English as an Additional Language

Task 3: Assessment Commentary

TASK 3: 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 a video or audio clip of feedback or a work sample and you or the focus students are occasionally inaudible,
attach a transcription (no more than 2 additional pages) to the end of this file. These pages do not count toward your page
total.

1. Analyzing Students Development of English Language Proficiency through ContentBased Instruction

a. Identify the specific learning objectives and standards measured by the assessment you
chose for analysis.
[Common Core Standards:
Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes,
electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently. (R.I. 2.5)
Explain how specific images (e.g., diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and
clarify a text. (RI. 2.7)
Objectives:
Content
I can identify text features in a nonfiction text and tell the purpose
I can locate key information efficiently using text features
Language
I can describe how I use text features using academic language
In order to determine if students met the objectives I gave an assessment. My assessment
included a non-fiction text and a quiz. Students referred to the non-fiction text in order to answer
the questions on the quiz.]
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.
[The assessment given to students was an example of what students learned throughout my
lesson on text-features. Overall, majority of students answer two questions correctly out of 4. I
think that students scored so low due to the fact that they have not been exposed to a lot of
testing. Throughout my five day lesson period students sounded confident in identifying and
explaining text features however, this confidence did not carry on to the test. That being said,
the following day I used students test result to focus my instruction. Using the students results
focused my instruction and reteach what students did not understand on the text. ]
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 their development of English language proficiency within
content-based instruction. Provide translations of home language used in the work
samples as needed to support your analysis.
Consider what students understand and do well, and where they continue to struggle as
they acquire English language proficiency and content simultaneously (e.g., common errors,
confusions, need for greater challenge).
[Throughout the lesson I noticed that students understood how to identify a text feature in a nonfiction text. When students were asked to do a round robin and named a text feature all students
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English as an Additional Language

Task 3: Assessment Commentary

were able to complete this. In addition, students were able to look at a non-fiction text and point
to a text feature. However, I do feel a though students struggled with some aspects of my
lesson. For example, I think students understood how to identify a text-feature however, I think
student struggled with explain why we use text-features and identifying the purpose.]
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;

In video clips from the Instruction task (provide a time-stamp reference) or in a
separate video clip
b. Explain how feedback provided to the 3 focus students addresses their individual
strengths and needs relative to their development of English language proficiency within
content-based instruction.
[My assessment included a non-fiction text and a quiz. Students referred to the non-fiction text
in order to answer the questions. I focused on three students data: one high student, one
student who struggles with English and came to my ELL group 2 weeks prior to recording, and
one student who is lower in reading. Looking at their assessments my student who is low in
language and my student who is low in reading scored a 1 out of 4 where as my higher student
scored a 2 out of 4. When looking at my assessment, I feel as though I could have used more
simple terminology in order to ask the question. I took the assessment from journeys reading
curriculum therefore; I think I should have tweaked it in order to make it appropriate for my
students. If I did this, I think my students would have scored better on the assessment.]
c. How will you support students to apply the feedback to guide the development of English
language proficiency within content-based instruction, either within the learning segment
or at a later time?
[In order to support students with both content and test-taking skills I would provide more
instruction regarding formal assessments. This group of students has not been exposed to
formal assessments, therefore, giving them that exposure and allowing them to practice testtaking skills would be a start. ]
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 clips 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 clips (using
time-stamp references) and/or student work samples as evidence. Evidence from the clips
may focus on one or more students.

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English as an Additional Language

Task 3: Assessment Commentary

a. Explain and provide evidence for 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.
[As shown in my assessment it is obvious that students needed more instruction on academic
language regarding text features. That being said, I could have helped students use that
terminology more and potentially go through the questions with the students before they
answered in order to clarify any vocabulary words. In my video, students did a great job talking
about text features and identifying them. However, when it came to the quiz, I do not think
students were prepared enough to talk about text features academically or independtently. ]
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 English language learners in your class who may require different
strategies/support, such as students with IEPs or 504 plans, Students with Interrupted
Formal Education (SIFE), readers who struggle in their first language, students at varying
levels of language proficiency, long-term ELLs, underperforming students or those with gaps
in academic knowledge, and/or gifted students.
[I am using my assessment in order to focus my instruction. Therefore, when deciding how to
use my assessment data to know what I need to reteach one of the first things I notice is that
students need more independent practice when identifying text features. Therefore, the
following day I went over the assessment with students and we talked about the answers and
the purpose of each text feature within the non-fiction text. In order to give students more
independent practice, I had students participate in a text feature scavenger hunt. I had students
complete this individually and then share with their partner about what they found. Finally, I had
students share out in whole group what they discovered on their text feature scavenger hunt.
While students share aloud I would ask questions such as what is the purpose of that text
feature? or why do you think that text feature is important? ]
b. Explain how these next steps follow from your analysis of student learning. Support your
explanation with principles from theory and/or research relevant to ELL education.
[Allowing students to have more independent practice will follow along with the gradual release
of responsibility. Throughout my lesson I modeled to students how to identify text features.
Following that we identified text features as a group and then students took the assessment. I
think it would have been beneficial to have students participate in independent practice before
taking the assessment. Allowing students to have independent practice would have prepared
them more for the assessment. Therefore, after students have completed the assessment I
would have had the assessment results focus my instruction in order to reteach what students
did not understand while adding more independent practice on identifying text features.]

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permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.