Task 2: Modified Instruction Commentary

Evaluated using rubrics 6-10

1) The lesson you are using for this assignment is Mr. Tom Winiecki’s 4th grade basketball dribbling lesson.
2) Promoting a Positive Learning Environment
Refer to scenes in the video clip(s) using time markers where the teacher provided a safe, respectful, and
organized learning environment.
a) Describe how the teacher provided a positive, low-risk emotionally and physically safe
environment. (Think about what we have been discussing in class about creating a positive learning
environment).
[Throughout the lesson the teacher addresses the students by their names, and an example of this occurs at
minute 8:46 when talking to the boy in red sneakers. Connecting with the students and referring to them by
name can help create a low-risk emotionally safe environment because it shows the teacher cares. It also shows
the students that the teacher is looking and focused on you, creating a positive environment as well. Another
time while talking to the boy in red sneakers, the student only got three on his task and looked sadden and the
teacher responded with “That’s okay, lets see if you can get more than three.” The teacher was not upset but
encouraging, this will also lead to a positive environment.
At minute 11:11-11:30 the teacher explains the next task and presents it in a way that allows the students to
understand that it is okay if they are not at the next or advanced step. He also tells students they are allowed to
go to any basket, provided they do not skip a classmate that is already there. This statement is geared toward
creating a physically safe environment. ]
b) Explain how the rules, routines, and transitions maximized students’ engagement in the lesson.
[At timestamp 1:00, the teacher begins to ask students wearing different colors to stand up and get a ball. This
reduces the likelihood of students rushing over at once and potentially running into one another. This also
requires students to maintain focus on the teacher to know when they can get their ball. Within a different
transition to a task at minute 6:21 the teacher asks the students to sit on the circle and tell a classmate two
different items related to basketball. This allows students to still be engaged in the activity even throughout a
transitional period.
At 9:56 the teacher asks for “someone with a quiet hand” to answer his question. This encourages students to be
quiet because they want to be the one to answer the question. The faster the students quiet down, the more time
they will have on task.
At 16:40-17:00 when explaining the next task, the teacher told the students that they must move to other baskets
provided they do not cut a classmate. This encourages students to move around, practice dribbling to the other
baskets and therefore increase their time on task, rather than staying in one place and waiting for their turn. ]
3) Engaging Students in Learning
Refer to examples from the video clip(s) using time markers in your response to the prompt.
a) Explain how the teacher actively engaged students in learning tasks aligned with the objectives of
the lesson in the psychomotor domain and at least one other learning domain (cognitive, affective).
[The teacher asked the students to talk to their peers about what a good dribbler looked like and then accepted a
few answers from the students. He then used those answers to reinforce some of the cues of dribbling and what
he would be looking for within the class period. This assessment of the cognitive domain occurred between
0:00-1:00.
At minute 2:22 the teacher tasked the students to dribble with their eyes up and looking around the room. The
students were told to create a list of other students they could see looking up and dribbling. This aligns with the
cue and objective of keeping eyes up to be a good dribbler. Around minute 4:18 the teacher has a new task for
the student that requires them to look up at the spelling lists, switch hands, and dribble around if they are able
to. This task relates back to all of the objectives and cues of the psychomotor domain that were reviewed in the
beginning of the class. ]
4) Strengthening Student Competencies
Refer to examples from the video clip(s) using time markers in your explanations.
a) Explain how the teacher actively monitored students’ actions during the learning task(s) and
asked questions or provided corrective feedback to improve student competencies.
[Within the first task the teacher walks around throughout the students participating in the task. Around 1:30 he
begins to remind students to keep their eyes up. At 1:42 the teacher prompts the boy in the grey shirt to utilize
his other hand while dribbling. During the second task the teacher walks around throughout the students again.
Around 2:52 he stops to talk to a girl in a white and black stripped shirt. While talking to her he encourages her
to continue dribbling even while talking.
At 14:22 the teacher is observing girl in an orange shirt with a braid. He provides positive feedback about her
dribble and then asks what foot she went off last. He allows her to complete the skill again to determine her
answer. The girl is happy to say she performed the skill correctly. The teacher tells her that she has done it
correctly and once she has done the skill correctly three or four times in a row, she will know she understands
the skill. When the teacher asked the student about the foot she left off and allowed her to perform the skill
again, he was assessing both her cognitive and psychomotor domains.
