Independent 7-Step Learning Process Documentation

WTS 7 and 8 Independent Learning Process and Evidence

Landri Vogelsang
Saint Marys University of Minnesota
Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs
EDUW 693 Instructional Design and Assessment
Sara Heisler, Instructor
December 15, 2015

Page 1

Independent 7-Step Learning Process Documentation

Page 2

Independent Learning Process Summary and Artifacts

Following the guided learning process in EDUW 693, teachers apply course learning to
complete an independent learning process. Documentation in this section provides evidence that
I can use a professional learning process to continue improving knowledge, dispositions, and
performance to benefit student outcomes with each unit I teach. This documentation follows a
seven-step learning process to show key evidence of essential practices connected to each step.
LEARNING STEP 1: Expand perspectives based on educator and student standards.
LEARNING STEP 2: Assess my current educator effectiveness and student performance
outcomes based on evidence compared to educator and academic performance standards.
From that evidence, reason inductively to define area(s) most in need of improvement:
a. One specific descriptor from the Wisconsin Educator Effectiveness System or the
Danielson Framework for Teaching (representing a next step for improvement from my
previous learning process) to guide my professional growth in the upcoming learning unit: I
chose to focus on the Danielson Framework for Teaching Domain 1, Planning and Preparation.
More specifically, designing a highly coherent progression of activities
b. One targeted student academic content standard guiding expectations for the
upcoming learning unit: C.EL.1 Develops ability to detect, manipulate, or analyze the auditory
parts of spoken language (This includes the ability to segment oral language into words,
syllables, or phonemes independent of meaning.)
Age 3: Uses a combination of letter sounds, familiar environmental print, and picture
cues to recognize a printed word.
Age 4-K: correct sounds into spelling of them
c. One targeted student literacy standard guiding expectations for the upcoming learning unit:
EEL.3.2.f: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English: Use spelling patterns
in familiar words with common spelling patterns to spell words with the
same spelling pattern.
Age 4: C.EL, Row 6, Age 4-5: O/L: Writes recognizable letters/numbers, spelling
phonetically (letter matches sound).
C.EL, Row 7, Age 5-6/Kindergarten: O/L: correct letters/numbers, letters match
dominant sounds phonetically, capitalizes I and known names.
d. Pre-assessment of student evidence from vertical descriptors for the targeted standards
that guided my expectations for the upcoming learning unit is at Learning Step 6 for ease of
comparisons during the post-assessment.
e. Area to research to address student performance skills most in need of improvement:
Spelling of initial consonant diagraphs

Independent 7-Step Learning Process Documentation

Page 3

LEARNING STEP 3: Research professional sources to find practical answers.

Most useful source name: Calhoun Intermediate School District:
http://www.calhounisd.org/departments/curriculumassessment/effectivepracticesresources/readin
gstrategies/
One new insight/practice to try: Elkonin Boxes
LEARNING STEP 4: Incorporate learning into a plan.
Independent Planning Process Summary
Targeted Subject: Spelling Topic: Digraphs
Length of Entire Learning Unit: 5 days
Quarter: 2
Students Age/Grade Level: 9 years old/3rd Grade
Lesson Plan Source: Words Their Way: Word Sorts for Letter Name/Alphabetic Spellers;
Johnston, Bear, Invernizzi, and Templeton
1. Developmental assessment to align content standards developmentally to students.
Summative Task for Entire Learning Unit: Spell words with sh digraph beginnings
Key content expectations for proficiency range for the units summative task: (complete below)
Differentiation. None
Targeted Proficiency Range for Learning Unit
L. Gr. K to 1: Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs
and decode regularly spelled one-syllable words using digraphs.
H. Gr. K to 1: Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant
digraphs and decode regularly spelled one-syllable words using digraphs.
Differentiation. None
Key literacy skill expectations for proficiency range for summative task: (complete below)
Differentiation. None:
Targeted Proficiency Range for Learning Unit
L. Gr. K to 1: Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and
for frequently occurring irregular words.
H. Gr. K to 1: Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and
for frequently occurring irregular words and Spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on
phonemic awareness and spelling conventions.
Differentiation. None:
2. Essential Connections in Learning Plan:
Essential UNIT Question (student appeal to motivate/broaden learning beyond academics):
Can two letters make one sound?
Essential UNIT Answer/Understanding (lasting truth/principle/rule/insight to answer EQ):
Two letters can make one sound and it is called blending
Essential Thinking Pattern to Connect EQ to EA:
Define by grouping, coding
Essential Connection to Expand Perspectives Based on Diverse Realities:

