Task #1: Planning for Literacy Instruction and Assessment

TPEs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7

EDU 512 Fieldwork Observation Task

Step 1: Preparation for completing this task
 Read Task 1 in EdTPA Handbook
 Read the Guidelines in the first section of this task below so you know your areas of
responsibility on the EdTPAs.
Step 2: Observe a Language Arts Lesson in the class where you are doing your fieldwork
Step 3: Fill out the Elementary Literacy Context for Learning Information section in the chart below
as much as possible based on your observation.
Step 4: Reread your answers and see if they are complete and descriptive.

Note: Just add space below each bullet point in each section and provide your answers.
Make sure your answers are clearly separated from the EdTPA Task text. This is a practice
assignment and cannot be used for your actual TPA.

Elementary Literacy Context for Learning Information

(Fill this section out by using bullet points and commentary.)

Use the Context for Learning Information to supply information about your school/classroom context.

About the School Where You Are Teaching

1. In what type of school do you teach? (Type an “X” next to the appropriate description; if
“other” applies, provide a brief description.)
Elementary school: ___X__
Middle school: _____
Other (please describe): _____

Urban: _____
Suburban: ___X__
Rural: _____

2. List any special features of your school or classroom setting (e.g., charter, coteaching,
themed magnet, intervention or other leveled small group instruction, classroom aide, bilingual,
team taught with a special education teacher) that will affect your teaching in this learning
segment.
The school was recently rebranded as a school of science and engineering. Since this
rebranding the students and teachers school wide have been incorporating more science
and engineering ideas into their lessons. They also doi school wide monthly STEM
challenges.

3. Describe any district, school, or cooperating teacher requirements or expectations that

might affect your planning or delivery of instruction, such as required curricula, pacing plan,
use of specific instructional strategies, or standardized tests.

My interactions with the students were effected when students needed to finish their
Wonders Assessments online,

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 About the Class Featured in This Assessment
1. How much time is devoted each day to literacy instruction in your classroom?
The teacher I had been observing informed me, I witnessed as well, her classroom
devotes 75-80% of their day to literacy instruction.

2. Is there any ability grouping or tracking in literacy? If so, please describe how it affects
your class.
This class participates in guided reading, dibles, and progress monitoring. Having these
kinds of records gives us the opportunity to track each students progress and indicate of
what kind of modifications could be done for each student.

3. Identify any textbook or instructional program you primarily use for literacy instruction. If a
textbook, please provide the title, publisher, and date of publication
For the classroom instruction in this classroom the teacher used the textbook for Social
Studies, California Vistas- California communities, Macmillian/McGraw-Hill. For language
arts they use Wonders, McGraw-Hill Education

4. List other resources (e.g., electronic whiteboard, classroom library or other text sets,
online professional resources) you use for literacy instruction in this class.
The resources used in this classroom included; ELMO, class set of chromebooks, teacher
body microphone, class library, class texts books, and projection directly from laptop using
ELMO for videos and pictures.
About the Students in the Class Featured in This Assessment
1. Grade-level(s): ______3_________
2. Number of
 students in the class: __24___

 males: __14___ females: _10____

3. Complete the chart below to summarize required or needed supports, accommodations,

or modifications for your students that will affect your literacy instruction in this learning
segment. As needed, consult with your cooperating teacher to complete the chart. Some rows
have been completed in italics as examples. Use as many rows as you need.

Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different
strategies/supports or accommodations/modifications to instruction or assessment.

 English language learners: 4

 Gifted students needing greater support or challenge
 Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans:
NA
 Struggling readers: 2
 Underperforming students or those with gaps in academic knowledge:
2

Students with Specific Learning Needs

IEP/504 Plans: Number of Supports, Accommodations,

Classifications/Needs Students Modifications, Pertinent IEP Goals

2
 NA

Other Learning Needs Number of Supports, Accommodations,

Students Modifications
SST 6 Leveled text, targeted guided reading, ongoing
reading assessment,

ELL 4

Activity #2: Adaptations- Complete Table below concerning each of

your selected Focus Students. Use these students for your Lesson
Adaptations
Use this table to help you plan instruction for your focus students and
provide a rationale for your decisions. Complete Table once for each
Focus Student. Similar to TPA tasks.

