MUED 376: Choral Music, Materials & Techniques (M2 & T)

Developing Choral Excellence Through Teaching and Performance:

TASK ANALYSIS non musical

NAME__Ellen Atwood_____________

Write down the steps you took to teach your Martian to eat a bowl of
hot, steamy oatmeal!

Explain in detail why you took this path and what your thinking process
was in this activity.

1. Begin seated with the bowl of hot steamy oatmeal about three
inches in front of you on the table. DO NOT TOUCH (its hot and
steamy).
2. To the right of the bowl there is a spoon. It is silver, shiny, and has
one rounded end. Pick up the spoon by the long, handle side (not
the rounded side)
3. Hold the spoon by the handle with the rounded end of the spoon
concave (dip) side up. This will be used to scoop up the oatmeal.
4. Carefully dip your spoon into the oatmeal so that the concave side
scoops up a small portion of the oatmeal onto the spoon.
5. Hold your spoon with the oatmeal on it carefully and steadily in
front of your mouth.
6. Make an O shape with your mouth, inhale, and exhale cool air
onto the spoon of oatmeal in front of your mouth. This should
cool down your oatmeal enough to eat it comfortably.
7. Carefully bring the spoon of cooled oatmeal closer to your mouth
8. Open your mouth wide
9. Place the spoon of oatmeal inside your mouth while still holding
onto the handle
10. Close your mouth around the curved edge of the spoon and brush
the oatmeal inside your mouth by keeping your mouth closed as
your bring the spoon out of your mouth.
11. Chew your oatmeal by moving your lower jaw up and down around
the oatmeal
12. Swallow your oatmeal
13. Repeat steps 4-12 until the oatmeal is all gone.
I took these very detailed steps because when working with a student
(martian) who is completely new to a task, it is important to break down
the task by thoroughly explaining each step. This is important so that
you dont overwhelm the student or scare them away from the task. We
should never assume that a student knows something before youve
taught them. If I were to have simply said to the martian, pick up the
spoon and eat the oatmeal, the martian may have felt stupid or
overwhelmed because he may not have known which item the spoon was
or what it meant to eat something.

I began my step by step instructions with a warning to not touch the hot
bowl. Safety first! A martian may not have known that he could hurt
himself by touching something hot. I asked him to sit because its easier
and safer to eat while sitting. I then explained to the martian which item
the spoon was and asked him to pick it up, specifying which end to hold.
A martian may have picked up the spoon by the rounded end at first. I
then explained which side he should effectively scoop his oatmeal with. I
made sure he knew to bring it to his mouth and cool it off before eating
it. Then I explained how to transfer the oatmeal from the spoon to the
inside of his mouth. I asked him to chew and swallow in case he wasnt
sure.

This plan was thorough enough that the martian could safely eat his
oatmeal without too many questions or mistakes. With practice, this
martian will be a pro at eating oatmeal.