Information that may influence instruction english language essay

3. What is (are) the academic learning goal(s) for this unit of study? Students will classify and categorize objects in a story. Students will classify and categorize various objects throughout the classroom. Students will categorize a list of words. Students will respond correctly to factual questions. Students will listen attentively.

Class Information

Age range of students: 6-7 Number of male students: 19Total number of students: 28 Number of female students: 9B. Student CharacteristicsLinguistic Background1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? The students’ speech level will have the biggest impact on my instruction. This also ties in directly with their linguistic backgrounds. It will be important to know how many English Language Learners are in my classroom and what their language level is. This can best be obtained by reviewing the results of the California English Language Development Test (CELDT). It is also important that I know what the home language is as well are the parent’s primary language. This will guide me to better communication with both the parents and the students. This will also help me recognize some speech patterns the students may struggle with since the phonemes are not familiar to them. 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. Method: Linguistic background is best determined using the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) scores. Another good resource is the cumulative files from their prior years. The best way to obtain linguistic background would be to utilize a survey sent home at the start of the year. Throughout the year I will gain more knowledge about eh student and their parents with conferences. Rationale: The CELDT scores reflect reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities of the students. These scores will give me an overview of what level the child is at. This is will help me gear lessons to their needs and make sure I am able to accommodate lessons based on their skills. The child’s cumulative folder will contain information on their past school experiences but also their linguistic skills. The language survey that is sent home will guide me in the parent’s linguistic background. This will lead to better communication with them. Parent conference can give me a glimpse of the student’s home life and how I can better assist them. 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? This information can be used in planning academic instruction because it will guide me on what information I need to pre-teach. Pre-teaching information will give my English language Learners a more enriching experience and a deeper understanding of the material contained in the lesson. If a student does not understand the meaning of key vocabulary in the lesson they will struggle with the lesson as a whole. Pre-teaching material will benefit ELL students and the rest of the class will benefit from teaching in a different format. This is also good to review for some of them that may be struggling. When students are doing partner work I will make sure that the students are paired with a student at or slightly above their level. This allows the students to be able to ask questions to the each other that they may not be comfortable asking to other students or in front of other students. Academic Language Abilities, Content Knowledge, and Skills1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? Method: The most important information to obtain that will influence instruction is the students’ prior knowledge with regards to the subject matter. Rationale: It is important to make sure the students are being taught based on the state standards but background knowledge is going to be the biggest indicator on how to approach the subject matter. It is important as a teacher that I do not assume what students know and that each lesson is designed based on facts. I use CELDT scores (for ELL students) as well as CST students for all students. CST scores are one way to see what level students are on academically. This allows me incorporate standards what need to be retaught into my lesson planning. I can also use tools such as KWL charts to gauge what students know about a particular topic of subject matter. In addition to all of these tools I will need to rely upon my personal observations of what the students know and are capable of. These real-life examples are sometimes a more comprehensive view of a student’s knowledge than all of the scored tests. 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. Method: At the beginning of the school year my lesson planning will need to be based on test scores and cumulative files. These scores can contain some valuable information about the student’s comprehension but it should not be the only technique used to decide what a student knows. Throughout the year, I will be able use my observations and knowledge I am gaining from their student work to reframe my lessons. Rationale: Standardized type testing and the cumulative file will be all I have to refer to at the beginning of the year but many students do not test well and so they may not be the best gauge. They do provide some basic information that is useful. Asking the students to use KWL charts will allow me to get information from students in an informal manner that I can use to write the lesson. My ability to adapt lesson plans for the students will improve as the year progresses. The more time I take to learn about my students the better teacher I can become. 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? I will be able to use information for the standardized tests and from my observations to decide what my students know. This allows me to customize the lessons to ensure that the lessons meet their needs developmentally and academically. Testing scores and cumulative files can assist me in grouping students based on their abilities. I want to ensure I don’t group a beginning ELL student with the most advanced student in the class because for most group work this would not be a good fit. Physical, Social, and Emotional Development1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? Physical: Description: Some health issues and physical disabilities could influence their learning. Some examples of these are sensory disorders like hearing or visual impairments. Rationale: When a student has health concerns or physical disabilities I need to make sure I can take appropriate actions to meet their needs. These needs could include where they need to sit in classroom. Social: Description: Social development of the students can influence the instruction of the classroom. Alice Eagly’s Social Role Theory says: gender differences are a result of the roles of both men and women. Peers can also influence how instruction needs to be handled because all students need to work in groups together. It is important to know if each student has developed enough socially to interact with same-sex groups or in groups with the opposite sex. It will be important to help them to develop these skills if they don’t have them and I need to make sure this is incorporated into my lesson. Rationale: It is important to know about each student’s social needs so that I can make appropriate accommodations. I need to ensure that I don’t force social interactions too soon. I need to design my lessons so that every student can engage in the lesson while still building their social development. Emotional: Description: A student’s emotional development is going to accept the instruction in a classroom. It is important to know if what level of self-esteem each student has developed. It is also important to know what kind of home environment a child comes from. As a teacher this is not something I have control on but it may affect interactions that I have with the child. Rationale: The development of a child’s self-esteem is going to affect their performance. It is important that I base my interactions with each child on their individual needs. I can be a catalyst to build their self-esteem. If a child is dealing with stress at home, I can incorporate techniques to cope with stress in my lesson. According to Kohlburg’s Moral Development Theory, every person goes through different stages of moral development. It is important guide students through these stages and build their own personal morals. 