Focus Student #1 EL Student Grade level

What sources were What information What impact will this
used to gather was gathered? information will have on
information? instruction?
Learning Modalities 1.Obs. Students learns This information impacts
and Learning Style 2.Teacher material best instruction a great deal;
Preferences (i.e., Visual, 3.Student through since the student learn the
Auditory, Kinesthetic/ 4. Student work kinesthetic and material best visually and
hands on) samples visual learning. kinesthetically, we know
This student often we must provide these
uses the types of modifications in
presented order for the student to be
examples to work successful in the lesson.
through and Providing this student

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 figure out how to with many examples and
do the rest of the sentence frames will be
questions or crucial to include in the
assignments instruction.
appropriately.
Cultural 1.Obs. Student does not This is important to
Considerations: 2.Teacher appear recognize as part of
Ex. comfortable with culture to make sure as
 Cultural Group giving teachers, teachers we do not take
 Proximity issues administration, or these action as
 Eye contact any adults any disobedience or
 Home Language
eye contact. This disrespect.
student also tends
to not speak too
much with adults
but will talk a lot
with peers.
Conversational 1.Observations I noticed this This information may
Language – Basic 2. teacher student does not impact instruction by
Interpersonal speak to the making myself aware that
Communication teacher often or the student seem to be
Skills (BICS) offer answers too comfortable speaking in
often, but when formally with classmates.
given opportunity This student may be
socializes with worried about using
his classmates a correct formal English
lot. when speaking with the
teacher. It could be
helpful to encourage this
student to use what he
know to start.
Academic language : 1. Teacher Student will This information lets me
Cognitive Academic 2. Student work speak with know that the student will
Language Proficiency 3. observation classmates actively listen but may
(CALP) informally, but need some prompting or
will not volunteer sentence frames to help
answers when him construct his answers.
academic
language is
required.
Study skills and 1. observation Student only took This student would
general academic 2. teacher notes or wrote benefit from having his
ability 3. student work anything down own set of notes or
4. student when he could sentence frames.
copy what the
teacher or a
neighbor wrote.
Specific knowledge 1. observation Did not seem to This information means
related to the lesson 2. teacher have previous that I will need to find a
content 3. student work knowledge on the way to help this student

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 4. student content. connect to the lesson; find
something in his
experience that he can
relate to the lesson.
Physical, Social, and 1. observation Student seems to The student seems to be
Emotional 2. teacher be physically, on level in this content
Development 3. student work socially, and area, therefore I will not
4. student emotionally at need to focus on this
appropriate aspect.
development.
Interests /aspirations 1. observation The student loves Knowing the students
2. student soccer. interests could be a
3. teacher helpful way to connect
him to the lesson and
motivate learning.

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 Activity #2: Adaptations- Complete Table below concerning each of
your selected Focus Students. Use these students for your Lesson
Adaptations
Use this table to help you plan instruction for your focus students and
provide a rationale for your decisions. Complete Table once for each
Focus Student. Similar to TPA tasks.

Focus Student #2 SST Grade level

What sources were used to What information was What impact will this
gather information? gathered? information will have
on instruction?
Learning 1.Obs. While observing this This information did
Modalities and 2.Teacher student she appears to not give me a lot to
Learning Style 3.Student be lost, space minded, work with to figure out
Preferences (i.e., 4. Student work samples teacher informed me how to help this
Visual, Auditory, this student always student. This student
Kinesthetic/ hands has a hard time needs lots of
on)
keeping up, doesn’t prompting and
talk much, has a hard modifications.
time completing work
Cultural 1.Obs. Student does not It was hard to tell if
Considerations: 2.Teacher appear comfortable these behaviors are
Ex. when the attention is cultural, it does not
 Cultural Group on her. Does not talk seem this student has
 Proximity much. Does not look cultural considerations
issues
her teacher in the eye. to include in the
 Eye contact
 Home lesson.
Language
Conversational 1.Observations The student does not This information in
Language – 2. teacher voluntarily speak to important because I
Basic the teacher or any want to get this student
Interpersonal adults. After observing to be more verbal. This
Communication and talking wit the means I may need to
Skills (BICS) teacher, I learned she use prompting or start

