Elementary Education - Literacy

Task 3: Literacy Assessment Commentary

TASK 3: LITERACY ASSESSMENT COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 10 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. Attach the assessment you used to evaluate student performance (no more than 5 additional pages) to the end of this
file. If you submit feedback as a video or audio clip and your comments to focus students cannot be clearly heard, attach
transcriptions of your comments (no more than 2 additional pages) to the end of this file. These pages do not count toward
your page total.

1. Analyzing Student Learning

a. Identify the specific learning objectives and standards measured by the assessment you
chose for analysis.
[ The learning objective measured by this assessment was whether a student could write
about a topic knowledgeably, through the use of details, while comparing and contrasting
two events. (ELACC5RI9, ELACC5W2) ]
b. Provide a graphic (table or chart) or narrative that summarizes student learning for your
whole class. Be sure to summarize student learning for all evaluation criteria submitted
in Task 3, Part D.
[

Literacy Assessment
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Lit-Pre

Lit-Post

]
c. Use evidence found in the 3 student work samples and the whole class summary to
analyze the patterns of learning for the whole class and differences for groups or
individual learners relative to

the essential literacy strategy AND

requisite skills
Consider what students understand and do well, and where they continue to struggle (e.g.,
common errors, confusions, need for greater challenge).
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Elementary Education - Literacy

Task 3: Literacy Assessment Commentary

[ Students showed a considerable amount of growth between their pre- and post-assessments.
The class average went from a 35 to an 83. During this learning segment, students showed their
capabilities in collecting research from a variety of sources. Many used at least one book and
one website. When they felt they did not have enough, they searched through a different
source. And they all agreed that Wikipedia was unreliable, which made me very proud!
Students also showed that they understood how to use the details they found in their
research in their answers/paragraph. On the post-assessment, everyone included at least
two supporting details for each of their answers.
What students still struggled with was organizing their paragraphs. The post-assessment
required that they write just one paragraph, comparing and contrasting the hurricanes and
tornadoes. They were listing facts and forgetting those transitional words and phrases.
I focused on three students, monitoring their progress. Student one is above level. He is
currently being tested for the gifted program. Student two is on level with the rest of the
class. He is very quiet, because he was recently transferred into this class, so I was worried
about his lack of confidence. Student three is on level, but shows very obvious learning
gaps. It takes him longer to complete the assignment, and he requires more guidance.
Student one was the perfect example for how most of the class did; he used a lot of
evidence as supporting details, but did not use the vocabulary throughout his paper and did
not use transitions to connect his paper together. He did make a 100 on his postassessment, showing growth from the 60 he made on the pre-assessment. While he
struggled to
Student two showed excellent progress throughout the learning segment. When
completing the graphic organizer, he did not compare and contrast as I had planned, but
created visuals, listing all of the facts he found. He drew a tornado, with a house being lifted
off the ground and a car swirling around. He drew a hurricane, as if viewing it from a
satellite. It worked for him, and so I decided that that would be fine.
While student three did better on his post-assessment than his pre-assessment, he
struggled quite a bit throughout the learning segment. He takes things very slowly and
needs a lot of guidance. Because of this, I spent a little more time with him. When it came
time to write his paper, I helped him outline it: showing that the introduction would go first,
then the paragraph on one storm, then the other storm, how they were similar, and lastly, the
conclusion. He was able to write the paper, but still needed assistance. ]
2. Feedback to Guide Further Learning

Refer to specific evidence of submitted feedback to support your explanations.

a. In what form did you submit your evidence of feedback for the 3 focus students? (Delete
choices that do not apply.)

Written directly on work samples or in a separate document;

b. Explain how feedback provided to the 3 focus students addresses their individual
strengths and needs relative to the standards/objectives measured.
[Student one did an excellent job. When reading his paper, I felt he had done very well, but I felt
that he could have done more for his paper. I complimented him on what he did well, such as
his use of details and his excellent introduction. But I then challenged him to practice using the
precise language throughout his paper. I also addressed his needing to work on linking ideas
through transitions.
Student two really excelled throughout this learning segment. I was quite impressed. I
praised him on his amount of detail and facts that he included. He also used the vocabulary
to describe that hurricanes and tornadoes were similar and different. I gave feedback
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Elementary Education - Literacy

