Classroom Assessment Scoring System - CLASS

Classroom Assessment Scoring System - CLASS
Generally, italics indicates notes for trainers while regular text indicates talking points to share with participants. For the list of materials needed for this training, see the “Observation Training Materials List.” Introductions: Background of trainer; Participants introduce themselves, where they work, their goals for this training and use of the CLASS Interactive: This is meant to be an interactive training. The best way to learn this tool is to speak up and talk through each aspect - especially if there is an area that you’re struggling to understand. So, please speak up with questions/comments throughout. Pre-K Overview Kim Roberts Ashland Early Childhood Regional Training Center

Children’s Academic & Social Development
Classroom “Quality” STRUCTURE PROCESS What? Who? Where? How? Curriculum Implementation Standards Relationships Materials Training and Education Academic & Social Interactions Please note - this slide is animated First click: What do we mean when we talk about “quality”? Usually, when we think about classroom quality, we think of two main components - Content/Structural Quality and Process Quality. Content/Structure: The WHAT, WHO, WHERE. What is being taught? (i.e. curriculum, content standards, etc), Who is teaching? (i.e. teacher credentials, background, education level, etc), or Where is the teaching happening? (i.e. classroom arrangement, materials available, etc) Second click: Process Quality: The HOW. The daily interactions teachers have with children. The way in which the teacher is implementing activities, teacher-child interactions, and peer interactions. Third click: Although both the Content and the Process are important for children’s academic and social development, Fourth click: Research has shown that Content Quality is mediated by, or flows through, Process Quality. In other words, although it is important to work with a high quality curriculum, the curriculum will only be as valuable as a teacher’s implementation of it. Fifth click: The CLASS is designed to measure aspects of the classroom that are important for children’s development. Research shows that students who attended preschool classrooms that received high CLASS scores had better academic and social gains in kindergarten. The CLASS focuses on the process features, the teacher-child interactions. Children’s Academic & Social Development

How Do We Measure Classroom Process?
Classrooms are complex places We need a lens through which to view them The lens we choose impacts what we see Classrooms are complex: There is a lot going on. There are a variety of things we could pay attention to. We need a lens to help us organize what we’re seeing and focus on the aspects of the classroom that are most important. The idea of a lens for viewing classrooms is central to CLASS training. The CLASS lens is one way of viewing classrooms.

The CLASS Lens The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) offers a lens through which to view classrooms that has several advantages: Reliable, validated measure Reflects the complexity of classrooms Provides a common language The CLASS is one lens, it is not the only possible lens. The CLASS provides an objective measurement of classroom level variables that produce benefits for children’s development. Advantages to using the CLASS: Reliable - the CLASS is standardized. Two people who are trained to use the CLASS should see the same things while observing in a classroom. Our criterion for reliability is that 80% of trainees codes on 5 test segments are within 1 scale point of master codes. Valid - the CLASS has been used in several large studies, in over 1000 pre-K classrooms, and it is associated with children’s academic and social development. There is a balance here, we could develop a simpler instrument that was easier for people to get reliable on, but an instrument that is reliable but does not capture the complexity of what is really important in classrooms is not our goal here. We want the CLASS to provide important information about the interactions between teachers and students in classrooms, and it can take a great deal of practice and effort for people to learn to represent what they see going on in classrooms in the same way with regard to the CLASS scores that they assign, but with the guided practice you will get over the next two days, you will be able to see things though the CLASS lens and to score in a way that is consistent with the master codes and consistent with everyone else using the CLASS, so through this process of taking complex constructs and training people to reliability on them, we end up with an instrument that is both reliable and valid. Reflects complexity - based on interactions and relationships Captures the key aspects of classroom. Provides common language - because classrooms are so complex, and people view them so differently, it is important to have a shared language so that everyone viewing classrooms and discussing classrooms understand one another when they discuss quality. Reliable, not valid Not valid, not reliable Reliable and valid Source: researchanddesign/validityandreliability.htm

What Does the CLASS Measure?
Emotional Support Positive Climate Negative Climate Teacher Sensitivity Regard for Student Perspectives Classroom Organization Behavior Management Productivity Instructional Learning Formats Instructional Support Concept Development Quality of Feedback Language Modeling Refer to page 2 in the CLASS manual The CLASS is organized according to 3 broad areas or domains of classroom quality: Emotional Support Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support Within each domain, there are multiple dimensions that contribute to the overall measured quality.

What the CLASS Is NOT Not just about the teacher, i.e., this teacher is a ‘3’ Not a checklist Not about the physical environment Doesn’t capture all aspects of the classroom Cultural Sensitivity Literacy What the CLASS is NOT: Not just about the teacher – this is an objective behavioral assessment of what is happening in the classroom. (TRAINER NOTE: The language that you use when discussing the videos should reflect this. Instead of, “This is teacher gets a 5,” you would say, “This classroom was coded a … on X dimension. It is a subtle but important semantic difference. Participants will have a tendency to describe the classroom and what they see when coding this way. As a trainer you want to use the language of the CLASS to accurately reflect what it is you are looking for – aspects of the classroom that match the appropriate dimensions and indicators of the CLASS.) It is not a checklist. A checklist wouldn’t allow us to capture the complexity of classrooms. There are many aspects of a classroom – the 3 domains and the dimensions within each domain are mutually exclusive and designed so that they can cover a wide variety of classrooms and the nuances of the interactions within that classroom. It is not about the physical environment of a classroom, nor does it evaluate the quality of any particular curriculum. (TRAINER NOTE: Use another non-example as contrast (e.g., arrangement of bulletin boards, dramatic play area available)) There are certainly other aspects of the classroom that we don’t capture with the CLASS and this is OK. As we go thorough this training you may notice some things that you feel are important but are not captured by the CLASS and this is fine, you may want to use other complementary instruments as well when evaluating classrooms. The important thing to remember for the purpose of this training is that you are working to be able to use this lens which is both reliable and valid, that doesn’t mean you need to toss out all your other lenses, but you may need to file those other thoughts in a separate mental location to allow you to learn to add this tool to your toolbox. For example there are not dimensions specifically related to Cultural Sensitivity and Literacy. This is not to say that these aspects of the classroom are not important, rather we do not have reliable and validated dimensions specifically focused on these features of the classroom. Instances of Cultural insensitivity may be captured under Teacher Sensitivity, lack thereof. (TRAINER NOTE: clarify that although the CLASS does not specifically measure cultural sensitivity, it certainly considers it when assessing the quality of interactions. For example, under positive climate/respect/eye contact, since the CLASS looks at the quality of interactions, if a teacher was using a presence or absence of eye contact in a way that made a student uncomfortable, this would not be considered a respectful exchange according to the CLASS. Looking at a child’s reaction to the presence or absence of eye contact will be the key to making this determination.)

