Contextual Factors

In Mrs. Smiths (pseudonym) first grade class there are 21 students. This first
grade class is at a Title One school. There are ten boys in the classroom and
eleven girls (see figure 1.1).

1.1 - Gender

Boys
11

10

Girls

Out of the 21 students there are six students who are English Language
Learners (see figure 1.2). All of the ELL students have a WIDA (world-class
instructional design and assessment) level of one. A level of one is described
as entering the English language. Four of the students are considered ELL
because their families speak Spanish at home. Two are considered ELL
because their family speaks Navajo at home. All of these students participate
in Imagine Learning. Imagine Learning is a program that uses technology to
help students to improve in language and literacy. Imagine Learning provides
differentiated questions for each student based on their past performance.

1.2- ELL Students

ELL

Non ELL

15

In the class there are four Hispanic students, two Native American students,
one Polynesian student, and fourteen Caucasian students (see figure 1.3).

1.3-Ethnicity

Hispanic

Native American
2
14

Polynesion
Caucasion

No students have been tested as gifted and talented (GATE) in Mrs. Smiths class. There are two
students that are borderline GATE, and it will be recommended to their parents to have them
tested in second grade, since testing for GATE is not done in first grade. No students have
an IEP yet, but there are three students that Mrs. Smith is completing
paperwork for to get them referred to the special education program. These
two students in the class are already being pulled to work with the resource
teacher each day on reading and math. Right now to be reading on grade
level the students need to be on a DRA (Developmental Reading
Assessment) level of ten. There are seven students in the class who are
reading below a level ten, seven students reading on grade level, and seven
students reading above grade level (see figure 1.4). Of the seven students
who are reading below grade level five of them are ESL.

1.4- Reading

On Grade Level
Below Grade Level
Above Grade Level

In this classroom there are no severe behavior problems. There are students
who will occasionally talk out during the lesson, but are fine after I remind
them what the expectations are when I am teaching.

Subgroups
Based on my contextual factors I have organized my students into different
subgroups that I will be focusing on during my student teaching. Figure 1.5
shows the key for the different subgroups.

1.5- Subgroup Key

E

English Language Learner

(ELL)
Advanced

RM

Racial Minority

Being Referred to Special Ed.

Below Grade Level in Reading

Figure 1.8 breaks down the students into their different subgroups. A number
will be used for each student in place of their name.

1.8
Student Number

Subgroup

E, RM, R

2
3

R, S

4
5
6

E, RM

7
8

RM, R, S

9
10
11

E, RM, R

12
13
14

E, RM, R

15

E, RM, R, S

16

17

18
19

20

E, RM, R

21

Differentiation/Accommodations
Throughout my unit I will differentiate my instruction and provide
accommodations to ensure that all students are able to learn. For my ELL
students and students who are below grade level in reading I will create
actions and phrases to go along with the new vocabulary words. I will use
books and videos to provide visuals of what is being taught. I will ask
questions that they are capable of answering during the lesson. For the
students who are advanced I will ask them specific questions that promote
higher order thinking skills. Throughout my lessons I will have the students
discuss what is being taught and interact with each other. This way all of the
students are actively engaged. The three students who are being referred to
the special education program struggle writing on their own. I will provide
scaffolding to help them complete the writing portion of the assessments.