1. Module 7: Directions and Feedback
Effective Teacher Practices Supporting the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development 2016
Module 7: Directions and Feedback
Hello and welcome to this session on giving directions and providing feedback.

2. Review of Pre-learning Assignment
Review instructional practices from self-assessment and share strategies.
Why is engagement important?
What does the research tell us about why engagement in learning is critical for a child’s success in school?
Describe a recent classroom activity and how you used these facilitation techniques to engage children:
providing a clearly stated purpose,
giving explicit directions,
providing needed materials, and
giving feedback.
You used the Instructional Practices for Giving Directions and Feedback Teacher/Staff Checklist to assess the extent to which you use those practices. Which practice(s) do you wish to improve in the current or upcoming school year?
You selected an instructional practice from the self-assessment on which you rated yourself as implementing ‘almost always.’ What is a strategy you use to implement the practice?
You read Using Engagement Strategies to Facilitate Children’s Learning and Success - at this link:
Why is engagement important?
What does the research tell us about why engagement in learning is critical for a child’s success in school?
The authors listed four strategies for facilitating engagement in the classroom:
providing a clearly stated purpose,
giving explicit directions,
providing needed materials, and
giving feedback.
Describe a recent classroom activity and how you used these facilitation techniques to engage children.
[Trainer note – discuss pre-learning assignment (instructional practices self-assessment, reading, and reflection upon article -- ‘Using Engagement Strategies to Facilitate Children’s Learning and Success.’)]

3. Following Directions Think about times you followed directions.
What helped you follow the directions?
What was not so helpful?
How did you feel when you understood the directions and were able to follow them easily?
How did you feel when you didn’t understand the directions?
Why is it important for us to consider how we give directions and feedback in our classrooms? We all follow directions and receive feedback every day. Think about times you have followed travel directions, or figured out how to use new computer software, or put together a piece of furniture or a new toy.
Take a few moments to think about the directions you followed during these experiences and the kind of feedback you received if following the directions was a challenge. What helped you follow the directions? What was not so helpful? How did you feel when you understood the directions and were able to follow them easily? How did you feel when you didn’t understand the directions? Take a few moments to discuss these experiences with the person sitting next to you.
[Allow 1-2 minutes for discussion]
What are the characteristics of directions that are easy to follow? What kind of feedback is helpful?
[Allow participants to respond. Prompt as needed to talk about clearly written, visual supports/diagrams, opportunity to call a help line/technical support, verbal encouragement from family / coworker, physical support from family/coworker]
What are the characteristics of directions that are not as easy to follow? What kind of feedback is not so helpful?
[Allow participants to respond. Prompt as needed to talk about directions in another language, no visual supports provided, no opportunity to get additional help, no verbal encouragement, no physical support available.]

4. AHA Moment
Some of you described an “AHA” moment, when the directions were clear and/or the feedback was appropriate to meet your needs. Directions that meet a learner where he or she is and build on his or her current understanding increase the likelihood that the learner will experience an “AHA” moment. Aside from experiencing the feeling of elation at the moment of understanding, research also supports the need for teachers to improve how they give directions and feedback in order to motivate and engage children in the classroom.
(Jablon & Wilkinson, 2006; Gartrell, 1997).

5. Objectives
Understand how to use instructional practices related to giving directions and feedback that promote children’s learning
Understand how to involve families in practices related to giving directions and feedback that promote children’s learning
Participants will
Understand how to use instructional practices related to giving directions and feedback that promote children’s learning
Understand how to involve families in practices related to giving directions and feedback that promote children’s learning
Understand how to conduct formative assessment related to giving directions and feedback that promote children’s learning
Understand how to articulate the relationships between targeted instructional practices, Foundations for Early Learning and Development, and NC Professional Teaching Standards.
In this session, we’ll discuss strategies to help children comprehend and follow directions while helping them move toward early learning and development standards [hold up Foundations].
We also want you to reflect on how your instructional practices, related to giving directions and feedback, demonstrate your proficiency as measured by the teaching standards in our teacher evaluation system [hold up handout of teaching standards]. We’ll also talk about family involvement and formative assessment.