Children’s Learning Gains and the CLASS

NCEDL Research Largest studies of state-funded preschool classrooms to date 6 States in the Multi-State Study (2001) selected based on diversity in: 40 school/centers selected randomly, per state stratified by: teacher credentials (BA vs. no BA), in school vs. non-school, and full/part day 5 SWEEP States (2003) selected to: aimed for 100 school/centers selected randomly, per state No stratification Both studies: 1 classroom selected randomly Both studies: 4 children per class selected randomly half girls; half boys, 4-year-olds We’ll take some time reviewing some data that came from the NCEDL Multi-State and SWEEP Studies. Across the two studies, researchers went into state-funded preschool classrooms in 11 states. Overall, 80% of state-funded preschool programs serving 4-year-olds were represented across these studies. The CLASS was also validated via the Multi-State and SWEEP.

States in the Study Multi-State Study of Pre-K
The following states were part of the studies. Multi-State Study: California, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, and New York. SWEEP: Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. Multi-State Study of Pre-K California, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, & New York SWEEP Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, & Wisconsin

Profiles of Pre-K Classrooms
Average Score on CLASS This is from NCEDL data. We broke down teachers/classrooms into profiles in terms of where they fell on CLASS factors. 14% of classrooms were high on Emotional Support, high-mid on Classroom Organization, and low-mid on Instructional Support. However 20% of classrooms were mid on Emotional and C.O. and low on I.S. LoCasale-Crouch et al, 2006

Gains in Achievement in Emotionally Supportive Elementary Classrooms
Kindergarten adjustment problems Standardized tests of achievement adjusted Take home message: In first grade classrooms that are low to moderate on emotional support, students who had adjustment difficulties in kindergarten have significantly lower achievement scores than those who did not have difficulties in kindergarten. However, in classrooms with high levels of emotional support, students who had previous adjustment difficulties are able to achieve at a level commensurate with their peers who did not have such difficulties. These data come from the NICHD study. This slide is set up so that if you explain each aspect as you click it up it should make sense…i.e. Click “We looked at how emotional support provided in first grade classrooms was related to students standardized tests of achievement. “ “We looked at students with no problems in kindergarten and compared them to students who had multiple adjustment problems in kindergarten” “We see that when emotional support is low, there is a significant difference between the first grade achievement of students who had no problems (light blue) and students who had multiple problems (dark blue)” “Similar picture when emotional support is moderate, students who had problems previously are behind” “But when the emotional support in these first grade classrooms is provided at a high level, students who had problems the previous year are able to perform at a level commensurate with their peers who had no previous problems.” Trainers: If it comes up, adjustment problems include problems with sustained attention (1 SD above mean on a CPT), problems with externalizing behavior (above T=62 on TRF), problems on standardized tests of social and academic competence as rated by k teacher on SSRS (1 SD below the mean for each). Kids with 3-4 problems = multiple problems. Low Moderate High 1st Grade Emotional Support Hamre & Pianta, 2005

1st Grade Instructional Support
Gains in Achievement in Instructionally Supportive Elementary Classrooms Standardized tests of achievement adjusted Similarly, among students who might be considered at risk for lower achievement due to low levels of maternal education, a similar trend is found: they attain higher scores on standardized tests of achievement as the emotional support in the classroom increases. Click through explaining each step as per previous slide…there is a significant difference between students with low or high levels of maternal education in low instructional support classrooms, favoring those students with higher levels of maternal education, but the differences between students with high or low levels of maternal education in moderate and high support is NS…so with moderate or higher levels of instructional support students at risk due to low levels of maternal education are performing as well as their non-risky peers. Low Moderate High 1st Grade Instructional Support Hamre & Pianta, 2005

The CLASS Dimensions

How is the CLASS Organized?
Emotional Support Classroom Organization Instructional Support 3 Domains 10 dimensions PC NC TS RSP BM P ILF CD QF LM Multiple Indicators Define Each Dimension At the broadest level there are three domains that contribute to the CLASS definition of classroom quality: Emotional, Organizational, and Instructional Support. Within these domains there are 10 distinct dimensions that capture the different aspects of these domains. Within dimensions, there are indicators that define the dimension, and multiple behavioral markers defining each indicator. (TRAINER NOTE: Throughout the training be sure that you use the specific language related to the CLASS, i.e., dimension, indicator, behavioral marker, instead of non-specific language such as area or part. Using consistent terms will model and help participants how to best use the manual in a systematic manner.) Multiple Behavioral Markers Define Each Indicator

How is the CLASS Organized?
Emotional Support Domain Dimension Indicator Behavioral Markers Refer to the structure in the manual – diagram on page 32 Be sure to emphasize throughout training that we are looking for BOTH the presence or absence of behaviors specific to each of the dimensions. In the manual, there is a face page for each dimension that provides an overview of the dimension; there are also brief descriptors that provide an overview of behaviors associated with low, mid, and high range interactions for each indicator. The face page is ONLY a good first place to start/reference. When coding you should turn to the more descriptive pages to assign a code. Don’t rely solely on this page or the laminated tri-fold that comes with the manual.

Emotional Support Domain
How do teachers help students develop Warm, supportive relationships with teachers and peers Enjoyment of and excitement about learning Feelings of comfort in the classroom Appropriate levels of autonomy The first CLASS domain we’ll be discussing is Emotional Support. Within the domain of Emotional Support we focus on how emotional environment in the classroom, including how teachers promote positive relationships, help students find enjoyment in learning, feel comfortable in the classroom, and experience appropriate levels of independence. Dimensions within the domain of Emotional Support include the following: Positive Climate, Negative Climate, Teacher Sensitivity, and Regard for Student Perspectives. (TRAINER NOTE: If people are taking notes or request a copy of the ppt assure them that all that you are saying is in the CLASS manual. General information about Emotional Support can be found on pages 2-3 of the CLASS manual. This is a great opportunity to encourage their use of the manual.)