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 does not talk to her with yes and no
peers very much either questions. Another
and tends to keep to way to help her is to
herself. find something she can
connect to the lesson
so she’ll feel more
comfortable with the
topic.
Academic 4. Teacher Student will speak This information lets
language : 5. Student work with classmates me know that the
Cognitive 6. observation informally, but will student will need some
Academic not volunteer answers prompting or sentence
Language when academic frames to help her
Proficiency language is required. construct his answers.
(CALP)
Study skills and 5. observation Student rarely took This student would
general 6. teacher any notes and benefit from having
academic ability 7. student work struggling to keep up her own set of notes or
8. student when copying what sentence frames. She
the teacher wrote. will need to learn some
strategies to help her
study.
Specific 5. observation Did not seem to have This information
knowledge 6. teacher previous knowledge means that I will need
related to the 7. student work on the content. to find a way to help
lesson content 8. student this student connect to
the lesson; find
something in his
experience that she can
relate to the lesson.
Physical, Social, 5. observation Student seems to be The student will need
and Emotional 6. teacher physically at extra support through
Development 7. student work appropriate the lesson. Her social
8. student development. development may be
Emotionally and hindering her when it
socially she seems a is time to work with
bit behind her partners and I will
classmates. want to help script
partner work for her.
Interests 4. observation Student likes when Knowing the students
/aspirations 5. student she can be around her interests could be a
6. teacher best friend. helpful way to connect
him to the lesson and
motivate learning.

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Activity #3 : Language Arts/Social Studies Content and
Resources
Review the current
textbooks/curriculum and
Teacher’s Manuals for a
specific grade level and find out
how the social studies and
language arts standards and
focus students needs are being
addressed in the curriculum.
What social studies topics are
covered during the school year?
What are some examples of
writing assignments integrated
throughout the social studies
curriculum?
How are students assessed
concerning the content of social
studies?
What specific pedagogy did you
observe?
Refer to Frameworks to describe
pedagogy.
How is writing taught? What
curriculum is used (ex. Step Up
to Writing)?
How is handwriting taught?
What method/curriculum is
used?
List and explain several
assessment methodologies you
have observed in each area.
Answer the questions in the spaces below.
The unit observed was focused on Language Arts which had socials
studies and science incorporated into the lessons. As a science and
engineering school, the teachers often find ways to include the science
behind the topic they are teaching about.
In the third grade level students will learn about continuity and change;
this includes American Indian nations, physical and human geography,
using maps, tables, graphs & photos, and the laws of daily life.
Some examples are:
 writing in complete sentences
 writing responses that use correct grammar, vocabulary,
and punctuation
 collecting and organizing information to write an
appropriate response
Students were assessed based on the work they did on their graphic
organizers. Students were expected to fill in the graphic organizer
using complete sentences, correct punctuation, legible writing, and
domain specific vocabulary.
Social Studies: During social studies content the teacher led a
whole class lesson. During this lesson the student each had a
textbook to follow along, the teacher would read then, stop to
analyze and check for understanding. The students also worked
on a graphic organizer with their shoulder partners to collect and
organize the data they had collected.
Language Arts: The teacher incorporated Language Arts in this
letter by having the students writing their answers in complete
and well constructed sentences. They discussed vocabulary,
reading, and writing connecting this all to the Social Studies
lesson.
In this lesson, writing was not taught directly. Writing was
addressed when the teacher reminded students her
expectations of their constructed responses in their graphic
organizers. The teachers on this campus typically use Lucy
Caulkins: Unit of Study-Writing, when teaching students
how to construct different forms of writing.
Handwriting was not directly taught, the teacher briefly
discussed with the students the importance of their
penmanship when they constructed their responses.
Social Studies: The students in this class were informally assessed by
their responses orally when the teacher used stick to call on different
students for answers. They were also informally assessed during grand
conversations as well as when the teacher walked around to observe
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and help students while they worked to complete their graphic
organizers. Students were formally assessed on their graphic organizer
by a rubric that indicates what their completed graphic organizers
should include.
Language Arts: This class is informally assessed daily by oral
responses and reading as well as teacher observations. The students are
formally assessed in several ways, they teacher uses dibls, guided
reading, online Wonders assessments, and writing.