6. Objectives
Understand how to conduct formative assessment related to giving directions and feedback that promote children’s learning
Understand how to articulate the relationships between targeted instructional practices, NC Foundations for Early Learning and Development, and NC Professional Teaching Standards

7. The “Big 5” Rules of Giving Directions
Let’s watch a video of Peppermint Patty as she and Marcie attempt to dye eggs. Notice that Peppermint Patty gives Marcie some directions. Think about how effective the directions are. Does Marcie have any “AHA” moments? How could the directions be adapted to meet Marcie where she is?
[Watch Module 7 Directions and Feedback video 1.]
At your tables take a moment to discuss what you think Peppermint Patty could have done differently to help Marcie be more successful. How could her directions been improved? In your handouts, you have a handout titled Giving Directions – The Big Five. It includes a variety of strategies for addressing each of the “Big Five” tips for giving directions in the classroom, organized using the category topics: Clear and Positive, Individualized, Opportunity to Respond, Offer Choices & Options, and Follow Through.  These categories represent the “Big Five” rules of giving directions. Use these to guide your discussion of the video we just watched.
[Allow 5 minutes for small group discussion.]
What are some ideas you could give Peppermint Patty to improve directions based on The Big Five?
[Ask participants to report ideas for improving directions. List ideas reported on chart paper by categorizing in the following topics: individualized, clear & positive, opportunity to respond, choices and options, follow through. See the example chart below.]
How can directions be improved?
Clear and Positive
Such as…
Be more specific
Say it positively
Tell her what to do
Individualized
Provide visual directions
Draw a picture
Use gestures to show how
Demonstrate
Opportunity to Respond
Break directions into small steps
Have Marcie explain task / process
Let her know it’s ok to ask for help
Offer Choices and Options
Ask if she wants to color eggs or cook eggs
Offer to work together
Follow Through
Such as… Acknowledge efforts
Give positive feedback
Link requested action to goal
[Give participants adequate time to respond and address all categories. Prompt participants to give ideas that cover each area. For example, if no response is given in the category of offer choices and options, you may ask, “How could Peppermint Patty have allowed Marcie to have input into the process?”]   
Which of the Big Five do you use most often in your classroom? What are some examples? Identify which of the “Big Five” tips you don’t use as much as you would like to and how you might incorporate these into your class routines. This handout may also be a good one to share with families to use with their children at home, as they are helpful guidelines for all directions, not just school-based ones.
[Allow participants to share examples].
[Trainer note: If you have a teacher with expertise in using the strategies discussed in the activity, you may want to invite them to lead the activity/discussion. Often these teachers enrich the discussion by sharing examples and success stories from their own experience. ]
As part of the follow-up from today’s session you will have the opportunity to think more about how to give directions in your classrooms. Please refer to this handout when completing that assignment.

8. Instructional Practices Checklist
Giving Directions – The “Big 5”
Now look at the instructional practice checklist for directions and feedback in your handouts. There are 2 copies – one to be used as a self assessment and one for an observer to use during classroom visits. Use the observer checklist right now. This is the same checklist you used to assess your practices before attending today’s session. The items on the checklist have been adapted from the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) and the University of Iowa. The checklist items are part of the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool or TPOT. The SEFEL (Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning) project has recognized that this information is research-based and shown to be effective in helping children learn.
Compare the checklist with the handout on the Big Five. At your tables, discuss what items on this checklist are covered in the big five. Take some time to discuss how you implement these practices in your classroom. What specific strategies do you use?
[Allow groups to discuss instructional practices found in big five. Lead large group discussion to summarize. Prompt as necessary to include:
IP-1 Use directions that are short, simple and specific.
IP-4 Follow through with directions by redirecting or modifying the activity, checking for understanding and/or providing feedback
IP-5 Individualize directions for children who need more support.
IP-7 Provide choices and options when possible.
IP-8 Give child opportunity to respond.]
Instructional Practices Checklist

9. Following Classroom Directions
Let’s peek into a classroom! The classroom in the video was made up of 14 children ages three to five. Eleven of the children had IEPs: 10 identified as having a developmental delay and one identified as on the autism spectrum. Teaching staff included the teacher, one full time teaching assistant, and one part time teaching assistant. During this video clip, you will see the children sitting in the circle time area. The teacher is calling the students up individually by name to get their coats and line up to go outside. Notice the strategies the teacher uses to ensure the children understand the directions.
Keep out the Instructional Practices for Directions and Feedback Observer Checklist that you just used when looking at the “Big Five” rules of giving directions. As you observe the classroom in the video, look for these practices and jot down some notes.
[Show Module 7 Directions and Feedback video 2.]

