Assessment Commentary Template

Elementary Literacy Assessment Commentary

Assessment Commentary Directions: Respond to the prompts below (no more than 8 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts; both the prompts and your responses are included in the total page count allowed. Refer to the evidence chart in the handbook to ensure that this document complies with all format specifications. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored. 1. Analyzing Student Learning a. Identify the specific standards/objectives from the lesson plans measured by the assess ment chosen for analysis. RL.K.2. With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details. b. Provide the evaluation criteria you are using to analyze the student learning. The students were required to successfully identify four out of the five key details. The students used a poster to pin their key details down. They used this poster as a guide to help them retell a story. Then, with prompting, the students retold the story they read in front of the class. The students are required to correctly identify the language, as it is spoken when prompting.The students worked in groups, but each student had the job of finding a key detail in the story to retell. The groups were homogenously mixed by reading level and consisted of two students. I took anecdotal notes as I went around from group to group. The poster provided the quantitative data that I needed, while the anecdotal notes and retelling provided the qualitative data. c. Provide a graphic (table or chart) or narrative summary of student learning for your whol e class. Be sure to summarize student learning for all evaluation criteria described above.

Student Key Details Identified Retelling the Story The student used transitional words, key details, and required minimal prompting. He enjoyed retelling the story to the class, and loved 1 (focus student is high 5/5 receiving praise. He utilized achieving) the vocabulary we had talked about when he retold the story. He did such a good job retelling that the students wanted to read this text. The student used key details, and when prompted he answered in complete sentences. He utilized the 2 (focus student is achieving 5/5 vocabulary that we had talked on grade level) about in previous lessons. He was very excited to retell the story to the class with the microphone. 3 (focus student is achieving 5/5 The student has an amazing on grade level) ability to grasp new vocabulary. She loved the

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glove that was provided as a prompt, because it helped her when she was reading the text. When she retold the story she used vocabulary that I was looking for. She shared well with her group, but provided wonderful information when she spoke. She was a joy to listen to. This student struggled with the word solution in previous lessons. When he retold the story, he correctly identified the solution and utilized the 4 5/5 correct vocabulary. He loved the text that he read which made him excited to retell. He used hands and other gestures to make retelling more exciting for the class. This student strives for perfection. He did a great job retelling the story and using 5 5/5 key details. He required prompting, but answered the prompts effortlessly. This student would not let her group be finished until she thought they had done a wonderful job. She wanted everyone to have their turn. 6 5/5 When retelling she used transitional words, vocabulary, and key details. She looked to me for prompting, but did a great job. This student is shy and held back when retelling. She was a great asset to her group. She did a fine job with prompting, but answers were 7 5/5 minimal. When I walked around the classroom she retold the story to me beautifully. Being in front of the class made her nervous. 8 4/5 This student worked so hard on her illustration that she overlooked a key detail. When

she retold the story, she included the key detail. She used appropriate vocabulary and showed enthusiasm when she was retelling. She required minimal prompting, and enjoyed her time in front of the class. This student is very shy, but broke out of his shell retelling the story. He hardly ever speaks up, but he was proud 9 5/5 that he knew the story. He used key details, vocabulary, and a big boy voice fluently. I was so proud of him. This student usually has a lack of focus, but on this lesson he really wanted to be in front of the class. He 10 5/5 required prompting, but elaborated greatly after the prompt was given. He used vocabulary and key details in the correct manner. This student forgot to list the title on her poster. She used the title numerous times when retelling. She had a difficult text, and identified key details 11 4/5 that I thought she would struggle with. The student wanted the class to enjoy hearing about her text. She did a fabulous job retelling. This student has little confidence in herself. She usually just copies what everyone else does to fit in. When she retold the story, the prompt relied solely on her. She did a great job retelling 12 5/5 when she was given a prompt. I was proud of her effort, and provided a great amount of praise to her throughout the lesson. She used vocabulary and key details when she retold the story. 13 5/5 This student was a great

leader in her group. She required minimal prompting. She used correct vocabulary, key details, and transitional words. She worked very hard, and her retelling was evident of that. This student required redirecting during the lesson. She had a difficult time working instead of playing. 14 4/5 She is shy, but did fine retelling with prompts. She used vocabulary correctly, and identified key details. This student is very intelligent. He worked very hard on his illustration, and forgot to list a key detail. He mentioned it when he retold his story. He 15 4/5 answered with complete sentences that were full of detail. He required minimal prompting, and utilized correct vocabulary. He did a fantastic job.

