Module Two: Transcript

Table of Contents

Screencast 1: Guiding Questions and Objectives..........................................................4Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................... 4Slide 2.................................................................................................................................................... 4Slide 3.................................................................................................................................................... 4

Screencast 2: Task Analysis Overview.............................................................................4Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................... 4Slide 2.................................................................................................................................................... 4Slide 3.................................................................................................................................................... 4Slide 4.................................................................................................................................................... 5Slide 5.................................................................................................................................................... 5Slide 6.................................................................................................................................................... 6

Screencast 3: Examining Language Demands through Functions and Forms.....6Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................... 6Slide 2 – Language Demands = Focus of the Course...............................................................6Slide 3, 4 & 5 – Task Analysis Process........................................................................................ 6Slide 6 – Language Demands = Focus of the Module..............................................................6Slide 7 – Types of Language Demands........................................................................................7Slide 8 – Accessing Previous Knowledge...................................................................................7Slide 9 – Language Functions.........................................................................................................8Slide 10 – Functions: How Students Use Language.................................................................8Slide 11 – Language Functions ~ Analytical Skills..................................................................8Slide 12 – DOKs to Identify Language Functions.....................................................................9Slide 13 – CCSS Relationships & Convergences.......................................................................9Slide 14 – ELPA21 Standards.........................................................................................................9Slide 15 –Language Forms.............................................................................................................. 9Slide 16 – More Definitions..........................................................................................................10Slide 17 – Language Demands.....................................................................................................10Slide 18 –ELPA21 Standards....................................................................................................... 10Slide 19-20 – Task Analysis Process.........................................................................................11Slide 21 – Reflection Questions..................................................................................................11

Screencast 4: Task Analysis Process...............................................................................11Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 11Slide 2.................................................................................................................................................. 11Slide 3.................................................................................................................................................. 12Slide 4.................................................................................................................................................. 12Slide 5.................................................................................................................................................. 12Slide 6.................................................................................................................................................. 13Slide 7.................................................................................................................................................. 13Slides 8 & 9........................................................................................................................................ 13Slide 10............................................................................................................................................... 13Slide 11............................................................................................................................................... 14Slide 12............................................................................................................................................... 14

Slide 13............................................................................................................................................... 14Slide 14............................................................................................................................................... 15Slide 15............................................................................................................................................... 15Slide 16............................................................................................................................................... 16Slide 17............................................................................................................................................... 16Slide 18............................................................................................................................................... 16Slide 19............................................................................................................................................... 16Slide 20............................................................................................................................................... 16Slide 21............................................................................................................................................... 17Slide 22............................................................................................................................................... 17Slide 23............................................................................................................................................... 17Slide 24............................................................................................................................................... 17Slide 25............................................................................................................................................... 18Slide 26............................................................................................................................................... 18Slide 27............................................................................................................................................... 18Slide 28............................................................................................................................................... 18Slide 29............................................................................................................................................... 18Slide 30............................................................................................................................................... 18Slide 31............................................................................................................................................... 19Slide 32............................................................................................................................................... 19Slide 33............................................................................................................................................... 19Slide 34............................................................................................................................................... 19Slide 35............................................................................................................................................... 20Slide 36............................................................................................................................................... 20Slide 37............................................................................................................................................... 20Slide 38............................................................................................................................................... 20Slide 39............................................................................................................................................... 20Slide 40............................................................................................................................................... 21Slide 41............................................................................................................................................... 21

Screencast 5: Task Analysis Tool.....................................................................................21Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 21Slide 2.................................................................................................................................................. 21

Screencast 6: Teacher Analysis (K-2).............................................................................22Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 22Task Slide........................................................................................................................................... 22Introduction to the classroom video........................................................................................23Classroom video.............................................................................................................................. 23Introducing the Washington Teachers....................................................................................25Task Analysis Tool Slide...............................................................................................................25Teacher Analysis............................................................................................................................. 25

Screencast 7: Teacher Analysis (3-5).............................................................................29Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 29Task Slide 1....................................................................................................................................... 29Task Slide 2....................................................................................................................................... 30Task Slide 3....................................................................................................................................... 30Teacher Analysis............................................................................................................................. 30

Screencast 8: Teacher Analysis (6-8).............................................................................33Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 33

Task Slide 1....................................................................................................................................... 33Task Slide 2....................................................................................................................................... 34Task Slide 3....................................................................................................................................... 34

Task Slide 4...................................................................................................................................................... 34Teacher Analysis............................................................................................................................. 34

Screencast 9: Teacher Analysis (9-12)...........................................................................40Title Page Slide................................................................................................................................ 40Task Slide 1....................................................................................................................................... 40Teaching Channel Video............................................................................................................... 40Task Slide 2....................................................................................................................................... 41Task Slide 3....................................................................................................................................... 41Teacher Analysis............................................................................................................................. 42

Screencast 10: Apply — Introduction............................................................................47

Screencast 11: Sample Task (K-2)................................................................................... 47Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 47Slide 2.................................................................................................................................................. 48Slide 3.................................................................................................................................................. 48Slide 4.................................................................................................................................................. 48

Screencast 12: Sample Task (3-5)...................................................................................48Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 48Slide 2.................................................................................................................................................. 48Slide 3.................................................................................................................................................. 49

Screencast 12: Sample Task (6-8)..................................................................................49Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 49Slide 2.................................................................................................................................................. 49Slide 3.................................................................................................................................................. 49Slide 4.................................................................................................................................................. 50Slide 5.................................................................................................................................................. 50

Screencast 13: Sample Task (9-12)................................................................................50Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 50Slide 2.................................................................................................................................................. 50Slide 3.................................................................................................................................................. 51Slide 4.................................................................................................................................................. 51

Screencast 15: End of Module Review............................................................................51Slide 1.................................................................................................................................................. 51Slide 2 – Guiding Questions......................................................................................................... 51Slide 3 – Objectives......................................................................................................................... 52Slide 4 - Task Analysis Process..................................................................................................52

Screencast 1: Guiding Questions and Objectives

Slide 1In module two of this series, we will focus on a process called task analysis. This is a structured process by which educators unpack an academic task to identify the knowledge and skills students will be required to demonstrate in order to perform the task successfully. The task analysis process can be a powerful tool for identifying where students might need additional scaffolds to meet the rigor of standards-aligned tasks. Task analysis can also help us better understand which of the English Language Proficiency Standards are relevant to certain tasks.

Slide 2There are two guiding questions to consider as you work through this module. First, how can educators analyze instructional tasks to better understand the content knowledge, analytical skills, and language students are expected to demonstrate? Second, what does task analysis reveal about the demands of student tasks in relation to college- and career-ready standards and language use?

Slide 3Also, there are two objectives for users of this module:

First, educators will be able to understand the value of the task analysis process for examining what students need to know and do with regard to content knowledge, analytical skills, and language.

And second, educators will be able to analyze and reflect on instructional tasks from various grade levels and subject areas using the task analysis process.

Screencast 2: Task Analysis Overview

Slide 1In this section, we will introduce you to the task analysis process, including its purpose, benefits, and an overview of the steps it will entail.

Slide 2For this module, we describe task analysis as a process of looking carefully at an instructional task or activity to determine what it requires students to know or do with regard to content knowledge, analytical skills, and language.

Slide 3More specifically, the purpose of task analysis in this module is to examine what an instructional task is asking students to know and do with regard to the three lenses.

The first lens is content knowledge, or discrete content-specific knowledge or skills. In other words, when we are identifying task demands that related to content knowledge, we are asking what skills or knowledge are students expected to demonstrate when they produce their understanding of the content being taught?

The second lens is analytical skills or practices that cut across content areas. For this lens, you’ll be asked to think about what analytical or “thinking” skills are most relevant to the task, and what specific analytical skills students are expected to demonstrate.

Finally, the third lens is language. For this lens you’ll ask the following questions of the task: What language demands are relevant to the task? What language functions and forms are students required to understand and use as they complete the task?

Analyzing a task through these three lenses of content knowledge, analytical skills, and language helps us to hone in on all of the various cognitive demands placed on a student as she tackles an assessment question, a performance task, or unit project.

Slide 4The benefits of doing this, then, are to help us think more deeply about the structure and demands of a task—especially one that we did not create ourselves—in order to:

determine whether we are pushing our students to produce the most rigorous, grade-appropriate language and thinking possible

identify roadblocks to students’ demonstrating their understanding plan for scaffolding and supports to better meet our students’ needs

The ultimate goal of task analysis is to ensure that our students have the necessary supports to demonstrate the thinking, knowledge, and language use required to be successful on grade-level appropriate, standards-aligned activities.

Slide 5The task analysis process we will follow in these modules has four main steps. We will lay out the general structure of the steps here, and then go into more detail about each step in the Engage section of the module.

Step 1 of the task analysis process is to examine and identify an appropriate instructional task. This step asks you to select an instructional task for analysis and use a set of criteria to think about whether it is a fitting task to analyze.

Once you have chosen an appropriate task, step 2 will ask you to identify the demands associated with the task, especially with respect to those three buckets of content knowledge, analytical skills, and language. Part of step 2 will also ask you to use a set of resources to deepen your exploration of the task demands within those three domains.

We will focus on steps 1 and 2 of the task analysis process in this module. The next two steps of the task analysis process are to identify the disciplinary practices and the English Language Proficiency standards that go along with the task, but we will not be discussing steps 3 and 4 until the next module. The work we do in this module will provide a valuable foundation for the exploration of the ELP standards in module three.

Slide 6Now that you have heard a little bit about the task analysis process, please take a moment to reflect on the following questions:• How have you analyzed tasks in your classroom in the past? What elements

of the task, such as content or language did you pay attention to then? • How might this process of task analysis allow you to examine tasks

differently? • And, what questions do you still have about the task analysis process?

You may reflect and answer these questions on your own of course. But, if at all possible, we encourage you to explore them with colleagues, preferably within the context of a professional learning opportunity or as part of a professional learning community.

Screencast 3: Examining Language Demands through Functions and Forms

Slide 1Now that you understand the purpose, benefits and structure of the Task Analysis Process, we want to take a few minutes to examine and discuss the concept of “Language Demands” through the lenses of “language functions” and “language forms.” While this section of the module will be extremely helpful to educators who

have not had exposure to these concepts, it’s also a good review for everyone – even those educators who know a lot about language demands, functions and forms.

Slide 2 – Language Demands = Focus of the Course Starting off, it’s helpful to know what phrase “language demands” refers to in this module. While there are surely several ways to define “language demands”, but in this module, the phrase refers to the “language that students are required to understand and use during a particular task or activity.”

Slide 3, 4 & 5 – Task Analysis ProcessSo in other words, language demands are a type of task demands, which you will identify as part of the task analysis process. Language is, in fact, one of the three lenses through which you will examine instructional task demands.

Slide 6 – Language Demands = Focus of the ModuleSo, language demands are task demands that identify and break down the language students are required to understand and use during a particular task or activity.

And importantly, language demands are comprised of language functions and/or language forms. That’s why in this section of the module we focus on language demands through the lenses of “language functions” and “language forms.”

It’s also important to note that as this module is focused on task analysis and the language demands included in tasks, it does NOT focus on language development or students’ so called “language levels.” Those issues will be addressed in Modules 4 and 5.

Slide 7 – Types of Language DemandsBefore we get into the specifics of language functions and language forms, it’s important to clarify that there are three basic types of language demands –receptive language demands, productive language demands, and interactive language demands.

Receptive language demands are those demands that refer to the language students must understand in order to complete a task or activity. For example, during almost all tasks students are asked to read a task or listen to an explanation or directions given by the teacher. And any portion of the task that includes listening or reading involves receptive language demands.

In contrast, productive language demands are demands that refer to language students must use to complete task. So these are the demands that ask students to speak or write, not just listen or read.

