Teacher Work Sample
SPED 641 

Part I: Environment

            The class that the teacher’s work sample was taken from is a self-contained classroom that is specific to children with Autism.  There are 4 children enrolled in the class.  The instructional minutes available to the teacher during the day are 360.  All of the students are English Language Learners.  All four of the students are males.  The third and fourth grade student’s ages range from 8 to 10. 

            The socio-economic status of the student population is low.  All of the students are receiving free and reduced lunch.  All of them receive speech, occupational therapy, assistive technology, and 2 of them receive adapted physical education for slight motor deficits.   Three out of four students receive medication that affects their ability to concentrate, and their Autistic tendencies. 

            The functioning level of each student varies.  Two of the students function much higher than the other two.  Individuals with Autism are all different.  The spectrum of ability is so broad and different than any other ability.  None of the students are functioning on an average level.  The two students that participated in the student work sample are the two highest functioning students in the class. 

            The students are taught individually most of the day.  The two students that participated in the student work sample are taught in groups twice a day.  During the instruction there are two other individual groups going on.  The Para-Educators are leading those groups.  The students work well while everyone is in a group. 

            The accommodations and modifications that were made for the students were: small group size, repeated directions, items read aloud, and preferential seating.  If the student had not had their medication their behavior would not be good.  If they had missed it, I would not teach them in a group. 

            There are two Para-educators in the classroom.  One of the Para’s worked with the students during the small group time.  The Para-educator works with the other students while the small group is going on. 

 Part II:

Development and Relevance:

1. The grade level of the student work sample was first grade. 
2. The title of the unit is Nouns. 

C. The Louisiana GLE is: Identify and use knowledge of parts of speech, including:   basic singular and plural nouns, pronouns, verbs,  common conjunctions such as and, but, and because, simple transitional words including first, second, and finally (ELA-3-E4)

D.  The unit objective:  The student will be able to identify what is a noun. 

E.  The expected competency level of the pre-test is instructional, and the post-test is mastery. 

F.  The student processes that are used during the lesson recall and application. 

G.  The lesson fit into the content standards required, and will be the base for future lessons. 

H.  The students that participated in the unit are all Louisiana Alternate Assessment students and have a more functional curriculum. 

I.  The length of the unit is 6 days.  5 instruction days, and 1 post-test day. 

J.  Thinking Maps are the instructional strategies that are being used in the unit. 

Comprehensive Assessment Plan: 

The unit pretest and post test are the same.  The results of the pretest are attached.  One student scored an average score and the other scored a failing score.  Day one assessment was a circle map.  The student’s independently completed their own circle map.  They were to find pictures of nouns in magazines.  They did very well on this activity.  On day 2 the lesson was also assessed with a thinking map.  This thinking map was a tree map.  The students again had to find pictures in a magazine, but this time they organized the nouns by people, places, again.  They again mastered the lesson.  On day 3 the thinking maps were used once more.  The students were given sentence strips using the holiday vocabulary words that they work with daily.  The students were to pick the naming words from the sentences.  The assessment was the completed thinking map.   The students did very well with this activity.  On day 4 the students completed another tree map with other sentences, using words they were not familiar with.  The completed tree map was the assessment.  Again the students were able to move on to the next lesson.  On day 5 the students did an interactive game on an educational website.  They enjoyed this activity and mastered the interactive assessment. 

  An interactive website was used on day 5.  The students have great basic computer skills.  They work independently quite often on the computer and access both software and online activities.  Technology is apart of their daily routines. 

Part III Student Work Sample Results: 

            The pretest results were low for one student and slightly below average for the other student.  When the students completed the unit they were able to identify that a noun is a naming word.  They also categorized nouns into their three subcategories.  Next they were able to read sentences and pick out the naming words.  Finally they applied their knowledge by working on an interactive computer game. 

            All of the students met the summative posttest criterion.  The results of the unit are shared with parents when the students work is sent home weekly. 

Part IV: Reflection

            When planning for instruction I planned the assessment first then went backwards and planned for the instruction portion of the lesson.  I modeled and guided the activity, which later became the independent activity. 

            My strength throughout the assessment was monitoring students continually for their progress.  I would adjust the lesson as needed.  Another strength was the ability to keep the students attention throughout the process. 

            My weaknesses throughout the lesson were not giving the students more independence.  My students with Autism daily remind me of their abilities, rather than their disabilities.  I would give them more independent time.  Maybe even send them to another space to complete the assessment.  Another weakness of the lessons is I did not provide the students with immediate feedback from the graded assessment.  I graded each assessment and put it in their weekly graded papers folder.  I should have showed them their errors immediately so they could make future corrections. 

            Next time I teach the lesson I would extend it to a two week unit and provide more time for application of the skill.  Maybe have two assessments per objective.  I have already extended the unit by providing additional practice for the students.             

Day 1 Lesson Plan Nouns

Behavioral Objective:  The student will be able to identify what is a noun. 

GLE:  Identify and use knowledge of parts of speech, including:  basic singular and plural nouns, pronouns, verbs, common conjunctions such as and, but, and because,  simple transitional words including first, second, and finally (ELA-3-E4)

Procedures: 

Anticipatory Set:  TTW show TS the thinking maps

Modeling:  TTW show pictures from a magazine.  TTW tell TSW say that these are naming words or nouns.  TTW show the students are large circle map.  TTW place noun in the middle of the map, and glue her pictures around the center of the circle map.  TTW explain that all of these are nouns. 

Guided Practice: TTW give each student their own circle map and a magazine.  TTW show the student pictures of naming words or nouns.  TTW guide the students in finding and cutting out pictures.  Then TT will guide TS in gluing the pictures on the circle map. 