d. Use evidence found in the 3 student work samples and the whole class summary to analyze the patterns of learning for the whole class and differences for groups or individu al learners relative to The essential literacy strategy was retelling, and the students were able to retell stories by identifying key details. Identifying key details was the requisite skill. The students caught on very quickly, as a whole group. They struggled with certain terms, but with redirection they began to fluently use the academic language that was required throughout this learning segment. For example, some students confused the solution with setting. I provided questions that made the students use the word solution, had them spell solution and setting, and used real life problems as examples. As a whole, the class was able to successfully retell stories and identify key details. The focus students provide proof that even though the students were at different levels, they all successfully identified key details and retold stories correctly. The focus students utilized the academic language that was required in this learning segment fluently. The focus students are 1, 2, and 3 listed above in the table. Focus student 3 is a lower achieving student, which appears in the second clip of my learning segment. The students did so well, and after analyzing the work there is a greater need for challenge. I will apply retelling centers into our daily routines, and generate questions before, during, and after reading. The centers will be differentiated and will challenge the students by using thinking stems and anchor charts. On Fridays I will allow the students to dress up and retell their favorite story that they read throughout the week. I will promote higher order thinking skills, as well as incorporate retelling.

Consider what students understand and do well, and where they continue to struggle (e.g., common errors, confusions, need for greater challenge).

2. Feedback to Guide Further Learning Refer to specific evidence of submitted feedback to support your explanations. a. In what form did you submit your evidence of feedback for the 3 focus students? (Delete choices that do not apply.)  Written directly on work samples or in a separate document; There are anecdotal notes that provide examples of orally feedback that is submitted in the evidence folder. b. Explain how feedback provided to the 3 focus students addresses their individual strengt hs and needs relative to the standards/objectives measured. I believe that students learn to clarify or learn the meaning of new words through drawing and illustrating. Therefore I felt, in this learning segment, that it was very important to comment on their illustrations. Student 1- You found all of the key details! Not your best coloring, but I like how you made your illustrations look like what you saw in the text. It helps you to retell the story. Nice Teamwork!

This feedback revealed to the student that he was correctly identifying key details. By writing that the illustrations are a great visual representation of what appears in the text, the student knows that he did the right thing, and his illustration did help him when he was retelling. “Nice Teamwork!” gave the student some praise for the efforts he gave during the lesson. I don’t know of any student in my classroom that doesn’t enjoy praise.

Student 2- You found all key details! I love that you wrote complete sentences. You did a fabulous job retelling your story because you used all the important parts of the story. Please use other colors besides blue. The toycar was red in the story. Nice box!

This feedback revealed to the student that he was correctly identifying key details. I chose to praise him for writing complete sentences, because it was a great help to him when he retold the story in front of the class. We also are working on identifying key parts in a sentence. Therefore, that praise was necessary. By telling the student that his illustration was not the appropriate colors, he realized that his illustration was misleading to the class. By drawing a red car, as it appeared in the text, it would help his classmates realize the problem. The class would know that he wasn’t looking for any car, he was looking for his red car.

Student 3- You found all the key details! Out of all the groups you worked best together. You searched through the text and used every key detail when you retold your story. I love the enthusiasm you had! Your illustration does not represent your artistic ability, and there are no characters present.

This feedback revealed to the student that she was correctly identifying key details. I chose to praise her for her cooperation in her group because she sometimes struggles with being fair to others. This group also was my lower achieving students. I thought that

they might struggle, but to my surprise they did a fantastic job. This student utilized academic language very well, and this was evident in her retelling. I chose to comment on her illustration because she needs to know that it helps to retell a story when characters are in her illustration. I have seen better artwork than what she provided, and I expect great things from her. c. Describe how you will support students to apply the feedback to guide improvement, eith er within the learning segment or at a later time. Since students did so well I will teach the students to ask questions. Being able to identify information and key details is a prerequisite and will promote higher levels of comprehension such as inferring and drawing conclusions. The questions children ask deepen their thinking and help readers to distinguish between key details and irrelevant information. Retelling centers will be implemented into our daily routines. The children will be encouraged to share their wonderings.