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. Method: The beginning of the school year it will be difficult to obtain information about the student’s physical, social, and emotional development. I will look in their cumulative file to see if there are any indicators of their development. Another good source would be their previous teachers. Any students that have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) I will have access to information on the child’s physical, social, and emotional development. I can use this IEP as a guide for implementation of the child’s needs. For other students, I will need to use observations and anecdotal notes of each student’s development I observe through the year. Rationale: These tools are going to be the best gauge of development. I will have limited access to other information unless it comes directly from parents. Using all of this information I can adapt my lessons to meet the needs of each one of my students. 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? Description: Knowledge about social, physical and emotional development will assist me in classroom set-up. I can ensure that students are grouped according to their needs. I can ensure that students who work best individually are gradually incorporated into larger groups. I can also make sure that students that need more supervision for group work are placed in the room where they are most visible to me. Rationale: Prior knowledge regarding student interactions with others will inform me about if and how I should be grouping students. Reading comprehension requires that students interact and be able to discuss the story. Students can collaborate when they are striving to categorize or classify objects. If I am aware of a student’s struggle with their development I can be available to support them while they are doing their group work. I can also create lessons that ensure they are able to learn regardless of any struggles with social, physical, or emotional development. Cultural and Health Considerations1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? Description: A student’s cultural and health considerations can influence the instruction in my classroom. It is important that I learn about each child’s cultural background so that I can respect any holidays or customs in my classroom. It is also important to make sure that each child feels like a part of their culture is in the classroom. It would be beneficial to teach the students about difference in the cultures as well as similarities. Health issues must be addressed in a classroom. I need to be certain if students have vision or hearing problems I place them where they can see better or I make sure they can hear me where they are seated. Rationale: If I am aware of student’s cultural background I can incorporate some of their traditions into my teachings. By guiding student’s learns I can build acceptance for difference that have and encourage them to embrace their similarities. It is important that I make accommodations for any health considerations a child has. I don’t want their learning to be inadequate because I did not meet their needs. 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. Description: I will have limited access to information about a student’s cultural background. I can see if there is any information in their cumulative files. If not, it would be best to speak with the parents on back to school night or during conferences. In terms of health considerations, I can get records on vision and hearing screening. I can also look at the medical cards that each parent fills out and are filed in the office. Rationale: Discussing cultural considerations is a delicate issue. I feel that it is important to discuss this topic face-to-face with the parents. For the health considerations, parents are already completing this information when they enroll their students so I need to utilize that information and if I have any further questions I can address them with the parents. 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? Health considerations need to be considered when I arrange interactions in my lessons. I need to make sure that students that have vision or hearing impairments are still able to get the same learning as each other student. A child’s cultural background may affect their reading, writing, or communication abilities. I need to ensure that I structure lessons in a way that they can still learn the material regardless of their differences. This may me making sure they have reading material that applies to their culture. If I am aware of cultural celebrations I can help the child celebrate their cultural background within the classroom which can gibe them confidence and pride in their background. Interests and Aspirations1. What information that may influence instruction do you want to learn about your students? Description: It is important that I learn what my students like to do when they are not in school. I also need to know what goals they have set for themselves. If a student enjoys playing sports I can relate lesson material to sports reference. This may helps the student grasp the material better. It is also important to figure out how each student learns best. Some students are kinesthetic learners. Most classrooms teach to auditory and maybe visual learners. Rationale: Students are more engaged when lessons relate to things that they enjoy. This makes them want to learn the material presented to them. This also helps them relate the material to the real world. Piaget suggest that students learn best when they can explore and discover things for themselves. He feels that instead of always using workbooks students should use interests to structure and guide the course of learning. The Theory of Multiple Intelligences by Gardner says that students learn differently based on their cognitive abilities. There are eight different intelligences. I need to make sure that some aspect of each topic meets the needs of each type of learner. 2. How will you learn about your students? Describe the methods you will use and why you have chosen to use those particular methods. Description: The best way to learn about a student’s interest is to have them answer questions are the beginning of the year. If they are old enough to write the answers themselves they can write answers. If they are younger they can draw pictures or have their family members help them complete the questions. I can also have the students complete a theory of multiple intelligences test so that I will know their learning styles. Rationale: If I am aware of my classes interests I can make learning fun and exciting for them. I can establish an environment they want to participate in. By giving the students questions to answer they are able to show how they are individuals and not have any other classmates judge their answers. I will make sure the questions include topics like what they do after school, or something they want to try. If I asked the students they would not have as much time to put the thought into the answers. It is important to give them ample time to think about the answers. Students will engage better if the lessons being taught meet their needs. This is why it is important to gain factual information of their learning skills. 3. How will you use this information in planning academic instruction in your selected content area? I can gear lesson based on students interests so they will learn the material and have fun while doing that. If I can learn how each student learns based on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory, I can make sure lessons are structures to engage all students. This may mean I put actions to the stories (kinesthetic) or even go outside to read the material (naturalistic). It is important that I do not get stuck in the rut of teaching only to suditory and visual learners. Student 1: An English learnerGender: FemaleAge: 61. Why did you select this student? When I observed in a classroom, I saw this student attempting to participate in activities even though she was not very verbal. She was always engaged in the discussion between other students. When the teacher was speaking, she always listened attentively. She always nodded that she understood what was said. I noticed that as she worked she checked what her neighbor was doing to make sure she was on task. I think that regardless of her language barrier, she is an active learner and wants to participate in discussions and activities. 