Additionally, interactive language demands, which are a subset of productive language demands, are those demands involve two-way interactive communication

and negotiation of meaning. So, for example, if an instructional task asks students to discuss their solutions with a partner, then that request is an interactional demand.

And, please remember, although there are different types of language functions, all three types of language demands are comprised of language functions and/or forms.

Slide 8 – Accessing Previous KnowledgeSo it’s clear that they are important, but what are language functions and language forms? Well, let’s tap into your previous knowledge and see what you already know about functions and forms.

What do these the terms “language functions” and “language forms” mean?

Here’s a hint: language functions and language forms are types of language practices or components of language that make up the ways that students understand and use language.

And as was said previously, language demands consists of language functions and/or forms. So take a couple of minutes to pause the video and write down a possible definition for both terms.

Slide 9 – Language FunctionsOkay, so here is the definition that our ELPA21 team landed on:

Language functions describe what students DO with language to accomplish academic tasks across varying content areas. In other words, language functions are linguistic actions that students accomplish while completing academic tasks.

Borrowing from Pauline Gibbons, language functions also refer to the purposes for which language is used in the classroom.

And finally, identifying, using, and referring to academic language functions in the classroom offers educators a practical way to ensure that content and language are integrated.

How does this description line up with your definition? Take a minute to note any similarities or differences.

Slide 10 – Functions: How Students Use Language Here are some of the main language functions used in the classroom – across various content areas and grade levels: • Analyzing text• Classifying• Comparing• Describing• Evaluating• Explaining• Expressing Position/making a claim• Hypothesizing

• Planning/Predicting• Questioning• Reporting• Sequencing• Supporting a claim

And there are many, many more – these are just some of the most common functions, particularly in this era of college- and career-ready standards.

Slide 11 – Language Functions ~ Analytical SkillsLooking at that list of language functions, you may have noticed that there is lots of overlap between language functions and what are often referred to as analytical skills or analytical practices. This is a good thing to keep in mind as you work through the module, identifying both analytical skills and language functions.

This overlap illustrates just how integrated content and language really are; language and cognition are often so incredibly intertwined.

Said differently, analytical skills are often accomplished through language (although they don’t always have to be) and it is through the expression and production of language that we are often able to make analytical accomplishments.

Slide 12 – DOKs to Identify Language FunctionsNorman Webb’s Depth of Knowledge or DOK chart, for example, can be used to both identify language functions in a task as well as analytical skills. Although the suggested DOK “levels” (level 1, 2, 3, 4)– may or may not be useful when seeking to identify or include language functions in a task.

Some important questions you may ask yourself when using a DOK chart to identify language functions include:

How will/could student use language to accomplish this function? Will they, for example, orally compare two solutions? Summarize in writing? Discuss their logical argument with a partner?

There are also many language functions that are NOT included in the DOK chart. And it is important to note that the DOK chart tends to focus on language functions required by productive rather than receptive language demands. It’s good to keep that in mind as you use the DOK chart to identify language functions.

Slide 13 – CCSS Relationships & ConvergencesThe importance of students being able to perform language functions in the age of these new standards, however, cannot be overstated. Nearly all of the high-leverage Common Core practices, for example, involve complex linguistic functions.

Analyze texts, construct arguments, support arguments with evidence, critique other’s arguments – all of these require students to use language – whether oral or written - to display their learning

Slide 14 – ELPA21 StandardsThe ELPA21 standards also emphasize the importance of students performing complex linguistic functions, as the first 7 standards – displayed here in black – all address language functions, rather than language forms.

This is a distinct and significant departure from English Language Development Standards in the past, which tended to focus more on language forms.

Slide 15 –Language FormsBut what does the term “language forms” mean?

Well, language forms include anything that can be considered a “language structure” and cross-curricular academic vocabulary.

How does this line up with your initial definition that you jotted down?

Slide 16 – More Definitions But what, you may be asking, are language structures? And what do you mean by cross-curricular academic vocabulary? In this case, language structures refer to words, segments of words, and punctuation that hold our language together at the word, phrase or sentence level. So anything that can be considered part of grammar, syntax, morphology, etc. is a language structure.

But language forms also include vocabulary, specifically cross-curricular academic vocabulary. Cross-curricular academic vocabulary is a category that refers to certain words or phrases that are frequently used across different academic content-areas. And these words or phrases often describe or are related to academic processes and may include verbs, nouns, conjunctive adverbs, complex prepositions or other language structures.

Discipline-specific or content vocabulary is also a kind of language forms, but we usually include this in the “content knowledge” lens during task analysis. Discipline-specific vocabulary consists of words or phrases that are specific and essential to a content area, like “greater than, metamorphosis and revolution.”

So language forms are what folks typically referred to in the past when they talked about “language in school” – back before we understood that language is action and language functions are the essential building blocks of language demands. So in other words, language forms are the grammar, the conventions, the vocabulary.

Slide 17 – Language DemandsAnd for a long time, language forms were what was emphasized in English Language Development or Proficiency Standards, in content classrooms and even in ESL classes.

But that is no longer the case. Language forms are certainly not ignored – as they are essential pieces of language. But they are increasingly treated as what they are – pieces of language that act in the service of language functions. While language functions are what students DO with language, language forms are the language structures and vocabulary OF those functions.

Slide 18 –ELPA21 StandardsThe last three ELPA21 standards, for example, printed in red, address language forms. These three standards are listed after the functional standards to stress that while Standards 8, 9 and 10 are important and their demonstration ever-present, they are done in service of the functional standards, standards 1 through 7.

Slide 19-20 – Task Analysis ProcessSo with that explanation, hopefully you have begun to understand how language demands are made up of both language functions and forms. Please keep the previous definitions and descriptions in mind as you move forward through the task analysis process.

A language function and form PDF will also be introduced to you in the Engage section as you work to identify the language demands of your chosen instructional tasks.

Slide 21 – Reflection Questions Now please take a minute to reflect on what you have learned during this section of the module, pausing to answer the following reflection questions:

• What are language demands and what role do language functions and forms play within these demands?

• Think of a task you recently assigned your students. What were the language demands of that task? How cognizant were you of these demands when assigning the task versus now?

• How might the concepts of language function and form help you better understand and use the ELPA21 Standards?

You may reflect and answer these questions on your own of course. But, if at all possible, we encourage you to explore them with colleagues, preferably within the context of a professional learning opportunity or as part of a professional learning community.

Screencast 4: Task Analysis Process

Slide 1This section of the module takes a more detailed look at the task analysis process, walking you through an application of the process using a specific instructional task.

Slide 2 In a previous screencast, you were introduced to four steps of the task analysis process, as well as to its purpose and potential benefits. It was also mentioned that in this module – Module 2 – we will only address the first two steps of the task analysis process: 1) Examine and Identify the Appropriateness of Instructional Task and 2) Identify Task Demands.

Steps 3 and 4 of the Task Analysis Process will be discussed in Module 3.

Slide 3 So let’s get started by discussing Step 1 of the process, Examining & Identifying an Appropriate Instructional Task or Task(s)

Now, you may be wondering why this step starts with “examining a task” rather than “identifying a task.” “After all,” you could say, “don’t you have to identify a task before you can examine it?”

In most cases, that is true. But the verb reversal in this case is purposeful because it is not until you examine an instructional task thoroughly that you can truly identify whether it will be useful to subject that task to the analysis process or, more importantly, whether that task is appropriate to assign to students.

Slide 4And while you may eventually want to subject most of your anticipated tasks to the task analysis process, it’s at first very helpful to choose “touchstone tasks.” In this case, “touchstone tasks,” which is a phrase borrowed from Wiggins and McTighe, refer to those tasks that engender enduring understandings and facilitate growth in core academic process. So in other words, touchstone tasks are ones you think have a good chance of resulting in learning with regards to the cores skills and content you are trying to teach.

Other questions you should ask to gauge the usefulness and appropriateness of a task or activity include:

Is it clear in its expectations? Is it grade-level appropriate? Is it aligned to the standards? And does it require students to use language and analytical skills, as well as

demonstrate their content knowledge?

Some common pitfalls include choosing a task that is too narrow or too broad. Tasks that are too narrow, for example, are often not that useful to examine as they may not have sufficient demands. And tasks that are too broad are often overwhelming. They have so MANY demands that it can be difficult to make sense of them.

Slide 5 Here’s an example instructional task, designed by the Oregon Office of Learning’s Educational Equity Unit that we can use to try out Step 1. This second grade English Language Arts task addresses making claims and involves a text titled “Frog Girl” by Paul Own Lewis.

Please take a minute, pausing the video if necessary, to read through the task description and instructions. We also recommend that you download a copy of the Frog Girl Task in the Resources section of this module, especially because we will be referring back to it several times during the course of this screencast.

Slide 6Now we examine the example task to see if it is appropriate for task analysis. First, can it be considered a “touchstone task?”

Well, while one could certainly argue either way, the task does require student to analyze a complex, culturally diverse text as well as require students to make and support a claim. For these reasons it’s considered a touchstone task.

Now is the task clear in its expectations? Mostly, yes. Although it does not explain what the partner “discussion” should look or sound like, or provide any models. Nor does it provide any rubrics for the students to measure their performance.

But the instructions are fairly clear and straightforward, and students are undoubtedly asked to provide textual evidence for their claims and thinking.

But is the task grade-level appropriate and aligned to the standards? Well, it’s definitely aligned to the second grade standards that relate to analyzing texts and making claims. And Frog Girl has been reported to have a lexile level of 240, which is in the second grade range, so it seems grade-level appropriate.

Finally, does the task require student to use language and analytical skills, as well as to demonstrate their content knowledge? Yes, definitely. This content-area task is very language-heavy and also asks students to use a variety of analytical skills, most notably making claims.

Also, for our purpose, which is to illustrate the task analysis process, this task seems neither too narrow nor too broad – it’s both manageable and complex.

Slide 7 With those questions answered, we can forge ahead in the task analysis process. BUT we only do so with an understanding that while on the surface the task analysis process looks linear, it should also be an iterative or circular process in that completing each subsequent step helps us more thoroughly understand the previous step. So in other words, it’s a good idea to GO BACK and revisit step 1 after you have completed step 2.

Slides 8 & 9 Step 2 involves identifying task demands – what the task is asking students to know and do – with regards to three lenses: content knowledge, analytical skills, and language.

Slide 10 To begin this step, it is helpful to do an initial brainstorm, writing everything down that students need to demonstrate, know, or do in order to successfully complete this task.

In order to do this, of course, you’ll need to either read or (in cases of video) watch the task instructions or description.

While you are brainstorming, make sure to keep in mind the three lenses through which we are framing task demands: content knowledge, analytical skills, and language, making sure you understand what each lens or category includes.

“Content knowledge,” for example, refers to discrete content-specific knowledge or skills

“Analytical skills” refers to analytical skills or practices that cut across content areas.

And in this case, “language” refers to the language students are required to understand and use throughout the task

Slide 11 So take a few minutes to pause the video, review the focal task – Making Claims about Frog Girl – and brainstorm all the demands of this instructional task, particularly in relation to content knowledge, analytical skills and language.

Restart the video when you are ready to compare your brainstormed lists of task demands.

Slide 12 Now take a minute to compare your list with the one here.

What is included here that is not on your list? What is worded differently? What is on your list but not included here?

Slide 13Now it’s time to try and sort these brainstormed items according to the three lenses or categories we’ve established – content knowledge, analytical skills, and language.

We’ll read each item, and label it as “content,” “analytical” or “language.” Remember, some items may fit into more than one category and thus have more than one label.

Okay, the first one – “Read the story, Frog Girl” – that seems like content for sure – as reading is a content skill. But it also involve language, it’s a receptive language demand to understand the text well enough to make sense of it. So we’ll put both content and language here.