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 Activity #4: Pro-social
Behavior/Citizenship/Religion/Moral Development

Pro-social Behavior/Citizenship/Religion/Moral Development

Questions: Your Answers:
4. Web/Professional Journal Project on Morals and Religion in Public Schools (TPE 12 &
13)
Explore the topic of teaching morals and religion in public schools on the Internet /professional
journals.
Do the following:
 Download 2-4 articles that provide information concerning the proper teaching of religion and
morals in the public school.
 Read the articles and color highlight key points. Submit articles in your folder.
 Record an annotated site directory of 5-7 beneficial web sites that pertain to this topic. Your
directory should guide another person to the best web sites for study of this topic. This means that
you look at more web sites than what you select so that you share the best of the best in terms of
beneficial sites.
Be able to discuss and answer the following questions:
 What does the law say about teaching these topics? (See CA Education Code on web or
bookstore)
Teachers are allowed to teach about religion as it pertains to the curriculum, but teachers
absolutely cannot teach faith and practice to students. Students are allowed to have religious
clubs and pray or practice their faith, but it is not to be done in the class. Teachers are also not
allowed to tell students that they are not allowed to talk about their beliefs.
 How do you teach morals and religious ideas that may come up in the curriculum or from
student inquiry?
When teaching about morals and religions in the classroom it is important to relate it to how it
effects the curriculum or the events of history. Religion is greatly apart of world history and the
reasons behind many important events. As these inquiries come up it is always important to
keep a neutral and educational approach when answering and teaching students.
 Notes are sufficient...no formal paper necessary.
 Answer the questions below based on your fieldwork experience.

What connections do you find in
the SS curriculum and pro-social
(moral development) behavior in
general?
Ask the teacher/view school web
site and find out what steps the
school is taking to provide safety
for students and staff (e.g.,
earthquakes, hate crimes, fire,
In this lesson the students were learning about renewable
resources versus nonrenewable resources. As students
discussed the importance of recognizing the differences
between the two they also explored the idea of what it
means to use these nonrenewable resources in a
conservative way and why that was important. This
connects to the idea of moral development in the sense
that students are learning that there are consequences for
our actions, and the more aware we are of what is
happening around us, the better we can contribute to fixing
a problem.
This campus is very proactive in safety issues, they
participate in monthly drills such as, fire, earthquake, and
lock down drills. The school recently held an assembly
about natural disasters such as earthquakes and how to be

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etc.)
How is religion appropriately
taught throughout the content of
social studies? Provide examples
you find appropriate based on the
curriculum you have reviewed.
How/When is moral development
addressed though content and
learning activities?
List several CA State Academic
Standards that apply to teaching
religion and moral development
across the grade levels of social
studies content.
prepared for them. The school participates in PBIS, which
deals with behavior problems in a more positive way than
before and works to build mutual respect among students
and staff. There is also a counselor on campus daily that
like to get to know the students and puts herself out there
for students to feel welcome to come talk to, sometimes
she even stands out at recess and says hello to the students
just to remind them she is there if anyone wants to talk.
Religion does not seem to be a topic that would come up
directly in grade 3. It is important that if or when it does
come up in the classroom we do not tell the students one
religion is right or wrong, but we may give them facts and
information about a religion if they are curious. As
students reach higher grade levels, religion will be
appropriate to teach in the way of how it effected or
changed history.
Moral development can be a topic of discussion through
many different social studies standards. As students learn
about laws they are learning about what it means to be a
good citizen, this idea is also taught to them through
classroom/school rules and expectations. Moral
development can also be discussed as different conflicts
through history arise.
Social Studies Content Standards:
K.1 Students understand that being a good citizen involves acting in
certain ways.
1.1 Students describe the rights and individual responsibilities of
citizenship.
*2.5 Students understand the importance of individual action and
character and explain how heroes from long ago and recent past have
made a difference in others’ lives.
3.4 Students understand the role of rules and laws in our daily lives
and the basic structure of the U.S. government.
4.2 Students describe the social, political, cultural, and economic life
and interactions among people of California from the pre-Columbian
societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods.
4.5 Students understand the structures, functions, and powers of the
local, state, and federal governments as described in the U.S.
Constitution.
5.3 Students describe the cooperation and conflict that existed among
the American Indians and between the Indian nations and the new
settlers.
5.4 Students understand the political, religious, social, and economic
institutions that evolved in the colonial era.
5.7 Students describe the people and events associated with the
development of the U.S. Constitution and analyze the Constitution’s
significance as the foundation of the American republic.
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Activity #5 Teaching: Small Group Work /Social Studies
Vocabulary Development

Work with one/two student(s). Describe student in terms of gender, ethnicity, and
general academic performance. Select a chapter from the social studies text that the
students have previously studied. Describe how the students interact with the text.
Answers the questions below in complete and accurate descriptive terms. Keep in mind
that although this is a table it expands for your content.
Questions: Your Answers- Explain in detail that fully describes your activity.