10. Instructional Practices Checklist
Let’s again look at the instructional practices checklist for observers on Giving Directions and Feedback. To what extent did you see these practices in the video you watched? What did you see that was evidence of each of the practices on the checklists? Was there anything the teaching staff could have done differently to promote learning? Discuss this at your tables and we’ll come back and talk about it.
[Allow 5 minutes for participants to discuss what they saw and strategies they could recommend.]
Let’s come back together. What instructional practices did you see and what evidence of the practice did you see? Is there anything you would have done differently?
[Groups report out. Prompt as needed to include:
IP-1 Use directions that are short, simple, and specific (Doyle tells the children where she wants them to stand after they get their coats by using color and shape to describe the spots on the floor, such as “second green smiley” and “will you please stand on the yellow star.”)
IP-3 Redirect or modify activity when children are withdrawn or off-task to more productive activities (The teacher redirects a child who is off-task with a brief prompt: “Richard, sit back down. I haven’t called you yet.”)
IP-5 Individualize directions for children who need more support (Michael needed more specifics than some of the other children. The teacher had to tell him to do each part of the sequence, including the direction to stand up: “Michael, will you stand up and get your coat and stand on the green smiley face.”)
IP-7 Provides options and choices when possible (Emily seemed to be less in need of support than some of the other children, so the teacher gave her a choice where to stand: “You can stand on purple or pink.”)]

11. Teaching Standards
Now pull out the handout that lists our NC Professional Teaching Standards. Put yourself in the shoes of the principal who is observing Doyle’s classroom for evaluation purposes. Which teaching standard(s) did the teacher demonstrate? Please talk at your tables, and we’ll come back and discuss.
[Allow 3 minutes for group discussion.]
What teaching standard did you see? What did the teacher do to demonstrate the teaching standard?
[Prompt as needed to include:
Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
Element IIa. Teachers provide an environment in which each child has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults. (The teacher maintains a positive and nurturing learning environment by allowing the children to correct her mistakes. For example, when she is corrected for calling the wrong child’s name to line up, she laughs and says “Silly Mrs. Doyle.” We observe that she allows choices within the activity (i.e., one child requests “the second green smiley”). She provides positive feedback for the children’s cooperation (e.g., “You always have your listening ears on.”)
Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students
Element IVg. Teachers communicate effectively. (The teacher communicates in ways that are clearly understood by children. For example, she gives directions that are short and descriptive (e.g., “Get your coat,” “Stand on the green smiley.”) She repeats directions and provides visual cues when needed. Before the children leave the room she reviews the expectations for the transition (e.g., quiet voices, walking feet)
Standard V: Teachers reflect on their practice
Element Va. Teachers analyze student learning. (The teacher has adapted the classroom environment in order to improve learning by providing visual supports (e.g., the colored smiley faces on the floor) to assist the children in following directions for lining up.)]

12. Following Classroom Directions
We’ll watch the video again and this time focus on the children’s actions and how they reflect the early learning and development standard they’re working toward. First, let’s split into groups each with an assigned domain. That way you can focus your observation on actions related to the domain to which you are assigned.
[Split large group into five subgroups – one group per each of the five Foundations’ developmental domains.]
Take out your Foundations document. As you have learned in previous sessions, the standards are organized around five different developmental domains. But we know that children integrate skills from across areas of development to participate in day-to-day activities. So let’s think about what developmental domains were addressed as the teacher guided the children to line up. Focus on the developmental domain to which you were assigned. After the video, talk at your tables about the subdomains and goals you see represented. If you’re unsure about the goal, read the text in the developmental indicators for more detail.
[Show Module 7 Directions and Feedback video 2 again.]

