Instruction Commentary Template



Instruction Commentary Directions: Respond to the prompts below (no more than 6 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. Which learning experience(s) are shown in the video clips? Identify the learning experience(s) by plan/day number.

[ Clip 1 shows the learning experience from day 1. This learning experience is matching a written number with a pictorial representation of the number. This clip shows one-to-one correspondence. Clip 2 show the learning experience from day 2. This learning experience is counting and understanding that the last number counted is the number of objects represented. ]

2. Promoting a Positive Learning Environment

a. In your response to the prompt, refer to scenes in the video clips where you provided a positive learning environment.

[ In both clips 1 and 2 evidence that I provide a positive learning environment is inferred from my students’ behavior. My students are responsive and obey the classroom rules because they are comfortable and acclimated to the environment. In both clips 1 and 2, I redirect the students to sit “criss-cross applesause with their bubbles” meaning sitting up straight with their legs crossed and no talking. Most of my students are able to successfully perform that task. However, some students are not fully capable yet of controlling their bodies. Therefore, for those students who struggle, sitting with their legs out or moving around is acceptable. This provides a learning environment where everyone has their best chance at learning and being accepted. Additionally, in both clips I have the students turn and talk. Their ability to talk with each other shows that this is a place where they can express themselves without fear of ridicule.

b. How did you demonstrate mutual respect for, rapport with, and responsiveness to children with varied needs and backgrounds, and challenge children to engage in learning?

[ In clip 2 I am partnered with one of my students. Our interaction of counting the marbles in the sock shows our mutual respect for one another. We both take turns and lets the other share their thoughts on what their prediction is for how many marbles are in the sock. Additionally, while in whole group instruction, the students and I showed mutual respect by listening to each other speak. Stopping what they are doing and listening to each other and myself shows mutual respect that we care about what the other has to say. We have a good rapport because we are both accepting that we have been partnered with each other. In the clip I have partnered students according to who can count and who cannot. I made sure that my struggling counters were with someone who could count, but would not overpower and count for them. In this clip, I engage students through verbal cues. Throughout the learning experience I have the students listen to me, discuss with a partner, then discuss with me. This format keeps students engaged and allows for cooperative learning. ]

3. Engaging Children in Learning

Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.

a. Explain how your instruction engaged children in

← language and literacy development

← the active, multimodal nature of young children’s learning

[ In both clips 1 and 2 language development is very prevalent. The student have multiple opportunities to talk with each other and discuss what their thoughts are on the particular topic. The students are practicing using full sentences in conversational English and Academic English. The students are learning new vocabulary such as how many, how much, count, predict, and match. Each time the children turn and talk, they are exposing themselves to new syntax and fluency that they have not heard before. A literacy skill developed in the video clips is the reading behavior of pointing to text or pictures. The students are pointing the each picture or marble and counting them one by one. This is a very foundation skill of reading. Pointing to each word is something that every beginning reader needs to master.

These learning experiences are very active and allows for many styles of learners to be successful. In video clip 1, the students are standing, finding their partner, and counting. This gives success to each type of learner. Audio, visual, and kinesthetic learners are showcased in each step. With young children lessons must be exciting, short, and packed with learning experiences. Each of the video clips shows this appropriately. Each clip shows the novel part of the lesson that ignites the excitement. The videos show the short length of the lessons as well as the repetition of information. ]

b. Describe how your instruction linked children’s development, prior learning, and personal, cultural, and community assets with new learning.

[ During this learning segment each lesson had each of these parts, specifically video clip 2. The lesson shown in clip 2 is developmentally appropriate. It involves hands on approach that is very important to young children’s learning. They are able to approach counting in a new way and they are using and exploring their senses while counting. This lesson also showcases developmental learning in the students’ ability to turn and discuss their findings with each other. This video also links in prior learning and knowledge because we are rote counting and predicting. The students should have been exposed to both of these skills and should be mostly proficient. The students are able to express themselves while working cooperatively and they can develop their personal knowledge through the communication with others. Culture is a big aspect of my school and school’s community because we are so diverse, however this video does not explicitly show the advancement of cultural standing. The video links our classes community within, because of their students’ ability to talk with each other and their comfort level expressing their thoughts. The instruction gives time for each student to learn at their own pace since we are working in pairs. ]

4. Deepening Children’s Learning during Instruction

Refer to examples from the video clips in your explanations.

a. Explain how you elicited and built on children’s responses to promote children’s language and literacy development and take into consideration the active and multimodal nature of young children’s learning.

