CLASS

Focus on Instructional Support

Desired Outcomes:

By the end of this session participants will be able

to utilize strategies to improve the quality of

student/teacher interactions and student learning

as measured by the CLASS Tool.

Anticipation Guide

It is a method of garnering interest in a topic and accessing prior knowledge.

ACTIVITY

CLASS Overview

• CLASS is mandated by Head Start

• Designed to evaluate student/teacher interactions

• There are 3 Domains and a variety of Indicators and Behavioral Markers for each

• The tool uses a rating scale of 1-7

• Past observations reveal that the Instructional Support Domain is an area of weakness

Our Focus

Under Classroom Organization Domain

Instructional Learning Format

Under Instructional Support Domain

Concept Development

Quality Feedback

Language Modeling

Classroom Organization:Instructional Learning Formats

Measures ways in which teachers

maximize children’s interest,

engagement, and ability to learn

from lessons and activities

Instructional Learning Format

Teachers need to:

• Be effective facilitators

• Utilize a variety of materials and modalities

• Plan interesting activities

• Clearly state learning objectives

Concept Development

Concept Development describes an intentional

approach by the teacher to tie together concepts

across activities and bring concepts to life by

applying them to children’s everyday world.

How can I provide effective concept development ?

Analysis and Reasoning

• Why and/or how questions

• Problem solving

• Prediction/experimentation

• Classification/comparison

• Evaluation

How can I provide effective concept development ?

Creating

1. Brainstorm

2. Planning

3. Producing

How can I provide effective concept development ?

Integration

• Connect concepts

• Integrate with previous knowledge

How can I provide effective concept development ?

Connections to the real world

• Real world applications

• Relate to student’s lives

Concept Development

• Take time to plan for concept development

through intentional, purposeful lesson planning

• Encourage children to explore a variety of open-

ended materials and use them in different ways.

ACTIVITY

Activity

Instructional Support

Concept Development

Analysis and Reasoning

Creating

Integration

Connection to the Real World

Quality of Feedback

Children learn the most when they

are consistently given feedback

that expands their knowledge or

builds on their performance of a

task

Quality Feedback

Scaffolding

• Give hints

• Provide assistance

Quality of Feedback

Feedback Loops

• Back and forth exchanges

• Persistence by teacher

• Follow-up questions

Quality of Feedback

Prompting Thought Processes

• Ask students to explain thinking

• Queries responses and actions

Quality of Feedback

Providing Information

1. Expansion

2. Clarification

3. Specific feedback

Quality of Feedback

Encourage and Affirmation

• Recognition

• Reinforcement

• Student persistence

Quality FeedbackUtilize the following techniques::

Scaffolding

Feedback loops

Prompting thought processes

Providing information

Encourage and Affirmation

ACTIVITY

Language Modeling

Teachers model language when they

intentionally encourage, respond to,

and expand children’s speech;

Teachers also model language when

communicating with other adults

How can I improve language modeling in my classroom?

Frequent Conversation

• Back-and-forth exchanges• Contingent responding• Peer conversation

Language Modeling

Open-ended Questions

• Questions require more than a one-word response

• Students respond

Language Modeling

Repetition and Extension

• Repeats

• Extends/elaborates

Language Modeling

Self- and Parallel Talk

• Maps own actions with language

• Maps student action with language

Language Modeling

Advanced Language

• Variety of words

• Connected to familiar words and/ or ideas

Activity

What would you say?

1. Ask an open-ended question to a child in the block area

2. Respond with repetition and extension to a child that says, “her has my truck.”

3. While setting up for lunch, use self and parallel talk.

4. Using advanced language, connect falling leaves and the word autumn

Reflection

• Individually, review the

Anticipation Guide.

• Mark Answers on the Right Side

• Have any answers been changed?

Final ThoughtsHow will you make a difference?