Individual Practice:  TSW continue the activity independently.  They will independently select, cut, and glue pictures on the thinking map. 

Closure:  TTW review what a naming word is.  TTW reinforce that a noun is a naming word. 

Individual Differences:  Small Group Size, Repeat Directions, Close proximity to teacher

Materials: 

-Magazines

-Glue

-Scissors

-Flash Cards

-Large Circle Map

-Individual Circle Maps

-Pencils

Lesson Assessment:  Completed Thinking Map, Observation

Day 2 Lesson Plan Nouns

Behavioral Objective:  The student will be able to identify what is a noun. 

GLE:  Identify and use knowledge of parts of speech, including: basic singular and plural nouns, pronouns, verbs, common conjunctions such as and, but, and because, simple transitional words including first, second, and finally (ELA-3-E4)

Procedures: 

Anticipatory Set:  TTW Show TS the previous days circle map.  TTW review what is a noun. 

Modeling:  TTW show pictures from a magazine.  TTW tell TSW say that these are naming words or nouns.  TTW show the students are large tree map.  TTW place noun on top of the tree map, the three sub categories will be: person, place, and thing.  TTW glue her pictures in the appropriate subcategories.  TTW explain that all of these are nouns, and that nouns are divided into 3 groups.

Guided Practice:  TTW give each student their own tree map and a magazine.  TTW show the student pictures of naming words or nouns.  TTW guide the students in finding and cutting out pictures.  Then TT will guide TS in gluing the pictures on the tree map. 

Individual Practice:  TSW continue the activity independently.  They will independently select, cut, and glue pictures on the thinking map. 

Closure:  TTW review what a naming word is.  TTW reinforce that a noun is a naming word.  TTW also review that there are three categories of nouns: person, place, and thing.

Individual Differences:  Small Group Size, Repeat Directions, Close proximity to teacher

Materials: 

-Magazines

-Glue

-Scissors

-Flash Cards

-Large Tree Map

-Individual Tree Maps

-Pencils

Lesson Assessment:  Completed Thinking Map, Observation

Day 3 Lesson Plan Nouns

Behavioral Objective:  The student will be able to identify what is a noun. 

GLE:  Identify and use knowledge of parts of speech, including: basic singular and plural nouns, pronouns, verbs, common conjunctions such as and, but, and because, simple transitional words including first, second, and finally (ELA-3-E4)

Procedures: 

Anticipatory Set:  TTW Show TS the previous day’s tree map.  TTW review what is a noun. 

Modeling:  TTW show the students their Halloween vocabulary words.  The words have been apart of their instruction for 2 weeks.  TTW review their words orally.  The vocabulary words will in simple sentences.  TTW use a tree map with three categories: person, place, and thing.  TTW pull words from sentences and place in the appropriate category. 

Guided Practice:  TTW give each student their own tree map and copy of several simple sentences with Halloween vocabulary words. TTW guide the students to find the words and place them in the appropriate category.

Individual Practice:  TSW continue the activity independently.  They will independently select, cut, and glue words on the thinking map. 

Closure:  TTW review what a naming word is.  TTW reinforce that a noun is a naming word.  TTW also review that there are three categories of nouns: person, place, and thing.

Individual Differences:  Small Group Size, Repeat Directions, Close proximity to teacher

Materials: 

-Sentence Strips

-Glue

-Scissors

-Large Tree Map

-Individual Tree Maps

-Pencils

Lesson Assessment:  Completed Thinking Map, Observation

Day 4- Lesson Plan Nouns

Behavioral Objective:  The student will be able to identify what is a noun. 

GLE:  Identify and use knowledge of parts of speech, including: basic singular and plural nouns, pronouns, verbs, common conjunctions such as and, but, and because, simple transitional words including first, second, and finally (ELA-3-E4)

 Procedures: 

Anticipatory Set:  TTW Show TS the previous day’s tree map.  TTW review what is a noun. 

Modeling:  TTW show TS various sentences.  TTW read the sentences and point out the naming words or nouns in the sentences. 

Guided Practice:  TTW give each student their own copy of paper with various sentences on it.  TTW aid them in picking out the nouns in the sentences.  TSW cut out the nouns and place them on an answer documents. 

Individual Practice:  TSW complete another activity similar to the guided practice activity. TSW complete the activity independently.  Independently select, cut, and glue words on the thinking map. 

Closure:  TTW review what a naming word is.  TTW reinforce that a noun is a naming word.  TTW also review that there are three categories of nouns: person, place, and thing.

Individual Differences:  Small Group Size, Repeat Directions, Close proximity to teacher

Materials: 

-Sentence Strips

-Glue

-Scissors

-Handouts

-Pencils

Lesson Assessment:  Completed Thinking Map, Observation

Day 5 Lesson Plan Nouns

Behavioral Objective:  The student will be able to identify what is a noun. 

GLE: Identify and use knowledge of parts of speech, including: basic singular and plural nouns, pronouns, verbs, common conjunctions such as and, but, and because, simple transitional words including first, second, and finally (ELA-3-E4)

Procedures: 

Anticipatory Set:  TTW review all thinking maps that were completed through out the week.  TTW also review sentence strips and have the students pick out the naming words. 

Modeling:  TTW show the student a web based game on nouns. http://www.learningplanet.com/act/rats/ratslist2.asp The teacher will show the students how to play the game.  TTW have the game on the large TV screen. 

Guided Practice:  TTW connect each student to the website and guide them as they begin to play the game. 

Individual Practice:  TSW continue the activity independently. 

Closure:  TTW review what a naming word is.  TTW reinforce that a noun is a naming word. 

Individual Differences:  Small Group Size, Repeat Directions, Close proximity to teacher

Materials: 

-         Thinking maps

-         Sentence strips

-         Computers

-         TV