13. Foundations
Okay – let’s come back together. What do you think? Were goals under Language Development and Communication addressed?
[Have some participants report out. Prompt as needed to include:
Learning to Communicate
LDC-1: Children understand communications from others (Children followed directions as to where they should stand),
LDC-3: Children ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood (Children responded to the teachers directions by asking questions to clarify when they misunderstood), and
LDC-7: Children respond to and use a growing vocabulary (Children responded to and used concepts including “second green space” and “compliment.”)]
What goals under Approaches to Play and learning did you identify?
Curiosity, Information-Seeking, and Eagerness
APL-1: Children show curiosity and express interest in the world around them (Children were attentive to what their peers were doing and showed interest the routine of lining up by making requests and asking questions.)
Attentiveness, Effort and Persistence
APL-7: Children demonstrate initiative (One child demonstrated independence by requesting a certain spot another child was able to make a choice when told, “You can have orange or pink or blue.”]
What goals under Health and Physical Development did you identify?
Self-Care;
HPD-6: Children develop awareness of their needs and the ability to communicate their needs (One child reminded the teacher that her money was in her backpack and asked the teacher to help her retrieve it.)
Safety Awareness]
HPD-8: Children develop awareness of basic safety rules and begin to follow them (Children knew and reported that they were supposed to use walking feet and quiet voices when walking down the hall.)]
What goals under Emotional and Social Development did you identify?
Developing a Sense of Self
ESD-1: Children demonstrate a positive sense of self-identity and self-awareness (Several children in the background can be heard using “I” to refer to themselves and their preferences. They can be heard requesting preferred colors - – “I want green.” )
Developing a Sense of Self with Others]
ESD-3: Children form relationships and interact positively with familiar adults who are consistent and responsive to their needs (The children appear to be comfortable with the routine established by the teacher. One child shows affection for the teacher by lovingly correcting her when he notices she called a child by the wrong name.)
ESD-5: Children demonstrate the social and behavioral skills needed to successfully participate in groups (Children were attentive to the directions given, asked questions if they were not sure, and independently participated in the routine.)]

14. iPoints
iPoints are ‘Instructional Practices Observed IN Teaching Standards.’ You have two sets in your handouts. They contain the same information, but iPoints for teachers are meant to facilitate teacher self-reflection on the connection between practices, early learning and development standards, and teaching standards. iPoints for administrators are meant to help them see the connections when they observe a preschool classroom.
Find the practices that we’ve talked about thus far in the session. You will see listed the early learning standards and teaching standards identified for these practices. Remember to use these tools to help you explain what you do and why you do it to administrators, parents, and other staff.

15. Relationship between Foundations and NC Standard Course of Study
Kindergarten
Children confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally … by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood
Older Preschool
Children ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.
Crosswalks show how the early learning and development standards align with the NC Standard Course of Study (NC Essential Standards and the Common Core). The crosswalk is meant to show that when we help children work on Language and Development Goal 3: Children ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood, it prepares them to work toward the Kindergarten Common Core Speaking and Listening Standard 2: Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.

16. Home-School Partnerships
Families are valuable resources for determining a child’s interests, prior knowledge, and strengths to help us provide instruction that is based on the unique needs of the child. Families share stories with early educators about their children’s interests, values, likes, dislikes, strengths, and preferences. Teachers can model how they support children as they learn to follow directions and give and accept feedback within daily routines and activities. Conversations with family members can help all parties become more proficient at supporting children’s growth and learning. This sharing of information can happen in a number of ways, including but not limited to brainstorming strategies and sharing information during individual meetings, group meetings, questionnaires, journals, and participation in classrooms. FirstSchool points out that ethnic and language minority and low-income families often have different views of helping children learn, and may have different views of how instructions and feedback should be given (Ritchie & Gutmann, 2014). Teachers need to intentionally seek out information from families to ensure cultural sensitivity in the classroom.
Helping children learn to follow directions and accept feedback are key pieces of their emotional-social development as they prepare for kindergarten and beyond. Children are exposed to directions and feedback everywhere – not just at school. When families partner with teachers in helping children learn these skills, the more connected the children’s experiences can be. Although children need to also learn that inherent differences may exist in the giving of directions and feedback depending on the situation and the people with whom they are interacting, increased consistency between home and school can help children who are having difficulty responding appropriately to instructions and feedback from adults.
Let’s take some time to think about how we can facilitate home-school partnerships as it relates to giving directions and feedback. At the tables around the room, you will find a variety of books, articles, and resources that may be used to inform parents about giving directions and feedback. Select an item from the resources and develop a method for intentionally sharing with parents. How could you use the resource to assist parents in appropriately giving directions and feedback in their homes? What ideas do you have for using this resource as a two-way exchange of information? We’ll come back together and share out your ideas.
[Provide resources included in the handout entitled Resources for Effective Home-School Partnerships Related to Directions and Feedback. Divide into groups of two or more and allow time for participants to select a resource and develop ideas. Bring group back together and report out methods developed for sharing resources with parents.]
[Trainer note: If you have a teacher with expertise in developing home-school partnerships, you may want to invite them to lead the activity/discussion. Often these teachers enrich the discussion by sharing examples and success stories from their own experience. ]

