Step 6
SPD 590
February 14, 2024
Jordan Thomas
STEP Standard 5 - Implementation of Instructional Unit
You will implement all lesson activities, correlating formative assessments and the summative
post-assessment. Choose one of the lesson activities to video record a 5-10 minute segment,
review, and reflect on your teaching. Have your cooperating teacher/mentor review the recording
and provide feedback, if possible.
Use an online video platform such as Loom, YouTube, or Vimeo to upload your completed video.
Be sure that others can access and view your linked video prior to submitting.
Video Recording Link:
Summary of Unit Implementation:
The lesson I have worked on to review and reflect is the lesson that introduces the topic to students. I
wanted to look into this lesson to show my strengths and possible weaknesses of introducing a new topic
to students. Sometimes we introduce a new topic that students have prior knowledge of whether they have
taken a lesson on it or not. This is because so much of the information that we learn is used in everyday
life. When introducing this topic, I rely heavily on everyday life, but specifically on the classroom
environment. I talk a lot about the classroom environment because there is not only a plethora of goods in
the classroom, but there is also a plethora of services in our school. In our classroom the amount of goods
present is so much it is not truly countable. With services, the students see so many services throughout
the week, between teachers, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, physical therapists, life
guards, chefs, etc.
Summary of Student Learning:
I think that student learning was pretty optimal for this lesson. I can tell that the students had some prior
knowledge, but they were receptacle to learning the information. I think that most of the students
progressed well, but I have one student who I am struggling to assess his learning. With him being
nonverbal, and he is always very distracted, I am working on less prompting for the correct answer and
letting him process longer before choosing a question. I tried to address this lesson similar to the way the
NYSAA testing is done, in that I read the question and don’t say anything else until they answer, but I
struggled with some students. Overall, I feel that student learning was optimal.
Reflection of Video Recording:
Video recordings are very hard for me, but only because of my own self insecurities. I feel that I am good
at delivering information, but knowing that I will have to go back and listen to myself I feel that I may
stumble on words or over prompt the lessons in hopes to show that students are getting the accurate
answers. I think that while I am confident in my teachings, I still need to work on myself being observed,
because in my future I will have my school administrators be in my classroom for observations.
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STEP Standard 6 - Analysis of Student Learning
After you have implemented each lesson in the unit, as well as completed the post-assessment,
collaborate with your cooperating teacher/mentor to analyze the results of the post-assessment
and determine student learning. Review your data and whether there is a student or group of
students who have not mastered the objectives and discuss what you will do to further develop
students’ knowledge and skills.
Post-Test Data: Whole Class - Once you have assessed your students’ learning on the topic, collect
and analyze the post-test data to determine the effectiveness of your instruction and assessment.
Number of Students Number of Students
Pre-Test Post-Test
Highly Proficient 4
(90%-100%)
Proficient
3 1
(80%-89%)
Partially Proficient
2
(70%-79%)
Minimally
Proficient
(69% and below)
Post-Test Analysis: Whole Class
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Based on the information provided by the post test, I can conclude that students were able to
apply learned knowledge from lessons to written questions. After having the students complete
the post test, I also concluded that printed out assessments are better suited for the students in
this classroom. I feel that one of the students that scored in the partially proficient range
during the post test, whom then scored in the highly proficient was one student who was very
distracted with the digital pre-test. This student perseverates a lot on electronics, and we
thought that using it for educational purposes would introduce technology for educational
purposes; but he was distracted knowing the devices capabilities for his own engagement.
Banire, Al Thani, Qarage, et al 2021, did a study on technology in classrooms with students
with autism. “This study shows that children with ASD experience challenges in paying
attention to relevant stimuli in a VR classroom setting. However, the study suggests that
constant reorientation support can enhance the sustained attention of children with ASD”
(Banire, B., Al Thani, D., Qaraqe, M. et al. 2021).
Banire, B., Al Thani, D., Qaraqe, M. et al. Impact of mainstream classroom setting on attention of
children with autism spectrum disorder: an eye-tracking study. Univ Access Inf Soc 20, 785–795 (2021).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-020-00749-0
Based on the outcomes of the whole class post-test results, I can conclude that student
understanding and learned knowledge of goods and services was successful. With the use of
technology as a whole class, student engagement was present, and showed in their lesson
assignments. Majority of the students started this topic with a decent background on goods and
services, and two students had limited background on the topic. However, after each day,
student assignments showed how the information being taught was being retained. Based on
Jim Wrights article, “How RTI/MTSS for Academics Works (2017), I followed his important
steps to teach in successful ways. I used his points of “using multiple direction formats,
practice memory retrieval, and maintaining the skill through occasional practice.” For
multiple direction formations, I would verbally state the direction, have the directions printed
on the work, and also provide visuals for directions. “When directions to perform a task or
skill are delivered through several formats, they can be made more memorable and thus easier
for a student to retain and recall as needed’ (Wright, J. 2017). For practice memory , I started
each day with questions based on the content we learned the day before. I would do this to
spark their memory of the information we learned, but also to get a quick note on who was able
to retain the information and who needs more help. For maintaining skills through practice, I
would tie the lesson into their day even after the lesson was over. For example, when a
clinician came into the classroom, I would go around and ask students “is our OT a good or a
service in the classroom?”
Wright, J. (2017). Helping students to retain skills and content: Classroom ... Intervention
Central. https://www.interventioncentral.org/sites/default/files/workshop_files/allfiles/
RETENTION_Classroom_Strategies.pdf
Post-Assessment Analysis: Subgroup Selection
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Non-Verbal Students
Post-Assessment Data: Subgroup (Gender, ELL population, Gifted, students on IEPs or 504s, etc.)
