Elementary Education - Literacy

Task 1: Literacy Context for Learning Information

TASK 1: LITERACY CONTEXT FOR LEARNING INFORMATION

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 4 single-spaced pages, including prompts ) by typing your responses within
the brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.

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: __X___
Suburban: _____
Rural: _____

2. List any special features of your school or classroom setting (e.g., charter, co-teaching,
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 is a Pre-K-5th grade elementary school with roughly 522 students. Each pre-k and
kindergarten teachers is assisted with a paraprofessional. Teachers are required to meet with
their grade-level to discuss lesson plans, RTIs, and students behavior. Teachers use pre-test
scores and changes of behavior to adjust their teaching. There are 23 students in this
kindergarten class. This class is suited for students with an Early Intervention Plan (EIP). During
our language arts small group instruction time, the EIP specialist come in to work with a group.
Sometimes, the students are pulled out.]
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 school is required to following a pacing guide for English Language Arts. The teachers
follow a pacing guide that is outlined for their grade level only. The classroom specifically follow
the Georgia Standard of Excellence. Units and lesson plans are aligned to the Standard of
Excellence and is arrange to meet the needs of students in this school. Lessons feature a mini-
lesson, teachers explain and models, Think-Pair-Share, whole group, and small group. After the
lesson is independent practice to see the growth of the students.]

About the Class Featured in this Learning Segment

1. How much time is devoted each day to literacy instruction in your classroom?
[The Language Arts period last from 9:20 am to 11:15 am. The academic lesson opens open
with phonics and reviewing letters and sight words. During this time, we also focus on guided
reading. At the end of the Language Arts block, the students are working in small groups based
off of their abilities.]
2. Is there any ability grouping or tracking in literacy? If so, please describe how it affects your
class.

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 Elementary Education - Literacy
Task 1: Literacy Context for Learning Information

[Students are based off of their Early Intervention Program (EIP). If a student does not have an
EIP, then they are based off of testing scores. This kindergarten class houses students with an
EIP. There are other students from different kindergarten class who comes to get help from the
EIP specialist.]
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.
[Journeys is the primary textbook used in the kindergarten classroom. The publisher of this book
is Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2014). The teacher’s guide breaks the lessons down from whole
group to small group readings and activities. This book provides readings of literature and
informational text. The reading help students boost their vocabulary and provides listening
strategies. With this book comes a Journeys notebook that allows students to practice their
writing skills.]
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.
[In the kindergarten classroom, the use of a ClearTouch screen is used during every academic
lesson. During the English language arts academic period, the students use an online program
called MaxScholars. This program is a web based scripted phonics program that provides an
outline of how to tell a new letter and produce the sound. Saxon Phonic is also a scripted lesson
that is used. The classroom library host books that relates to the learning targets. On the
ClearTouch, the students listen to an alphabet song that gives them the letters, a picture that
correlates with the letter, and the letter sound. This song and other academic sources is stored
on the Smart Suite, a school electronic storage program.]

About the Students in the Class Featured in this Learning

Segment
1. Grade-level(s):
[I am in a kindergarten classroom that is suited for students with an EIP.]

2. Number of
 students in the class: __23___
 males: __10___ females: __13___
3. Complete the charts 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 charts. 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 (e.g., students with
Individualized Education Programs [IEPs] or 504 plans, students with specific language
needs, students needing greater challenge or support, students who struggle with reading,
students who are underperforming or those with gaps in academic knowledge).

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 Elementary Education - Literacy
Task 1: Literacy Context for Learning Information

For Literacy Assessment Task 3, you will choose work samples from 3 focus students. At
least one of these students must have a specified learning need. Note: California candidates
must include one focus student who is an English language learner.1

Students with IEPs/504 Plans

IEPs/504 Plans: Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Classifications/Needs Students Modifications, Pertinent IEP Goals
Example: Visual processing 2 Close monitoring, large print text, window
card to isolate text
Close proximity 1 Modified seating during academic
learning time, frequent check-ins.

Students with Specific Language Needs

Language Needs Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Students Modifications
Example: English language 2 Pre-teach key words and phrases
learners with only a few through examples and graphic organizers
words of English (e.g., word cluster, manipulatives, visuals)

Have students use pre-taught key words

Example: Students who
speak a variety of English
other than that used in
textbooks
English language learner
and graphic organizers to
complete sentence starters
5 Make connections between the language
students bring and the language used in
the textbook
1 Pulled out of class for help, is giving
repeated directions followed with an
example.

Students with Other Learning Needs

Other Learning Needs
Example: Struggling readers
Number of Supports, Accommodations,
Students Modifications
5 Leveled text, targeted guided reading,
ongoing reading assessment (e.g.,
running records, miscue, conferencing)

1
California candidates—If you do not have any English language learners, select a student who is challenged by academic
English.

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All rights reserved. V4_0915
The edTPA trademarks are owned by The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. Use of the edTPA trademarks is
permitted only pursuant to the terms of a written license agreement.