17. Feedback
Now let’s shift our attention to ‘feedback.’ What it is and how it encourages children to understand and follow directions in the classroom. Think back to our discussion about the feedback that helped you follow challenging directions. If you recall, we talked about that “AHA” moment when everything aligned and you were finally able to understand the directions and successfully follow them. Feedback helps children experience those AHA moments.

18. What is Feedback?
Feedback is a response that follows a behavior which encourages children to persist in an activity. It also increases future occurrences of the behavior. We have all experienced the young child who repeats a funny action over and over simply because adults laughed or clapped when he or she initially performed the action. In our classrooms, feedback informs the child about the task he or she is performing and the process of learning. Feedback fills the gap between what the child understood and what we wanted the child to understand. In this section we will discover how to use hints or cues to help the child improve performance and how to individualize those hints or cues to match the child’s current developmental level. Doing so results in more autonomy and relatedness within the classroom. Research indicates that “the emotional quality of the classroom, including … the adult’s ability to respond to children in a sensitive and individualized manner, is a consistent predictor of both reading and math skills” (Pianta, Belsky, Vandergrift, Houts, & Morrison, 2008).

19. Important Elements of Feedback
Review the scenario given to your group.
Choose two people in the group to act out the scenario.
Update the scenario by replacing the current feedback with high-quality feedback.
Now act out the new scenario.
Authentic
Descriptive
Contingent
You have a handout titled What is Feedback? Take a few minutes to read it over. Now let’s break into four groups. Each group will be given a scenario. Choose two people in the group to act out the scenario. Using the What is Feedback? handout, describe the current feedback - Is it evaluative? Descriptive? Authentic? Contingent? How might the feedback currently provided affect motivation of the child? How might it impact their sense of self? Next, determine if the feedback can be changed to be more descriptive, authentic, or contingent. Update the scenario by replacing the current feedback with high-quality feedback. Now act out the new scenario. How might the new feedback affect motivation of the child? How might it impact their sense of self?
[Give participants time to review the handout. Divide them into four groups. Provide each group with 2 copies of the scenario from the Feedback Scenarios handout as well as chart paper. Allow time for participants to role play the scenario, update feedback, and act out new scenario. Once the activity is complete, discuss as large group what participants consider to be important elements to remember in giving feedback. How did the feedback given affect motivation and sense of self of the child?]

20. Instructional Practices - Feedback
Look back at our instructional practices checklist for Giving Directions and Feedback. You will notice that the following practices are specific to giving feedback.
IP2. Consistently provide positive descriptive feedback to children who follow the directions, follow the rules, engage appropriately in transitions, engage in activities (i.e. When children are observed to follow the direction follow-up by saying, ”Thank you for using your walking feet; it keeps everyone safe.”)?
IP3. Redirect children or modify activity when children are withdrawn or off-task to more productive activities (i.e. use rhymes such as “Hocus, pocus, everybody focus” to bring attention back to teacher/activity)?
IP4. Check in with children to make sure they understand the directions (i.e. ask children to repeat directions or give the directions to another child)?
IP6. Provide positive descriptive feedback and /or choices when challenging behavior is occurring in the classroom (i.e. “I see you are having a hard time sitting in circle. Do you need a chair, or would you like to go to our safe space?”)?
What are some ideas you could share with families on giving feedback? We model positive feedback in our classrooms, yet how could we educate families on how to give the most appropriate feedback to help their child?

21. Feedback
Now let’s look at another video clip. The classroom in this video was made up of 17 children ages three through five. Four of the children were identified as Exceptional Children: three with developmental delays and one with speech-language needs. Of the children identified as developmentally delayed, one was being assessed for autism at the time of the videotaping. One child had a behavior plan with a modified daily schedule, five children had been referred for play therapy to address severe emotional trauma, and two receive occupational therapy and behavioral services. One child was a dual language learner. Teaching staff included the teacher, two assistants, and one additional staff person who was in the classroom five hours per day.
In this video, you will see the teacher giving directions and feedback during a circle time. The group is about to begin a transition to center play. The teacher reviews some directions specific to the sand table. She also reminds the children of directions for large group time.
Look at the instructional practices checklist on Giving Directions and Feedback. Observe the specific things that the teacher says or does either verbal or nonverbal that helps the children follow directions. Note what kind of feedback she provides.
[Watch Module 7 Directions and Feedback video 3.]