2. What did you learn about this student’s linguistic background? She is a first generation American and an English Language Learner. Both of her parents were born in Mexico. Her mother speaks Spanish only. Her father speaks both English and Spanish. The primary language in her home is Spanish. She speaks in Spanish to her parents but enjoys speaking in English to her older sister. She prefers to speak in English when she is at school or with her friends. She seems to understand English quite well. She does mix up her words when she tries to speak English. Her CELDT test rates her at the Early Intermediate level. Her score was 361 which is indicates she is level 3. She exhibits the characteristics of a level three learner. She can understand and speak in English on a conversationally level. She also understands parts of the lessons and can follow simple instructions. She is beginning to exhibits some characteristics of a level 4 students. She is developing her ability have conversations in English without difficulty though she is still struggling to use academic English. 3. What did you learn about this student’s academic language abilities in relation to this academic content area? I observed this student in a Language Arts lesson. She was actively listening the story being read. When the teacher began to discuss how to classify and categorize objects, she asked her neighbor what some objects were. Some objects she asked about were: rubber duckies, roses, hens, and rocking horses. When the teacher displayed pictures of these objects, she nodded her head as if she was indicating she was familiar with the object. Following the discussion about objects, the teacher had the students chose a partner and talk about what they learned from the story. This student as able to tell what the story was about. She seemed to understand the main ideas from the story, but she seemed hesitant to say them as if she was unsure about herself and her answers. She did make a few errors in her grammar however she was able to convey her points. The students had an activity where they had to place objects into the correct categories. This student struggled with distinguishing between actual animals and animals that were toys. I noticed she frequently looked at her neighbor’s paper to see if her work was correct. This student needs help improving her writing and speaking in order to be at the correct level for her grade and age. If I was planning lessons for a class including this student I would make sure she has guided assistance for her when she is learning unfamiliar vocabulary and assist her during writing activities. 4. What did you learn about this student’s content knowledge and skills in this subject matter? I learned that this student was able to comprehend the story the teacher read. She was able to understand and repeat the main ideas from the story and began to discuss the content of the story with a classmate. When she described the story she had minor difficulties when she discussed the objects mentioned throughout the story. She hesitated when she spoke because she was unsure of herself. She appears to have trouble distinguishing new vocabulary words where they have similar meanings to existing vocabulary. For instance, she did not understand the difference between a rocking horse and a horse. It was not until the teacher displayed the images that she seemed to understand. After she understood, she did accomplish the task of categorizing the objects on her worksheet, checking her work against her neighbors. Since she is at the Early Intermediate Level, it is important for her to develop her vocabulary and enhance her oral language skills. Based on these observations, I realize it is important for this student to have visuals when learning new vocabulary. I think that this student also needs some additional support in building her confidence. It seems as though she has the right answers but she hesitates because she does want to be wrong. Confidence is a significant part of a student’s education. It is important for students to feel successful. 5. What did you learn about this student’s physical, social and emotional development relevant to this academic content area? Physical: Description: I was able to see this child’s physical development through her use of her cerebral cortex. She displayed this when she used her thinking skills throughout the lesson. Rationale: The cerebral cortex is a critical part of thinking, perception, and language function. She displayed all of these skills throughout the lesson. When she restated the story she was using her thinking skills as well as her perception of what happened during the story. When she was learning new vocabulary she was using her language functions. Social: Description: There were a few points during the lesson that the student showed characteristics of her social development. She utilized her speech, social transmission and showed progress through the Zone of Proximal Development. She communicated with her peers. She did show signs of being hesitant but she still gave her answers. The teacher used pictures to scaffold for the new vocabulary and she showed signs of increasing her knowledge. Rationale: This child utilized her social transmissions to learn from her partner. Piaget believed that children learn based on what other people do. She tried to do her own work and most of her answers were correct but she always double checked herself using her neighbor’s paper. According to Vygotsky’s theory speech is dependent upon thinking, in addition to a child’s socioeconomic experiences. When children are having conversations they think about and apply information they have learned from past experiences. The Zone of Proximal Development is the stage of knowledge that a student has at any given time. A child can increase their knowledge level if a teacher uses scaffolding to teach them new skills. This child is at the Beginning Intermediate level is her English development. She is able to increase her ability through tools such as images. This is a scaffolding tool that is benefiting this child in the classroom. Emotional: Description: An important aspect of a child’s development is their emotional development. If a child feel uncomfortable or stressed in a classroom they will not be as open to learning. This child shows signs of low self-esteem. She seemed uncertain about everything she said and every answer she gave. Rationale: When this child spoke with her partner, the hesitation in her voice was apparent. She does not display confidence in her speaking ability. She seemed very held back partially because she was unsure about her answers but partially because she was unsure about her speaking ability. This is important to pay attention to because as a teacher I need to herlp build her confidence. First off each student needs to feel comfortable answering regardless of if their answer is right of not. 6. What did you learn about this student’s cultural background, including family and home relevant to this academic content area? I gained my information about this child’s cultural background through conversations with her teacher. Both of this child’s parents are from Mexico. Spanish is the primary language in her home. Her father speaks both English and Spanish. She has one older sister that she does speak English with. She enjoys reading at home. When she has questions about her homework she relies on her sister to help her. Her mother does not speak English so she is unable to help and her father is usually at work. It is important as a teacher that I realize this child does not have help from her parents on with her homework. Her older sister does help her however she will have her own homework to do. This may mean she is not always able to complete her homework. I would need to plan some extra time where the child can complete class work or some homework she was struggling with. 7. What did you learn about this student’s special considerations, including health issues relevant to this academic content area? This child does wear glasses to correct her near-sighted vision. She is seated in the front of the classroom so she can see more clearly and also can hear the teacher’s instructions. Being an English Language Learner she will have fewer distractions and hear the teacher better. The teacher is also close to monitor her progress and be more available if the student is struggling. It was also evident that the teacher made certain the child has visuals for new vocabulary. Even if the child did not know the word, she was able to see an image of it and relate it to her knowledge. This is a common aid for English Language Learners. Images do not have a language tied to them. This puts the student on an even level with first language students. This can be especially helpful if the teacher can provide images and words in English and their primary language prior to the lesson. 