Crystal Perez December 15, 2012 Planning Commentary Pt. 2 Analyzing Student Learning: 1.

Summarize student performance in narrative and/or graphic form (e.g., table or chart).

The summative assessment (attachment 1) that Ive chosen to demonstrate the impact on student learning is a five question multiple-choice test on the topic of Inference. The test assesses the students ability to make an inference based on the question. The questions are aligned with common core standards for inference and are taken from the Study Island Test Builder library. All five questions deal with identification and analyzing of the inferences of the text or text parts. The following are the standards tested:
8.RL.1 [inference/draw conclusions] o Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text 2. Discuss what students appear to understand well and where they continue to struggle, including any misunderstandings, developmental approximations, confusions, or needs (including a need for greater challenge). The greatest area of strength among all students was making a prediction. Almost all of the students got the questions that asked to draw an inference were right. The second strength that students demonstrated was citing textual evidence that helped them make the inference. After taking a deeper dive into the data and looking at what were the most common mistakes and errors that students made on the test, I found that a lot of students struggled with questions that had to deal with analyzing the evidence that they used to support their inference. They can make a prediction, they can identify the evidence, but they struggle with that explanation component. This data shows me some common gaps in student understanding. If I want to use this data to inform my future instruction, for example if I want to reteach content that students struggled with most, I would focus on a mini lesson focusing on analysis, but I have noticed that it is an issue for my kids across the board. 3. Consider common patterns across the class as well as groups of students with similar strengths or needs. Cite evidence to support your analysis from the 3 student work samples you selected. In terms of patters from across the class, I found out that the majority of the students got questions that tested compare and contrast and cause and effect identification wrong. These were the weakest areas, opposed to description and sequence that were the strongest. Judging from the working samples of three students: BM (Low reading level), AF (IEP), and DB (High) the data showed weaknesses and strengths of each student For example DB, whos a student in the high group has demonstrated mastery of inference with 100%

accuracy. AF, a student with an IEP with emotional disability and a mild cognitive delay, received a 75% score. AF student with an IEP received a time accommodation on her test because it takes her a little longer to process information. AF student practiced many at bats throughout the week to prep her for this test. The last student, BM, who struggles with reading, received a score of 50% on his assessment. BM, like AF, also struggled with inferring central themes of the text. If evaluating common patterns among the selected group of three students, I would have to say that figuring out the relationship between a inference and text seem to be difficult for the student. I would probably do heterogenius groups and focus on How to use evidence to support our inference. 4. Refer to your learning progression analysis you created from your student work samples. Describe individual learning strengths and weaknesses of your high performing and your low performing student. My high performing student (DB) grasped the concepts of citing the textual evidence. And even though DB was able to determine infer the small passages, he was not able to fully determine infer the main theme of the whole text. Her greatest strength was grasping the connection between text evidence to support your inference. For the unusually high performing student (AF), her greatest strength was defining inference and inferring the key themes of the small passages. She did a good job understanding inference in smaller context. I believe multiple At Bats throughout the week lead to her success! 5. If applicable, describe evidence from the student work samples that demonstrate the extent to which students are able to understand and/or use the language associated with the identified language demand (vocabulary, function/form, and instructional language) in ways that develop literacy skills and strategies. Not applicable. Feedback to Guide Further Learning: Submit evidence of your feedback to the 2 focus students (e.g., written directly on work samples, in audio files, a time stamp reference for video clip(s) in the Instruction task)? If submitted via video, provide the time stamp here. 1. How did the feedback you provided to each of the 2 focus students address the individual students needs and learning objectives? Reference specific evidence of submitted feedback to support your explanation.

For my high student (DB) who got 5/5 questions right,I left positive feedback on her performance. I began with underlining her strengths, in this case being her understanding of the importance of using evidence from the text to support an inference. I told her she did awesome and that we would continue to learn about we are going to focus on analysis next time! My feedback would give her an opportunity to feel confident while pushing her to think harder.