22. Instructional Practices Checklist
Looking at the instructional practices checklist on Giving Directions and Feedback -- to what extent did you see these practices in the video you watched? What did you see that was evidence of each of the practices on the checklists? Was there anything else the teaching staff could have done differently to promote learning? Discuss this at your tables and we’ll come back and talk about it.
[Allow about 2-3 minutes for participants to discuss at their table. If you are running short on time, lead large group discussion.]
Let’s come back together. What instructional practices did you see? Give examples of strategies used to address the practice. How are all teaching staff involved in successful implementation of these strategies?
[Groups report out. Prompt as needed to include:
IP-1 Use directions that are short, simple, and specific (The teacher spoke slowly, clearly, and with needed details.)
IP-4 Check in with children to make sure they understand directions (Lisa reminded Henry that it was someone else’s turn to talk.)
IP-5 Individualize directions for children who need more support (Lisa gave specific steps to Tyshawn for him to empty the mulch out of his shoes.)
IP-7 Provide choices and options when possible (The teacher allowed the children to sit different ways)
IP-8 Give children opportunity to respond (The teacher used wait time and redirected a child who had not been called on so that the child she did call on could finish.)]

23. Teaching Standards
Now pull out the handout that lists our NC Professional Teaching Standards. Which teaching standard(s) did the teacher demonstrate during the activities you observed? How was the teaching standard demonstrated? Identify the specific elements the teacher addressed for that standard.
[Give participants time to review the teaching standards and then lead a discussion to include the following teaching standards:
Standard II: Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students
Element IIc. Teachers treat students as individuals. Helps children hold high expectations for themselves and their peers by encouraging them to respect their peers’ turns during the group discussion. (She explains the importance of not talking when another peer is talking and provides visual cues to help children meet the expectation.)
Standard IV: Teachers facilitate learning for their students
Element IVe. Teachers help students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. (The teacher asks children to think about what steps they can take “to make sure we don’t have germs in that center.” She encourages them to communicate the expectations for playing in the sand and water table by asking open-ended questions. She helps them make the connection between the rules and reasons for the rules by asking why the rule is important.)
Element IVg. Teachers communicate effectively. (The teacher communicates in ways that are clearly understood by children by providing verbal explanations and visual cues then pausing to allow children to respond to her cues.)
Standard V: Teachers reflect on their practice
Element Va. Teachers analyze student learning. (The teacher adapts her instruction during group time based on analysis of the children’s responses and what can be done to improve student learning. She adjusts her level of cueing to the specific needs of each child. For example, we see her break directions down into smaller steps for one student.)]