8. What did you learn about this student’s interests and aspirations relevant to this academic content area? This student loves to be outside and active. One of her favorite activities is jumping rope. She likes to begin jumping when the rope is already turning. When she jumps by herself she can jump on one leg. She is very proud of being able to do this. This is a place where she exudes confidence. This child loves reading the Junie B. Jones books. This child seems as though she would benefit from kinesthetic learning. This is based on her activity level but I think movement may also help her remember new information and help her bridge her English and Spanish. When I create lessons I will incorporate body movements to tie in the the story or information we are learning. 9. Describe other information relevant to this academic content area that you learned about the student (e. g., attendance, extracurricular activities). This child has perfect attendance. She arrives to class on time and ready to learn. Her parents do take an active role in her learning. They attend parent conferences and all open houses. Her mother is not able to help with homework because of the language barrier. Her father is usually at work so he is not available to help. If her older sister cannot help her the parents find other people to help her. They make certain her work is complete on time. They make sure their language barrier does not affect the education of this child. She also participates in a an afterschool program and is a cheerleader for that program. Student 2: A Student Who Presents a Different Instructional ChallengeGender: MaleAge: 61. Why did you select this student? I chose this student because he seems distracted during class time. He does not seem focused on what is going on in the classroom. He is a Gifted and Talented (GATE) student. He is very intelligent and struggles to pay attention in class. He gets very easily distracted and often turns in incomplete work. Even though he seems to be grasping material if he is not completing is assignments he can potentially fall behind. It seems as though he is bored with the curriculum and that has made him unmotivated. This is a common occurrence in classroom. Students are on all different levels and it is important that lessons are structured in a way that all students will benefit. It is important to adapt lesson for the advanced students as well. This is more than just doing the next grade levels work. It is also important that they do not just get to do activities that are fun related to the task. All students need to do the fun activities. 2. How is the instructional challenge that he or she presents different from that of the other student? The first student is struggling with language barriers. She also has to work harder to keep up with the lessons. The second student does not have any language barriers that affect his learning. He is fluent in English. He also is not struggling with the subject matter. In fact her seems to be performing above grade level. My first focus student is always focused in class and eager to hear what the teacher is learning and focuses when working in groups. The second student disengages from the lessons. He is more focused on doing other things at his desk instead of what the teacher asks him to do. 3. What did you learn about this student’s linguistic background? This student’s primary language is English. He reads, writes, and speaks in English without hesitation. He shows prosody when he reads in English. He seems to communicate and comprehend effectively but struggles to stay focused during classroom activities. Both of his parents were born in the United States. English is the primary language spoken in his home. He is fluent in English but he seems to struggling when new vocabulary in introduced. He will spend a lot of time thinking about what a word means until he understands it. 4. What did you learn about this student’s academic language abilities in relation to this academic content area? He is a Gate student in a first grade GATE classroom. He scores high on all of his assessments and is very bright. At the beginning of the school, year he scored perfect on his Language Arts benchmark administered by the district. His listening, writing, and speaking skills were scored at a 4. This says his proficiency level is advanced. Even though his assessment scores show is advanced he does not stay focused while doing class work. He is displaying signs of boredom and is unmotivated when work is assigned. It seems as though the curriculum is too easy for him. This may be a contributing factor to his unwillingness to participate in activities. If this student is not challenged he will suffer. 5. What did you learn about this student’s content knowledge and skills in this subject matter? It seemed as though this student struggled to understand this story. This can be attributed to him not paying attention while the story was being read. While the teacher was reading, he seemed to be daydreaming and looking all over the room. During pair/share the student did not speak at all. He listened to his partner retell the story. When it was time to complete the classification worksheet the student hesitated. His facial expression seems to say he was annoyed and did not want to complete his work. After about a minute or two, he begins to do the task. He did not have any difficulty completing the worksheet. This task did not require that the student understand the story and so he did not have any trouble. When he finished the worksheet, he started to wander around the classroom and talk to other students. The remainder of the class was still working on the worksheet and he was distracting them. The teacher should have been prepared with another task for this student to do. Students need to stay engaged the entire class time. If a child is showing lack of motivation, it is my job as a teacher to adapt my lesson so that every student is challenged and motivated to learn. 6. What did you learn about this student’s physical, social and emotional development relevant to this academic content area? Physical: Description: This child has vision impairment. He does wear corrective lenses. The teacher has him seated in the front of the class to make it easier for him to see. He also struggles with sitting still. He is constantly moving his feet and legs most likely this is a result of his lack of motivation. Rationale: This child is near-sighted. He will be able to see objects and letters more clearly if he is closer to them. He is placed in the front of the room to meet those needs. The placement in the front of the classroom also places him closer to the teacher so she can try to keep him on task. Do to his lack of interest and his struggles with paying attention, this student may benefit from more kinesthetic learning. If the teacher can get him actively engaged he may participate more in the lesson. Social: Description: This student seemed to lean toward social interactions. He wanted to have conversations and interact with his classmates however he did not want to talk about the assigned work. This was most evident after he completed his worksheet. He also showed his social development with his ability to properly group the items into categories. Rationale: This student showed social development during the lesson. He analyzed the story simply with the summary his partner gave him. This showed him utilizing Vygotsky’s co-constructed process. This process is where two people interact together to create an understanding and solve a problem. This student knew that he could not listen to the story and just rely on another student to feed him a summary. He had learned to adapt his learning. The Theory of Cognitive Development by Piaget supports utilizing classification. This student displayed his ability to classify objects into categories through the worksheet. Emotional: Description: The emotional development this student showed during this lesson was lack of motivation and boredom. He seemed very carefree and not stressed at all about the goings on in the classRationale: Most of the emotions exhibited by this student are due to him not feeling challenged. It seems as though the curriculum being taught is too simple for him. This teacher needs to elevate the lessons to meet his needs. It is very common for students in a class to be at different stages of learning. He needs to be challenged and want to learn. The best way to encourage motivation is to challenge him and make sure the lessons are related to his interests. 