For my low- performing student, (BM) I left mostly a realistic feedback with constructive criticism. I started by focusing on her strengths, which I said was locating evidence of the smaller texts, but couldnt infer the correct job based on the evidence. It the evidence the student used did not match their inference. I wanted to start out on a positive start thinking about improvements. Then I went to list possible improvements for the future (address the weaknesses). I mentioned possibly highlight the evidence so she might read it to help her make sure it matches her inference. My suggestion would hopefully help AF to begin making improvements in determining the idea of evidence matching the prediction in order to support it. 2. What opportunities were or will be provided for students to apply the feedback to improve their work, either within the learning segment or at a later time?

For this particular test, no re-take opportunity will be given, but based on the poor data on specific skills data, some of the concepts, like inference analysis of entire text and understanding how to use evidence to support an inference. So in the event of re-teaching, the feedback would help me the teacher understand where there are deficiencies and how to plan my next approach to get these students where they need to be to master inference. Also, if the re-teaching will happen, most likely the high group will receive some sort of extension activity to enhance their learning and make the instruction more student-directed and critical, the feedback can provide a foundation to use for the extension activity to help work on the gaps in understanding. I would also consider heterogenus grouping as I stated earlier. I feel that students can sometimes make better connections with the assistance of their peers. 3. (Optional) Using evidence, how well did your language supports or scaffolding promote academic language for students with varied language levels? Not applicable. Using Assessment to Inform Instruction For the prompts below, consider what you know about your students and the effectiveness of your instruction when designing next steps. Be sure to connect your next steps to your analysis of the student performances. 1. Based on your analysis of student performance in the assessment, describe next steps for instruction for the whole class. Based on the post data analysis, along with other information about individual and groups of students, my next step for informing instruction would be re-teaching specifically the skills of infernece of the entire text and understanding the relationship between supporting details (evidence) to support your inference. I will not do whole class instruction for my high group because based on their assessment data, 91% of the class met the standards. I would do a small group (mini lesson) with the students that did not meet the standard and create an extension independent assignment for the rest of the class that would hit the higher order thinking levels based on the Blooms Taxonomy. For the low group, where 62% of the class met the standard, I would do whole group instruction again, re-teaching specifically determining main idea of an entire text and learning about the relationships between using text evidence to support your inference to ensure that the salient weak areas are worked on and improved. I would re-teach the concept with a new approach. I would try to incorporate less text and possibly a read aloud during my instruction For re-teaching inferring the answer to some short response I would do practice at bats, I will use informational texts that are shorter but have higher interest to get students motivated about reading them. My lower group will need multiple practice sets to really get the hang.. 2. Describe any individualized next steps for the 2 focus students. For DB (High), I would assign an extension activity that would extend her knowledge of the concept of inferneceing. I would refer to the Blooms Taxonomy of higher order thinking. This assignment would fit into DBs zone of proximal development and take his learning of the concept to a new, but still close level. Giving the student something like a short story that doesnt have an ending and have her create one based on what she has inferred from the story.

For BM (Learning Need) I would re-teach the material, but instead focus specifically on his weaknesses. I think that I would do mini lesson using informational texts that are engaging and interesting, with more visuals and photos to try to appeal to a different learning style. I think I would also do some heterogenius practice with my BM student. 3. Explain how these next steps follow from your analysis of the student performances.

The next steps for instruction follow directly the analysis of their performance and represent in its essence the differentiated approach. Looking at the test assessment and at each students individual strength and weakness informed me what gaps in understanding both students had. Utilizing my data I am able to specifically pinpoint the areas that need to be retaught. I think that taking this data into account allows me to really take those struggling with inference to meet and exceed! In the future I will be sure to provide more explicitness in my direct instruction and also allow for more practice when it comes to inference lessons,

STUDENT: BM (Low) Score: 50%

Student: AF (IEP) Score 75% (modified)

STUD

ENT: DB (High) Score: 100%

(TEST) Name_____________________________

Date_____________

Read the text and answer the multiple choice questions to the best of your ability