Positive Climate Reflects the emotional connection between teachers and students and among students, and the warmth, respect, and enjoyment communicated by verbal and non-verbal interactions. Relationships Positive Affect Positive Communication Respect When we look at a classroom that has high Positive Climate we see evidence in their interactions that the teacher and children enjoy being with one another. We often see smiles and joint laughter in classrooms with high Positive Climate. The teacher seems to enjoy being with the children as evidenced by behaviors such as respectfully listening to what they say and joining in the children’s play. Turn to page 23 of your manual. There are 4 key indicators of Positive Climate Relationships Positive Affect Positive Communication Respect Indicators are listed along the left side of the page and are the bolded terms. Under each bolded indicator are the behavioral markers for that indicator. The detail pages following the face page provide more in-depth information about what each indicator of Positive Climate may look like at the low, mid, and high range of the scale. It is also important to note that in a 20 minute observation, for most dimensions, you should have an opportunity to observe behaviors that would fall under most indicators, so the teacher and students behaviors under each of the indicators should contribute to the overall score. There are times when certain indicators are not applicable to a 20 minute segment you have watched, and we will try to highlight these for you when they come up during the training. But for the most part, you should consider the behaviors that are observed under each of the indicators when making your ratings. As you begin to watch longer video segments and assign scores, is important to refer to the detailed text about each dimension. It is not sufficient to rely solely on the overview or “face” page.

Positive Climate Teachers and children are comfortable with one another and enjoy spending time together: matched affect, enthusiasm, social conversation. Not necessarily all grins and giggles - different teachers have different styles and demeanors Respect - different from regard Evidence: Refer participants to page 26 of the manual. Read aloud starting 2/3 down the page with, “There is a match between teacher and student affect…” and stop at “… smiles and laughs with students.” Not all grins and giggles: There are a variety of behaviors that reflect a classroom with high Positive Climate. There are many ways to have a classroom with high Positive Climate. Not all teachers are emotive and expressive. This does not mean that they cannot convey a genuine interest and enthusiasm during their interactions with the children. Respect: Respect related to Positive Climate refers to social and pragmatic aspects such as, appropriate eye contact, use of polite language (please, thank you, excuse me), warm, calm voice. Respect related to Positive Climate is more about manners and generally polite exchanges. Respect related to letting children speak their mind and pursue their interests is captured under a different dimension which we will get to in a moment: Regard for Student Perspectives. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CULTURAL SENSITIVITY: Please note: While making eye contact is listed as one of the behavioral markers for respect, it is only one of the markers listed. You do not have to observe all of the behavioral markers for a given indicator for that indicator to be considered high. In some cultures making eye contact is not considered respectful. If you are observing in a classroom where this seems applicable you may disregard this indicator. Yet, some of the behavioral markers that describe emotional support may be culturally bound. For instance, evidence of a positive climate includes the extent to which a teacher demonstrates respect for students. According to the CLASS manual, one behavioral marker that conveys respect is eye contact. In some cultures, forcing eye contact would be uncomfortable for the child and not demonstrative of respect. In fact, a teacher who forces eye contact would receive a lower rating in teacher sensitivity. Eye contact is not necessary in order for a teacher to demonstrate respect. The CLASS manual offers several behavioral markers, including warm voice and cooperation, which would allow a classroom to receive a high rating in positive climate if eye contact is not the cultural norm. It is important to note that CLASS is not intended to be a measure of cultural sensitivity. Other classroom measures developed explicitly for that purpose would be a better choice if assessing cultural sensitivity is the main goal in conducting classroom observations.

Positive Climate Video Exemplars
Shared Enjoyment When Puppet Says “Boo!” Relationships Positive Affect Respect Social Conversation During Center Time Positive Communication TRAINER NOTES: Tell participants that you will be showing short clips that are exemplars for this dimension. Due to the short length of the video, not all indicators may not be present and certainly not all behavioral markers. When you are discussing the video be sure that you emphasize the indicators that were present as well as those that were NOT present. When appropriate redirect participants saying things like, “No that indicator was not present. What you saw was related to …” OR, “Great observation. That actually fits under …” …then name the appropriate dimension. Shared Enjoyment and Enthusiasm between Teacher and Children Relationships Close physical proximityTeacher is on the floor with the children and is a part of the circle. There is a match between the children's and the teacher's affect. Social conversation The teacher and the children talk about the materials for the activity. A child asks, “Who brought that mask?” and the teacher says, “I made it this morning.” Positive Affect There are episodes of joint laughter and shared smiles. Respect - eye contact The teacher looks at the children when she speaks to them. NO Positive Communication is observed Positive Social Conversation During Center Time Relationships The teacher is on the floor with the children as they play with the blocks. The students seek close proximity to their teacher by walking over to her when they want to engage her in conversation.There is a match between the children's and the teacher's positive affect with everyone showing enthusiasm during the activity. The teacher appears genuinely interested in the children’s activities and lets the children’s interests guide the conversation. When some children show interest in the colored windows during a social conversation, the teacher asks follow-up questions, such as, “What happens if you look through the window?” Positive Affect There are numerous times in which the children and the teacher laugh, smile, and giggle throughout the activity. Positive Communication The teacher responds freely to children’s efforts with statements that affirm her interest in the topic. For example, the child in the striped orange shirt says, “You look red,” and the teacher responds while smiling and nodding, “I do look red when you look through the red window.” Respect The teacher sits at the children’s eye level and establishes eye contact with children when they seek her attention.

