College Of Education And Human Development
SPED 311 Contextual Factors Assessment [INTASC 1-3]
BIG 5 Early Field Experience Contextual Factors Key Assessment
(Introduce in SS 201; Assess SPED 311)
Complete 10 -20 hours of observation in an approved P-12 school setting.
Contextual Factors
Purpose for Step 1:
Consider the learning environment and contextual factors that may have an impact on the teaching-learning
process. Discuss characteristics about the school, classroom, and individual student needs that should be
considered in instructional planning List accommodations/modifications that should be made to instructional
planning and implementation based on contextual information of the observed classroom.
Task:
Discuss the relevant contextual factors including community and school information, classroom information,
student characteristics, and accommodations/modifications for planning, instruction, and assessment/s. Include
any supports and challenges that impact instruction and student learning. Discuss any implications and
accommodation/modifications needed for instruction based on contextual factors.
Prompt:
In the discussion on contextual factors, include the following:
• 1.1. Community and school information
- Discuss the community and school information:
- geographic location
- community/school population (diversity, race, ethnicity, culture, gender, etc.)
- socio-economic status (SES; ex: free/reduced lunch, Title I school, etc.)
- type of school (locale, grade levels, and any other pertinent characteristics)
- Consider additional areas for discussion, which could include but are not limited to stability of the community, political climate, community support for education, and other environmental factors.
• 1.2. Classroom information
- Discuss the classroom information:
- physical features and arrangement of the classroom
- availability of technology, equipment, and resources
- physical features and arrangement of the classroom
- extent of parental/guardian involvement
- grouping practices (whole group, small group pairs, etc.)
- Consider additional areas for discussion, which could include but are not limited to how groups
were determined, classroom rules and routines, scheduling, and additional teachers/students that
enter or leave the room on a regular basis.
• 1.3. Student characteristics – Related to the Students and Learning Environment
- Discuss the following required areas for student characteristics:
- grade/age level
- gender
- race/ethnicity/culture
- special needs
- achievement/developmental/skill levels
- language (English, ESL, ELL)
- interests/learning styles/preferences, and any other pertinent information
- Consider additional areas for discussion, which could include but are not limited to background
information and/or characteristics of specific students that should be considered when planning
and implementing instruction.
• 1.4. Accommodations/Modifications for planning, instruction, and assessment/s
- Choose 3 or more of the contextual factors described above from 1.3 Student Characteristics and
discuss how these factors influenced planning instruction, implementation of instruction, and
assessment/s. - Describe, based on those contextual factors, what accommodations/modifications for planning,
instruction, and/or assessment were made. - Provide a chart/table to illustrate the relationship between contextual factors (3 or more) and
accommodations/modifications for planning, instruction, and assessment/s. Include a thorough
description of each accommodation/modification in the chart. An example is provided below. - Consider additional areas of discussion, which could include but are not limited to how the
accommodations/modifications improved learning for individual students.
| Contextual Factor Individual Student Characteristics |
Accommodations/Modifications Made to Plans, Instruction, and/or Assessment |
|---|---|
| Indicator | Unacceptable 0 |
Needs Improvement 1 |
Meets Standard 2 |
Exceeds Standard 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contextual Factors | ||||
|
1.1 Community and school information The teacher candidate (TC) CAEP 1.1; INTASC 2; TGR 7 |
The TC does not discuss information for any of the areas about the community and school and/or the provided information is inaccurate. |
The TC provides an incomplete or inaccurate description of characteristics of the community and school for any of the following areas: Geographic location; Community/school population; Socio-economic status; and Type of school (locale, grade levels, and other pertinent characteristics). |
The TC provides an accurate and comprehensive description for each of following: information about the community and school: Geographic location; Community/school population; Socio-economic status; and Type of school (locale, grade levels, and other pertinent characteristics). |
The TC provides an accurate and comprehensive description for each of the following information about the community and school: Geographic location; Community/school population; Socio-economic status; and Type of school (locale, grade levels, and other pertinent characteristics). The TC also discusses the |
|
1.2. Classroom Information The teacher candidate (TC) describes CAEP 1.1,1.5; INTASC 3; TGR 7 |
The TC describes inaccurate classroom factors related to the following: physical features, technology resources, parental/ guardian involvement, and grouping practices (whole group, small group, pairs, etc.) |
The TC provides an accurate but incomplete description of the following classroom factors or the TC provides a narrow scope of descriptions for the following classroom factors: physical features, technology resources, parental/guardian involvement, and grouping practices (whole group, small group, pairs, etc.). |
The TC provides an accurate and comprehensive description for each of the following factors: physical features, technology resources, parental/guardian involvement, and grouping practices (whole group, small group, pairs, etc.). |
The TC provides an accurate and comprehensive description for each of the following factors: physical features, technology resources, parental/guardian involvement, and grouping practices (whole group, small group, pairs, etc.). The TC also describes how |
|
1.3. Student Characteristics The teacher candidate (TC) describes CAEP 1.1; INTASC 1.k, 2; TGR |
The TC describes inaccurate or incomplete classroom and student characteristics that impact students and the learning environment including grade/age/ level, gender, race/ethnicity/culture, special needs, achievement levels, language, interests, and learning differences. |
The TC provides an accurate but incomplete description of the following student characteristics that impact students and the learning environment including grade/age/level, gender, race/ ethnicity/culture, special needs, achievement levels, language, interests, and learning differences. |
The TC provides an accurate and comprehensive description for each of the student characteristics that |
The TC provides an accurate and comprehensive description for each of the student characteristics that impact students and the learning environment including grade/age/level, gender, race/ethnicity/culture, special needs, language, interests, and learning differences. The TC also includes background information |
| 1.4. Accommodations/Modifications for Planning, Instruction, and/or Assessment The teacher candidate (TC) describes CAEP 1.1; INTASC 1; TGR 2 |
The TC does not provide a rationale for instructional planning based on classroom and student characteristics or does not discuss how these characteristics influenced accommodations/modifications planning of instruction, implementation of instruction, and assessment/s. A chart is not provided that identifies the student characteristics and accommodations/modifications. |
The TC provides an incomplete rationale for instructional planning that includes classroom and student characteristics and discusses how these characteristics influenced accommodations/ modifications planning of instruction, implementation of instruction, and assessment/s. A chart is provided that identifies student characteristics and accommodations/ modifications. |
The TC provides a rationale for instructional planning and includes implications for each of the classroom and student characteristics and discusses how these characteristics influenced accommodations/ modifications planning of instruction, implementation of instruction, and assessment/s. A chart is provided that identifies the student characteristics and accommodations/modifications. |
The TC provides a thorough rationale for instructional planning and includes implications for each of the classroom and student characteristics and discusses how these characteristics influenced accommodations/ modifications planning of instruction, and assessment/s. A chart is provided that identifies the student characteristics and accommodations/modifications. The TC’s discussion also includes how the |
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