Next, Orally discuss the story with a partner. Oh, this is definitely language. The phrase “orally discuss” gives that away.

Decide on and use appropriate adjectives (e.g., courageous, helpful, etc.) to describe Frog Girl. Well, that seems like a content skill, to be able to characterize Frog girl. But it’s also necessary to understanding the descriptive vocabulary, which is language.

Then, justify this decision, providing evidence from the text. Well, these are definitely analytical skills – justify and providing evidence.

Next, Decide which big idea is more important in the text – this seems like a content skill, as it deals with main idea or theme.

And finally, Orally explain and justify choice, using supportive examples from the text. Well, this is both language and analytical skills, because it includes orally explaining and justifying one’s choice.

Slide 14 Whew, so now that we’ve sorted the demands in terms of the three lenses, let’s clean the list up and try to input the different items into a table.

Take a minute to pause the computer and look over the list in each category. Do you agree or disagree with it? What is missing? What would you change?

So we are almost done with step 2, right? Not quite.

While this three lenses table does seem to be an improvement over our original brainstormed list with the categorical labels, it doesn’t quite capture the overlapping nature of task demands. In other words, there’s a lot of repetition between categories, and this table does not necessarily capture that visually, even though some demands are written in more than one list.

So how could we better represent the categorical overlap?

Slide 15One option is to create a Venn Diagram like this one that visually highlights the overlap between content knowledge and language, language and analytical skills, and analytical skills and content knowledge.

It’s now visually clear, for example, that reading the story is a task demand related to both content knowledge and language.

And while you don’t necessarily need to make a Venn Diagram each time you go through the task analysis process, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that 1) task demands will often be related to more than one of the three lenses and 2) tables don’t do the best job of visually representing that.

Slide 16So now we are done with step 2, right? Not quite again. While we ARE done with our brainstorm and lens sort, we now need to consult some resources to check and augment our initial work.

Let’s start with content knowledge.

Slide 17 When we are attempting to identify task demands related to content knowledge, here’s the guiding question that we are REALLY asking: What specific content knowledge or skills must students demonstrate in order to successfully complete this task?

While we’ve been able to identify three content task demands relying on our wits alone, it’s always a good idea to consult resources beyond our own brains as we will inevitably leave things out.

And the best resources to consult with regards to content knowledge demands are the standards themselves, whether those standards be the Common Core or Next Generation Science standards – or other local and state standards that are relevant to the task at hand.

So let’s go back to the Frog Girl task to first check whether there are any corresponding standards listed, as there often are, particularly on state or district commissioned tasks.

Slide 18But one quick look tells us that there are no corresponding standards listed on the task. So our next option is to go directly to the second grade Common Core English Language Arts standards, which are the most relevant for this task.

If you are able to access the standards as well, please pause the video and take a few minutes to look through them, identifying those you believe are relevant to this task.

Slide 19 Now take a minute to compare what you found with this list of standards we found particularly relevant to the Frog Girl task. Please note that the list of standards includes those that address reading literature (RL), reading foundational skills (RF) and language use within English Language Arts (L).

Slide 20 The next step is then to paraphrase the identified standards, because while the standards list as it is contains a lot of relevant information to the task demands, it also contains a lot of extraneous and/or irrelevant information.

The first standard, for example, CCSS.ELA.Literacy.RL.2.7 states: Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

But when we paraphrase this standard it becomes: Use information gained from text to demonstrate understanding of the character of Frog Girl and the story theme.

The rest of the standards then follow suite. Please take a minute to look through the paraphrased standards, pausing the video as necessary. Do you agree with the paraphrasing? Do you think anything is missing?

Slide 21 Our final step is now to add to, change or deepen the original list of content knowledge demands that we came up with after our original brainstorm.

So here is the original list.

And here is our augmented list. You’ll notice that nothing from the first list has been deleted – the original sentiments are still there in the revised list. We’ve just clarified and in some cases added to the original sentiments.

The result is a much more comprehensive accounting of the task demands that relate to content knowledge.

Slide 22 Now we’ll do something similar with analytical skills – go back to our original list of demands that relate to analytical skills, consult a resource or resources and augment our initial findings.

Slide 23 So the guiding question that we are REALLY asking when we identify task demands related to analytical skills is: What discrete analytical skills must students demonstrate when engaged in this task?

The resources we can consult for this category are less clear-cut and therefore more numerous. Here’s a short list of some possible resources we can use to add to, change, or augment the demands on our original list. We’re sure you could add many more resources to this list as well.

Slide 24 While we have several resource options, but today we are going to consult a Depth of Knowledge or DOK chart to identify relevant analytical skills that students must demonstrate that we may have left out during our initial brainstorming round.

And while the DOK “levels” may not be very useful when we are using the charts in this manner, it does seem like most of the analytical skills students are required to demonstrate in this task are in levels 3 and 4.

Slide 25 But let’s go back to the Frog Girl task itself to double check that inclination. Pause the video right now for a couple of minutes to re-familiarize yourself with the wording of the task and look for potential analytical skills that we may have missed in the brainstorming round but are highlighted in the DOK chart, which you can download in the Resources section of the module.

Slide 26For example, in this task students are definitely required to: develop a logical argument, draw conclusions and cite evidence.

Slide 27 They are also asked to analyze the text and support or prove their claims by citing relevant evidence.

But there are also relevant analytical skills that are not listed on this DOK chart. For example, while the DOK chart does offer “explain phenomena in terms of concepts,” that doesn’t quite match what the students are supposed to do in this case, which is to explain their choice of adjective. So we have to make sure we are not simply relying on the resources to do the thinking work for us.

Slide 28The final result is a more complete and detailed list of task demands related to the analytical skills students are expected to demonstrate when engaged in this task.

Please take a minute to compare the two lists, noting the differences between the original and the revised lists.

Slide 29 And finally, let’s revisit the third of the three task demand lenses, language.

Slide 30 The guiding question that we are REALLY asking ourselves when we are trying to identify language demands of any particular task is as follows: How are students required to understand and use language during this task?

There are many different resources available to help us change, add to or augment our original list of language demands, including the DOK charts and the Framework for English Language Proficiency Development Standards corresponding to CCSS and NGSS, which provides a list of language functions that fit within certain disciplinary practices.

But in this case we are going to use a specially designed Language Function and Form PDF to assist us in deepening our understanding of the language demands of this task.

Slide 31 Now this short document - which you can access both in the Resources section of the module and through a link on the Task Analysis Tool, has two pages. The first page reviews and contrasts language functions and language forms, which are two language practices that make up language demands.

And the second page, which will be helpful to us in our current endeavor, provides two lists – one of example language functions and one of example language forms. So we’ll return to this page after reviewing the task itself one more time to look for possible language demands.

Slide 32So let’s return to the Frog Girl task one more time. Please take a few minutes to pause the video once again to re-familiarize yourself with the wording of the task. This time you are looking for potential language demands of the task – both in terms of language functions and language forms. You may also want to look back at the original list of language demands we initially brainstormed, which were reviewed a few minutes ago along with the language lens’ guiding question.

Slide 33 If you are stuck, the language function and form PDF can be quite useful, particularly in identifying language functions that are relevant to this task, such as comprehending, analyzing, expressing and supporting opinions, and describing people, places and things.

The resource can also provide hints and suggestions for relevant language forms, which can be difficult to identify without going through the task yourself or seeing examples of student work. For example, in this case the resource can help us identify three types of language forms that are relevant to this task: Adjectives and conjunctions, descriptive adjectives, and verb phrases.

This is not, however, an exhaustive list of language forms and functions. Therefore some relevant forms and functions may not be listed here.

Slide 34For example, here is our final list of language demands, sorted into language forms and functions. The function “listen,” for example, was not listed on the resource, nor was “textual language” on the form list.

This illustrates that the resources we have identified for you here – as well as any you identify in addition – are just that – resources that are to be used in conjunction with your own professional analysis of the task.

Slide 35Like with the first two lenses, the final result of consulting our resources is a more complete and detailed list of the task demands related to the language students are expected to understand and demonstrate when engaged in the Frog Girl task.

Now please take a minute to compare our original list of language demands with the revised list, noting any significant differences as well as any differences from lists you may have created during this screencast.

Slide 36 Finally, here is the revised task demands chart, with updated lists for all three lenses - content knowledge, analytical skills and language. As may be obvious, this revisited list is not only more detailed and comprehensive; it is also clearer – less ambiguous - than the original brainstormed list, which is a testament to why referencing appropriate resources is so important in this process.

Slide 37So now we are done with the first two steps of the task analysis process, right? Well, not quite yet. Remember when we said that it’s helpful to return back to Step One, Examine and Identify An Appropriate Instructional Task? Well, here we go.

Slide 38 For the most part, answers to these questions after completing the task analysis process seem to be about the same as before completing the process.

The one exception is this question: Is the task clear in its expectations? Earlier, we identified that while the task is mostly clear in its expectations, it does not explain what the partner “discussion” should look or sound like, or provide any models. Nor does it provide any rubrics for the students to measure their performance.

But in addition – the task does not clarify whether the students are expected to read the text silently, together, or whether the text is read aloud by the teacher. Whichever one it is will change both the task demands, both in terms of content and

language. It may even affect whether the task is grade-level appropriate, depending on at what point in the year the task was introduced.

Take a minute to reflect on whether you would change your answers to these questions based on what we’ve learned by going through the task analysis process.

Slide 39 Now we have finally completed both steps 1 and 2 of the task analysis process. Remember though, that there are actually 4 steps in the process. But we won’t address steps 3 and 4, identifying disciplinary practices and ELP standards until the next module.

Slide 40 And before moving on to the next module, we want you to see a group of teachers actually working collaboratively through steps one and two of the task analysis process. We also want you to be able to work through those steps as well, ether individually or with your own professional learning community.

To help you organize and document your thoughts throughout this process, we’ve designed the Task Analysis Tool, which will be explained in detail in the next screencast.

Slide 41 But before moving on to the next section, please take a couple of minutes to read and reflect upon the following questions: • How is this process similar to or different from how you typically examine

instructional tasks? • What lingering questions do you still have about the task analysis process? • What are the advantages of first brainstorming a list of task demands and

then going back to consult resources related to each lens? • Can you envision engaging in this task analysis process as part of your

professional learning? • In what venue (e.g., professional learning community, grade-level planning

meetings, individually) can you imagine using this process?

You may reflect and answer these questions on your own of course. But, if at all possible, we encourage you to explore them with colleagues, preferably within the context of a professional learning opportunity or as part of a professional learning community.

Screencast 5: Task Analysis Tool

Slide 1Now that you’ve seen the task analysis process in detail, you will soon get to see a group of teachers apply the process with an actual instructional task. Before you do

so, though, we would like to share with you a resource that will help you organize and document your thoughts as you analyze a task.

Slide 2The task analysis tool is a graphic organizer that mirrors each step of the analysis process. You can download this document in the “Resources” section of this module. In the next section, you will see teachers capturing their ideas using this tool, and we hope that you will give it a try yourself in the “Apply” section.

For each step of the task analysis process, the tool provides guiding questions to help you focus your thoughts, as well as a space for you to write down (or type out) notes pertaining to your analysis.

Under the guiding questions for step 2, you will see hyperlinks to online resources that will help you deepen your identification of task demands related to the three lenses. For content knowledge, these links take you to the Common Core State Standards or Next Generation Science Standards, or you can choose to consult the relevant standards in use in your district or state. To help you come up with analytical skills demanded by the task, you can visit a Depth of Knowledge chart containing key thinking skills. Finally, a language functions and forms resource may help you brainstorm task demands related to language practices.

Of course, these are not the be-all and end-all of resources that may aid you in your task analysis. Our hope is that you draw from a combination of your own thinking, that of your colleagues, as well as the resources we are suggesting and others that you find valuable to you in order to make the task analysis process productive and meaningful for you and your students.