[In both clips 1 and 2 language development is promoted. In these learning experiences the students have opportunities to talk with each other and expand their oral fluency skills. The students are practicing using full sentences in conversational English and Academic English. The students are learning new vocabulary such as how many, how much, count, predict, and match. The students are improving their literacy skills when they are pointing to each marble or each shape, or reading a number as these are all imperative foundation reading behaviors for early readers. Not shown in the video clips is the third day of the learning segment. This segment focuses more on the literacy skills of my students. The last learning experience is making a book. This lesson teaches the students one-to-one correspondence as well as teaches and/or reinforces good reading behaviors such as pointing to each number or word as it is read. Also, they are understanding that print carries meaning. During this lesson I model the correct reading behaviors. These include, pointing to each word, showing the students that the numbers are written as numerals, words, and pictures and that all forms can be read. ]

b. Explain how you made interdisciplinary connections through the learning experience(s) to promote children’s development of language and literacy.

[ In kindergarten each lesson is connected to a central theme. This learning segment took place during the five sense theme. This lesson is connected because we are using our senses to count the marbles. We are using our sense of touch to count the marbles the first time and we are using our sense of sight to count the marbles for the second time. This theme translates back to our literacy work where we are thinking and writing about how we use our senses. ]

5. Analyzing Teaching

Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.

a. What changes would you make to your instruction—for the whole class and/or for children who need greater support or challenge—to better support developmentally appropriate practices that promote language and literacy development and take into consideration the active and multimodal nature of young children’s learning (e.g., missed opportunities)?

Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/supports (such as children with IEPs, English language learners, children at different points in the developmental continuum, children who are underperforming or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted children).

[ There are some changes with these lessons that I would make that I think would enhance the outcomes of some of my students. In video clip 1 and learning experience day 1, I would have added to the lesson. As the students were finding their match to their numerals and pictures I would change them just sitting back down after their turn. I would change the lesson to have the children construct a number line with their papers. Having the students construct their own number line would have reinforced that as the numbers increase they increase by one. The numbers would have reinforced their rote counting and the pictures would reinforce the concept of one more each time you count. This change to the instruction would have been a good closure to the lesson.

In the video clip 2 and learning experience day 2 I would have made some additional changes. To add more literacy to the lesson, I would have the student write their predictions of what their count was for their sense of touch. They could have completed the sentence “I predict I have _______ marbles in my sock” number writing is the same process of letter writing and equally as important. This added step could have given my lesson a great interdisciplinary approach. Additionally, I would have set clear expectations for sharing the marbles with a partner. Most students were able to share appropriately or if they had an issue they resolved it quickly. However, if those instructions and expectations were given in the beginning of the lesson those problems would have decreased.

I the third learning experience, I would change the levels of support that was given. I would give less support to most students so I would be able to have a truer sample of their own work. With support from me, some student samples show a higher level of concept knowledge than they have because they received support throughout the lesson. I would have given directions and only intervened when I thought necessary so that I could have a clearer picture of who has the concept of one-to-one correspondence mastered and who needs more instruction and support. ]

b. Why do you think these changes would improve children’s learning? Support your explanation with evidence of children’s learning and principles from developmental theory and/or research.

[ I think these changes I mentioned above would improve my lesson because they would reinforce the central focus and give a more well-rounded lesson. In the learning experience and video clip 1 I would have had the student make a number line. This is another step of scaffolding the student’s knowledge. They need the visual reminders as they are counting. Lev Vygotsky’s research shows us that the child’s zone of proximal development (ZPD) is the area between what the student knows, does not know, and what he or she needs. I feel as if the number line at the end of the lesson would have brought the students further in their knowledge and closed the gap of the ZPD. With that scaffolding I know that my students would have achieved a higher knowledge of number sequence faster.

In in Clip 2 and learning experience 2 I would have added a larger literacy portion to the lesson. I would have had the student write out what their predictions would be and compare them to the actual number. Howard Gardner’s research and findings focused on different learning styles. Adding the written portion of the lesson would allow me to connect with more learning styles. Connecting with more learning styles in my lessons is always a goal. ]

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