7. What did you learn about this student’s cultural background, including family and home relevant to this academic content area? This student was born in California. He is Caucasian and African American. His is an only child. Both of his parents were born and raised in California. His parents are very involved in his education. They want to support him and ensure that his is working as hard as he can. His parents read with him every night in addition to making sure he completes his homework. The fact they spend so much time reading may be a reason why his comprehension skills are so advanced. His parents have expressed concern to the teacher that he does not seem motivated. They are concerned that if he is not completing his work he will fall behind. It is important to recognize that his parents are seeing a change in their child. This means as a teacher I need to work extra hard to engage them. I want the teacher to feel that I am the best teacher for their child. I need to work with him and them to keep him interested in learning. 8. What did you learn about this student’s special considerations, including health issues relevant to this academic content area? This child has been seated in the front of the classroom to aid with his visual impairments that require him to wear glasses. If a student has trouble seeing and does not express it their reading skills can decline. Since this child has been exposed to reading since he as a baby he is quite advanced. He is listening and comprehending above his grade level. Lately he has seemed more distracted during class. This can most likely be attributed to his boredom because the lessons are too simple for him. 9. What did you learn about this student’s interest and aspirations relevant to this academic content area? I learned that this student loves reading. Now that he is older he is reading to his parents each night prior to going to bed. His loves to read books about cars and Sponge Bob Square Pants. He also loves playing soccer. He shows regular movement in his legs. It could be that he has learned to get his energy out in classroom the same way he gets energy out when he plays soccer. He has a goal to be a doctor when he grows up. This is his choice because he likes to help others. This seems to coincide with his display of social skills. 10. Describe other information, relevant to this academic content area that you learned about the student (e. g., attendance, extracurricular activities). This child has no issues with attendance. He is never tardy for class and does not seem to have excessive absences. He attends the afterschool program at his school. This gives him a chance to do his homework. He enjoys the free time playing outside and loves doing the arts and crafts. He has asked his mother to enroll him in soccer. 3. What is (are) your academic learning goal(s)? What specifically do you expect students to know or be able to do as a result of the lesson? Students will make predictions based on story details and personal knowledge. Students will make predictions and confirm them. Students will relate the lesson to their prior knowledge. Students will write and speak about books. Students will listen attentivelyI expect the students in this class to be able to listen to stories. After this lesson, I expect them to be able to make their own predictions about a story based on their prior knowledge. I also would like the students to discuss and write about predictions. 4. How is (are) your academic learning goal(s) related to the state-adopted academic content standards or state-adopted framework? The goals align directly with the California State Standards. The standards I chose have the students: listen attentively, make and confirm predictions, relate prior knowledge, and speak and write about books. The learning goals for this lesson have the students doing all of those things. Students will listen while a story is read to them. They will predict what will happen throughout the story based on what their personal experiences. 5. How will the content of the lesson build on what the students already know and are able to do? Students will already know how to make predictions. This is something they have had a lot of practice with. They are aware that in order to make a prediction they must use information they know based on their life and what they know from the story. 6. How will the content of the lesson connect to the content of preceding and subsequent lessons? Prior lessons have had the students listen to stories and practice their reading comprehension. They have been predicting what a story is about. In this lesson, students will expand on this skill and listen to the story and then predict the ending of the story. Students will also practice their skills of listen attentively and comprehend main ideas of the story. 7. What difficulties do you anticipate students could have with the lesson content and why do you think these difficulties might arise? Description: Students may have difficulty in comprehending the story. They may also struggle with knowing what could actually occur in real life. The wide array skill level is going to put their prior knowledge at all different levels. Rationale: Some students will struggle because of limited background knowledge. Some students may predict things could happen in real life when they really could not. This story is also slightly more complex. It is possible that the students may have trouble understanding some of the situations in the story. This may cause them to make incorrect predictions about the ending. I did choose this story though so that students can see that predictions do not need to be correct. 8. What evidence will you collect during the lesson or at the end of the lesson that will show the extent to which the students have learned what you intended? Description: Students will be doing pair/share during the lesson to discuss predictions. I will be able to walk around and take anecdotal notes. The students will also be recording their predictions on chart paper. Students will be completing a worksheet using pictures from the story. They will cut out the pictures and glue them in order of the story. Finally, the students will be able to select another book and make predictions about what the story will be about. Rationale: The students are going to pair/share with their partners. This allows them to share ideas about their predictions. They can help each decide what situations can actually happen in life. Once the students have discussed some predictions, I will call on the students using popsicle sticks, and record the prediction on chart paper. This will give the students a visual aid. According to Allan Paivio, information is stored in a person’s memory through either visual or verbal images. By writing their answers down on chart paper, the students can refer to the visuals. This will help them commit the information to memory. The worksheet adds images to the assignment which will benefit visual learners. The students will have additional practice when they make a prediction about another book. Students need repetition when they are learning a new skill. This lesson provides lots of repetition and we will work with this skill more in future lessons. 9. Think about how you will sequence your instruction of the academic content to be covered in this lesson. Describe your plan for instruction in the order in which it will be implemented. Address each of the following prompts and provide a rationale for each of your decisions: Communicating the academic learning goal(s) to the students