Next Steps: Review: We will read a text that students are familiar with. This is the warm up and review time. Teach: We will read a new text together, talk about academic language, and generate questions. I will model and explicitly teach and give instruction for what is expected of the group in front of me. Engage: I will allow the students to practice the strategy of retelling, academic language, and question generating. I will provide appropriate feedback to each student. Practice Activity: I will allow the students to practice the skill on their own. I will allow them to work within their group. They will practice without even realizing it. They will complete thinking stems and anchor charts. Show You Know: I will monitor progress, and allow the students to have independent work time. This will be separate from their group. They will complete the work from the retelling center that they did not finish.

Transitional words were briefly discussed in this learning segment. I will move on to sequencing next. 3. Evidence of Language Understanding and Use

You may provide evidence of language use with your video clip(s) from Task 2 AND/OR through the student work samples analyzed in Task 3.

Refer to examples from the clip(s) (with time stamps) and/or student work samples as evidence.  Explain the extent to which your students were able to use language (selected function, vocabulary, and additional identified demands) to develop content understandings. 1st Lesson: The students were highly exposed to the academic language. The terms were listed on a glove, and the students had to identify when the key detail was revealed in the story by pointing to that word on the glove. I modeled a countless number of times during this lesson, and I used the language and identified key details. Then, the students were released for a quick review, which can be found in the first lesson plan. 2nd Lesson: There were numerous supports provided for the students. The students had to identify key details by using their glove, speak the language, and walk down the Retelling

Pathway during this lesson. The Retelling Pathway promoted transitional words that should be used when retelling. 3rd Lesson: The students created a poster to help them retell a story in front of the class. The poster contained academic language, and the students spoke the language with minimal prompting when they retold the story. Redirection: Students were confusing setting and solution. I had to stop the class and redirect. I had them identify a setting in a story, spell setting, and draw what they thought was the setting. I also did this with solution. The students knew the difference between setting and solution after the redirection.

*The second video clip, about 50 seconds long, is a group retelling the text they had read. In that video clip, the students use the academic language that we had learned about in this learning segment. Some students required prompting, while others used the language fluently. 4. Using Assessment to Inform Instruction a. Based on your analysis of student learning presented in prompts 1c–d, describe next ste ps for instruction  for the whole class  for the 3 focus students and other individuals/groups with specific needs

Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support (e.g., students with IEPs, English language learners, struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted students needing greater support or challenge). (Please refer to 2c at next steps) During our regular center time, the students will work on retelling, questioning, and using the language. They will partner read a story together, identify key details, generate questions, and retell a story. The students that are higher achieving will have a higher leveled text. As well as, the lower group will have a lower leveled text. They will complete thinking stems and anchor charts. On Fridays, the students will be allowed to make masks, props, and wear costumes to retell their favorite text that week. This will make retelling more exciting for the students. Student 1: This student needs to be pushed more. I will require that he reads higher leveled texts, completes an anchor chart using complete sentences, and generates questions, and shares his wonderings. Student 2: This student needs a gradual release. I will begin by prompting, but slowly pull away. I want the student to be successful and not dependent upon me for retelling. He will work with his group to complete thinking stems, generate questions, and share his wonderings. Student 3: This student loves the retelling glove, but she does not need to be dependent upon the glove. I will take away the glove for small portions, until she realizes that she doesn’t need the glove anymore. I also will work on a gradual release with prompting. The student will work with her group to complete thinking stems, generate questions, and share her wonderings. b. Explain how these next steps follow from your analysis of student learning. Support your explanation with principles from research and/or theory.

Brown, Collins, and Newman produced six teaching methods that enabled students’ cognitive and metacognitive strategies for managing, using, and discovering knowledge. The strategies are modeling, coaching, scaffolding, articulation, reflection, and exploration. Each strategy is included in my next steps. (Refer to 2c) Modeling: will occur in reading groups with the teacher. Scaffolding: will occur throughout the “Engage” portion. Coaching: will occur during the “Engage” portion when feedback is provided. Articulation: The students will develop this when they “Practice the Activity”. Reflection: This will also occur when the students “Practice the Activity” and share their wonderings. Exploration: This will occur during the “Practice the Activity” and “Show You Know” portion. The students will be given the opportunity to organize their thoughts in their brain, and create new files in their schemata.

*We also will use retelling with non-fiction texts. We will lead into it for science, social studies, and even math word problems.

Copyright © 2012 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. 8 of 8 | 8 pages maximum All rights reserved. V1_0113 The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.