Screencast 6: Teacher Analysis (K-2)

Slide 1Kindergarten through 2nd grade : Task and Teacher Analysis

This portion of the Engage section focuses on four different tasks, in different grade level bands and in different content areas. It also features a group of teachers analyzing the demands of that task, using the task analysis tool.

This particular video features an integrated first grade science and English language arts lesson. It is particularly helpful for teachers serving students in the early elementary grades or any educator seeking more models of the task analysis process.

Task Slide

The purpose of this integrated lesson is for pairs of first grade students to engage in constructive conversations about predicted animal adaptations. Leading up to this lesson, the class had been engrossed in unit of study about animal adaptations for nearly two weeks, and had previously read a portion of the featured text, What do you do when something wants to eat you? By Steve Jenkins. The two learning goals for this lesson are that: • Students understand how different animal adaptations help animals to

survive. • Students understand that constructive conversations involve responding to a

partner’s ideas and jointly creating ideas together.

The specific conversation prompt that is given to the students before they engage in partner conversations is: “How do you think this puffer fish will defend itself? Come up with an idea together with your partner.”

Introduction to the classroom videoThe following video shows one of the teachers who created the this lesson, Devyn Brown from East Palo Alto Charter School, introducing the task and walking her first grade students through its expectations.

Before watching the video, however, we strongly encourage you to download the full lesson plan so you can follow along, which is available in the resources section of this module.

Classroom videoT: So today we’ve been learning for the past couple weeks all about animals and habitats and animal’s [adap:tations]Sts: [adaptations]T: that help them [survive]Sts: [survive]T: that helps them survive. So today I want to share a book with you and this book, [student name], fix it, is called what do you do when something wants to eat you. And this book is also by Steve Jenkins who is the same author that wrote that other book that we read about the different feet and the different eyes and also wrote I see a kookaburra. So we’ve read a lot of books by Steve Jenkins. And this book, What do you do when something wants to eat you, is about how animals defend themselves from predators, so that they don’t get eaten. And today we’re going to discuss, we’re going to talk about ways that animals defend themselves from predators that are going to eat them. We’re going to talk with our partners to come up with one idea together, right Emilio? We’re going to come up with one idea together. As we’re coming up with our idea, we’re going to do some things we’ve already practiced. We’re going to take turns, say itSts: take turnsT: We’re going to build on, say itSts: build on

T: and this is the new part, we’re going to create one idea.Say create one idea

Sts: create one ideaT: See these two brains, but they’re both thinking the same thing. They’re taking turns and building on, to finally create one idea. Ok, so I want to share with you just the first pages of What do you do when something wants to eat you. Are you ready? Most animals face the constant danger of being eaten by other animals. This book shows a few of the ways that they try to avoid this fate. When an octopus is threatened, there’s the octopus, whose trying to eat him?Sts: the fishT: fish. So you remember how I told you about my book club this morning? Ms. Karla Newman and I were reading this book and we stopped at this part and we asked ourselves,how might this octopus defend itself from the fish? And can I show you how we talked?Sts: yesT: As we’re watching our video, I want you to notice how Ms. Karla Newman and I take turns.Sts: take turnsT: build onSts: build onT: and at the end, we come up with one idea together. Do you see us?Sts: yeahT: I might need to stop it a couple times so you can hear us really well. Try to listen as well as you can.

(Teacher plays video of two teachers having discussion about book. T=T1)

T1: What’s your idea?T2: Well I think maybe the octopus could swim away really quickly. T1: Why do you think that?T2: Well I think it can swim quickly cause like it has these really long tentacles. What do you think?

(video ends)

T: So readers, you’re going to have a chance to have this conversation with your partners but about a different page in our book. When you’re having a conversation, turn and look at my sentence stems. You might say, “I have another idea,” say it. Sts: I have another idea.T: Or you might say, I want to add.Sts: I want to add.T: Oh, I hear Victoria. Or you might say, what do you think?Sts: what do you think?T: Or, why do you think that?Sts: Why do you think that?

T: And here’s a really important one. Look at that last one. How can we put our ideas together. Say it.Sts: How can we put our ideas together? T: Ok, so friends, let me read you this next page. This is the one that you’re going to get to talk about. Ok, ready.Sts: yepT: Make sure you can see it. When a pufferfish is in danger, what do we think a pufferfish might do when it’s in danger? Wow! You have so many ideas. You’re going to have a great conversation with your partner about this.

(After students’ oral conversations)

T: On the back of your pufferfish paper, it says partner names. The first thing you’re going to do is write both of your names. Is it just one person’s idea?Sts: noT: No, it’s your idea together so you’re gonna write both of your name. Then it says, how do you think the pufferfish defends itself from predators?

And it says, our idea is.Say our idea is.

Sts: Our idea isT: Is it just [student name]’s idea?Sts: NoT: Is it just [student name]’s ideaSts: NoT: No, it’s their idea together. Your job right now is with your partner [student name], to write down what you came up with, with your partner. The one idea that you created with your partner. If you’re on the carpet, you can you can go back to your desks to write down your idea. Go ahead and get started.

Introducing the Washington TeachersIn the next few minutes, you will watch a group of teachers from Washington State, Inna Hanson, Leslie Hartley, Jamie Romberg, Grace Waylen, collaboratively analyze this task using the Task Analysis Tool. This discussion is included to provide you with a model of a professional learning community collaboratively working through the task analysis process. Their goal for this process is to better understand the task demands in terms of content knowledge, analytical skills, and language.

Task Analysis Tool SlideAt this point, we strongly encourage you to pause the video and download a copy of the Task Analysis Tool from the Resources section, if you have not already done so. Throughout their analysis, the teachers will be referencing this tool, so you may find it difficult to follow along without it in front of you.

Teacher AnalysisIH: Hi everyone. We’re going to analyze a task that has to do with developing constructive classroom conversations. We just viewed a video of this first grade

task in science with a goal of developing understanding of how different animal adaptations help animals to survive. The lesson is built around a question of how do you think a pufferfish defends itself? Another learning goal is for students to understand that constructive conversations involve sharing ideas, responding to partner’s ideas and creating ideas together. So the book that is used in this lesson is titled What do you do when something wants to eat you. It’s about how animals protect themselves from predators. At first let’s take a look at some guiding questions. Is this task clear in it’s expectations?All: yes, yesIH: I also agree with you that it’s clear because the teacher reviews what the class has studied in the past, which is animal adaptation, and then poses the main task for the day which is for students to share ideas on how a pufferfish defends itself. And the teacher keeps, the teacher shows a video that models the conversation with a colleague and then the teacher supplies sentence starters such as: what do you think, I have another idea, I agree, how can we put our ideas together, which is important when considering language demands and that also sets up expectations for students practice. Do you think this task is grade level appropriate?All: yes, yesIH: I agree with you. Is this task aligned to the standards? What is your impression?All: yes, yesGW: I think it’s aligned to both science and language standards, both of those pieces.IH: Yes, that is an impression I got as well. Do you think this task requires students to use language and analytical skills as well as demonstrate their content knowledge?All: definitely, yesIH: And my final question is, do you feel that this task is too broad or too specific?JR: I think it’s pretty specific in the sense of that we know exactly what’s being expected of the kids while not being too broad. So I think it’s a happy medium.IH: Alright, and I feel it’s really focused and they have clearly defined goals. GW: But not so narrow that there’s one right answer.IH: So the next discussion is going to be focused around content knowledge. Let’s brainstorm and discuss what we felt were the content, what was the content knowledge that was addressed in this task? What skills and understandings are students expected to demonstrate? LH: They need to be able to ask and answer questions about an informational text, which is part of the reading informational common core standards.GW: I think that in order for kids to really be successful with this lesson, they’re gonna have to understand that animals adapt to their environment. And that would be a vocabulary word as well as a concept that I’d want them to understand. So, I don’t know if we put that word adaptation with content or if we should put it in with language.

JR: I mean you could make an argument for both right. So, I feel like if you’re wanting to split up your vocabulary based on content versus inter-disciplinary you could put the content vocabulary here under content knowledge and maybe the inter-disciplinary vocabulary under the language demands. IH: Well, over the course of the video, the teacher teaches the word adaptation. So, I believe maybe this is a case to put it in the content. LH: I would agree with you there.GW: Same thing with predator and prey. The concept as well as the word I would want to make sure kids had. JR: And even words, and these are two words then that wouldn’t necessarily be content specific, but are important vocabulary for them to know are words like survive and threaten. But I think those are examples of ones that aren't necessarily content specific, and so maybe we talk about them when we’re going over language.IH: Ok, so do we have anything else to add to content knowledge?GW: Are we going to put the, because one of the goals of the lesson was that students can have a question, uh build on the ideas of each other, do we put that idea under content or do we put that idea under language later on?LH: I think it’s one of those overlapping skills. It could go in both buckets actually. GW: Then I’d like to add that students need to be able to add to the ideas of others when having the conversation. JR: I would agree with that and there’s actually a couple Common Core ELA standards for literacy that I think go with that. SL.1.1 about participating in collaborative conversation SL.1.B about building on conversations with others. IH: Those are very appropriate. So do we have anything else to add to content knowledge?JR: Um, the science standard. There’s NGSS 1-LS1-2 which is read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive. IH: That’s a great one. Ok. Now let’s take a look at the analytical skills. What analytical or thinking skills are most relevant to this task? And for this part of the task analysis let’s take a look at the DOK’s to determine the analytical skills that are being asked of students in this task.LH: Students need to identify cause and effect and they also need to draw conclusions during this task. IH: I also think they are expected to make inferences based on a visual with the page that they were supplied. JR: So that’s like in a way that they would also be citing evidence, if they were using the visuals from the book to justify their thinking.IH: Yes.GW: I feel like they need to be able to negotiate with someone else and sorta be flexible in their thinking. So if we’re asking kids to build ideas and come up with one idea, you have to sorta be able to say, here’s my idea and here’s your idea and how do those two ideas fit together. So I don’t know if that’s evaluating or creating something new but there’s a big analytical piece there that has to happen. IH: One of the DOKs is collaborate so I wonder if that would fall into that category?

JR: Yeah, and even the idea of synthesizing ideas. Um, let’s see here. What about also explaining, because if they’re working with a partner and they’re coming up with ideas about how a pufferfish defends itself then they would also need to explain to their partner why they think that. So kinda also in that they are explaining what they’re thinking and they’re also developing a logical argument. GW: Aren’t they also asked to present it to the class at the end, to explain their and their partner’s thinking, the new thinking as well. LH: And even it goes to a level one skill of recalling information from the text. So it covers the variety of ELD levels, I think.JR: Yeah, cause for them to really justify their thinking and explain how they came to this conclusion, they would have to recall what they learned about those other animals in the book and how they defended themselves as predators for them to then you know draw conclusions and make connections with the pufferfish. IH: Ok, so we’re agreeing on the analytical skills that are required to complete this task such as make inferences, predict, create one idea, explain thinking, synthesize ideas, collaborate. Alright, so now let’s take a look at the language. What language functions and forms are students required to understand and use? For addressing the language skills within the task, we’re going to look at the forms and functions form. What language skill is this task asking of the students?GW: Well the first one that comes to my mind is the one that has sorta fit into all three buckets which is building on the ideas of others. So, finding a way to both contribute and listen in a conversation. IH: So that was the ask and answer questions. So that’s a function that they’re going to perform. GW: And still expressing their own ideas, in that bucket. IH: So, and then um as we saw during the course of the video, the teacher was supplying sentence stems with questions such as what do you think, why do you think that, how can we put our ideas together and then the teacher modeled that for the students as well. Another forms we said, it applies to this lesson is responses to these questions can be provided as well in sentence starters such as I agree, I disagree, I have another idea, I want to add. Those are also necessary forms that support the function of asking and answering questions. GW: And I would add just the language around how you show you are building an idea with someone else. So, I agree with blank and I’d add. Or you know, blank said blank and I disagreed because. So really making it obvious that they are connecting their thought to the thought of somebody else in the group. IH: These forms are tools not just for building language capacity but also for accessing that analytical piece. It anchors their thinking as well. That’s a great idea too.JR: Looking at the functions and forms document that came in the task analysis tool, some of the functions that they point out are which kinda repeats some of what we said, but uh, asking clarifying questions which I imagine you’d have to do in that kind of partner work, expressing and supporting opinions and there might even be some persuading so if one partner thinks one thing and the other disagrees and how do they persuade their partner to agree with them or see their perspective. So I think it goes back to your phrase about them negotiating their ideas.