Negative Climate Reflects the overall level of expressed negativity in the classroom. The frequency, quality, and intensity of teacher and peer negativity are key to this scale. Negative Affect Punitive Control Sarcasm/disrespect Severe Negativity Turn to page 28 in your manual. Read the definition aloud and identify the indicators. The indicators are the bolded terms on the left hand side. Behavioral markers are under each indicator. Clearly, Negative Climate is something that we don’t want to see in a classroom. Negative Climate is not simply the absence of Positive Climate, rather it is measured by the presence of specific behaviors associated with Negative Climate such as displays of anger, yelling, sarcasm or threats. The indicators for Negative Climate include Negative Affect, Punitive Control, Sarcasm/Disrespect, and Severe Negativity. It is important to note that peer negativity is important to capture in this dimension. There are no Video Examples of Negative Climate.

Negative Climate Not the absence of Positive Climate, but rather the presence of specific behaviors that express negativity in the classroom. These include Anger or irritation Use of threats or yelling to control the children Sarcasm or disrespect Severely negative behaviors such as hitting or fighting

Negative Climate It is rare to have classrooms score in the middle or high range. The more instances of negativity the higher the code. Severe negativity results in automatic 7. Numbers: Remember that the code on the previous slide was the average of 6 observation periods so on average in 140 classrooms little or no expressed negativity observed. Expressed negativity is not pleasant to observe. While even 1-2 instances are unpleasant to see, be sure to refer to the manual and take into consideration the entire observation period and match the descriptions under low, mid, and high to what you observed rather than how you feel about what you observed. Rare instances of negativity would keep the code in the low range. Occasional negativity results in a mid-range code, etc. TRAINER NOTES: Refer participants to the bottom of page 31and read aloud information related to severe negativity.

Teacher Sensitivity Encompasses the teacher’s awareness of and responsiveness to students’ academic and emotional needs. High levels of sensitivity facilitate students’ abilities to actively explore and learn because the teacher consistently provides comfort, reassurance, and encouragement. Awareness Responsiveness Addresses Problems Student Comfort Teacher Sensitivity refers to the teacher’s awareness of and responsivity to students’ academic and social needs. The sensitive teacher serves as a secure base for students, providing them with the supports they need to actively explore and learn. The indicators for Teacher Sensitivity are the bolded terms on the face page. Behavioral markers are under each indicator. Awareness Responsiveness Addresses Problems Student Comfort

Teacher Sensitivity Levels of awareness influence abilities to adapt and respond to children’s needs. Teachers address academic and emotional needs. How comfortable are the children approaching and sharing their ideas and products with the teacher? This is not about how nice the teacher is. Awareness and responsiveness are key terms related to this dimension. TRAINER NOTES: Offer this clarification regarding “Both academic and emotional needs”: Does the teacher notice that the activity is too hard or too easy? What does she do in response to noticing this? How does the teacher respond to children that are fighting? Crying? Discuss evidence of children’s comfort

Teacher Sensitivity Video Exemplars
Addressing Fire Alarm Concerns Awareness Addresses Problems Student Comfort Differentiating Instruction to Support Individual Students Responsiveness TRAINER NOTES: Tell participants that you will be showing short clips that are exemplars for this dimension. Due to the short length of the video, all indicators may not be present and certainly not all behavioral markers will be observed When you are discussing the video be sure that you emphasize the indicators that were present as well as those that were NOT present. When appropriate redirect participants saying things like, “No that indicator was not present. What you saw was related to …” OR, “Great observation. That actually fits under …” Addressing Fire Alarm Concerns Awareness The teacher is attuned to the children, realizing that they may be anxious about the fire alarm and telling them when the fire alarm will happen, not to be upset, and what to do when the fire drill occurs. The teacher is aware that the girls are coming over to play in the blocks section may cause a problem, so she tells them that before making any changes, they first need to ask the boys if it’s ok that they participate. Addresses Problems The teacher realizes that the group of boys and girls both want to play within the small block structure, so she suggests that all of the children work together in order to make the structure big enough for everyone. The children cheer the teacher’s idea of working together, indicating that the teacher has effectively addressed their concerns. Student Comfort A child seeks support from the teacher about the alarm hurting her ears. The teacher acknowledges that the alarm can hurt your ears, but then helps the surrounding children understand that the alarm has to occur for their safety. Differentiating Instruction to Support Individual Students (TRAINER NOTE: with this video. Some participants react negatively to this exemplar because they are lost in other aspects of the video that ‘rub them the wrong way’. If this happens hone participant’s focus on only the aspects that relate to Teacher Sensitivity, especially sensitivity to academic needs) Awareness When a child asks to have a turn, the teacher comments, “I’m going to get to you.” The teacher shows awareness of children’s differential needs for support by helping the first child describe her shield more than the second child. The teacher notices a child’s lack of understanding and difficulties with examples. Responsiveness The teacher repeats each child’s response and provides occasional encouragement such as, “Oh, very good, they like to read together," and "That is so nice,” to keep the child going. The first child needs more help so she gets extra support from the teacher. She asks the first child specific questions about her shield to help her describe it to the class. However the teacher sees that the second child needs less support, so the teacher lets the child talk more on her own. Addresses Problems “Secure base “The first girl looks unsure of what to do and looks to the teacher for assistance. The teacher provides specific support to the child by saying, “Tell us about this part,” and asking, “What do you like to do together?” Student Comfort The children in the group feel comfortable calling out comments like, “That’s pretty!” Although the first child is clearly less verbal and less confident than the second, she willingly responds to the teacher’s questions and shares her ideas about her family.

Regard for Student Perspectives
Captures the degree to which the teacher’s interactions with students and classroom activities place an emphasis on students’ interests, motivations, and points of view, and encourage student responsibility and autonomy. Flexibility and Student Focus Support of Autonomy and Leadership Student Expression Restriction of movement Regard for Student Perspectives encompasses a teacher’s ability to think about flexibility and to follow the children’s lead. This does not mean that the teacher fails to provide structure and routine, but rather it means that the teacher has the ability to respond to the children’s interests and ideas and is flexible to the extent that is appropriate. For example, a teacher who is high in this dimension might notice that several children are interested in the butterflies that are hatching in the science area. As a result, she may decide to put aside the book she had planned to read during story time and read The Very Hungry Caterpillar instead. A teacher who is low in this dimension might insist that children have to sit in a certain way during a story and not allow them to ask questions as they arise. Indicators are: Flexibility and Student Focus Support of Autonomy and Leadership Student Expression Restriction of Movement