Independent 7-Step Learning Process Documentation

Page 4

Discussion about the different meanings of blending: how families can be blended, how milkshakes
are blended, how our schools are blended.
Essential Connection to Build Integrity, Empathy, and/or Insight:
Students participated in a hands-on activity to represent blending. Students gained insight on
how two colors can be blended into one color and how two letters can also by blended into one
sound
3. Essential Alignment in Learning Plan: objectives, content, process, product, assessment
What to learn?
[objective(s) + content]
KEY Starting Objective(s):
Define by grouping, two colors
blended together make one
color
Recall: the names of colors
Understand: some colors blend
together to make different
colors
Analyze: what colors could
make different colors
Apply: to Elkonin boxes

KEY Formative Obj(s) for Step

1:
Define by grouping: two letters
blended together make one sound

How to learn?
[process]
(key methods, teachniques, differentiation)
~Whole group, direct instruction
~Model: Blend yellow and blue (two colors)
together in a glass of water to make green (one
color)
~Model: show students that two colors can make
one color when we blend them together
~Model/Guided Practice: Show that two colors can
be blended together to make one color by using
Elkonin Boxes (i.e. put yellow in one box, blue in
another box, and then green in one box
Independent Practice: Students practice by blending
two different colors (i.e. blue and red to make
purple)
Independent practice: students will place their
colors in the Elkonin boxes
Whole Group: review color activity and blending;
teacher will inform students that they will be
practicing blending with letters and sounds; show
videos on the s and h sounds

Model: use Elkonin boxes to show s in first box,

h in second box, and sh in third box. Model
how to self-assess by putting a 1 for 1 point above
Understand: the sequence of the each correct answer. Inform students that they will
letters in the Elkonin boxes
earn a special treat if they get 2 or more points
Recall: two colors blended
together make one color

Evidence of Learning?
[product + assessment]
(task + assessment method)
T = Place colors in correct
Elkonin boxes (blue, red, purple)
A= Self-Assessment: students will
self-correct their Elkonin boxes
with teacher direction

T = Place s, h, and sh
correctly in the Elkonin boxes
A= Self-assess Elkonin boxes by
coding answers with a 1 above
a correct answer

Apply: the sequence

Guided Practice: Students practice using their own
independently using s, h, and Elkonin boxes and self-assessing using coding (with
sh
point system)
Compare: students compare their Elkonin boxes
FO2: Verbally state the sound
that sh makes
Recall: the sequence of the
Elkonin boxes using s, h,
and sh
Understand: the s and h

Whole Group: review sequence of Elkonin boxes:

s, h, sh by have 1 student write them from
memory on a whiteboard and other student verbally
state the sequence
Model: how the sh sounds when you blend the
s and h together; use total physical response to
help students remember sound (put up 1 finger and

T = Verbally state the sound that

sh makes and spell word using
Elkonin boxes
A= Self and peer asses using
teacher created model: Make
word with sh digraph using
Elkonin Boxes and verbally state
what sound sh makes : code

Independent 7-Step Learning Process Documentation

blended together make the sh
sound

say sh like when someone is trying to say be

quiet

Apply: use the Elkonin boxes

to spell sh words

Model: how to use the Elkonin boxes with the sh

sound in the beginning of words using the word
ship; use coding () above the sh and a v
above the vowel of the word

Page 5

using a above the sh sound

and a v above the vowel

Guided Practice: students practice using the word

shop by stating the sound the sh makes, placing
the letters in the Elkonin boxes; students code their
word by placing a () above their sh sound and a
v above the vowel of the word

FO3: Identify picture cards by

s, h, and sh sounds
Recall: using Elkonin boxes
with sh digraphs
Understand: what sound sh
makes
Apply: to different words that
begin with the sh sound
Analyze: between words that
begin with s, h, and sh

Independent practice: students are given the word

shop; students use Elkonin boxes, coding system,
and verbally state the sound sh makes; students
compare their answers
~Whole Group: Review Elkonin boxes and sh
sound
Model: show picture cards to ensure students know
what the pictures are (words are written on the
picture cards for visual); teacher shows students
how to cut words and shows examples of sorting
and writing the words using the s, h, and sh
headings; code the sh when words begin with that
sound and code the vowel of the word

T = Sort picture cards according

to the beginning sounds s, h,
and sh and write words (spelled
correctly); use coding system
A= Self-assessment: students use
teacher model to self-assess their
written and sorted words

Guided Practice: students cut out own words; sort

and write words according to s, h, and sh
headings (only 1 word from each heading); use
coding system
Independent practice: students sort and write the
rest of their words independently

FO4: Write and spell sh

words from picture sort

Whole Group: review Elkonin boxes using s, h

and sh words

Recall: how the s, h, and

sh letters sound using the
Elkonin boxes

Model: Teacher will model sorting picture cards

without words; teacher will model writing those
words using coding system; inform students that for
every word they get correct, they will earn 1 extra
minute of recess