Who were your students? Students – Brief Description

1. ELL student, male, Hispanic, speaks informal English to friends,
does not speak to teacher too often, or volunteer answers,
academically high in Spanish, working on English alphabet sounds
2. SST, female, Hispanic, reading at first grade level,

Did the students understand the
vocabulary/key terms?
Were they able to read the passage
fluently? If not, what kind of
modifications did they need in
order to understand?
What were the students’ attitudes
toward the reading activity and the
social studies content? Were they
interested in the topic?
The students did not seem to understand the vocabulary from the
lesson. Even though it was a review of the lesson about nonrenewable
and renewable resources.
No, both students needed help sounding out words. The passage
needed to be summarized and broken down so both students could
comprehend what the main point of the lesson was. The EL student is
still working on phonemic awareness in English, he understands
words that are spoken to him but is working on the letter sounds
recognition when reading. The female student’s reading level is very
low, so instead of focusing on comprehending what she is reading,
she is focused on figuring out what each word is.
The students were not enthusiastic, they seemed to be a bit nervous.
Both have trouble with reading and comprehension, in typical lessons
they try to avoid being called on to read or answer questions.

Did the students seem familiar
with the ideas and information in
the text? What evidence do you
have for your answer?
Given this experience with these
students, what have you learned
that will change the way you write
your Social Studies and Language
Arts Unit?
How were English language
learners and native English
language speakers alike? How
were they different?
When reading neither student seemed to be familiar with what the
text was about. When we discussed the topic orally and I asked them
questions on the topic in a discussion, the EL student was able to give
me correct responses. The other student still did not seem to have any
answers, I tried asking her yes or no questions to help prompt her.
I have read in PRIM that it is helpful to supply students with lower
vocabulary skills notes or summaries on the lesson that uses a
different set of vocabulary that helps them to understand and
comprehend the lesson. I also think that it is very clear that
modifications such as sentence frames and giving oral assessments
would be extremely helpful for students such as this EL students.
English language learners and native English speakers were similar in
the sense of learning new vocabulary. Specifically, between my two
focus students they were similar in many ways; neither student could
use the context clues to help them figure out the new vocabulary for
this lesson. The main difference between the EL student and the

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What links apply to this activity
concerning Universal Access?
(Universal Access: Review Ch. 7
in the LA Frameworks and the UA
section for the grade level of your
observation.)
native language speaker is their knowledge of alphabetic awareness
in the English language.
In this social studies lesson the teacher utilized many different
strategies to help engage all learning styles. By using videos, visuals,
whole class textbooks, projection of what they are working on, and
giving them the opportunity to work with partners. While students are
working with partners this allows the teacher to walk around the
room to observe and assist the students that need extra help. By using
the projection, the teacher allows all students to see exactly where in
the book their attention should be. This strategy helps all students
find where in their own book. The teacher also used this strategy to
guide students while filling out the graphic organizers. Hangs around
her neck, this allows clear direction to be heard all around the room
for her students. The teacher also utilized the redcat microphone that
This teacher created universal access by using many different
teaching approaches.
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 Activity #6: Additional Teacher Aiding /Fieldwork Activities

Please use the chart below and list and provide a brief explanation/description of any
additional Teacher Aiding types of activities that you may have engaged in during
your fieldwork experience for this course.
Activities that provide support for the Field Supervisor Teacher as well as those
activities dealing directly with students should be included.
Examples:
 Teach all/part of a lesson prepared/supervised by Field Supervisor
 Prepare materials for a lesson taught by Field Supervisor
 Grade student work
 Monitor seatwork and provide assistance when needed
 Review the Field Supervisor’s lesson plan book

Activity #6: Additional Teacher Aiding /Fieldwork Activities Recording

Sheet
Teacher Grade level Description of Activity
Aiding Teacher/School
Activity
Type
Review Lesson Jurupa Vista Before the class had started the teacher allowed me to look over
Plans Elementary, her lesson plans for the lessons she would be teaching that day.
3rd grade This allowed me to become familiar with what she was going to
be teaching and I was prepared what and who to look out for.
Monitor/Assist Jurupa Vista While the students worked independently I walked around the
Students Elementary, room to help monitor the classroom as well as help students if
3rd grade needed.
Assist small Jurupa Vista I was able to sit with some of the students to help the students
group of ELs and Elementary, review the lesson and to check for understanding. I sat with a
Lows 3rd grade few of her lower achieving students which included SSTs and
ELs.

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