Dixie State University- Department of Education

Teacher Work Sample (TWS) Handbook

Elementary and Secondary- Fall 2014
Teacher Candidate _Jennifer Redfearn_Eportfolio Website redfearnportfolio.weebly.com
Directions:
Identify the contextual factors of students in the class you will be teaching your TWS unit. Use
this template to fill in the contextual factors before you begin designing the TWS.
Note: Due to privacy issues, change students names to numbers before you turn in the final
TWS. Identify diverse students by writing the category listed below next to their number. For
example, Student 3- Ability.

All TWS work should be in an electronic format saved to a CD/ USB port and
submitted to the Education Department. TWS components need to also be put into
the DESERT eportfolio.

Standard I: Classroom Contextual Factors (DM1)- Narrative-suggested length (2 pagestyped-double-space).

You will need to use differentiation (modification/adaptations) in your lesson plans, instructional
strategies, and assessments that are based on student contextual factors. To help you determine
what types of accommodations are needed, identify the information below.
1. Demographics: Identify the gender, ethnicity, language proficiency, exceptionalities, and
number of students.
a. Students: Total #__38__

Males: __11__

Females:__27_

b. Ethnicity: White: __33__

Asian: ___2_

Hispanic/Mexican: __1_
Native American:_______

African American:__1_
Other: 1 pacific islander

3. Language Proficiency: Identify the number of English Language Learners and languages in
your classroom.
?
4. Exceptionalities: Identify the number and type of exceptionalities in the class.
1 Special Education
5. Social Economic Status (SES)
2

6. Academic Knowledge (If available): Describe the academic data results of the students thus far
(grades, attendance, discipline factors, core tests. etc.).

Majority are receiving As and or Bs

7. English Language Learners: Describe ways you can incorporate tools of language
development and reading content into planning and instruction for these students. Example:
ELED- SIOP/ WIDA; SCED-reading content.
I dont have any ELL students in this class.
8. Multicultural Perspectives: Identify ways you can use culturally responsive curricula and
teaching that meets the needs of all students.
I can teach new pieces that represent other countries or cultures.
9. Prior Knowledge: Elementary-Describe the criteria used to determine the reading and
mathematics prior knowledge and give a percentage of the number of students in these different
levels for reading and mathematics such as Below, Basic, or Advanced. Secondary- Review the
prior knowledge needed of students to be successful in learning the content knowledge for the
TWS unit and how you will implement content reading into your unit (Ex. Common Core
Strategies, etc.).
Perform a playing assessment to see what level each student is. Place my more advanced student
in the front sections (first chairs) and my less advanced students towards the back. Provide a
formative assessment in music theory.
10. Exceptionalities: Describe student exceptionalities that are identified in the class contextual
factors. These exceptionalities can include; (a) development of physical, social, and emotional
needs; (b) special education; (c) ethnicity; (d) gifted/talented; (e) ability differences, etc. Briefly
describe ways to make modification/ differentiation for planning, instruction, and assessments.
There is a student that has anxiety and anger issues. He gets his own stand and his own music
folder (since he has a hard time sharing space with others, especially if he feels that they are
incompetent. When he is having a hard time, he is allowed to put his instrument down and have a
regroup moment. I also have one ELL student who speaks Chinese but understands music
language. My gifted and talented student cant read notes at all. So I have to make sure that
before practicing a piece, he needs to hear it played once so he can listen to it and then he can
play it.

10. Identify sub-groups of students: Based on your contextual class factors- identify the subgroups you will need to address in differentiation/modifications for your instruction,
assessments, and analysis of student learning (e.g., gender, ELL, special education, ethnicity,
gifted/talented, ability differences, or other contextual factors listed above, etc.) Subgroup data
will be compared to each subgroup and the whole class.
Late beginner and Early intermediate players