24. Foundations
Now let’s shift our attention to the children as we watch the video again. We’ll make notes about what the children are doing and how they respond to the teacher’s directions and feedback.
Take out your Foundations document again. We will divide into groups with this group looking at Language and Communication Development, this group looking at Health and Physical Development, this group will look at Emotional and Social Development, this group can take a look at Approaches to Play and Learning, and this group will look at Cognitive Development. What early learning and development standards were they working toward? Talk about your assigned domain in your groups and we’ll come back together in 5 minutes.
[Divide participants into groups or pairs to discuss subdomains, developmental goals, and indicators addressed in the video. Allow about 5 minutes for group discussion. Note – the purpose of this activity is for participants to continue to explore Foundations and through different lenses. In the video activities for this module, participants are exploring Foundations through the lens of directions and feedback.]
Okay – let’s come back together. What do you think? What skills under language development and communication did you identify?
[Have some participants report out. Prompt as needed to include:
LDC-1: Children understand communications from others (Children watch visual cues of teacher to determine appropriate group behavior. Some children respond to 2-step directions while other children need directions broken down into single-step directions).
LDC-3: Children ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood (Some children answer questions related to the directions for appropriate use of the sand table spontaneously while other children need visual cues and repetition of the question.)
LDC-7: Children respond to and use a growing vocabulary (Many of the children appear to understand the concept of “before” within the context of the question while at least one child needs the question repeated with emphasis placed on the word “before” in order to understand and respond correctly.)]
What skills under approaches to play and learning did you identify?
APL-2: Actively seek to understand world around them (Children imitate the gesture for washing hands when the teacher demonstrates. One child says, “Look at me” while modeling how he is sitting appropriately in group.)
APL-8: Maintain attentiveness and focus (Most of the children are focused on the teacher during the group activity. They are able to shift their attention to peers when they are talking. We do see at least one child become distracted by blocks behind him but he is able to reengage.)]
What skills under health and physical development did you identify?
HPD-6: Children develop awareness of their needs and the ability to communicate their needs (One child has apparently asked for help getting the mulch from his shoes as he is directed to get assistance from the teacher’s assistant.)
HPD-8: Children develop awareness of basic safety rules and begin to follow them (Children demonstrate an awareness of the need to wash hands because they are dirty. Some of the children demonstrate basic self-control over impulses by not shouting out answers while other children need reminders to wait until the teacher calls on them.)]
What skills under emotional and social development did you identify?
ESD-1: Demonstrate a positive sense of self-identity and self-awareness (One child says, “Look at me” while modeling how he is sitting appropriately in group.)
ESD-2: Express positive feelings about themselves and confidence in what they can do (Many of the children raise their hands to respond to the questions asked by the teacher showing confidence that they can respond correctly. One child states, “I know.”)
ESD-3: Form relationships and interact positively with familiar adults who are consistent and responsive to their needs (Children appear to be comfortable with the teacher during group time as evidenced by their attention and responsiveness to questions. At least one child is observed to transition with assistance to get help from the teacher assistant with his shoes.)]

25. Feedback
Let’s consider how on-going instructional assessment/ formative assessment might look when teaching children to follow directions. You may recall from the Formative Assessment module that North Carolina's Formative Assessment Learning Community's Online Network (NC FALCON) outlines the steps of formative assessment to include: 1) determine clear learning targets, 2) define criteria for success, 3) collect, document, and analyze evidence, 4) provide clear descriptive feedback, and 5) change or adjust instruction. What would formative assessment look like when giving children directions and feedback?
As you watch the video clip again, notice how the teacher supports the children in following directions during a large group activity and prepares them to follow directions at the sand table. Note what you think the learning targets might be for the activity, the criteria for success, the evidence that children understood, and the feedback the teacher gave.
[Watch Module 7 Directions and Feedback video 3 again.]

26. Formative Assessment - Feedback
Discuss each of the formative assessment process steps:
1) determine clear learning targets,
2) define criteria for success,
3) collect, document, and analyze evidence,
4) provide clear descriptive feedback, and
5) change or adjust instruction
[Lead large group discussion. Prompt as necessary to include answers highlighted below.]
What might have been the learning targets for this activity?
[Prompt as needed - review steps to take before and after accessing sand/water table; follow directions related to participation in large group activities.]
What were the criteria for success? In other words, how did the teacher determine what the children understood?
[Prompt as needed -- the teacher might have defined the criteria for success for following directions discussed in large group by observing whether the children put on a smock and wash hands before accessing the sand and water table and observing to see if children put toys away and wash hands after accessing the sand and water table.)]
What evidence did you see that showed children’s level of understanding?
[Prompt as needed -- verbal responses of children to open-ended question, ability to follow routine of raising hand to respond to questions.]
What feedback did the teacher give? What else might she have said?
[Prompt as needed -- verbal reinforcement such as “You’re right!; verbal review of child’s statement (i.e., “Put a smock on before you play in the sand and water table”); explanation of why rule was important.]
How did the teacher change or adjust instruction to help children understand and follow the directions?
[Prompt as needed -- repeated questions, shortened directions, provided visual cues to prompt answer, such as wash hands, asked additional open-ended questions, whispered to encourage listening]

27. iPoints
Let’s again take a look at the iPoints document in your handouts. Take a moment to review the additional instructional practices that we’ve just discussed. Listed under each practice you will see the early learning and development standards and the teaching standards the practices demonstrate and promote.