Regard for Student Perspectives
Teachers follow the children’s lead. Children have opportunities to participate and contribute. Teachers encourage student independence. Children assume leadership roles. Children are encouraged to express themselves. Appropriate movement is allowed and encouraged. In classrooms with high regard for student perspectives, even within teacher directed activities the teacher provides children with an opportunity to participate and contribute . TRAINER NOTE: Share examples for each of the bulleted items on the slide as noted below: Teachers follow the children’s lead. Ex: using a child’s suggestion for a book or activity. Allowing time outside to explore a stream after a student mentions the rain the day before. Children have opportunities to participate and contribute. Ex: children are encouraged to share ideas during centers or lessons. Teachers encourage student independence. Ex: students may choose which center to explore. Children assume leadership roles. Ex: taking attendance, passing out or collecting materials. Opportunities for children to talk and express themselves. Ex: asks children what they think, asks them to share ideas. Encourages interactions at centers. Appropriate movement is allowed and encouraged Ex: Appropriate freedom of movement does not mean chaos; movement and wiggling are tolerated as long as they don’t interfere with others’ learning. Students may act out a story in their spot on the rug or stand at a table while writing.

Regard for Student Perspectives Video Exemplars
Children Lead a Classroom Routine Flexibility and student focus Support for autonomy and leadership Restriction of movement Giving Children Leadership Roles Student expression Tell participants that you will be showing short clips that are exemplars for this dimension. Due to the short length of the video, not all indicators may not be present and certainly not all behavioral markers. When you are discussing the video be sure that you emphasize the indicators that were present as well as those that were NOT present. When appropriate redirect participants saying things like, “No that indicator was not present. What you saw was related to …” Children Lead a Classroom Routine Flexibility and student focus The teacher allows two girls to lead the activity and encourages children to listen to their peers and respond when their name is called. Children are allowed to choose how they make their presence known (verbal, raising hand, standing up, etc). In one instance, the teacher states, “Yes Chase is. He raised his hand up high.” Support for autonomy and leadership The two little girls are given the opportunity to independently lead the attendance activity, with the teacher offering support as needed. Rather than taking attendance herself, the teacher allows the two girls to ask whether each child is present and place a card on the board to indicate that they are in class that day. Restriction of movement Children are allowed to respond to the question “Is ______ here today?” by jumping up, raising their hands, etc. Giving Students Leadership Roles Flexibility and student focus The teacher allows students to lead the activity and encourages children to listen to their peers. The teacher incorporates students’ ideas. She supports several of the children’s ideas of moving like animals by encouraging children to listen and move as the child suggests (“Slither like a snake! Good one!”) and then asking them to “slither back to your spots.”Children are allowed to choose their own way to get the class to move. Support for autonomy and leadership Children can choose how to move, within the framework of the teacher’s instructions for the activity. The students are allowed to take turns listening to peers and “being the teacher” (deciding how everyone should move). Children take turns sharing the responsibility to choose movements for the rest of the group to follow. Student expression The teacher asks children to think of and share their own ideas about movement, letting them "slither like a snake" or "move like a frog". Restriction of movement The teacher clearly permits a variety of movements from the children and allows them to move out of their own “space” around the circle as they do so. The teacher lets the children stand and move around as she is explaining the activity and redirects them flexibly to move back to their spaces as needed (“slither back to your spots!”).

Emotional Support Domain Sorting Activity
Break into groups. Determine which Emotional Support dimension best matches each scenario: Positive Climate Negative Climate Teacher Sensitivity Regard for Student Perspectives Attach scenario to the appropriate dimension. As we review, write appropriate dimension on your sheet for later reference. TRAINER NOTES: this activity is intended to help participants correctly sort interactions into one of the 4 emotional support dimensions. PACING: this activity should take about 30 minutes. MATERIALS: Emotional Support Activity sheets, cut into strips; uncut Emotional Support Activity sheets, one per participant, for use by participants when reviewing sorting; tape; posters, chart paper, or a white board; answer key. DIRECTIONS: Pass out strips to participants. Ask participants to use their manuals to accurately sort the scenarios on their strips into the appropriate emotional support dimension. If posters are available, participants may attach their strips to the appropriate poster/dimension. If no posters are available, you may use chart paper or a white board for this purpose. Once all scenarios are attached. Review each scenario and ask whether or not it is with the correct dimension. In addition to identifying the appropriate dimension, let participants know the specific indicators that the scenarios refer to. You can do this by asking them to look at the face page and/or high descriptive pages to see if they can identify the most appropriate indicators. Encourage participants to mark the related dimensions and indicators on their sheets as you review these together.

Instructional Support Domain
How do teachers help students Learn to solve problems and think creatively Get individualized feedback about their learning Develop more complex language abilities NOTE we are going out of order with the CLASS manual –skipping Classroom Organization and moving onto the dimensions within the Instructional Support domain. This is because the dimensions within the domain of Instructional Support are often the dimensions with which participants struggle the most. Rather then discuss them last, we discuss them second even though this is not how the manual is set up. This is done because Emotional Support and Instructional Support are fairly easy to contrast and you are likely “fresher” earlier in the training. Another domain of the CLASS is Instructional Support. Instructional Support is not focused on the content of the curriculum or on the learning activities that are provided. Instead, it encompasses the ways in which teachers implement lessons and activities to promote both cognitive and language development. Instructional Support also focuses on how teachers use feedback to help children learn. TRAINER NOTE: If people are taking notes or request a copy of the ppt assure them that all that you are saying is in the CLASS manual. General information about Instructional Support can be found on pages 5-6 of the CLASS manual. 34

Concept Development Measures the teacher’s use of instructional discussions and activities to promote students’ higher order thinking skills and cognition and teacher’s focus on understanding rather than rote instruction. Analysis and Reasoning Creating Integration Connections to the Real World TRAINER NOTE: Refer participants to page 62 in their manuals. Read aloud the definition of CD. High Concept Development scores indicate a classroom environment that encourages students to understand and think about new material. In these settings, teachers encourage the development of critical skills that will help the student learn throughout his or her life. Concept Development focuses on the process of learning. Setting up activities that require children to predict or problem solve would fall under Concept Development. Teachers who ask children questions such as, “How do you know that?” “Why do you think this one is better?” or “What do you think would happen if…..?” are helping children develop their higher order thinking skills. The indicators are Analysis and Reasoning, Creating, Integration, and Connections to the Real World. TRAINER NOTE: Refer participants to the footnote at the bottom of page 62 and read aloud. Acknowledge that while the word ‘concept’ is in the name of this definition this is not about whether or not particular concepts are being addressed. 35