Understand: the sound and

spelling of the sh digraph
Apply: to picture cards without
words

Guided Practice: students will get 6 words to

practice sorting and writing; students will compare
their answers to each other
Independent Practice: Students will get 6 additional
words to independently sort and write using the
coding system

T = Sort and spell sh words

from picture sort
A= Words are written or verbally
spelled with sh beginning
digraph in correct place using
coding system

Independent 7-Step Learning Process Documentation

FO5: Spell words with sh
digraph

Whole Group: review Elkonin boxes, coding

system, and sound of sh
Independent: Students will do a spelling show off
(individually) using a white board; students will be
faced back to back; teacher will give word; students
will spell word; students will compare their answers
to each other and then to the correct teacher answer;
inform students they will earn a special treat if they
get 5 or more points (1 point is scored for each
correct answer)

Key SLOs at END of ENTIRE

UNIT: Spell words beginning
with the sh digraph

Independent: students will spell words using

coding system

Page 6

T = Spell words with sh

digraph
A= Spell words with sh by
writing, verbally spelling, or using
magnetic letters to identify the
correct place of the sh digraph

Sum. Task: Spell words

beginning with the sh digraph
Summative Assessment Method:
Spell sh words by writing,
verbally spelling the words, or
using magnetic letters

LEARNING STEP 5: Implement plan and gather educator and student evidence.
LEARNING STEP 6: Assess evidence compared to pre-assessment results (How far have
students come in comparison to starting abilities?) and standards (How far to go in comparison
to grade level expectations at end of year?).
Source of student performance evidence prior to learning in this unit:
The pre-assessment source was showing evidence of students lack of knowledge of
digraphs, particularly the sh digraph. The students had been previously working on CVC
spelling and language conventions. Both students were able to spell and identify this pattern
with 90% accuracy, therefore the next step was to introduce digraphs (according to our Words
Their Way program). When the pre-assessment was given, the highest student sample was able
to spell the sh digraph 1 out of 4 sh words given; the lowest was able to spell the sh
digraph 0 out of 4 words given.
Source of student performance evidence at the end of one week into the learning unit:
The post assessment shows that both students were able to spell the words that begin with
the sh digraph. Both students were able to spell the sh digraph in words beginning with sh
100% of the words given.
Whole class Performance at Beginning of Learning Unit:
The lowest student performance was able to spell sh digraphs 0 out of 4 words given;
the highest student performance was able to spell the sh digraph 1 out of 4 words given
Whole class Performance at End of One Week into Learning Unit:
The lowest student performance was able to spell the sh digraph 4 out of 4 words
given; the highest student performance was able to spell the sh digraph 4 out of 4 words given

Independent 7-Step Learning Process Documentation

Lowest Performance Sample Prior to Learning

Lowest Performance Sample at End of One Week

No differentiation of elements necessary

Page 7

Independent 7-Step Learning Process Documentation

Highest Performance Sample Prior to Learning

Highest Performance Sample at End of One Week into Learning Unit

No differentiation of elements necessary

Page 8

Independent 7-Step Learning Process Documentation

Page 9

LEARNING STEP 7: Reflection of Entire Learning Process and Student Outcomes

Teacher-as-Learner Perspective: Most significant insight, attitude, or practice that worked best
for more efficient and effective learning on my part in comparison to my previous learning
process:
The most significant practice that worked best for more efficient and effective learning
was following and looking closely at the horizontal and vertical standards. I needed to
implement and try the 7-step learning process on my own to ensure that I really understood the
process. By doing this process on my own, I was able to truly experience aligning the standards
vertically and horizontally. This made me realize that it is such an important element to creating
a lesson plan that will be effective and aligned.
Teacher-as-Learner Perspective: My next independent learning step(s) to achieve more efficient
and effective learning as an educator:
My next steps would be to continue practicing aligning the horizontal and vertical
standards, along with creating lessons that are coherent for my students.
Teacher Perspective: Most significant insight, attitude, or practice that worked best to improve
student outcomes in this learning unit in comparison to previous outcomes:
The Elkonin Boxes really worked best to improve my student outcomes. It was crucial for
my students to visually see how the sounds of letters can be independent and combined to make
sounds. In addition, coding really helped my students be able to self-assess which created
improved student outcomes.
Teacher Perspective: My next independent learning step(s) for improving teaching practices to
benefit student learning:
My next steps would be to keep incorporating coding as a way to self-assess and improve
student outcomes. In addition, I will continue to use Elkonin boxes to teach students different
digraphs.