IH: And again, it would be helpful if they are provided some sentence frames or sentence stems. GW: Those things have to be explicitly taught. JR: And they’re not just talking about it, right. Part of their task was to write on the back of the paper. So they even had to explain in their writing how the animal protects itself. So, I guess in that way, it brings up a whole other set of functions in the sense that now they’re having to express themselves in writing, but the interesting thing is they’re providing those sentence stems for them with their partners as far as how to verbalize their ideas but also gives them structure of how to write out their ideas. IH: Right and it actually hits standard number five, first grade standard number five in writing. With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing. So we say that that goes into language practices because I don't think content focus was in the writing piece.JR: At the same time, it’s something being expected of them. GW: What about vocabulary? We had talked about content specific vocabulary, but there was other vocabulary, Jamie I think you wanted to look at to put into the language bucket.JR: Yeah, words that didn’t necessarily address the content so much as they are needed for the kids to access the content, words like defend or discuss or danger. LH: Yeah, I had that written down too as a part of the language forms. For example, one part of the video showed she was talking about the pufferfish, so it would be the pufferfish protects itself by or it will defend itself by, so that’s what I was thinking. GW: In order to avoid the threat of blank, the pufferfish blank. Right.IH: Ok, so let’s go back to step one where we examined if it was an appropriate instructional tool. Is this an appropriate task for analysis? What do we think?GW: I think it’s a pretty rich task. IH: Ok, it’s clear on expectations and its grade level appropriate and its hitting the standards and it requires students to use language and analytical skills and demonstrate their understanding of content. All: yes, yes. I would say it's very rich.

Screencast 7: Teacher Analysis (3-5)

Slide 13rd through 5th grade: Task and Teacher Analysis.

This portion of the Engage section focuses on a third grade math task and features a group of teachers analyzing the demands of that task, using the task analysis tool. This video is particularly helpful for teachers serving third through fifth grade students or any educator seeking more models of the task analysis process.

Task Slide 1This math performance task, from the New York Department of Education, is meant to be embedded into a 4-5 week unit on interpreting and linking representations, modeling situations, solving non-routine problems and justifying arguments of multiplication and division. You can access the entire performance task and supplementary materials, which include samples of student work, in the Resources section of the module.

For this performance task, which is meant to be completed individually, students are asked to imagine that Clear Creek School is fundraising. They are selling Cookie Dough in tubs. They are then given the prices per tub for chocolate chip cookie dough, peanut butter cookie dough, and oatmeal cookie dough.

Please note that while there are 4 items in the original task, we are only focusing on the fourth item, which states: Jermaine’s mother loves oatmeal cookies. She has $20 to spend. What is the greatest number of tubs of Oatmeal Cookie Dough she can buy? Explain how you figured it out. Students are then given a physical space to write out their mathematical explanation.

Task Slide 2 In the next few minutes, you will watch a group of teachers from Washington State, Inna Hanson, Leslie Hartley, Jamie Romberg, Grace Waylen, collaboratively analyze this math performance task using the Task Analysis Tool. This discussion is included to provide you with a model of a professional learning community collaboratively working through the task analysis process. Their goal for this process is to better understand the task demands in terms of content knowledge, analytical skills, and language.

Task Slide 3 At this point, we strongly encourage you to pause the video and download a copy of the Task Analysis Tool from the Resources section, if you have not already done so. Throughout their analysis, the teachers will be referencing this tool, so you may find it difficult to follow along without it in front of you.

Teacher AnalysisLH: This is a third grade math task called cookie dough and what it is, in this task we’re actually going to look at one question, question number four where students have to determine the greatest number of oatmeal cookies that Germaine’s mother can buy. They have to look at the chart to determine that and also explain their reasoning for the answer. So that’s why we’re choosing number four. So before we get started in going deep in the task analysis, let’s go ahead and try to determine if the task is appropriate for our students. So why don’t you go ahead and take a look at the task and read it over and while you’re reading it, think of these things. Is this task clear in its expectations? Does it seem grade level appropriate? Is it aligned to the standards? Does it require the students to use analytic skills as well as demonstrate their content knowledge while also using language? So why don’t you

take a couple of seconds and look it over. Grace, what are you thinking? Do you think this task seems appropriate for analysis? GW: Yeah, it does. It seems appropriate to a third grade student. Yeah.LH: Jamie, Inna, do you agree as well? JR: Yeah, I feel like it covers grade level standards and it’s clearly worded. LH: And Inna, do you have anything to add, or are you good?IH: Um, well initially I think we had a conversation that the task would be too broad, so we decided to focus on question number four because that one task had both content and language demands. Otherwise, that could be reviewed as four separate tasks. LH: Alright, great. So we’re going to identify the task demands in the three different lenses, content knowledge, analytical skills, and also language practices. So we’re going to go ahead and get started with content knowledge and we can use the Common Core State Standards as a resource or if your state does not use the Common Core State Standards, whatever your state standards are. So why don’t we go ahead and take a look at the content knowledge demands. What do students need to know and do to be successful in this task? IH: Well, first of all, students need to solve a word problem and they should be able to read the table and then they need to be able to add whole numbers, multiply whole numbers, and solve a multi-step problem. LH: Ok, Jamie, do you have anything to add?JR: Just if a kid was using another strategy, they could also divide by whole numbers.LH: Grace, how about you? GW: I don’t think I have anything else to add. I have got multiply, divide, read a table. The only other thing I would think of is they need to be able to interpret the reading of that which may be an ELA content, but maybe that fits under language and not under content. I’m just trying to think about the math content they need to know. LH: Yeah, Inna and Jamie, what do you think, do you think we should save the reading part for the language practices? JR: Yeah, I agree with that. And I heard, we said solve a word problem. Did we say solve a multi-step problem? All: Yes, yes we did. JR: And so, when we are looking at the standards, looking at the standards for Common Core I think that then this task covers 3.OA.1 all the way to 3.OA.9 because you could go about this problem in so many different ways.LH: Yes, when I looked at that I thought the same things, so it follows the majority of the standards in operations and algebraic thinking. Grace and Inna, do you also agree with that? IH: It’s a nice concentration of all those standards in one task. GW: Yeah, I also think it hits the math practices. So I’m thinking about being able to make sense of problems and gives the kids an opportunity to persevere in solving them. Math practice two is that you can reason abstractly and then kids are being asked to be able to construct a viable argument which falls under a math practice now, and then potentially an opportunity to model with mathematics depending on how the students would like to solve the problem.

LH: So with analytical skills, we’re going to use the depth of knowledge levels with this. So, let’s go ahead and take a look at the task again and also your depth of knowledge sheet and see what do the students need to know as far as analytical skills while performing this task. Grace, why don’t we start with you?GW: Kids need to be able to interpret the graph. They need to be able to explain their thinking. Those are the two, the big ones that are standing out to me right now. LH: Ok, great. Thank you. Jamie, what about you?JR: I heard you say interpret a table. Is that what you had said Grace?GW: Yeah.JR: I’d also say with that, they read the table and they interpret the data, even just as basic as calculating as something they need to do. I think there’s also a certain strategy students could use for estimating, if they are using a certain method to do that. And with that, then checking their answers using different methods. LH: Inna, do you have anything to add?IH: I would add that students need to be concluding and making connections and also explaining of course, explain how they figured out what is the greatest number of tubs of oatmeal cookies Germaine’s mom can buy. LH: Great. I also had justify because within their explanation they need to justify their answer and to prove it. Great. Let’s go ahead and move to the language practices. So, looking at our language functions and forms sheet that we have as a reference, what do the students need to do in terms of the language functions and forms to be successful while performing this task. And Jamie, why don’t we take a couple of seconds to look at that and then we’ll start with you.JR: So one of the language practices that stood out right away was actually also in our content and analytical buckets, just reading a table. I also had explain their mathematical reasoning, which I think goes back to what you said also with the analytical skills when they had to prove or justify what they’re saying. But I guess we can take it a step further in saying like explaining mathematical reasoning in writing. LH: Now I think it was Grace when you were talking about the content knowledge in the reading part, I’d say add that here. GW: Yeah, I did. I think kids need to be able to read fluently and they need to be able to comprehend. I was also thinking about the vocabulary that would be necessary for the students to be successful, particularly in the writing part. So if we’re attending to the precision in communicating our thinking, students probably need to know all of the words that come along with multiplication and division so that they can use those academic words to express their thinking. LH: Would you say that they need to use content specific vocabulary?GW: Yeah, multiply, divide, quotient, dividend, that I would want to see them use that kind of language in describing how they got their answer. JR: Yeah, and even on a more basic level of that too is just the idea of the word like the greatest being used in the question and then them being able to apply that in their answer. LH: Right. IH: I would even say a combination of words the greatest number.

JR: And on that same subject, even the way that they word the question in the end explain how you figured it out. I think even that phrase itself figured it out could pose a potential barrier as far as understanding what that means like explain your thinking or something like that. LH: Right, so I will put that as well under the language practices, figure it out. GW: I think that kids need to know how to sequence and they need the words and the language forms that come with sequencing. So, in order to solve the problem blank, first I, then I, that’s how I know, so making sure they have that language. IH: I added or first I multiplied, first I divided. Like Jamie said, it depends on the choice of calculations.GW: Yeah. But just giving them a frame that generally applies to explaining your thinking in a multi-step problem is something I’d like to see them be able to do. IH: And I would also add that the sentence stems such as the greatest number of tubs Germaine’s mother can buy is, so that it helps students express their mathematical thinking but at the same time it targets language and analytical skills. JR: Yeah, and with that since they’re having to do like the analytical and language practice of justifying, the idea of I know this answer is correct because and then kinda sequencing the steps they went through to come to that answer. IH: So what we just discussed were language forms that support the functions of how one explains thinking in writing and reading a table.LH: And also, I’m just going to put justify their thinking in writing because we have explain their thinking in writing but as Jamie said I know this is correct because, goes along with justifying. IH: So justifying would be a function.LH: Right, yeah. Well, let’s go ahead and go back to the beginning just to make sure this is an appropriate task and so let’s look at those questions again. Is this task appropriate, meaning is it clear in its expectations? JR: I would say yes just with the only caveat being that concern that we talked about as far as the wording of how you figured it out. Might need to be clarified for some kids cause it’s kinda an expression. LH: Yes.GW: Yeah, it’s idiomatic, isn't it.LH: Is this task grade-level appropriate? IH: Yes.LH: Is it aligned to the standards?All: Yes, a lot of them.LH: And does it require students to use language and analytical skills as well as demonstrate their content knowledge? GW: Definitely.

Screencast 8: Teacher Analysis (6-8)

Slide 16th through 8th grade: Task and Teacher Analysis.

This portion of the Engage section focuses on an eighth grade science task and features a group of teachers analyzing the demands of that task, using the task analysis tool. It is particularly helpful for teachers serving middle school students or any educator seeking more models of the task analysis process.

Task Slide 1This task, which was created by the University of the State of New York, is actually part of an intermediate-level science test, created for the 2014 eighth grade Regents exam. You can access the entire test in the Resources section of the module.