Instruction Plan

Rationale

At the beginning of the lesson, I will review what we have learned about predictions in prior lessons. I will remind them what information we use to make a prediction. They can use the title of the story or the illustration on the cover of the book. I will ask them what some predictions that had the first time they hear a story. I will use the book, Twister on Tuesday by Mary Pope Osbourne and I will ask questions like:” Based on the title, what do you think the story is about?”” How do you think the boy and girl on the cover now each other?”” What is in the background of the cover?” Then, I will remind the class that our predictions are constantly changing as we learn new information. This is especially true when a story has a surprise ending. As I read the story, if the students have a new prediction I will have them raise their had so they can share it. Review is very important with all children. Students need to refresh their memory of what we have learned in previous days. This reminds students of the strategies I have already taught them. Repetition is important for students to remember information. I am reminding of the tools they have like the tile and the illustration on the cover. Teaching children that they can revise their predictions opens them up to change. When it come to predictions and many things in life, change is constantly occurring. As they know more information they are able to make more accurate predictions. Students are able to share information from their personal experiences their adjusting predictions. This also allows me as the teacher to see if the students are understanding the concept or not. Instructional strategies

Instruction Plan

Rationale

To start the lesson I will remind students the best way to make a prediction is to think about what they already know. I will record the predictions that my students made on chart paper so they will have a visual to refer to. To encourage listening I will tell the students they need to listen to the story to see if their predictions were correct. I will read the story, Twister on Tuesday by Mary Pope Osbourne. While I read the story, the class will listen and to discover if their predictions are correct. Once I finish reading the book, I will ask the class about their predictions, such as: What did you predict the twister was? Once you saw how scared Jack and Annie were did you change your prediction? Did you predict that the twister would take them to the past? After discussing these questions, I will transition the students to their activity. I will have one person from each group answer a question about the story. After they answer the question they will be allowed to return to their table with their group. Reminding students to reference their previous knowledge will help focus them when they make predictions. It also makes them feel like they have skills to make predictions. Allan Paivio taught that providing information in written form provides a visual for students that will help them record the information in their memory. While I am reading, the students are listening and paying attention. This is achieving the Language arts Standard Listening and Speaking 1. 1 Listen attentively. During this time they also confirm their predictions with is California Reading standard 2. 5. This method of transistioning allows me to see if the students comprehended the story or not. It also ensures that the students are dismissed in an orderly fashion. Student activities

Instruction Plan

Rationale

Now that students have reviewed making predictions, practiced this skill and read the book, Twister on Tuesday by Mary Pope Osbourne, the students can start their activity for reading comprehension. Students are in groups of four. At each table there are four different worksheets so that each student is not doing the same task. Each student will have scissors and a glue stick. The students will cut out the pictures from the worksheet. They will then place them in order based on the sequence and glue them in the empty squares. Once students finish cutting a gluing their pictures, they will be able to color the pictures. After the students have completed their worksheet they will choose a book from the display at the front of the classroom. Students will predict what the story is about based on the title and the illustration on the cover. The students will write their prediction about their book and draw an illustration to match it. Once the class is finished, the students will return to the carpet. I will have some students share predictions about their book. By providing different worksheets the students will have the chance to collaborate with each other and still complete their own work. The worksheet is an opportunity for students to show their reading comprehension skills. In order to complete this task. they have to understand what happened in the story and the order that it happened in. The cutting and coloring provide an opportunity for the students to work on their motor skills. Students will apply their prediction skills when they make predictions about a new book. Allowing the students to illustrate their prediction allows the students to express their creativity. They are also practicing their writing skills when they write their prediction. The children can work on their social development when they share their predictions with the rest of the class. Student grouping

Instruction Plan

Rationale

Initially, I have the students in a carpet area to review how to make predictions. During this time I also read, Twister on Tuesday by Mary Pope Osbourne. The students will remain in the carpet area when we list predictions on the chart paper. Students we arranged on the carpet at the beginning of the year. During the activity the students are in groups of four. All of the desk will be prepared with the materials they need. The lesson will finish back on the carpet. During this time, students can share predictions they made on their selected books. Seating students in a group allows them to listen more actively. This also allows students to not be stuck at a desk all day. This environment allows for collaboration. Groups of four allow students to interact with peers but not be overwhelmed with such a large group. Each student will do individual work but they can assist each other. Since all of the materials are at the desks students will not be distracted looking for what they need. Bringing the students back to the carpet reopens collaboration and focus of the class. The students can feel the support of their peers. Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the room

Instruction Plan

Rationale

Twister on Tuesday by Mary Pope OsbourneChart paperMarkersWorksheetsScissorsGlue SticksPaperPencilsCrayonsGrade level booksParent helper or Instructional Aide (to be available during activity). This story is the focus of the lesson. It enhances the students’ reading comprehension and gives them a tool to practice making predictions. Utilizing chart paper and markers gives the students a visual of what a prediction looks like. The worksheets, scissors, glue and crayons are all used to complete the hands-on activity. The paper and pencils are used when the students write a prediction on an addition book. The grade level books are in the front of the classroom so the students can do independent practice using an additional story. A parent helper or instructional aide can assist if students are struggling cutting or gluing or if they have any questions about the task. Progress monitoring of student learning

