Part I: Observe and Critique a Language Development Lesson A. Meet with the teac

Part I: Observe and Critique a Language Development Lesson
A. Meet with the teacher.
Meet with the preschool teacher whom you will observe, and discuss the language development standards and goals they are targeting for the children in their setting—and the progress being made. Ask the teacher about the approaches and strategies they generally use to promote language development.
Drilling down from there, discuss in detail the language development activity or lesson that they have planned. If a lesson plan is available, ask for a copy. If a lesson plan is not available, take detailed notes as the teacher describes the plan.
Make arrangements to conduct your observation at an agreed-upon date and time and be sure to arrive on time.
B. Critique the lesson plan.
Review the teacher’s lesson plan for its potential effectiveness. Then, write a critique that addresses the teacher’s planning process and product:
Appropriateness of the learning objectives for the children (based on assessment data), and alignment with early childhood standards
Potential effectiveness of the activities, strategies, and grouping structures that will be used to promote language development in terms of their potential for achieving the learning objectives
Assessment data that informed the teacher’s planning
Relevant information about the language development needs of the children in the small group or class for whom the lesson is targeted (e.g., English language learners, children with special needs, etc.)
The teacher’s plans for differentiating instruction to meet individual needs
How the teacher will informally assess language learning during the lesson
(1–2 pages)
C. Critique the lesson implementation.
Based on the scheduled date and time, observe the language development lesson you discussed with the teacher. During your observation, make note of the following:
Level of children’s engagement
Children’s responses to the activities and strategies
How the teacher adjusted the lesson based on informal assessment
(1 page)
D. Evaluate the results of the lesson.
Critique the language development lesson you observed by addressing the following:
Success of strategies used
Evidence of achievement of learning objectives
(2–3 paragraphs)
Part II: Observe and Critique a Literacy Lesson
A. Meet with the teacher.
Meet with the preschool teacher whom you will observe. Discuss the emergent literacy standards and goals they are targeting for the children in their setting, focusing on the five components of literacy instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension), as well as writing. Ask the teacher about the approaches and strategies they generally use to promote literacy development.
Drilling down from there, discuss in detail the phonemic awareness and phonics activities or lesson that they have planned. If a lesson plan is available, ask for a copy. If a lesson plan is not available, take detailed notes as the teacher describes the plan.
Make arrangements to conduct your observation at an agreed-upon date and time and be sure to arrive on time.
B.Critique the lesson plan.
Review the teacher’s lesson plan for its potential effectiveness. Then, write a critique that addresses the following:
Appropriateness of the learning objectives for the children (based on assessment data) and alignment with early childhood standards
Potential effectiveness of the activities, strategies, and grouping structures that will be used to promote phonemic and phonics skills in terms of their potential for achieving the learning objectives
Assessment data that informed the teacher’s planning
Relevant information about the phonemic awareness and phonics needs of the children in the small group or class for whom the lesson is targeted (e.g., English language learners, children with special needs, etc.)
The teacher’s plans for differentiating instruction to meet individual needs
How the teacher will informally assess children’s phonemic awareness and phonics skills learning during the lesson
(1–2 pages)
C. Critique the lesson implementation.
Observe the literacy lesson you discussed with the teacher. During your observation, make note of the following:
Level of children’s engagement
Children’s responses to the activities and strategies
How the teacher adjusted the lesson based on informal assessment
(1–2 pages)
D. Evaluate the results of the lesson.
Critique the literacy lesson you observed by addressing the following:
Success of strategies used
Evidence of achievement of learning objectives
(2–3 paragraphs)
Part III: Create a Lesson That Supports Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension, and Writing
In Part II, your observation and critique were focused on the first two components of literacy instruction, phonemic awareness and phonics. For this part, you will focus on the other three (fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) and on emergent writing.
If you are currently teaching in a preschool setting, you may plan your lesson for a small group of children or your whole class. If you are not currently teaching in a preschool setting, identify a group of preschool children for whom to plan a lesson.
Plan
With these children in mind, consider the following:
Assessment data in the areas fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing
Current learning goals and standards
Individual strengths and needs
Current themes/units
Prior literacy lessons
Familiarity with specific children’s literature selections
What technologies have been used to support literacy learning
How instruction has been differentiated for English language learners and children with special needs
Complete the Lesson Plan Template making sure to fill in all sections except the Reflection section at the bottom of the form.
Implement
Review your lesson plan, and be sure to allow an appropriate length of time for your lesson implementation.During your lesson implementation, look for evidence of whether or not the children are grasping the literacy skills and concepts you’re targeting. Be mindful of the effectiveness of your instructional strategies and materials, making adjustments as needed to maximize learning for all children.
Reflect
After implementing the lesson, reflect on your experience and complete the following:
Make anecdotal notes on your lesson plan using the comments feature. Note what went well, where you made adjustments, and what you might do differently in the future, and why.
Summarize your experience by completing the Reflection section at the bottom of the Lesson Plan Template.
Summarize your experience by completing the Reflection section at the bottom of the Lesson Plan Template.