Please note that while the test in its entirety is quite long, we are only focusing on three questions in this task analysis exercise, questions 48 through 50, which are included in part 2 of the test. For these three questions, students are given a paragraph that details an experiment that compared the growth of two different plants, one watered with acidic rainwater and the other watered with non-acidic rainwater. They were also given a table that provides details about the height of the plant watered with acid rainwater across a specific span of time.

Students are instructed to base their answers to questions 48 through 50 on the information presented in the paragraph and the chart as well as their knowledge of science.

Task Slide 2The students are then presented with three tasks in questions 48 through 50:

First, they are asked to plot the height of the plant watered with acidic rainwater for each day shown in the data table provided.

Then, they are required to describe how the data support the student’s original hypothesis.

And finally, they are asked to describe one way in which the students might improve the design of this experiment if it were repeated.

Task Slide 3 In the next few minutes, you will watch a group of teachers from Washington State, Inna Hanson, Leslie Hartley, Jamie Romberg, and Grace Waylen, collaboratively analyze this math performance task using the Task Analysis Tool. This discussion is included to provide you with a model of a professional learning community collaboratively working through the task analysis process. Their goal for this process is to better understand the task demands in terms of content knowledge, analytical skills, and language.

Task Slide 4 At this point, we strongly encourage you to pause the video and download a copy of the Task Analysis Tool from the Resources section, if you have not already done so. Throughout their analysis, the teachers will be referencing this tool, so you may find it difficult to follow along without it in front of you.

Teacher AnalysisJR: What we’ll be doing today together is brainstorming to examine what this task is asking of students as far as what they need to know and do in regards to content knowledge, analytical skills, and language. Are we all on the same page on that?All: (shake heads yes)JR: So the task that we have for today, like I said, is an eighth grade science task and before getting together to meet today, we had all already looked at this task and had actually filled out this task analysis tool. So, we’re just going to go through it together and see what kind of consensus we come to as far as our understanding of what is required of students in this task. So, looking at the task analysis tool, step one is examining and identifying whether this task is grade level appropriate. So my first question would be do you think this task is clear in its expectations? LJ: Yes.JR: And how about whether or not you find it grade level appropriate. IH: It is grade level appropriate because it is aligned with the grade level science standard. JR: Perfect. So that would go with the next guiding question. And did you find that this task required students not just use science knowledge but also language and analytic skills? IH: Definitely.JR: Ok, great, with that agreement, I would say we should move on to brainstorm what task demands that are for students in this assignment, but I think when we are done with our brainstorm, but I think when we are done with our brainstorm,we should go back to step one and just see if we still are in consensus that this is an appropriate task for eighth grade science. Ok, great. So looking down at the guiding questions for step two, this is just where we’re kinda trying to brainstorm what students need to demonstrate, know, or do in order to successfully complete this task. With me, and I see you guys did the same thing, we have various tools we can use such as the Common Core Standards, the Next Generation Standards, or if you’re in a state that isn’t using these standards, your own state standards then, you can use that. For analytical skills, one of the tools we used is the depth of knowledge chart and then for language we have a functions and forms document. So, I’m sure we all use lots of different tools, but these are ones that I access through the tool. Let’s see here. So let’s get started with content knowledge. How about we kinda do a rotation? Let’s just start off and then go around to give everybody a chance to give their input. Leslie, How about we start with you with content knowledge? Could you give us a few ideas you had for content knowledge and we’ll see if the group agrees?LH: Sure. With this task I found that students needed to read a table. They needed to be able to read a graph. They also need to be able to graph data, so that was in the content knowledge of the science graphs.

JR: I agree with that.GW: Me too.JR: Do you have more you could add, Grace?GW: When I was thinking about the content knowledge that the kids might need, thinking about the way that environmental factors might affect a living creature, plant. As well as having an understanding of what a variable is. The content knowledge they would need. JR: Interesting, okay. And then, that's interesting. That’s kind of bringing up the math aspect in a way, with the graph, in a way.GW: That was Leslie’s, the graphing.JR: Yeah, but I mean with graphing and the idea of having a variable. GW: Yeah, but I mean, with the variable, we’re dealing with two different types of water.JR: Oh, so you’re talking about a variable.GW: A scientific variable.JR: Thank you.GW: Yep.GW: And Inna, do you have stuff you could add to the content knowledge?IH: Yes, I would add that students are expected to interpret data in the table and in the graph and then also describe how the data support the student’s original hypothesis. GW: So when you say they have to describe how the data supports their hypothesis, I would then raise the question of, is that content knowledge, is that a language demand, or is that both?IH: it’s probably content, analytical and language. The interrelation of all three of them. GW: Okay. You guys would agree with that too?IH: Because in the task itself the students are asked to describe one way in which the creators of the experiment might approve the design of this experiment if it were repeated. So it sounds like it’s content knowledge but it also has an analytical and language component. GW: Okay, so I can see how that would go across content, analytical and language. Okay. Did anybody have anything more they’d like to add to the content knowledge?LH: Yeah, Jaime, actually I found a correlation to the Next Gen Science Standards.GW: Oh great. LH: MS-LS1-5. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms. And so, comparing the two, the acidic water, vs the non-acidic water.GW: I had the MS-LS-2-4. Also another place we see it in the standards. So, construct an argument supported by empirical evidence. The changes to physical components of an ecosystem affect the populations.JR: Okay.IH: Those are great.

JR: Yeah. I think that’s fantastic. I think within those is also a lot of where we can get an idea of what analytical skills are being required in this task and the language skills too. JR: So, we’ve got that one down. Are we feeling good about the content knowledge bucket then? I'm gonna call it a bucket.GW: So, my question is, what about the area of reading in technical subjects? So would this be the place where we are going to talk about the Common Core in science, or do you think this fits under language because it’s reading and writing?JR: Mmmm. I mean, that’s a good question. Because I guess what is it that’s being assessed in the task might also be part of that. Are students being assessed on their reading in this? Or is this also the kind of task where it would be read to a student. I feel like that kind of changes how that could be ...GW: Even then, they’d have to be able to listen in order to comprehend, which would be a language skill…JR: So, how about I put a note over under language? Under the language demands bucket so that when we get over there we can make sure we address. Because it sounds like there could be both, like receptive and productive language demands with the reading or listening. GW: And the writing. I think, yeah.JR: So one question I want to throw out there too is, as I’m reading this and I see words like “acidic” and “non-acidic”, to me those would be content knowledge in the sense of those are really content specific vocabulary. But I don’t know if, within the task analysis, that's under content knowledge or that goes under language. What are your thoughts on that?GW: I’d want to put it under content. It seems to me like things that would fall under language would be words that are those brick and mortar or Tier-2, those words that are cross-disciplinary. Those would be the words I really want to make sure my kids knew solidly; whereas “acidic” vs. ‘non-acidic”, I might not want them to have as deep of a knowledge of. JR: So we’re kind of thinking of it as content vocabulary in the umbrella of content knowledge?GW: That’s what I have done.JR: Okay, so while we’re at it then, those are two words I noticed, acidic and non-acidic. Okay, so while we’re at it then, those are two words I noticed, likeacidic and non-acidic. Are there other words that we want to throw in there while we’re at it just to be aware of what content vocabulary is being expected of students?IH: Yes, I would say hypothesis. JR: Hypothesis.GW: See, hypothesis is the kind of word, you don’t think that should go under language?JR: Yeah, I could see that it could go under language also.GW: It’s cross-disciplinary, or at least in multiple scientific settings. IH: How about this one, conduct an experiment?JR: Mmmm.. Conduct an experiment, yep. I definitely agree.LH: And I would add variable.

JR: So, for the analytical skills we’re talking about the thinking skills. So what are they expected to do as far as skills that are going to cut across content? One example could be that they have to label a graph. Does everybody agree on that?IH: Yes.JR: Okay, and for this part I used the depth of knowledge chart. Was there any other tool that people are using to brainstorm for this part?GW: I felt the depth of knowledge tool, that circle was really comprehensive.IH: Sometimes you can find the analytical skills in the directions. For instance, when they’re talking about modifying the experiment, that also can be an analytical skill. GW: So I will put modify an experiment?IH: Mmmmhmmm.JR: Who wants to give me some more analytical skills? GW: You could also look at the standards. So, looking at the standards that we pulled, you could construct an explanation. And construct an argument. LH: I also have, graph data. And interpret that data. JR: Graph and interpret data, and then they also have to compare that data, don’t they? And you could even take it that they have to draw conclusions fro that data?GW: Yeah.LH: Also, it asks them to critique a design of the experiment. They are asked how they would modify.JR: So that even goes with designing an experiment. So they both critique an experiment, and then they have to design an experiment because they’re coming up with another way of doing it, right? Anything else anybody wants to add?IH: Also, the students would have to qualify the data supports the hypothesis.JR: I was just thinking that as well, I was trying to think about what that word…GW: It feels to me like describe how the data sounds simpler than it actually is. That for me feels more like evaluating, and less like describing. JR: So it’s kind of like they evaluate and because they’ve done that evaluation, then they can explain or tell how the data supports the hypothesis. GW: Yeah.LH: Could that also be proving?GW: Proving, yeah, that’s a good one. LH: I thought it would be proving how the data supports the hypothesis. JR: I definitely agree. Okay. JR: And so with that, while they’re trying to prove how the data supports the hypothesis it’s using the graph in the sense that they’re identifying patterns in the graph. So, if we’re feeling good about the analytical skills, I just kind of want to double check. I like what you said earlier about how you can find the analytical skills just by reading the questions. So I’m just kind of rereading the questions one more time. Yeah, I feel like that was good. JR: So, how about language? What is being asked of students in terms of what they need to demonstrate, know and do in regards to language? A couple things that already got brought up were the skills of either listening to, or reading directions. Okay.

LH: A lot of language skills can correlate in this case with analytic skills, such as interpret data, it takes certain linguistic structures to do that. Compare data. Draw conclusions. And critique. JR: Yeah, there’s definitely a lot of overlap there. Does anybody have any more they’d like to add?LH: I was thinking of the forms. In the forms of language, students would need to use correct sentence structure and also use the specific science vocabulary that’s stated in the task. IH: Could we go back to vocabulary, because you said we can return to that.JR: Okay, yeah.IH: More vocabulary. Just Tier 2 vocabulary that is content but also under this language umbrella. Like say, it’s plant, identical, soil, measure, height, centimeters.GW: Would you address those words differently depending on the population of kids that you have?IH: Mmmhmm.GW: Do you think it would be necessary to talk about height and centimeter with all of your students?IH: I would definitely consider their proficiency levels. GW: I agree with you. I feel that knowing your kids is important. And when you’re thinking about vocabulary. And if you’ve got lower kids, spending more time making sure that they can either use context clues or that they know vocabulary we might take for granted is important.IH: RightJR: Yeah, I think that’s what I like about pointing out there was the overlaps between language and analytical with things like draw conclusions, interpret, critique, but then also pointing out the forms such as correct sentence structure and then using specific science vocabulary. We are saying we’re expecting students to use specific science vocabulary, we should to be able to say we’ve given them that vocabulary, if they’re going to then have to produce it. Depending on our students, I think you’re totally right Grace, the idea we have to know that some kids are going to need the word “height” and other kids won’t. But probably all kids will need to learn the word “acidic”. IH: I wanted to make a little comment about using correct structures. Those structures should be supportive of the language functions, which we discussed, such as critique, analyze, and whatever else we mentioned. JR: So, are you saying then, that if students were having to critique something, depending on the students you have in your class, instead of having an open-ended question like, “Describe how the data support the original hypothesis?”, are you saying that you’d want to give them sentence structures to do that such as “One way the data supports the hypothesis is…”IH: Absolutely. That’s why we’re mentioning structure here and language practices, because that’s what helps students to access and express their knowledge of content.JR: I think this is all really good stuff. I want to take it back a minute because I feel that we can still come up with some more language demands. To put in here, I have

draw conclusions, interpret, compare, critique. Do we have more? Also describe because they’re having to describe, right?LH: also support..JR: When they support their claims?GW: Have we got it that it’s in writing? It's not orally. The expectation is that they’re doing in writingJR: That’s a good thing to make sure that we explicitly say it’s in writing. Let me see here. They have to confirm a hypothesis. Explain your reasoning. JR: Awesome. Like we said at the beginning, now that we’re done with step 2, let’s just revisit step 1 to make sure we’re all on the same page. You know come back full circle a little bit. Do we still agree that this task is clear in its expectations?All: Yes.JR: Do we still think that it’s grade-level appropriate?All: Yes.JR: Okay, and aligned to the standards? All: Yes.JR: And that it requires students to use language and analytical skills as well as their content knowledge?All: Yes.JR: Then, I think that covers it. Good job guys.