Concept Development Discussions and activities encourage analysis and reasoning. Opportunities for creativity are provided. Activities are integrated with previous learning. Connections to life outside of school are made. TRAINER NOTES: Refer participants to their manuals, p. 62 and review each indicator and its behavioral markers from the manual as you click through this slide, adding the examples listed below: Analysis and reasoning Children take turns bringing something from home to put in the “surprise box.” Other children ask questions so they can figure out what it is. The teacher encourages the children to make predictions based on the information they are gathering. Whenever a child poses a guess, she asks them to tell her what made them think that. Creating The children want to plant a garden. Their teacher asks them to think about all of the things they need to do to make this happen (make a list of what they will need, think about where the garden should be, figure out the order in which they should go about making this plan happen). Once they have done this, the children decide who will be responsible for each part. Integration As the children are getting ready to paint, the teacher talks to them about how you can make more colors with the colors that they have. She reminds them about the colors they made when mixing paint in art class. Connections to the real world After reading The Icky Bug Book to the children, the teacher takes them outside to look for bugs. When they come inside, the children talk about the bugs they saw. The teacher identifies the bugs the children are talking about by their common name and scientific name.

Concept Development Video Examples
Predicting and Experimenting with Eggs Analysis and reasoning Creating Integration Connections to the real world Linking Prior Knowledge to New Knowledge Predicting and Experimenting with Eggs Analysis and reasoning The teacher asks questions, such as, “Is anything coming out? Why?” or “What do you think?” The teacher uses the activity to encourage children’s reasoning skills, asking open-ended questions such as, “Do you think that’s how all eggs break?” or “What’s the matter? How come this one, when it broke, all the insides came out, and this one, nothing came out?” Rather than just read the rhyme or ask yes/no questions, the teacher asks the children to make predictions about the eggs (fake, raw, and cooked) and helps them to think about why Humpty couldn’t be put together again. Before she drops the second egg (the cooked one), the teacher asks the children to predict whether it will make a mess when it falls, “Uh-oh! Am I going to make a mess?” Although she does not provide a lot of room for children’s responses, she does encourage them to think about what they observe and to respond thoughtfully. When the egg doesn’t break, and the children respond with surprise, noting, “It didn’t break,” she says, “Let’s try again!” She then asks the children what they think the difference might be between the eggs. She is not explicit in the comparison but does scaffold the children’s contrasting of the two eggs, raw vs. cooked. Creating Showing the “fake egg,” the teacher asks the children, “Do you see how this egg broke? Do you think that’s how all eggs break?” She allows children to brainstorm what the difference might be between eggs, and a child wonders, “Is it real?” She acknowledges the idea, noting, “Yes, both are real.” Integration The teacher encourages children to make connections to previous experiences by asking, “How come this one (egg), when it broke, all the insides came out, and this one, nothing came out?” She holds up the second egg, begins to peel it, and asks, “Is anything coming out? Why?” She facilitates children’s understanding of eggs by adding to the information they know about eggs: “That’s how an egg really is when it breaks. It has a yolk, that’s yellow, and albumen, that’s clear.” Connections to the real world The teacher helps the children connect the story of Humpty Dumpty to the real world by building the “wall” with blocks and demonstrating Humpty’s fall with several kinds of eggs. Using the raw egg that broke when it fell, the teacher shows the children the shell, saying, “It breaks into small pieces – see all the cracks? That’s why it was hard for all the king’s horses and all the king’s men to put him back together!” She shows the cracked egg and asks, “Do you see? Do you have eggs like that at your house?” Linking Prior Knowledge to New Knowledge Analysis and reasoning The teacher states that the giraffe in the story does not have a red tongue like we do but has a black tongue, which stimulates children’s ability to compare their own tongues to that of the giraffe. Connections to the real world The teacher notes that the pineapple the children have for lunch is not the same as that pictured in the illustration, saying, "It's not like this, it's all cut and chopped up and peeled." This elaboration links children’s understanding of the pineapple as a whole to the fact that someone peels, chops, and cuts up the pineapples that they have for lunch. The teacher makes consistent and intentional efforts to help students apply their thinking to their own lives. For example, the teacher asks, “What do we have for lunch?” She is attempting to connect the pineapples that the giraffe eats to the fact that the children also eat pineapples.

Quality of Feedback Assesses the degree to which the teacher provides feedback that expands learning and understanding and encourages continued participation. Scaffolding Feedback Loops Prompting Thought Processes Providing Information Encouragement and Affirmation TRAINERS NOTE: Refer participants to page 69 in the CLASS manual. Read aloud the definition. Teachers can provide students with two general kinds of feedback. The first kind, which we see most frequently, focuses on the correctness of the child’s answer: Did the child get it “right” or not. This kind of feedback gives the student the immediate feedback that they are (or are not correct), but it does not help the student gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter. The second kind of feedback focuses on the process of learning: it helps the student understand the material in more depth. Quality of Feedback focuses primarily on the second type of feedback. The indicators are Scaffolding, Feedback Loops, Prompting Thought Processes, and Encouragement and Affirmation. TRAINER NOTE: refer participants to the footnote at the bottom of page 69: QF is generally observed in response to a student’s or students’ answer to a question or as a student progresses on his or her work or involvement in an activity, whereas Concept Development is the method a teacher uses as he or she provides instruction or activities. 39

Quality of Feedback Scaffolding supports student learning.
Teachers persist in feedback loops with children. Children are asked to explain their thought processes. Teachers clarify and expand information. Encouragement and affirmation increase children’s involvement in learning. TRAINER NOTES: Refer participants to their manuals, p. 629and review each indicator and its behavioral markers from the manual as you click through this slide, adding the examples listed below (and noting where examples are to follow): scaffolding A child is unsuccessfully trying to fit a curved puzzle piece into a space defined by straight edges. The teacher prompts the child to look at the shape of the piece and match it to a place on the puzzle that has the same shape Feedback loops Feedback loops are back and forth exchanges between a teacher and a child that increase a child’s understanding of a topic or performance of a skill. We’ll look at a few examples in the next few slides. Prompting thought processes Teacher holds up two jars of jelly beans for the children to look at. She then asks them which jar contains more jelly beans. Sean says that he thinks the jar in her right hand has more. The teacher says he is correct and then asks Sean why he thinks that. Providing information Information may be provided in different ways. We’ll look at a few examples in the next few slides. Encouraging and affirmation The children are mixing paints in an effort to make the color purple. They invariably put in too much red or blue and the paint turns different shades of brown. The teacher says, “You guys are really trying hard to figure out how to make purple paint. Keep trying. You are getting closer!” As a result of the teacher’s feedback, the children keep trying.

