Task3 Assessment Commentary

Secondary History/Social Studies
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 feedback as a video or audio clip and your comments to focus students cannot be clearly heard, attach
transcriptions of your comments (no more than 2 additional pages) to the end of this file. These pages do not count toward
your page total.
1. Analyzing Student Learning

a. Identify the specific learning objectives measured by the assessment you chose
for analysis.
The overall goal of this lesson was to establish a working definition of elasticity of
supply, recognition of elastic/inelastic supply curves, identification of factors that
contribute to a product elasticity, and ability to provide real world examples of
inelastic or elastic products. The K-W-L chart I used as an assessment was used
to determine their overall understanding of the concepts we covered in class.
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 Assessment Task 3, Part D.
To gauge these objectives I used two primary techniques. First, I determined
understanding through several formative assessments. For informal
assessments I used call & response to determine if they could identify the
difference between slopes, I had students work collaboratively, and share
examples of elastic & inelastic products with the class. For a more formal
assessment of understanding I used the K-W-L chart to see how their knowledge
changed over the course of the lesson.
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
facts and concepts

inquiry, interpretation, or analysis skills
building and supporting arguments or conclusions
Consider what students understand and do well, and where they continue to struggle
(e.g., common errors, confusions, need for greater challenge).
The three students I am focusing on represent three levels of understanding of
the class (high, middle, and low respectively). Most students understood the
concept in broad strokes, but there was some confusion between elasticity of
supply, and that of demand. They also appeared to still be developing how to
apply the factors that cause a product to be elastic as opposed to inelastic. The
confusion between supply and demand can be seen on Student 3s KWL chart
(the third) where she draws examples of five levels of elasticity of supply, but
accidentally draws the demand curve instead.
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d. If a video or audio work sample occurs in a group context (e.g., discussion), provide the
name of the clip and clearly describe how the scorer can identify the focus student(s)
(e.g., position, physical description) whose work is portrayed.
No video or audio clip available
2. Feedback to Guide Further Learning
Refer to specific evidence of submitted feedback to support your explanations.
a. Identify the format in which you submitted your evidence of feedback for the 3 focus
students. (Delete choices that do not apply.)
Written directly on work samples or in separate documents that were provided to the
focus students
b. Explain how feedback provided to the 3 focus students addresses their individual
strengths and needs relative to the learning objectives measured.
To be both useful and effective, student feedback should be specific, actionable,
timely, respectful, and tailored to the specific needs of the learner. I attempted to
get back with students shortly after the lesson to address specific concerns. I
point out areas they are competent, as well as content they need to continue
studying. I will often ask guiding questions to help guide their continued studies.
Student 1 is one of the more active contributors in class. He can often be
relied upon to contribute to discussions and take notes when not
engaged. His KWL was fairly accurate, but had a few points that should
be checked.
Student 2 is one of two special education students. His individual
education plan specifies a need for preferential seating to limit
distractions, and that he receives support for reading and writing. their
KWL was not well filled out, but this is likely due to his difficulty with
writing. He provided an accurate definition of elasticity/inelasticity, but did
not demonstrate any knowledge of contributing factors. I could better
determine his knowledge with a quick conversation to check knowledge.
Student 3 has missed a number of days, and has very little interest in
participating in class. She prefers to doodle or color, and when she does
contribute it tends to be trivia that is only tangentially related to the class
conversation. Her KWL chart was empty with the exception of 5 market
model graphs (only three were labeled, and the graphs were demand
models, not supply), and a single factor that contributes to product
elasticity. She would require extra scaffolding and informal assessments
to better determine her understanding.
c. Describe how you will support each focus student to understand and use this feedback
to further their learning related to learning objectives, either within the learning segment
or at a later time.
After returning the feedback I would check with the students to determine if they
understood my comments, and ask what they intended to do with the information.
For Students 2 & 3 I might suggest some supplemental educational videos to

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watch outside of class, and ask that they follow up with me after having watched
them to see if they had any further questions.
3. Evidence of Language Understanding and Use
When responding to the prompt below, use concrete examples from the video clips and/or
student work samples as evidence. Evidence from the clips may focus on one or more
students.
You may provide evidence of students language use from ONE, TWO, OR ALL
THREE of the following sources:
1. Use video clips from Instruction Task 2 and provide time-stamp references for
evidence of language use.
2. Submit an additional video file named Language Use of no more than 5
minutes in length and cite language use (this can be footage of one or more
students language use). Submit the clip in Assessment Task 3, Part B.
3. Use the student work samples analyzed in Assessment Task 3 and cite
language use.
a. Explain and provide concrete examples for the extent to which your students were able
to use or struggled to use the
selected language function,

vocabulary/symbols, AND
discourse or syntax to develop content understandings.
Based on my students work samples I can determine that they have begun to
gain a strong understanding of the vocabulary that we covered in the lessons. In
the Know and want sections of their KWL charts the students either did not
have the language to discuss what they already understand about elasticity of
supply. One student used the terms substitutes and produced, but at the end
of the unit this same student was able to use a more proficient and economicsbased vocabulary. They used the terms supply, fluctuation, scarcity, markets
and changed money to price.
In the second KWL chart you can see that the student wrote nothing under know,
and only lots under want to know. What they learned showed not only that they
now have the vocabulary highlighted in the unit, but that they understand and are
able to use it in the proper syntax. They used the terms elastic, inelastic, and
relatively.
In economics many mathematical symbols are used, especially graphs. The third
students KWL chart demonstrates that they understand the importance of using
graphs and were able to correctly put them in order from inelastic to elastic, but
unfortunately they showed charts that demonstrate demand instead of supply.
They also lacked the ability to discuss the significance of elasticity. Many
students struggled with the differences between supply and demand. This is an
aspect of the unit that we will need to review in the future. ]

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4. Using Assessment to Inform Instruction

a. Based on your analysis of student learning presented in prompts 1bc, describe next
steps for instruction to impact student learning:
For the whole class

For the 3 focus students and other individuals/groups with specific needs
Consider the variety of learners in your class who may require different
strategies/support (e.g., students with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
struggling readers, underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge, and/or gifted students needing greater support or challenge).
Before beginning the next unit I would use the KWL chart and informal poling to
determine what subjects I should review with the whole class. Moving forward
into the next classes I would move toward lessons and assessments that
featured more visuals and class participation, and less in terms of writing. The
times I do have the class write I should allow for a longer period of time to
accommodate students like students 2 & 3 who appear to have less affinity for
reading and writing. I might also use a differentiation strategy like a learning
menu that allows students to choose from a variety of tasks which may play
better to their strengths.
b. Explain how these next steps follow from your analysis of the student learning. Support
your explanation with principles from research and/or theory.
Constructivist theorists Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky both believed that learning
was a social experience, and that new knowledge formed when tied together with
topics that were familiar to the learner. By including concrete props and visuals,
allowing students to learn through interaction with one another (including
mentoring and cooperative learning exercises), and giving students a wide range
of experience & material, this would engage students at multiple learning styles
and level of interest.

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Secondary History/Social Studies