Screencast 9: Teacher Analysis (9-12)

Title Page Slide9th through 12th grade : Task and Teacher Analysis

This portion of the Engage section focuses on an eleventh grade US history task and features a group of teachers analyzing the demands of that task, using the task analysis tool. It is particularly helpful for teachers serving high school students or any educator seeking more models of the task analysis process.

Task Slide 1This task is part of the “Reading like a Historian” curriculum created by the Stanford History Education Group and recorded by the Teaching Channel. You can access the entire task and video in the Resources section of the module.

The objective of this particular lesson is for students to take sides about why people opposed the Vietnam War. In the following clip, you will see the teacher, Valerie Ziegler from Abraham Lincoln H.S. in San Francisco, introduce the task and use the “philosophical chairs” convention to stimulate student engagement and discussion.

Before watching the video, however, you may want to download the broader lesson plan of which this activity is a part, which is available in the resources section of the module.

Teaching Channel VideoIn my classroom, we focus on reading sources, understanding sources and applying those skills to answer big questions. And the discussion is usually the best part. And sometimes it doesn't always happen in every lesson, but it usually can come at the point of at the end of the unit.

How can we have students debate these questions in, you know and I, you know, I either have a full class discussion or sometimes I'll have them debate at their table and try to come to some answer. We try to have them come to some sort of consensus. So, we're gonna talk about why did people's opinions of the Vietnam War change.

Were they for social reasons, for political reasons, or for economic reasons? So, before our full discussion today we're gonna look at two very famous people as to their opposition to the war. So John Kerry, who we know later will run for President, testifies to the U.S Senate. Right? He was a veteran. He had three Purple Hearts. We would assume that he's gonna say…Good things.

Maybe good things, right? That's what we're gonna assume. And look, he's in the military he served. Let's look and follow along as I mark up this document very quickly here about, of John Kerry.

I would like to talk on behalf of all those veterans. In our opinion and from our experiences, there is nothing in South Vietnam, which could happen that realistically threatens the United States of America. What is he saying? Should we be worried about communists? No. Yeah.

Doesn't sound like it. So what kind of reason would this be? This would be a political reason. He's saying they're not a threat. And the intent was I wanted them to pick a side. Did they think it was political, social, or economic that really drove people at the time to oppose the war?

Right now in your heads, I want you to think about how would you answer this question. Why did people oppose the Vietnam War? Was it mainly for social, political, or economic? And you know how philos, philosophical chairs works, right? You're gonna go to one side of the room.You're going to give your evidence, and at any point if you think somebody, that was a really good point, [student name], I'm gonna move over there cuz I agree with her, you can do that at any point.

The basis of philosophical chairs is that you're posing a question to students. And, for which there usually is not a correct answer. And they get to think about it. And the structure is that, the question is posed, and they have to take a side. Alright, historians. When you're ready, you may take all of your things with you. Social, political, economic.

And then once they've had a few minutes to think about it, they physically move. And it might be an agree, disagree. It might be a pro, con, whatever it is. They physically move to that side of the room.

Task Slide 2In the next few minutes, you will watch a group of teachers from Washington State, Inna Hanson, Leslie Hartley, Jamie Romberg, and Grace Waylen, collaboratively analyze this math performance task using the Task Analysis Tool. This discussion is included to provide you with a model of a professional learning community collaboratively working through the task analysis process. Their goal for this process is to better understand the task demands in terms of content knowledge, analytical skills, and language.

Task Slide 3 At this point, we strongly encourage you to pause the video and download a copy of the Task Analysis Tool from the Resources section, if you have not already done so. Throughout their analysis, the teachers will be referencing this tool, so you may find it difficult to follow along without it in front of you.

Teacher AnalysisGW: We’ve gathered to do a task analysis on the philosophical chairs video from the Teaching Channel. And so, in this task the students are being asked to have a debate on the social, political, and economic influences on the Anti-Vietnam War movement. So, the first thing we want to look at is some guiding questions around, is this task an appropriate task. And after we look at those questions, we’re going to think about the purpose of the task analysis, which is to look at the content, language, and the analytical demands of the task. Great, let’s do it. Um, so, is this task clear in its expectation?JR:I think so, yeah.IHYeah.GW: This one is a little challenging for me. She said, you’ve all done philosophical chairs before, and I just trusted that. JR: MMMhmmm, yeah.GW: She never laid out, we didn’t see how she had laid out all the ground work that she had done that’s required to do something as intensive as philosophical chairs. JR: Yeah, I guess my feeling that it was clear expectations was implied because the kids went through it so well.LH: Right.IH: Yeah.LH: That’s where I came from too, in how it went, that it was so smooth, that the expectations were there. GW: Do we think that it’s grade-level appropriate?LH: Yes.GW: Is it aligned to the standards?JR: Mmmhmmm.LH: Yes.

GW: That’s something I think that when we’re done with the analysis we come back and look at it again and really confirm that that’s true. Does it require students to use language and analytical skills as well as demonstrate their content knowledge?LH: Yes. JR: Yeah. Definitely.LH: Yes, for me. They need to justify and explain their reasoning.GW: The information that they got from reading. GW: When we think about content knowledge, we’re going to think about what it is that the kids are being asked to know. So, when I thought about putting forward and putting together this, I used the Common Core Standards and I used the Washington State Standards in order to help me generate the things I thought may be content wise. So, why don’t we just go round and we can share what we thought of in terms of content and then some feedback on that. So, Inna, do you want to go first?IW: Okay, so um, the goal of the lesson is clear, as I said before. Students need to understand social, political and economic reasons for the Vietnam War position. Then the teacher states that the question is, why did people’s opinion of the Vietnam War change. Um, was it for social, economic, or political reasons? Um, so I just came up with lesson expectations. And then how about you guys add on to that.GW: In terms of content knowledge, what do you think, Leslie?LH: I agree with Inna in terms of they really need to understand the Vietnam War and the influences. But I also looked at the Common Core Standards, the ELA Reading/History, where they have to evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best supports with textual evidence. GW: Could you say that one more time?LH: What? GW: Do you have a number for that standard?LH: Yeah, I’m sorry, it’s CCSS/ELA.RH11-12.3GW: Thank you.JR: And, I actually have one more standard I could add to that to piggy bag off Leslie. So Common Core State Standard ELA.RH.11-12.7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media, in order to address a question or solve a problem. It looked like the students had accessed different speeches or letters that were written. And then they had to address the question of why did people’s opinions change regarding the Vietnam War. GW: Um, I agree with all of that in terms of the Common Core pieces and then from the Washington State Standards I also pulled that we need to analyze and evaluate the ways of influencing national government to preserve the common good. Um, that was in our Washington State Standards. And looking at analyzing different interpretations of events in U.S. History. So that was what I was able to pull from the GLDs. Anything else? Who wants to add to that in terms of content?IH: Yes, um, I just wonder if you think that adding informational standards from English Language Arts is appropriate for this. Because I see a few really strong ones, as well as listening and speaking standards. GW: Okay, so you think that those go under content and not under language?IH: Yeah, so let’s decide that. So what I’m looking at is Reading informational texts, Standard one. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what

the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Reading informational seven: analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums, determining which details to emphasize in each account. And also, reading informational in literacy and social studies: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources since students are working with primary sources, and some secondary in this lesson. And also, go ahead…GW: I was gonna say, for me, because the standard explicitly calls out primary and secondary sources, I’m tempted to put those standards under content. Are there other opinions on that? LH: I agree with that.JR: Yeah, that’s what I was thinking as well.IH: And how about listening and speaking standards? Did we want them too?GW: I put the listening and speaking standards under content. Did you guys look at those?IH: Which ones did you use Grace?GW: I used number one which is, come prepared to discuss, and number nine which is where the present ideas clearly. Those were the two I pulled from the Common Core. I’m happy to put them under content, I’m happy to put them under language, I just want to make sure that they’re addressed in the task analysis. IH: Mmmhmmm.GW: Any opinions?LH: Maybe they would be under language. GW: Language?LH: It’s the production of language.GW: Mmmmhmmm.IH: Yeah, I’m looking at speaking and listening standard four, present information, findings and supporting evidence, clearly, concisely and logically. It is definitely a language function so it can belong in the language column. GW: Perfect, so we can discuss that when we get to it. So we’ll bucket that over there.Everybody else feel good about content knowledge?JR: Yeah. I just have a quick question about that though. Um, so when I think about the content knowledge of knowing what economic, social and political influences are, is that part of the content knowledge, or is that part of vocabulary? How do we set that up?GW: That’s a good question. I have it here that it’s content but it also feels like it’s vocabulary. IH: Mmmhmm. GW: Um, that those students need to understand those words. Um, so do we want to put vocabulary in with content, or do we want to put it in with language?LH: I feel that that’s content-specific vocabulary, whereas the language part would be more tier-2 words.GW: So we’ll keep the vocabulary of social, political, economic, will stay in content knowledge. Perfect. Great.GW: Let’s move onto analytical skills. When I thought about analytical skills I used the depth of knowledge circle. When I used that same process. And to think about

what it is in terms of analysis that students are being asked to do. Anybody want to jump in?JR: Um, I would say, first and foremost they have to construct an opinion. And with that, they had to summarize their opinion. IH: I’d say they have to analyze the text to find evidence to support their claims of either social, political or economic reasons for the shift in public opinion.

GW: I’d say that not only do they have to analyze the text, but they also have to analyze the arguments of their students. Right? In trying to decide if they’re going to move around the room. LH: Yep.IH: So they analyze, and then they need to draw inferences, and then develop a logical argument based on textual evidence. LH: Grace, do you have down that they need to critique? Because I have that jotted down.IH: That’s a good addition.GW: Yeah, it is, isn’t it? And that sort of goes back in with the analyzing, argument, that sort of debate piece. JR: What I also noticed was a piece of it too, I wouldn’t have thought about it until I saw a student on the video actually do it, but I noticed that certain students when they would change their argument, or defend their idea, they were like synthesizing multiple ideas from different sources to prove their point, so I think they also did quite a bit of synthesizing to make a stronger argument. LH: We have cite evidence down.GW: I think so. JF: If not, now we do.GW: We do now. I had not generated that one, but you’re totally right, this need to cite evidence to make an argument.IH: How about we say interpret, because students need to interpret certain information from the text as evidence for either social, political, or economic reasons.LH: Yeah.GW: They need to comprehend, right? It’s sort of straightforward, but if they can’t comprehend it it’s going to be hard to do any of those other skills.JR: Yeah.GW: Students are also being asked to compare and contrast, because they are looking at more than one document. JR: Yeah.LH: And integrate multiple sources. GW: Yes. That feels pretty comprehensive to me. Anybody have anything else to add?JR: Some of it is kind of the idea of integrating, and synthesizing and interpreting and analyzing kind of go hand in hand with each other. GW: Excellent. Let’s move on to language practices. Jaime, you want to jump us off?

