog’s mouth looks like bacon. While I knew it was a ball, I did recognized how the ball could look like bacon and agreed with her. At 14:50 in clip 1 I retold the story of the sequence pictures and asked Natalie if she still thought bacon was in the dog’s mouth. This allowed Natalie to think about what the pictures showed and determine if it was bacon that was in the dog’s mouth. At 15:20 in clip 1 Natalie correctly tells the story of the pictures and I give her verbal praise. At 15:30 in clip 1 I lay out the beginning, middle, and end labels. I notice that Natalie says “middle” and “end” as I lay them out. While she did not know “beginning” I acknowledged that she correctly read the other labels. This created a positive learning atmosphere by allowing Natalie to instinctively state prior knowledge without reprimands. At 17:15 and 17:40 in clip 1 I am encouraging Natalie to answer by verbally praising her for correct responses. At 18:00 in clip 1 Natalie discovers that the backs of the sequence pictures make a puzzle. While I was not aware of this, and this extra activity was not in the lesson plan, I let her figure out the puzzle that she was excited she found instead of taking the pictures away immediately or not acknowledging she discovered this extra activity that went along with our story. At the 23:00 mark in clip 1 I had just asked Natalie what the solution would be to the problem of the snowman melting. Natalie is forced to activate her schema of snowmen in order to answer this question. While she is doing this, a movie comes to her mind about a snowman that melts at the end. I allow her to explain what her background knowledge is, as well as show rapport by stating that I have also seen that movie. At 24:30-25:00 in clip 1 I encouragingly praise Natalie for remembering specific details from the Little Red Riding Hood story that she did not remember the previous day. At the 27:30 mark in clip 1 I positively praised Natalie for a job well done, give her a ticket for her behavior, and also tell her that I am excited she has so many tickets.
In the second video clip at the 1:20 and 2:30 mark, Natalie is counting her tickets and realizes she only needs one more to earn her reward. I tell Natalie that I believe she can earn her last needed ticket during this lesson and encourage her to keep doing good work.
During the third video clip, Natalie and I are counting her tickets and reviewing the behavior plan. At 1:35 Natalie is explaining how she earns her tickets and says, “Listen to the teacher and don’t get up to go to the bathroom.” Because Natalie asks inappropriate questions in the middle of a lesson, or interrupts directions, waiting to ask and/or make comments, like asking to use the bathroom until the end of the lesson, has been greatly stressed.
4. Engaging and Motivating the Focus Learner
Refer to examples from the clip(s) in your explanations. For group instruction, you may refer to interactions with other learners as examples of collective strategies accessible to the focus learner.
a. Explain how your strategies engaged and motivated the focus learner to develop and apply the knowledge and skills related to the primary learning target.
b. Describe how your instruction linked the focus learner’s prior learning and personal, family, cultural, and/or community assets with new learning related to the primary learning target.
c. Describe the strategies you used to move the focus learner toward independently initiating and/or maintaining active engagement in learning tasks related to the primary learning target.
I chose Little Red Riding Hood to introduce sequencing and beginning, middle, and end because it is a familiar story for Natalie. By reading a familiar story, Natalie will have more background knowledge of the story, allowing her to focus on answering the comprehension questions without having to recall a new story. I had read Little Red Riding Hood the day before this lesson, allowing Natalie to recall information and our discussions that introduced these topics. I chose to use sequencing pictures from topics that Natalie enjoys, such as animals, as is evident in Clip 1 at the 14:15 mark. I presented three sets pictures of interest for Natalie to practice more comprehension questions before presenting the Little Red Riding Hood pictures. Providing hands-on activities and visual cues allowed Natalie to interact and manipulate the pictures, therefore helping her remain focused on the task.
Natalie enjoys animals and playing outside with her sister. When presenting pictures of the dog chasing the ball and the snowman, asking her comprehension questions allowed her to activate her schema of playing outside in warm and cold weather in order to answer the questions.
After modeling the beginning, middle, and end sorting activity, I provided guided practice for Natalie with the other pictures. When it was time for Natalie to put the Little Red Riding Hood pictures in order, she did so independently, as is evident in Clip 1 at the 23:40 mark. After Natalie performed poorly with the introduction of comprehension questions the day before, I gave her fewer pictures from the story, as well as provided more opportunities to practice.
5. Deepening Learning
Refer to examples from the clip(s) in your explanations. For instruction in a group, you may refer to interactions with other learners that informed application of learning by the focus learner.
a. Explain how you elicited and responded to the focus learner’s performance to promote application of learning related to the primary learning target.
b. Describe opportunities provided to the focus learner to apply feedback to improve performance related to the primary learning target.
c. Describe how you moved the focus learner toward self-evaluation or self-correction to improve performance related to the primary learning target.
After Natalie performed well, I verbally praised and encouraged her in Clip 1 with phrases such as, “Nice job, Natalie” at 15:20 and “perfect” at 17:15 as well as “exactly” at 17:40. Providing positive feedback supports Natalie in answering questions, as well as helps her to maintain focus. I asked Natalie questions about the pictures, such as in Clip 1 at 17:40, after explaining the objects in the picture, I ask Natalie what story the students in the picture were going to act out. Based on clues from the pictures, Natalie correctly responded with The Three Little Pigs. In Clip 1 at 26:40, I have just reviewed where the setting took place for our snowman pictures. Natalie incorrectly identified the setting, so I modeled a correct answer which included my reasoning. Starting with this clip, I ask Natalie the setting of another set of pictures, to which she incorrectly responds again. After restating the question and providing her with options, Natalie correctly responds. After she responds, I ask her, “How do you know it’s outside?” Natalie then correctly responds.
In Clip 1 at 14:20-15:00 Natalie mistakenly identifies the ball in the dog’s mouth for a piece of food. Instead of saying she was wrong, I reviewed the action of the story, which included a boy throwing a ball to his dog. After reviewing the pictures, I asked Natalie if she thinks the dog caught the ball, to which she shook her head “yes.” Reviewing the story allowed Natalie to look at the last picture and see that while the ball looked like a piece of food when the picture was presented in isolation, given the context clues of the other two pictures, she concluded that it was a ball in the dogs mouth. In Clip 1 at 25:15, I ask Natalie who the main characters are in Little Red Riding Hood. Natalie incorrectly answers. When I restate and clarify the question, Natalie is then able to provide the correct answer.
6. Supporting Teaching and Learning
Refer to examples from the clip(s) in your explanations.
a. Explain how your materials, supports, and instructional strategies supported the focus learner’s progress toward the lesson objectives for the primary learning target and how they reflected the learner’s development, age, strengths, and needs.
b. Describe how your instructional strategies, supports, or materials facilitated the development or application of a self-directed learning strategy for the primary learning target.
Materials used in the lesson for Clip 1 were visual supports. After reflecting on the previous day’s lesson, I included more visual aids to assist Natalie. Natalie is a visual learner and benefits from the use of graphic organizers, per her IEP. I included fewer pictures for the main story, as well as provided more sequencing pictures totaling three to four pictures per sequence for more practice. I used scaffolding at the beginning of the lesson in Clip 1 at 14:15 when I presented three sequencing pictures to Natalie and asked her what was happening in each picture. Then I modeled how to tell a story using the pictures in order. After this example, Natalie was able to correctly sequence the other sets of pictures given to her. She was also able to correctly tell me what the story was for each sequence set. I used more visual aids and had Natalie physically move the pictures under the beginning, middle, and end labels, as shown in Clip 1 at 15:30. Because Natalie’s IEP states that she needs repetition, I provided multiple practice pictures for her to sequence.