Instruction Plan

Rationale

I will use a variety of methods for progress monitoring during this lesson. The first chance for monitoring is when the students are making predictions verbally. I will be able to review each student’s worksheets to make sure they put the pictures in the correct order. I will also be able to look at they prediction from the additional book to see if they made a viable prediction. Finally during carpet time where the students share Their prediction, I will be able to assess them. Observation is one of the best ways I can tell what the students grasp. I will be able to walk around and look while the students are doing their worksheets. In addition to the various anecdotal notes I will be taking throughout the lesson I will have written work to review. I will be able to use the worksheet to see if students have mastered the comprehension of this story. I will also be able to read the student’s predictions and see if they have mastered this skill. 10. Given the difficulties you anticipate students could have with the content, what additional steps would you take to foster access and comprehension for all students? My first priority as a teacher that each student is able to understand the material I am teaching them. I realize that students are at different levels and this will reflect in their ability to comprehend the material. Review is going to be very important to make sure students remember what is required to make a prediction. I also need to make sure when I incorporate new material that I provide visuals and use a lot of repetition. I can also design the lesson around the student’s interests. I can make sure that the books available for students to select have options tied to their interests. I also need to do a lot of checking for comprehension as I teach. I need to be able to adapt and slow down the lesson if necessary. When I wrap up the lesson I need to make sure that I connect what we learned that day to prior knowledge. I will also want to connect this material later in the year. 11. How would you share the results of student academic learning with students and families? I will have some each student’s class work go home each week for the parents to see. I will also make sure I have some work remain in the classroom to be on display. I am going to make sure that the students make all of their work need and something they are proud of. Each student will have journals in each subject that they can flip through and see their progress throughout the entire year. These journals will be laminated and given to the parents at the end of the year. Student 1: An English Learner1. Academic learning goal(s) or your expectations of what the student should know or be able to do as a result of this lessonDescription: This student should comprehend the story read during the lesson. She will be able to correcting sequence images on her worksheet. I will make sure she has an opportunity to make a prediction for the main book. At this point I can discuss this prediction and guide her if she is struggling with being able to do this. This student will write a prediction on her additional book and be able to illustrate it. She may need assistance writing the prediction and the aid or I will be available to help her. Rationale: This child placed Early Intermediate level on her CELDT test. She can speak and understand English. She will understand some pieces of the lesson. She will also be able to follow simple instructions. She will not struggle with listening attentively. She understands enough English that she should follow the story. She will be able to do the worksheet. The worksheet is visual and this student does well with visual guides. She will also have the support of her group if she is struggling. She will have the opportunity to discuss with her group and check her work with them. I will make sure that I have visuals for vocabulary. I will make sure these images are where this student can see them in the room. I will not be making huge adaptations for this student because I feel she is being taught in the least restrictive environment. I feel she has the skills to do this lesson with very few adaptations. 2. Evidence of student learning you will collect during the lesson and/or at the end of the lessonDescription: I will be collecting evidence of learning throughout the lesson. During whole group instruction I will make sure she understands the concept. I am going to have her make a prediction for the story. The worksheet will be evidence that she comprehended the story. She will also be writing a prediction and illustrating it from a new story. I will make sure that she has some help writing out the prediction. I want her to at least write a few words of her prediction. The illustration will be the biggest guide of her progress though. Her drawing is not be affected by her struggles with English. Rationale: I am going to focus on allowing this student to give answers verbally or through drawing. This allows her to show she grasps the concepts with her needing to write as much. She can orally describe what a prediction is. The worksheet is physical evidence understanding. This worksheet is good for her because it is all visual there are no words she needs to read or write. She will still have to show she understood the story that was read to her. The student will also be selecting a book to make prediction on. I will make sure that I have some books that are very visual and have simple titles. Since this student needs to use the title and the cover illustration to make a prediction, I will provide titles with words she is familiar with. I will also make sure I am available to talk this process out with her to make sure she understands it. 3. Communicating the academic learning goal(s) and/or expectations to the studentDescription: The biggest concern for communicating goals to this student is vocabulary. I need to make sure she has visuals of the vocabulary. Throughout the year I will have her use index cards to make a personal dictionary. On the front of the index card will be the word and a picture. The back will have a written definition. This is a way for her to build her vocabulary and she has a tool to refer back to. I always tell the students what their goal is with each lesson and have them repeat it. If I see she does not understand the goal I can have some students put it in their own words or have them tell it to a partner. If I see that the student is struggling to complete her work I may reduce the written work she has to complete. She will need to complete all of the tasks orally though. Rationale: Front loading vocabulary will help the student better understand when I am using the terminology. This will help the student understand what she is supposed to be doing. If she is certain what is expected of her I hope she will show more confidence in her work. She has been second-guessing herself and I need to give her opportunities to feel confident. I will make sure there is also an example of the worksheet and the written prediction for the student to look at. This student likes to double check to make sure she is doing it correctly. I would rather her look at my example than at another student’s work. I want to have the opportunity to reduce the student’s work load but she still have to show she can do the work. The best way to accomplish this is allow the student to verbally display her skills. I do not want her work to look rushed. I would rather than all written work she does be of good quality even if she does a little less writing. 4. Instructional strategiesDescription: The instructional strategies that I will use to assist this student is front-loading vocabulary and showing visual examples. She needs to know key words and what they mean. If possible, I will also give her an image of the vocabulary word. The examples of work will really benefit this student. This student is always concerned that she is doing the task correctly. Rationale: When this student is able to learn the vocabulary words and their definitions prior to them being used, she will understand them in context. She will feel more confident during the lesson. This may encourage her to participate more in the group discussions. The examples of completed work are a great guide for any student. This student in particular always likes to check everything does. She strives for perfection. If I can give her an example to reference she can have confidence in her work and at the same time have a reference to check against. I will have the ability to reduce the written workload for this student as I feel is necessary. I would like her to complete all tasks but I will pay attention to how she is progressing compared to the rest of the class. It is important that she learn the curriculum. I will be willing to adapt to her showing what she learned verbally instead of in writing. There will be other opportunities for this student to practice her writing skills. 