JR: Sure. Before even started they had to read and comprehend multiple sources of information. During the task they had to participate in class discussion. And even in a certain way they had to participate in a debate.GW: Yeah, it was really more of a debate, wasn’t it?LH: I had that they had to express and support their opinions, as well as critique the opinions of others. And through that, they had to ask some clarifying questions too. JR: Yeah.

GW: Um, one of the other things I saw that they needed to do, and this comes back to the Common Core is that they needed to adjust the way that they were presenting their language for a specific audience, right? So they take on an academic register, because you need to convince someone and you use different language when you’re trying to do that. So that you can show that you know your audience and your purpose.JR: Definitely.GW: Inna, do you want to talk about the Common Core pieces you wanted to add here?IH: There’s not much about Common Core, because you’ve made a really nice connection. The only one I could add to language practices is develop an argument, if you didn’t say that before. Gw: Yeah, we’d said that in analytical, but I think that’s an example of ones that are both analytical and language. IH: I do see a lot of overlap, again, like drawing inference, interpreting textual evidence. Because you do need to use language forms to express these functions. Did we talk, yeah, develop an argument, let’s see what else I have here. Draw a conclusion, so what forms do you use to draw a conclusion. GW: Yeah.JR: So in that way when drawing conclusions they’re having to use documents to justify their opinions about the conclusions they come to, right?GW: Drawing evidence. Yeah. LH: And as far as an example of language forms too, I have they need to use increasingly complex sentences, as well as complex vocabulary related to the content.IH: Would we consider paraphrasing as a language function? Because as I was referring to the students, and they did use a lot of paraphrasing....GW: I think that’s how you cite your evidence, right?IH: Mmmhmm. Yeah.GW: Typically by paraphrasing it.JR: I agree.GW: Special vocabulary? Because we’d talked a little bit about content-specific vocabulary going in with content. Are there tier-2 vocabulary that we would want added to the language practices?JR: What about something like justify? I believe she talked to the students about justifying their opinions. GW: Like even something as simple as, I agree, I disagree. We’re talking about being able to serve a whole range of kids.

IH: I actually heard students say I believe it is social because… So they used a certain linguistic structures, forms to express those linguistic functions. Or that question affects most people, that’s why I think…GW: Mmmhmm. JR: So in order to do something like express and support their opinions, they had to go through those sets of structures. GW: Of learning the language structures that go with that.IH: I heard another student making an attempt to build on an idea expressed from another student. He said, “I’d like to add on to what [student name] has to say.” GW: That’s another big one out of the Common Core.JR: Yeah.GW: So, again that overlap of synthesizing ideas as an analytical skill, but also as a language skill. JR: Okay. It seemed like such a simple task for them to do because it seemed like so casual in certain way, like standing in a room in certain places. But when you look at the task there was really a lot being asked of them. GW: The affect of the task was really low. JR: Yeah.GW: Okay, anything else we want to add to language practices?JR: Did we get everything we wanted from the reading informational texts and the listening and speaking standards?GW: I think I did. I think all my bases are covered. JR: Sorry, I don’t have those in front of me, so.GW: No, its’ good.IH: Did we say we’d discuss more in listening and speaking and language?GW: We did, but I think we may not have called out the specific Common core like numbers, but I think they’re all here. Using a register, justifying your opinion, critiquing others, building on others. Those are all in the Common Core. GW: Do we still think that the task is clear in its expectations?ALL: Yeah.Gw: As evidenced by the students knowing what they’re doing. GW: Still grade-level appropriate?ALL: Mmmhmm.GW: Aligned to the standards?ALL: Yes, many of them.GW: Most of them?GW: And then, they require students to use their language and analytical skills as well as demonstrate their content knowledge?ALL: Absolutely. Definitely.GW: Great. Thank you

Screencast 10: Apply — IntroductionIn the previous section of the module, we took an in-depth look at the task analysis process, and you had a chance to watch a panel of teachers model the process using four different grade-level specific tasks.

Now, in the “Apply” section of this module, you will have an opportunity to try out the task analysis process yourself using four new tasks. While you can complete these task analyses individually, we strongly encourage you to work with fellow educators in your department, grade level, or within a professional learning community to analyze these tasks, so that you can draw from each other’s insights and support each other in the process.

You can choose the grade level or levels that are most relevant to you and your colleagues, or take a look at tasks from various grade levels for further practice.

Screencast 11: Sample Task (K-2)

Slide 1Kindergarten through Second Grade: Sample Task.

Slide 2This example is a second grade math task from the New York City Department of Education. In it, students are expected to use their understanding of the meaning of base ten to compare the magnitude of numbers, using the number line as a tool to articulate their understanding.

Slide 3In the first part of the task, students are shown Carol’s three number cards. They are then asked:

What is the largest three-digit number Carol can make with her cards? What is the smallest three-digit number Carol can make with her cards? And finally, they are asked to explain to Carol how she can make the smallest

possible number using her three cards.In the second part of the task, students are shown a number line and asked to place three different numbers along the number line. Finally, they are asked to explain to Carol how they knew where to place the number 31, and why.

You can click the button on the last page of this video to download the entire task and its accompanying materials or download from the Resources section of the module.

Slide 4Now is your chance to apply the Task Analysis Process to this task. You can click the buttons on the screen to download the instructional task and a blank copy of the Task Analysis Tool, or you can find them in the Resources section of this module. If you would like, you can review some of the videos in the “Engage” section to refresh your memory. Once you are finished, you can compare your analysis with that of an

actual teacher who analyzed this task by clicking the button to download the “expert analysis,” which can also be found in the Resources section.

Screencast 12: Sample Task (3-5)

Slide 1Third through Fifth Grade: Sample Task.

Slide 2This sample task is a third grade English Language Arts and Science task from the Oregon Department of Education. Before engaging in this task, students should have read the story Frog Girl by Paul Owen Lewis and a nonfiction text about volcanoes. For this task, students are asked to share their thoughts with a partner regarding how the Native American people use stories to explain or describe human nature and natural phenomena. Then students are supposed to choose one or more of the following prompts to demonstrate their understanding of Frog Girl:

1) use the text and illustrations from the story to explain the connections between what the Native people believed caused volcanic eruptions and what we have learned to be the cause of volcanic eruptions.

Or 2) explain in writing how the frogs being captured could be considered an example of today’s human and animal relationship. Describe the relationship and effects, and make connections to the events in the story.

Slide 3Now is your chance to apply the Task Analysis Process to this task. You can click the buttons on the screen to download the instructional task and a blank copy of the Task Analysis Tool, or you can find them in the Resources section of this module. If you would like, you can review some of the videos in the “Engage” section to refresh your memory. Once you are finished, you can compare your analysis with that of an actual teacher who analyzed this task by clicking the button to download the “expert analysis,” which can also be found in the Resources section.

Screencast 12: Sample Task (6-8)

Slide 1Sixth through Eighth Grade: Sample Task.

Slide 2This sample 6th grade math sample performance task from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium assesses students’ ability to use mathematics to make a decision based on their understanding of proportional reasoning, including the application of unit rates. Because the task has several steps, we recommend that you download the full task before starting the task analysis process. The full task is

available in the Resources section or by clicking on the button on the last page of this video.

In this task, students are told to imagine that they are going on a field trip to one of three possible destinations: an aquarium, a science museum, or a zoo. Students are given a list of their classmates’ first and second choices for the field trip as in the task they will have to determine where the class should go, based on the survey results and the cost per student.

Students are also provided with a map of their school and the three different field trip locations.

Slide 3For the first part of the task, students are provided with tables that show the results of their classmates’ survey regarding which place to visit for the field trip. Then, they are asked to make a recommendation for where the class should go on the field trip, based only on the results of the class’ votes, making sure to show their work or explain how they found their answer.

Slide 4Next, students are given some more facts about the trip, such as entrance costs, the number of buses required, and other considerations.

Using this additional information, students are then asked to determine how much each student would pay to go to each possible destination, and whether they agree with one student that it will cost less to go to the zoo.

The final, culminating piece of the task requires students to write a note to their teacher stating where they think the class should go on its field trip based on how they evaluated all the different factors, including student votes, costs, distance, and what they thought would be fun.

Slide 5Now is your chance to apply the Task Analysis Process to this task. You can click the buttons on the screen to download the instructional task and a blank copy of the Task Analysis Tool, or you can find them in the Resources section of this module. If you would like, you can review some of the videos in the “Engage” section to refresh your memory. Once you are finished, you can compare your analysis with that of an actual teacher who analyzed this task by clicking the button to download the “expert analysis,” which can also be found in the Resources section.

Screencast 13: Sample Task (9-12)

Slide 19th – 12th Grade Sample Task

Slide 2Leading up to this ninth grade task, students have just completed a unit of study on persuasion and immigration policy. In this unit, students investigated the theme of migration and the style of the personal memoir by reading Francisco Jimenez’s book, The Circuit. They have also studied informational texts from The New York Times Upfront, a teen-friendly news magazine, as well as analyzed charts and graphical information related to immigration.

Please note that this unit is recommended for use at the beginning of the school year or for use in a sheltered 9th grade English Language Arts course. This is due to the lower rigor of the text, and its appropriateness for high school learners.

Students are given a persuasive writing project as their final unit assessment. This task is also meant to prepare them for the New York State ELA Regents exam.

Slide 3Their specific task is to write a five paragraph persuasive letter in business format to Congressman Jose E. Serrano urging him to support or vote against legislation proposed by the Bush Administration. In their letters, students must cite evidence from the informational texts they studied and the graphical information they analyzed to support their argument. The goal is to convince the reader, in this case Congressman Serrano, with a logical, well-organized letter that clearly argues their point.

Along with their final draft, students are also asked to submit a one-page reflection discussing the process they underwent to complete the writing task, what they learned from the experience, what parts they liked or disliked, and how they think this writing experience might serve them on the Regents exam.

During this task, students are expected to develop and display the academic and language skills needed to engage in argumentation using textual and graphical evidence.

Slide 4Now is your chance to apply the Task Analysis Process to this task. You can click the buttons on the screen to download the instructional task and a blank copy of the Task Analysis Tool, or you can find them in the Resources section of this module. If you would like, you can review some of the videos in the “Engage” section to refresh your memory. Once you are finished, you can compare your analysis with that of an actual teacher who analyzed this task by clicking the button to download the “expert analysis,” which can also be found in the Resources section.

Screencast 15: End of Module Review

Slide 1 Module Two: Task Analysis, Session Review

Slide 2 – Guiding QuestionsNow that you’ve gone through the entire module, let’s review the guiding questions and objectives that were presented at the beginning.

In the first screencast, we posed the following questions to guide your thinking: First, how can educators analyze instructional tasks to better understand

the content knowledge, analytical skills, and language students are expected to demonstrate?

And second, what does task analysis reveal about the demands of student tasks in relation to college and career-ready standards and language use?

Reflect for a moment – or discuss with your colleagues - regarding how you would answer these questions after working through the module.

Slide 3 – ObjectivesNow let’s reflect on whether the objectives of the module were met.

Do you now understand the value of the task analysis process for examining what students need to know and do with regard to content knowledge, analytical skills, and language?

And are you also able to analyze and reflect on instructional tasks from various grade levels and subject areas using the task analysis process?

If you answered yes to these two questions, then the module objectives have been met.

Slide 4 - Task Analysis Process As a reminder, in the next module, we will continue with the last two steps of the task analysis process: Step 3 - “Identify Disciplinary Practices” and Step 4 - “Identify English Language Proficiency Standards”.

In order to complete these two steps, we will also look closely at the new ELP standards and how they correspond with the content standards and their related practices.