Early Childhood

Task 2: Instruction Commentary

TASK 2: INSTRUCTION COMMENTARY

Respond to the prompts below (no more than 6 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. You may insert no more than 2 additional pages of supporting documentation at the end of this file. These pages
may include graphics, texts, or images that are not clearly visible in the video or a transcript for occasionally inaudible portions.
These pages do not count toward your page total.

1. List the learning experience(s) you have selected for the 2 video clips you are
submitting. Identify the learning experience(s) by plan day/number.
[ Clip 1 is from Learning Experience 2 which was taught on the second day. Clip 2 is from
Learning Experience 3 which was taught on the final day. ]
2. Promoting a Positive Learning Environment
Refer to scenes in the video clips where you provided a positive learning environment.
a. How did you demonstrate mutual respect for, rapport with, and responsiveness to
children with varied needs and backgrounds, and challenge children to engage in
learning?
[ Before my lesson begins in the first clip, I ask the children if they have ever seen shells at the
beach before. This is a way of introducing the lesson so that children are engaged from the very
beginning, I also told the children what it is that they were going to be doing at the start of both
video clips. This allowed the children to know exactly what they had to do. I also acknowledged
the children by name in both video clips. ]
3. Engaging Children in Learning
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.

a. Explain how your instruction engaged children in

 language and literacy development, AND
 active, multimodal learning
[ In the first video clip, I started off by asking the children a question in order to get them
thinking. I also asked them questions about the shells as they were sorting them. Using shells
also provided the children with a hands-on learning experience since they got to hold and touch
the shells. In the second clip, I asked the children if they thought the objects were going to sink
or float in water, water with baking soda, water with sugar, and water with salt. I also let the
children hold and feel the objects and place them in the water so that they could see first hand
what was going to happen.]
b. Describe how your instruction linked children’s development, prior learning, and
personal, cultural, and community assets with new learning.
[The whole lesson segment builds on children’s prior knowledge since they are showcasing
what they already know. The theme for the lesson segment was the beach, which allowed the
children to think about their own experiences having gone to a beach. They were then able to
apply what they had experienced to what they were learning each day. ]
4. Deepening Children’s Learning during Instruction
Refer to examples from the video clips in your explanations.

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 Early Childhood
Task 2: Instruction Commentary

a. Explain how you elicited and built on children’s responses to promote children’s
language and literacy development through active learning.
[In the first clip, I asked a few of the children about the way they were sorting their shells. I
asked them if certain shells felt different than others and why they chose to put certain shells in
certain groups. In the second clip, I asked the children to predict whether the objects would sink
or float and why they thought so. ]
b. Explain how you made interdisciplinary connections in ways that deepen children’s
development of language and literacy.
[ The entire lesson segment incorporated science into literacy activities. By asking the children
questions, I was able to elicit responses that allowed to children to practice their literacy skills
while also using mathematical and inquiry based vocabulary such as sorting and predict. ]
5. Analyzing Teaching
Refer to examples from the video clips in your responses to the prompts.

a. What changes would you make to your instruction to better support children’s learning
related to the central focus? Be sure to address the needs of all children, including those
who need greater support or challenge.

Consider the variety of learners in your class/group who may require different
strategies/supports (such as children with IEPs or 504 plans, English language learners,
children at different points in the developmental continuum, and/or gifted children).
[I would make sure that the children are fully engaged for the entire lesson and that they
understand what it is that they have to do. I could have also asked more follow up questions to
the children once they answered a question. This would have also allowed for less gaps in
between the lessons and would have prevented some of the children from goofing off due to
lack of engagement.]
b. Explain why you think these changes would improve children’s learning. Support your
explanation with evidence of children’s learning AND principles from developmental
theory and/or research.
[Research has shown that children learn best when they are fully engaged in a lesson. This
allows children to better understand what is being asked of them and allows for a more
successful learning experience without them losing interest. They way children act also depends
on their environment, so it is important to make sure that the learning environment is suitable for
the children and that it allows opportunity for learning and positive interaction. Lack of
engagement can also make it more likely for a child to misbehave or act out of line. ]

Copyright © 2016 Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. 2 of 2 | 6 pages maximum
All rights reserved. V5_0916
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.