Feedback Loop Example #1
It is a cold and rainy day. Lucas asks his teacher why they are not going outside to play. The following exchange takes place: Lucas: Why do we have to stay inside? Teacher: What do you think, Lucas? Lucas: I don’t know. Teacher: Look out the window and tell me what you see. Lucas: Rain. Teacher: What would happen if we went outside? Lucas: We’d get wet. Teacher: And how would that make us feel? Lucas: Yucky. Teacher: That’s right. We would feel yucky because our clothes would get wet from the rain. That is why we are staying inside right now. The teacher asks follow up questions and provides the child with information as they arrive at the answer to his question together. TRAINER NOTE: Pause to allow participants time to read this and share their reflections.

Feedback Loop Example #2
Hwa is playing shape bingo. She has not had any trouble matching the pictures of the circle, square, oval, or triangle to the pictures on the bingo mat. However, she is stumped by the rectangle and calls her teacher over. Hwa: I need help. Teacher: I think you can figure this one out. Let’s look and see whether there is another one that looks similar. Hwa: (places the picture of the rectangle on top of a picture of a square and asks her teacher if that is right) Teacher: They look a lot alike, but they are not the same. See how all four sides of the square are the same? What is different about the sides of this shape? Hwa: (looks as the rectangle again) Bigger. Teacher: You are right, two of the sides are bigger or longer. Can you find a shape where two of the sides are longer? Hwa: (scans the bingo mat and quickly matches the rectangle) In response to a child’s request the teacher provides hints and assistance, asks questions, and helps the child arrive at the answer through a back and forth exchange. TRAINER NOTE: Pause to allow participants time to read this and share their reflections.

Providing Information Examples
Expansion The teacher wraps up a lesson on community helpers by asking if anyone can think of a community helper. Alonzo says, “Mail carrier.” His teacher says, “That’s right, mail carriers are community helpers because they bring us our letters and packages.” Clarification Child calls a pair of gloves “mittens.” The teacher explains, “Gloves are like mittens because they keep our hands warm, but gloves are different because they have spaces for each of our fingers. Mittens have a big space for all of the fingers on one hand.” Specific feedback The teacher asks if anyone can tell her two rhyming words. John says, “Cat and hat.” The teacher says, “Yes, cat and hat are rhyming words. Cat has ‘at’ and hat has ‘at’. They sound the same in the middle and the end.” Teachers may provide information to children in various ways. Here are a few examples. TRAINER NOTE: Pause to allow time for participants to read and respond to these examples.

Ineffective Feedback Miss Karen asks the children to look at the weather chart and tell her whether they have had more sunny days or more cloudy days. Sharice says, “Cloudy.” Miss Karen says, “No” and then asks if anyone else knows the answer. This slide is an example of feedback that focuses on the correctness of an answer without any clarifying information for the child related to their response other than they were not correct. TRAINER NOTE: share this example of ineffective feedback. Ask a few volunteers to explain or model more effective approaches using p. 69 as a guide. Then, share the next slide as one example of a high quality response. (or, you can just move to the next slide, providing the answer rather than engaging in this exchange with participants--whichever seems most appropriate).

Effective Feedback When discussing the weather chart, Sharice says that there have been more cloudy days than sunny days which is the wrong answer. In response, the teacher says, “Let’s look at the chart and count the number of cloudy days.” The teacher and Sharice count together. Sharice forgets the number that comes after 3 so the teacher gives her a hint, “Ffff….” Sharice says, “4, 5 – 5 cloudy days!” Then the teacher says, “Let’s count the number of sunny days,” and they count together again. After Sharice correctly identifies the number of days as 7, the teacher asks Sharice to tell her which number is bigger. Sharice answers, “Sunny.” The teacher responds, “You’re right. There are 7 sunny days and 5 cloudy days so there are more sunny days than cloudy because 7 is more than 5.” This example captures many of the indicators of Quality of Feedback. It is a back and forth exchange in which the teacher provides hints and assistance and asks follow up questions so that the child can arrive at the answer on her own. In response to the child’s answers the teacher asks more questions or provides specific information. The next few slides go over each indicator of Quality of Feedback and the associated behavioral markers in more specific terms.