Task 3: Literacy Assessment Commentary

encouraging him to consider ways he could make his writing flow more smoothly. He has so
many details, but they do not have any order to them, so his paragraphs are just large
blocks of information.
Student three was able to locate plenty of facts but struggled organizing his paper. In
order to assist him, I created an outline to guide him. He had great details from his research,
and I praised him on that, and using the outline I gave him. I encouraged him to use all of
the details that he had to write full paragraphs. ]
c. Describe how you will support students to apply the feedback to guide improvement,
either within the learning segment or at a later time.
[ At a later time, I will focus on what these students need help with most. I will encourage focus
student one to really work on those transitions. We will work through examples, as a whole
class. I will also discuss with the student how important it is that he uses the vocabulary within
his writing. When discussing with him, he can orally use the vocabulary, he just forgot to in his
writing. I will explain that that type of language use is what turns a fifth grade paper into a sixth
grade paper.
I would spend time with the students, explaining how paragraph structure is important.
This way student two does not feel secluded, and the whole class would benefit from this
lesson. I would provide all of the students with an excerpt that they would have to organize.
It would help student two with organizing information, while also showing him what a well
written paragraph has a flow that is easy to read.
I worked with student three throughout the lesson and outlined the paper. My next step
to guide improvement would be to work on writing paragraphs. Using all of the tools and
steps that were used during this learning segment, I would work to help him see that he had
an entire paper ready to be written, he just had to fill in the transitions and connect the facts
into a paragraph. ]
3. Evidence of Language Understanding and Use
You may provide evidence of students language use from ONE, TWO, OR ALL THREE
of the following sources:
1. Use video clip(s) from Task 2 and provide time-stamp references for language use.
2. Submit an additional video file named Language Use of no more than 5 minutes in
length and provide time-stamp references for student language use (this can be footage
of one or more students language use). Submit the clip in Task 3, Part B.
3. Use the student work samples analyzed in Task 3 and cite language use.
When responding to the prompt below, use concrete examples from the video clip(s) (using timestamp references) and/or student work samples as evidence. Evidence from the clip(s) may
focus on one or more students.

a. Explain the extent to which your students were able to use or struggled to use language
(selected function, vocabulary, and additional identified language demands from Task 1)
to develop content understandings.
[Throughout the learning segment, my students did a wonderful job using the vocabulary to
discuss their findings. You can see this during the Language Use video that was submitted
under Task 3, part B. At the very beginning, one student discusses how writing must appeal to
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Elementary Education - Literacy

Task 3: Literacy Assessment Commentary

an audience. You can also see the use of language when the students identify the task as
comparing and contrasting at the end of the video. I was really focusing on their use of the
vocabulary in their writing, though. While they could use it in their discussion with me, very few
used it in their writing.
Referring to the work samples submitted for task three, student one, as I have
mentioned, did not use the vocabulary throughout his writing. He did, however, use the
words introduction and conclusion to label his paper. Student two labeled his conclusion
as well, while also using the vocabulary words similarities and differences. Student three
struggled with the vocabulary the most. He understood what it meant, but not how to use it. I
would definitely spend more time working on the language with this student. ]
4. Using Assessment to Inform Instruction
a. Based on your analysis of student learning presented in prompts 1bc, describe next
steps for instruction

for the whole class

for the 3 focus students and other individuals/groups with specific needs
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different strategies/support
(e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners, struggling readers,
underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge, and/or gifted students
needing greater support or challenge).

[ My next step for the class would be to focus on transitions. Students were able to write a paper
using details, but lacked transitions between paragraphs. A focus on transitions would be
beneficial to all their future writing. I would then build on transition to discuss paragraph
organization. By focusing on paragraph organization, we can begin to work on the fluidity of
their writing. I would use the paragraph excerpts for students to organize as practice. By having
paragraphs that are well organized and that use transitions, their writing will become clearer and
easier to read. While teaching this, I would place an emphasis on vocabulary. When
transitioning for compare and contrast, I might use the word in a transition; in contrast or In
comparison
These steps for further instruction would not only benefit the whole class, but also meet
the needs of my three focus students. For my first student, I would really work on using the
vocabulary in his writing. For student two, I would work in small group with him when
organizing the paragraphs. This way, I can see how he is processing the material. By being
there, I can catch his mistakes and misunderstanding. I would work one-on-one with my
third focus student on adding more details to their writing. He will be pulled for small group
during the lessons as well.]
b. Explain how these next steps follow from your analysis of student learning. Support your
explanation with principles from research and/or theory.
[These steps follow with my analysis in that they will cover every aspect that the students
struggled with. Paulo Freire believes that students are too often fed information like a bank, to
only deposit it for test time. What happens when you deposit? It is gone. This is why I believe
that these steps are best. Students will not just be hearing about how to write papers; they will
be writing papers. I will be there to give them the tools they need along the way. I will push
student one to use the vocabulary because I know he can. I will provide student two with the
steps on writing very well organized paragraphs. And I will help student three become confident
in his writing, so that he can build on the facts that he has found. ]

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Elementary Education - Literacy

Task 3: Literacy Assessment Commentary

Literacy Assessment and Rubric

1. What is a hurricane?
2. What is a tornado?
3. Write one great paragraph, comparing and contrasting hurricanes and tornadoes.
Student: __________________________

Did you answer what a hurricane was?

_______/1

Did you use at least two facts?

_______/1

Did you answer what a tornado was?

_______/1

Did you use at least two facts?

_______/1

Did you compare and contrast the two?

_______/2

Did you write this in a paragraph?

_______/2

Did you use supporting details/facts?

_______/2

Total _______/10

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