Mark thought it was strange that Molly left Lindas party without saying good-bye to him, especially since theyd come together. The next week he called her every day and left messages on her voicemail, but she did not respond. She had never done that before. At a basketball game after school, he saw her talking on her cell phone and thought it would be a good time to catch her and dialed her number. She did not pick up the call, and it went to voicemail again. That Saturday he drove by her house with his mother on the way to the store, and there was Molly holding hands with Rob Becker. Mark felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

1 What can the reader infer from this paragraph? . A. Molly's parents have given her a strict curfew. B. C. D. The voicemail on Molly's cell phone isn't working. Molly likes Rob Becker because he plays basketball. Mark and Molly have been boyfriend and girlfriend.

Ruth was up to her knees in thorns, dirt, and manureand thats just the way she liked it! If her roses were happy, she was happy, and her roses seemed ecstatic. Their petals were silky, and their stems were sturdy and green. Ruth didnt have a lot of them, but each one was spectacular and unique. Roses were the one thing Ruth was really good at, and the one thing she wouldnt want to live without. Hey, flower lady! someone called from over the fence. It was Ruths friend Helen from Crestwood. Shed been so busy at the hospital, she hadnt seen this years bounty. They get more beautiful every year! As Helen let herself in through the gate, Ruth said, I keep loving them, and they keep loving me back! Theyre like my children. Ruth gave Helen a hug. Helen never minded if Ruth was covered in mud or smelled like fertilizer. So, what brings you by? Honestly. . .a favor. The hospitals having a fundraiser for the pediatric unit. . . What can I do to help? Name it. Im glad you said that because were having an auction. Unfortunately, I dont own anything people would pay good money for. Actually. . . Helen looked over the roses again.

My roses? You know how everyones into locally grown things? Someone on the committee suggested auctioning off bouquets of locally grown flowers, and I cant think of any flowers that would make more beautiful bouquets than yours. Well, it is for a good cause, but. . . . Oh, I dont think I could part with a single one of them. And I dont have very many. Oh, Helen, I really want to help. . . Helen bit her lip. I know its a lot to ask. In fact, I waited until the last minute because I didnt know how youd feel. The fundraisers tomorrow. We have other people donating, but I think yours would get the highest bids. I dont think I can. Even for the pediatric unit. Im sorry. Helen smiled. Thats okay, flower lady. No hard feelings. She gave Ruth another hug before going back to work. Ruth watched Helen drive off. No sooner had Helen turned the corner of the street, Ruth grabbed her cell phone and dialed Helens number. Well, she said on Helens voicemail, theyll grow back next year.

2 Which of these can be inferred from the last sentence in the passage? . A. Ruth will donate her roses to the hospital's fundraiser. B. C. D. Ruth will ask Helen if she can volunteer at the hospital. Helen will be angry with Ruth for a very long time. The hospital's fundraiser will not earn much money.

Everyday after work Paul took his muddy boots off on the steps of the front porch. Alice would have a fit if the boots made it so far as the welcome mat. He then took off his dusty overalls and threw them into a plastic garbage bag; Alice left a new garbage bag tied to the porch railing for him every morning. On his way in the house, he dropped the garbage bag off at the washing machine and went straight up stairs to the shower as he was instructed. He would eat dinner with her after he was presentable, as Alice had often said. 3. What type of job does Paul work? ___________________________________________________

How do you know this? (Evidence)___________________________________________________ What is the connection?________________________________________________

The Maginot Line was a line of small concrete forts, tank obstacles, artillery nests, machine gun posts, and other defenses, which the French constructed along their border with Germany, after being attacked by that country in World War I. The line extended from the Swiss border to that of Belgium and lulled the French into the belief that the Germans could not invade their country. 4 What can the reader infer from this paragraph?

. A. B. C. The French were masters of defensive military construction. The French thought the Maginot Line would protect them from Germany. The Swiss and Belgians were allies of Germany in World War I.

D France had tried but failed to attack Germany in World War I. .

5. What is the best meaning of the term "drawing inferences?" A. something you would do in art class B. to figure something out from clues C. something you would do in math class D. curiosity