28. Relationship between Foundations and NC Standard Course of Study
Kindergarten
Children apply measures for cleanliness and disease prevention
Older Preschool
Children develop awareness of basic safety rules and begin to follow them
Now take a moment to look at the crosswalks between the early learning and development standards and the NC Standard Course of Study (NC Essential Standards and the Common Core). In the video we just watched, the teacher was explaining to the children why it is important for them to wash their hands before and after using the sand table and we observed children addressing
Health and Physical Development Goal 8: Children develop awareness of basic safety rules and begin to follow them. As you will see on the crosswalk, when we address this early learning and development standard we are preparing children to work toward the NCES Healthful Living – Health Education – Personal & Consumer Health Goal 1: Apply measures for cleanliness and disease prevention.

29. Carl Jung, Psychiatrist
“If there is anything that we would wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.”
Carl Jung, Psychiatrist
“If there is anything that we would wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves” (Jung, 1939, p. 285).
This quote serves as a reminder that if children in our classrooms are not following directions, we may need to change the way we provide directions and give feedback. As reflective practitioners, we spend time each day thinking about decisions and interactions with children and parents. We are intentional about our words and actions. Being intentional about words and actions also helps us cultivate a warm, welcoming classroom environment. Teaching children to follow directions helps them learn academic content. When a child doesn’t follow a direction correctly, there is an opportunity for improvement. Treat children with as much patience and respect when you help them learn to line up properly as you do when you help them learn to write their names. Get to know families early on and learn the style of directions and the vocabulary used in their home environments. Use the information gained to work with the children in your class.
As we wrap up today, take a moment to identify one instructional practice you would like to target in your classroom. With the person sitting next to you, brainstorm a list of strategies you can use to address that instructional practice in your classroom. Also share ideas on how you can share this information with other teaching staff and parents.
[Give participants time to talk for a few minutes. Then come back together and ask if anyone would like to share ideas discussed.]

30. Post-learning Activity
Think about the learning target: following directions in large group activities.
What accommodations might your classroom need to help ALL children meet the target? Including:
1-children with health and medical needs related to hearing, seeing, and moving
2-children with challenging behaviors, and
3-children who are dual language learners?
Review the article: The Universal Design of Early Education: Moving Forward for All Children.
Consider the six components of the universal design framework:
physical environment,
health and safety,
social-emotional environment,
teaching environment,
assessment (formative), and
family involvement.
The post-learning activity for this module includes suggested activities for extending what we have learned in this module into your classroom. These activities can be shared with colleagues who are also working through these modules in a professional learning community if your school has these. They would also serve as an opening for conversations with your supervisor. After completing these activities, you may find that there is information about the children in your care that you need to gather from or share with your families. What you learn here may guide these reciprocal conversations.
[Trainer tip – assign the post-learning activities on ‘Accommodations to Help All Children Learn to Follow Directions’ (see Post-learning Activities).]

31. Questions?
Questions
NECTAC/ECO/WRRC 2012

32. References References
Conn-Powers, M., Cross, A. F., Traub, E. K., & Hutter-Pishgahi, L. (2006). The universal design of early education: Moving forward for all children. Young Children, 61(5). Retrieved from
Gartrell, D. (1997). Beyond discipline to guidance. Young Children, 52(6),
Hemmeter, M. L., Fox, L. K., & Snyder, P. (2014). Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT™) for Preschool Classrooms Manual, Research Edition. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Company.
Iowa State University Department of Human Development & Family Studies. (2013). Train-Coach-Train. Retrieved from
Jablon, J. R., & Wilkinson, M. (2006). Using engagement strategies to facilitate children’s learning and success. Young Children, 61(2), 12–16. Retrieved from
Jung, C. G. (1939). The integration of the personality. New York, NY: Farrar & Rinehart.
Mendelson, L. (Producer), & Roman, P. (Director). (2008). It’s the Easter beagle, Charlie Brown! [Motion picture]. United States: Warner Home Video.
NC FALCON. (n.d.). North Carolina’s formative assessment learning community’s online network. Retrieved from
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. (2012). North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process. Retrieved from
North Carolina Foundations Task Force. (2013). North Carolina foundations for early learning and development. Retreived from
Pianta, R. C., Belsky, J., Vandergrift, N., Houts, R., & Morrison, F. (2008). Classroom effects on children’s achievement trajectories in elementary school. American Education Research Journal, 45(2), pp
Ritchie, S. & Gutmann, L. (Eds.). (2014). FirstSchool: Transforming PreK-3rd grade for African American, Latino, and low-income children. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
References