5. Student activitiesDescription: This student will be an active participant during the group work. We will review how to make a prediction. When I call on students to make predictions I will make sure she gives a prediction. I will also make sure that with each prediction I discuss why they are good predictions which is a guide for her to understand why. This student will still need to cut and glue the pictures on her worksheet and she will be expected to color them. She will still need to write out a prediction based on her book and illustrate her prediction. She will listen while her classmates share their predictions. I will encourage her to share her prediction. I will make sure prior to that carpet time I have discussed her prediction with her so she can be confident that it is correct. Rationale: I want to make sure that this student is listening and participating during the review and reading of the story. She needs to feel a part of classroom activities. I will make sure she has a chance to speak. I want her to complete the worksheet because I do not feel the language barrier should affect her ability to complete the worksheet. When she selects her book to make a prediction, if she is struggling I will assist her. I will also make sure I have a selection of books that includes vocabulary she is familiar with. If she is running out of time to write her prediction I will allow her to give me her prediction orally. I want to discuss her prediction with her so she will confident enough to share her prediction with the class. I she seems uncertain I will not push her to share but I am hoping that my review with her ahead of time will give her the confidence. 6. Student groupingDescription: The beginning and the end of the class will take place with the whole class on the carpet. During the student’s independent practice students are placed in groups of four. One student in her group will also be bilingual. This student will be more advanced than the focus student. This student will help her feel comfortable if she has questions. She feels she can relate to them and is more likely to collaborate with them. Rationale: I feel that the students need this carpet large group time to focus and listen. As students get older they may not have as many opportunities for small group work. She will benefit from practicing speaking with her classmates and participating. During the small group work, I will purposely group her will a student fluent in English and Spanish. This student will be a toll for my focus child. She has someone she is comfortable with. I also want her working with English only students so she can step out of her comfort zone a little. The end of the lesson brings the class back together and allows them to reconnect with each other. They can also connect their learning. 7. Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the roomDescription: This student will use the same materials as the remainder of the class. Twister on Tuesday by Mary Pope OsbourneChart paperMarkersWorksheetsScissorsGlue sticksPaperPencilsCrayonsGrade level booksParent helper or Instruction Aide (to be available during activity). Rationale: This student does not need any special materials for these tasks. She does not have any trouble using the pencils or crayons that the rest of the class is using. There is not reason this student needs to feel singled out by having different materials. 8. Progress monitoring of student learningDescription: I need to monitor this student’s learning just as much as any other student. I will monitor her learning through listening to her verbal responses. I will make sure she can answer some questions about the story so that I know she did comprehend it. I will also ask her to contribute a prediction during carpet time. This gives me a chance to give her feedback. I can make sure she placed all of her pictures in the correct place on her worksheet. I will also be able to review her prediction on the new book. Rationale: I will use the output adaption strategy and have this student provide verbal answers. I do not want her to have to only write her answers. If she can respond in a different manner she can still show what she has learned. She is still building her writing skills and there are many other lessons that will focus on those skills. This lesson does not focus on writing skills. Her worksheet will show me if she comprehending the story that was read to her. She is given an opportunity to make a prediction on a new book. This is the best time for me to see is she has grasped this concept. If I see that she is struggling on any of these skills I can come back and review them with her or provide other assistance. 9. Sharing results of the student learning with the student and/or the familyDescription: This family is very involved in the student’s learning. It is important that her family be able to see her progress. Just like the remainder of my students she will have some assignments to take home each week. This student will also be building subject matter journals that will be laminated at the end of the year. These journals show a progression of skills from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. I will also have work displayed throughout the classroom. Rationale: This student will have the same amount of work to share with her family. Her parents stress the important of her learning and I want them to be proud of her work. The student’s can also take pride in their journal work and the work displayed throughout the classroom. Student 2: A Student Who Presents a Different Instructional Challenge1. Academic learning goal(s) or your expectations of what the student should know or be able to do as a result of this lessonDescription: This student should be able to understand the story read during the lesson. He should complete the worksheet assigned to the classroom that focuses on predictions and story sequence. He will have to write and illustrate a prediction on a new book. I will have the student research predictions and how they can benefit students in their assignments. This will give the student a more advanced task to work on. He can use the internet to research this information. He will be expected to participate fully in group conversations and listen attentively. Rationale: This student still needs to complete the tasks that each other student does. I am giving him an internet research task. I hope that by him research how this task will help him in the future will encourage him to see the importance of the lessons in the classroom. If this student can see how he can benefit from the lessons perhaps he will be more motivated to learn. I hope that knowing about this task will help him stay focused to finish the other tasks so he can move to something more interesting. 2. Evidence of student learning you will collect during the lesson and/or at the end of the lessonDescription: This student will need to participate in the group discussions that take place at the carpet. I will make sure that I direct a question or two at him to make sure that he is paying attention. I will also be collecting the worksheet and written prediction from this student. Since the student is doing some addition research I will be able to collect what he found in his research. Rationale: I will use the student’s verbal answers to make sure he understands the material and is on task. At the beginning of the small group work, I will discuss with the student the additional task I have for him. This task will be dependent on the student completing the assignments given to the whole class. This extended assignment will bridge his knowledge to real life. If he has found good information I can have him share that information with the rest of the class. This could help the class understand the importance of the tasks I assign as well. 3. Communicating the academic learning goal(s) and/or expectations to the studentDescription: This student will get the same instructions at the beginning of class. When the class is working in small groups I will pull him aside and let him know if he completes all of the tasks assigned I will have him research how predictions can be used later in his education. I will have him write 10 ways he can use predictions. Rationale: I need to insure that his is instruction does not disrupt the rest of the class. I want to be able to challenge him with a task and I feel this research will do this. If I find this type of project helps him stay more focused in class I will expand upon it in future lessons. This is the first time I have tried this method so I need to make sure that it is successful motivation for him. I do not just want to give the student more of the same work so I need to find a way for him to apply his skills to other tasks. Hopefully this will prevent the student from wandering in the classroom and distracting other students.