Elementary Education: Literacy with

Mathematics Task 4
Task 2: Instruction Commentary

TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

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. Commentary pages exceeding the maximum will not be
scored. You may insert no more than 2 additional pages of supporting documentation at the end of this file. These pages
may include graphics, texts, or images that are not clearly visible in the video or a transcript for occasionally inaudible portions.
These pages do not count toward your page total.

Which lesson or lessons are shown in the video clips? Identify the lesson(s) by lesson plan number.
[The lesson shown in both video clips is lesson one. In the first video clip, I am leading the
guided reading center. In the second video clip, I am checking for understanding while the
students work in their literacy centers. ]
Promoting a Positive Learning Environment
Refer to scenes in the video clips where you provided a positive learning environment.

a. How did you demonstrate mutual respect for, rapport with, and responsiveness to students with
varied needs and backgrounds, and challenge students to engage in learning?
[ I work to create a positive learning environment for the students to confidently explore the
content in new ways by demonstrating respect, rapport, and responsiveness. I demonstrate
mutual respect for my students by listening to their responses and inquiries as evidenced in clip
two at 1:16. I demonstrate a rapport with my students by engaging them in an upbeat and
encouraging way as evidenced in clip one at 1:23 . I demonstrate responsiveness to students by
applying active listening skills as evidenced in clip one at 7:00 . ]
Engaging Students in Learning
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.

a. Explain how your instruction engaged students in developing an essential literacy strategy and
related skills.
[ Each center engaged the students’ in a different way to develop the essential literacy strategy
and related skills. In the guided reading center I asked questions that helped the students
develop the skills needed to identify the main idea of a non-fiction text.The guided reading
center had the students read a text and answer comprehension questions that helped to
develop their ability to provide key details about the main idea. In the task card center the
students worked on the skills needed to find the main idea by reading mini texts and writing the
main idea. In clip two at the start of the clip, I am prompting a student in the task card center to
think about her process in identifying the main idea. In the graphic organizer center the students
read the passage and completed a main idea web to help develop the essential literacy strategy.
In clip two at 3:30, I am prompting the students to summarize their task. The students are
constantly engaged in development of the essential literacy strategy. ]
b. Describe how your instruction linked students’ prior academic learning and personal, cultural, and
community assets with new learning.
[ In clip one at 6:18, I am discussing with the students what information from the text was
familiar to them and asking them if they learned anything new. This was done to facilitate the
students making connections between the skills being taught in the classroom and the
previously learned information from another class. This also integrated subjects to provide
meaningful connections between the content areas. This is how I linked prior academic learning

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with
Mathematics Task 4
Task 2: Instruction Commentary
to the students’ new learning in the guided reading center.]
Deepening Student Learning during Instruction

Refer to examples from the video clips in your explanations.

a. Explain how you elicited and built on student responses to promote thinking and apply the
essential literacy strategy using related skills to comprehend OR compose text.
[ In clip two at the beginning, I elicited the students response by prompting her to explain her
process and built upon it by asking deepening questions about her application of the essential
strategy. ]
b. Explain how you modeled the essential literacy strategy AND supported students as they
practiced or applied the strategy to comprehend OR compose text in a meaningful context.
[ In lesson one from Task 1b, I modeled the essential literacy strategy by completing a main idea
web with the students. I supported the students’ application of the standard through center work.
In clip two at 3:30, I am supporting the students’ learning with the graphic organizer. ]
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 students
who need greater support or challenge—to better support student learning of the central focus
(e.g., missed opportunities)?

Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support, such
as students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling readers,
underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted students.
[The changes that I would make to my instruction in this learning segment to help students who
need support and enrich students who need a challenge would be differentiating the content and
the tasks. The content differentiation would come from the implementing of leveled readers and
AR books. In clip two at 3:30 , I discuss what the students are doing in the graphic organizer
center. I would introduce leveled readers into the graphic organizer center to differentiate the
level of rigor the task requires to complete. I would add an AR station in which the students
would use their AR books to complete the tasks. The students would read the non-fiction AR
book, draw a picture of what the book is about, on three separate index cards the students
would write the main idea, key details, and summary of the story. This would be a scaffold task
because the AR books are based on the Lexile level of each individual student. The
differentiation of the tasks would come from the addition of enrichment and remediation tasks,
and the differentiation of methods of completing the task. I would enrich the higher leveled
students in the graphic organizer group by having the students use the main idea web to
complete a summary of the text read. In clip two at the beginning, I talk about the student’s
process of coming to her answer, which is a sentence stating the main idea. I would change the
task card center into an around the room scoot to differentiate for kinesthetic learners. I would
add a technology station to differentiate the content and allow for more interactive forms of
learning. In clip one, I am working with the students in the guided reading group the students
read the text, then we discuss the text. I would have had the guided reading center be a guided
reading of a text and had the students work with me to find key details and come up with the
main idea. In all these ways I would support my students as they learned to apply the essential
literacy strategy.]

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 Elementary Education: Literacy with
Mathematics Task 4
Task 2: Instruction Commentary

b. Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your explanation
with evidence of student learning AND principles from theory and/or research.
[ These changes would improve student learning because it would allow the students to work at
their own pace and challenge or support them in turn. The implementation of AR books and
Leveled Readers into the stations will differentiate the level of rigor and provide the students
with the opportunity to gain more experience with reading. According to Hobsbaum, et al (2012),
being able to look at the text as something to be appreciated, interrogated, explored and
disputed can start early, but it will develop as the reader brings more experience of reading and
of the world to each new text.

The addition of the technology and AR stations will allow for a variety of content to be explored
and analyzed using the essential literacy strategy. In both clips, the students are in stations
applying the essential literacy strategy. As Hobsbaum, et al (2012) suggest pupils practice and
apply strategies, knowledge and understanding in more independent contexts…

The manipulation of the guided reading and task card stations will make them more engaging
and meaningful to the students. As stated by Hobsbaum, et al (2012) guided reading should
involve teacher and a large group of children sitting together so they can all see the words and
the pictures clearly, sharing the reading, re-reading and discussion of texts. In the guided
reading station the meaning making will be facilitated by the teacher. In the task card station
meaning making will be facilitated by the mode of receiving the information. ]

Hobsbaum, A., Reedy, D., & Gamble, N. (2012). Guiding Reading : A Handbook for Teaching
Guided Reading at Key Stage 2 (Vol. 2nd ed). London: Institute of Education Press.

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