Number of Students Number of Students
Pre-Test Post-Test
Highly Proficient
(90%-100%)
Proficient
1
(80%-89%)
Partially Proficient
1
(70%-79%)
Minimally
Proficient
(69% and below)
Post-Assessment Analysis: Subgroup
I have chosen to address the student of the class that is nonverbal. During the lesson, it
became difficult to understand whether the student is learning new information or just taking a
guess, and that is because he can not express his reasoning. I can conclude that he has learned
new information based on the post assessment. In the pre-assessment I noticed he was click on
answers based on where he picked up his finger and what was the closest to where he was
pointing. However, during the lessons and post-assessment I was able to “Adapt worksheets to
cut down on handwriting” (Kelly, K. 2023). When given the post-test I was able to take visuals
and give a sorting map, in which he would place the visual under the column good or service.
After completing the post-assessment I can conclude that he was able to differentiate a good
and service more definitively. With that, I also was able to understand that more involved
visuals were difficult to differentiate, and that a simple icon could have based his proficiency
level higher than he scored.
Kelly, K. (2023, December 11). Classroom accommodations for nonverbal learning disabilities.
Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/at-a-glance-classroom-accommodations-
for-nonverbal-learning-disabilities
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In my sub-group post-test data, I have seen how my instruction can be beneficial and not as
beneficial to certain students. When I created my lessons, I differentiated instruction in ways I
believed would be best suited and least limiting for my nonverbal student. However, there were
pros and cons to these methods. When introducing the new topic I “Use simple, concrete, and
clear language” and “Break down abstract concepts and rephrase if needed” (Kelly, K.
2023.). However, I failed to adapt his assignments in entirety to allow him to demonstrate his
understanding of the topic fully. In the assignments I provided an adaptation with a use of
visuals, however, there were some visuals that I was not able to find in boardmaker. With that, I
went to google to find visuals, which appeared to become confusing to the student. In the
future, I will aim to find more clear visuals that represent vocabulary to the direct point, and
visuals that can be open ended. For example, I used a picture of a guy working on a car to
represent the service mechanic. However, the student had determined that the picture was a
good, because the majority of the picture was the car with the mechanic putting a tire on. This
became a visual that represented both a good and service, and even though using the word
mechanic when showing the visual, the visual could still have gone in both categories.
Kelly, K. (2023, December 11). Classroom accommodations for nonverbal learning disabilities.
Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/at-a-glance-classroom-accommodations-for-
nonverbal-learning-disabilities
Post-Assessment Data: Remainder of Class
Number of Students Number of Students
Pre-Test Post-Test
Highly Proficient
4
(90%-100%)
Proficient
3
(80%-89%)
Partially Proficient
1
(70%-79%)
Minimally
Proficient
(69% and below)
Post-Assessment Analysis: Subgroup and Remainder of Class
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Based on the data from the post-assessment, I can conclude that all students demonstrated
their learned knowledge. All students have succeeded past their pre-assessment proficiency
level, with one student showing two proficiency level successions. When working through the
lessons I noticed that students were completing the lesson assignments with ease. With that, I
noticed this with the post assessment as well, and that the post-assessment could have been
more challenging. I was able to conclude that students did demonstrate learned knowledge, but
I feel that creating a more challenging post-assessment would have shown a greater
understanding of student information retainment.
Based on your analysis of student learning, discuss the next steps for instruction, including an
objective that would build upon the content taught in this unit of instruction
Based on the data from the post-assessment, I can conclude that all students had shown growth
in learning the topic goods and services. All students showed a higher proficiency level than
where they stood based on their scores from the pre-assessment. During instruction, I was able
to see students actively participating, and I also was able to see information retention when I
would ask questions throughout the day to recall the new information. When I originally
created these lessons, I introduced this topic with in mind that the students had little knowledge
to the topic, which was incorrect. This lesson plan seemed more of a review rather than a new
introduction, which I believe helped helped the students achieve a highly proficient or
proficient level. Based on the pre-assessment, I failed to understand proficiency levels in that’s
the assessment delivery method seemed to be insufficient for accurate scoring. However, my
post-assessment did not seem to challenge most students and could have been more involved to
show a greater learning succession. In the future, if I run into these similar concept, I will alter
a post-assessment to demonstrate challenging yet realistic questions to more accurately
determine learned knowledge.
STEP Standard 7 – Reflecting on Instruction to Improve Student
Progress
Improved Practice Based on the Unit of Study
Based on the experience of developing and delivering your instructional unit, list three short-
term goals to improve specific areas of your teaching practice based on the unit of instruction
and describe your plan to reach each short-term goal.
Plan to Reach the Goal (i.e., professional
Short-Term Goal development, research on the Internet,
observation of a veteran teacher, etc.)
1.
2.
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3.
Long-Term Goals: Teachers who are dedicated to their profession and to improving the lives of
students will continually look for ways to grow and learn. The best way to ensure that learning is
prioritized is to create a long-term goal. Create one long term goal that is specific and
measurable. Make sure to discuss the following:
Long-Term Goal:
Rationale: Why did you choose this goal? How do
you expect it to improve the outcomes of your
future students?
End Date: By when do you expect to accomplish
this goal?
Action Timeline: What steps will you take to
complete this goal, and by when will you take
them? Example:
1/31/18: Join AACTE
Resources: What resources are available to assist
you in accomplishing your goal?
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