LITERACY LEARNING MAP-ANALYZING & REFLECTING 1

Literacy Learning Map – Analyzing & Reflecting

ITL 512 Language-Literacy

December 20, 2019

Chris Atkin

National University

Professor Prather-Payne
LITERACY LEARNING MAP-ANALYZING & REFLECTING 2

Teacher: Mr. Atkin

Grade: 5th Grade
CCSS Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.4 & CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.4

Link to YouTube reflection with peer:

https://youtu.be/ZWfgL33BU2E

STAGE 3: ANALYZING/REFLECTING
What evidence of student learning have you collected? Students gave a Keynote
presentation showcasing their understanding of the vocabulary words. Also, I was able
to collect student data from using an iPad application called NearPod. The first student
evidence shown below from NearPod was from the question, “What did you learn today?”
The second student evidence below was from the question, “How do you feel about
understanding and using these vocabulary words?”
LITERACY LEARNING MAP-ANALYZING & REFLECTING 3

How will you analyze this evidence? I will look at all of my student’s work to determine
what their understanding of the words are and if they were able to effectively use them
correctly in a sentence. Next, I will process their personal reflection within the NearPod
activity to gage their confidence of using and understanding the vocabulary words.

What instructional decisions can you make as a result of your analysis of the evidence?
Based upon the evidence, 90% of my class used the words correctly in a sentence and felt
confident in their understanding of the words. I would pull the 3 students during group
work who were challenged and give them further support (visuals, modeling, and
examples) to help solidify their understanding.

STAGE 4: APPLYING
My Personal Reflection:
What new information did I get about my students in relation to their learning preferences?
I had multiple students who in their NearPod reflection ask if they could have more
activities similar to this one. I really stressed that my students had multiple means of
representation opportunities to share their learning. The students were engaged and
LITERACY LEARNING MAP-ANALYZING & REFLECTING 4

working together collectively towards this lesson. My National classmate also noticed
that my students were working very well on this assignment.

How will I use this information to plan my future instruction? I will give my students more
opportunities to showcase their learning. I can use this type of lesson of vocabulary with
some of our classroom novels, science or mathematics. As they become more
comfortable with this new freedom, I expect that my students will be more invested in
their educational journey. My National peer shared that this was very different than
what she had experienced growing up. She was typically given a worksheet. This was a
very new and fresh approach to teaching vocabulary.

How effective were my practices? What will I keep, what will I improve and what will I
discard? My practices were effective as the students were engaged and participated
within their groups during this lesson. My National peer mentioned that this was
something that stood out to her. There was no specific classroom management skills
needed as the expectations were already established. I will keep all of the practices. I
would like to improve on having more visuals readily available for my students who
were still confused by some of the meanings. Also, I could have a list of websites where I
found visuals and definitions available for students to use as a reference if needed.

What new understanding do I have about my own teaching practices? Some new
understanding that I have about my own teaching practices is that I allowed my students
the freedom to explore and learn and they loved it. As a teacher, I can facilitate while
allowing my students to discover new learning. This can look chaotic, but it is very
purposeful in the positive effects this has on my students.

What have I learned about myself as a teacher? As a teacher, something that I have
learned about myself is that I can release control of my students without my class being
truly out of control. When I was in school, learning looked like students writing quietly
at their desks. They were arranged in rows and only the teacher was allowed to speak. I
never got to share my ideas. I have come to realize that this is suffocating as a student.
Students have ideas and a voice that they need to have opportunities to share their new
found understandings. I have learned that I have the ability to give these students the
voice that I was never allowed to have.

As a professional learner, where do I need to continue to grow and strive for? As a

professional learner, I need to continue to grow in anticipation. Anticipating before
giving a lesson can help me to be better prepared for my students. While nobody can
predict what is going to happen 100% of the time, the more that I can anticipate what my
student’s thinking will be, the greater opportunities I will have to help direct them and
assist them in a positive manner.