Around 8:19 the teacher observes a boy in a green long sleeve shirt and gives him the corrective feedback “try
and make it go straight up in the air.” The teacher then waits and watches as the student performs the task again.
Around 12:12 the teacher is talking to the girl in the blue and black plaid shirt and he asks her a question
regarding her stepping pattern when completing a lay-up. He then gets down to her level and taps her feet when
indicating the proper rhythm/step pattern. He then watches her perform the task correctly and praises her to
reinforce the proper performance and improve the student’s competency. ]
b) Explain how the teacher used instructional cues/prompts, explorations/demonstrations, and or
student analysis of their own and/or others’ psychomotor skills to develop student competencies in
the psychomotor and at least one other learning domain (cognitive, affective).
[Around minute 6:49 the teacher instructs the students to talk to a classmate about what *this* (demonstrated a
follow-through) is and to discuss and connect it to a list of words provided. He then asks the class for answers
and connects the answers to other units. This is an assessment of the students’ cognitive domain. At 9:37 the
teacher talks about a shot that is done close to the basket and asked the students what it is called. The teacher
also asks the students to discuss with a partner what the last two steps they were trying to achieve to complete
the lay-up. Both of these questions are assessments of the student’s cognitive knowledge of basketball.
At 10:13 the teacher has the student with white sneakers and the number 10 on his shorts come up and
demonstrate a right handed lay-up. He told the students to watch and assess the student’s movements. This is
the use of a demonstration and student analysis to assess the psychomotor domain.
At 16:45 roughly, the teacher prompts students to work on their dribbling in an open environment. He also uses
teach by invitation when he asks students to approach a basket either dribbling or with the skip, whichever skill
level they are comfortable with. This is a also a process to develop psychomotor competencies.]
5) Analyzing Teaching
Refer to examples from the video clip(s) using time markers in your responses to the prompts.
a) What changes would you suggest the teacher make to their instruction- for the whole class and/or
for students who need greater support or challenge- to better support student learning of the
central focus (e.g., missed opportunities)?
[Around minute 6:45 when the teacher is assessing the students’ cognitive knowledge it may have been helpful
to have a picture of a giraffe or a printed list of the words in question. It may have also helped some students to
be able to write down the answers to the questions asked. These options may have suited visual and analytical
or verbal learners better.
At 9:29 the teacher said, “If you’re sitting right here, the ball is in your lap.” This statement is an interesting
way to have students sit where you intend for them to sit. It comes off almost as an invitation that does not have
to be accepted. I suggest using direct and clear instructions such as “sit on the circle with the ball in your lap”
that was used throughout the lesson.
At 13:45 and throughout the lay-up drill there were multiple students standing around and waiting for a basket.
Within the next part of the drill students were told to dribble around and continue to dribble while waiting.
However, around 19:00 even after asking students to move & continue dribbling, they stood and waited for a
basket. The students not performing the task were not corrected or prompted again to continue the task. I
suggest prompting the students to remember the task and practice their dribbling even while stationary.
Around 4:58 the teacher is talking to a girl in pink. He said, “Atta girl” and does not give specific feedback. A
suggestion would be to give actual feedback and let the student know what she is doing right.]
_____________________________________________________________________________
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, students with higher/lower proficiency levels,
underperforming students or those gaps in content knowledge, or students needing greater support or
challenge).
b) Why do you think these changes would improve student learning? Support your explanation with
evidence of students learning and principles from theory and/or research.
[Providing visual aids or allow the students to write their answers may improve student learning for those that
are visual or verbal learners. Verbal learners may also benefit, as well as all type of learners, from more specific
feedback. Specific feedback allows the students to tune into what they are doing right, what they are doing
wrong, and how to fix their mistakes. According to teachhub.com, there are seven different learning styles that
students can possess. This information was also learned within Motor Behavior classes at SUNY Cortland. The
research suggests that all seven learning styles learn better from different teaching scenarios. Utilizing different
techniques to meet this learning styles would improve student learning as a class.
Source:
Teaching Strategies to Approach Different Learning Styles. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2019, from
http://www.teachhub.com/teaching-strategies-approach-different-learning-styles]