Quality of Feedback Video Exemplars
Prompting Thought Processes about Shadows Feedback loops Prompting Thought Processes Provide Information Encouragement and Affirmation Using Clues to Identify the Name of a Book Scaffolding Feedback Loops Prompting Thought Processes about Shadows Feedback loops Feedback loops are back-and-forth exchanges that help children engage in the discussion of their responses. This promotes further learning and thinking on the part of the children. In this video the children correctly guess the shadow, “A girl holding a teddy-bear,” and swing set. However, the teacher does not end the discussion with one clarifying comment such as, “You’re right it is …” Instead the teacher uses the children’s responses and comments to create a learning moment by asking follow-up questions to facilitate a higher level of understanding and performance from the children.Below are 2 examples of the feedback loops featured in the video: Teacher: “What is this a picture of?” Child: “A girl holding a teddy bear.” Teacher: “A girl holding a teddy bear? Well let me ask you this, what makes you think it's a girl?” Child: “Because it has the shadow! Because of the arm.” Teacher: “Because of the arm? But boys have arms.” Child: “No, because of hair” Teacher: “Oh, because of her long hair. What makes you think she's holding a teddy bear?” Child: “Because her arms” Teacher: “Because her arms are up in the air? Well what is she holding?” Child: “A teddy bear.” Teacher: “But how do you know it is a teddy bear?” Students: (many respond) "Because of its legs." "It looks like one.” Teacher: “You think it's a teddy bear? Let's see...” Teacher: “What is this one?” Students: “A swing set.” Teacher: “What makes you think it's a swing set?” Child: “Seats.” Teacher: “Because you see the seats. What else makes you think it's a swing set, Olivia?” Olivia: “Has lines.” Teacher: “Oh the long lines there that hold the seats? What else makes you think that it is a swingset.” Prompting Thought Processes Rather than simply settling on children's correct answers, note how the teacher in this video engages in feedback that focuses the children's attention on the process of using contextual clues to arrive at an answer. She draws on children's comments and uses these comments to direct the next inquiry. For example, the teacher says, "What is this a picture of?" The child responds, "A girl holding a teddy bear," and the teacher asks, "A girl holding a teddy bear? Well let me ask you this, what makes you think it's a girl?" The child responds, "Because it has a shadow! Because of the arm." The teacher says, "But boys have arms," and then the girl says, "No, because of her hair." This process-oriented feedback shows children that they should be considering the features of the shadows when describing their answers. Provide Information When one girl identified the picture as being a little girl with a teddy bear, the teacher did not just tell the child that her answer was correct. Instead, when the teacher flips to the answer page, she is specific about the answer and features the child’s name that gave the right answer, "You were right. Look at that. It is a girl with long hair holding a teddy bear.” Encouragement and Affirmation The teacher’s feedback also involves encouraging further effort/persistence. The teacher consistently uses praise as a way of encouraging further effort. For example, at the end of each answer, the teacher often says, "Give yourselves another kiss on the brain and say, you go class! ... Okay, we've got another one.” Because the children receive praise and then are directed immediately to the next item, this feedback encourages them to continue with the activity. Using Clues to Identify the Name of a Book (TRAINER NOTE: although the quality of the video from this research project is not great, please encourage trainees to focus on the quality of the feedback as presented in the audio!) ScaffoldingThe teacher provides hints and assistance throughout this video. For example, instead of telling the boy the correct numbers of words in the title of the book, the teacher says, “Better count again. How many? Show me the words.” As the boy counts, she repeats what he says. When the boy says that he doesn’t know the title, the teacher leads him through a series of questions so that he can figure out the title with her assistance. Feedback Loops The teacher asks several follow-up questions and there are several feedback loops: Teacher: “Alright let’s look at this. How many words are in this book?” Child: “3.”Teacher:“Better count again. How many? Show me the words.” Child: “One.”Teacher: “One word.” Child: “Two.” Teacher: “Two words.”Child:“Three words. Four words.” Teacher: “Excellent, four words.” Encouragement and Affirmation The teacher recognizes the child’s efforts. She says, “Excellent, four words.” She also says, “Ah, guess what? That is birthday.” At the end of the video she says, “So you read, ‘Happy Birthday, Cookie Monster.’”

Language Modeling Captures the quality and amount of teacher’s use of language-stimulation and language-facilitation techniques. Frequent Conversation Open-ended Questions Repetition and Expansion Self & Parallel Talk Advanced Language TRAINER NOTE: Refer participants to page 75 in their manuals. In a classroom with high-quality Language Modeling, there is a lot of conversation, or back-and-forth exchanges between the teacher and the children. These conversations expose the children to a wide range of vocabulary and give them practice with social communicative exchanges. While a behavioral marker under the indicator for Frequent conversation is ‘back and forth exchanges’ (the same words used to describe an indicator under Quality of Feedback) the two are not always the same. We will discuss this more when we get to the slides addressing this point. The indicators are Frequent Conversation, Open-Ended Questions, Repetition and Extension, Self and Parallel Talk, and Advanced Language. 48

Language Modeling Natural conversations are encouraged.
Teachers ask open-ended questions that require more complex language to answer. Repetition and extension honors and models language use. Teachers connect actions to words with self- and parallel talk. Advanced language is used and connected to known words. Frequent conversations provide natural opportunities for children to exchange information and ideas. Two children are sitting in the block area building a pen for the farm animals. They are discussing which animals they think should go in the pen. Their teacher comes by and asks what they are doing. They reply, “We are building a pen for the farm animals.” The teacher asks what animals they are going to put in the pen and the children respond. Open-ended questions invite elaborate responses. Open-ended questions encourage children to use more complex language than do closed-ended questions that can often be answered with a one-word response. Ms. Morgan is reading a book to a group of children. Half-way through she closes the book and asks the children, “What do you think is going to happen next?” Several children excitedly share their ideas. Repetition and extension--Teachers who repeat what children say are confirming children’s communicative attempts and also are displaying interest in what the children have to say. Extending what the children say is a way to provide the children with additional information about a topic. The teacher asks Dominick what he did after school yesterday. Dominick: “Home.” Teacher: “You went home. What happened at home?” Dominick: “Mommy and me eated dinner. Teacher: “You and your mommy ate dinner.” Self- and parallel talk refers to a teacher’s use of language to “map” or describe what she is doing. A teacher who uses parallel talk will use language to describe what a child is doing. Describe what you are doing (self-talk) Ms. Chris is making play-dough for the children to use. She says, “I am pouring the flour in the bowl. Now I am going to get the salt and put it in the bowl. I am stirring them together.” Describe what children are doing (parallel-talk) Alyssa is setting the table for snack. Her teacher says, “You are setting the table at each friend’s space. You are carefully placing the napkin and the silverware on the placemats.” Advanced language---In addition to focusing on new vocabulary, the teacher should also teach different types of words such as adjectives. At the low end the teacher may use a variety of words but fail to clarify in simple terms or in a way children can relate. The term(s) may be said without implicit information to inform children as to what the term might mean. Read the description of what the high end would look like at the bottom of page 80 in the manual. The children are looking at the class pet snake. Jacob says, “That snake lives in a box just like my pet fish at home.” The teacher responds by explaining, “The glass box that our snake lives in is called a terrarium. The box that fish live in is called an aquarium.”

Language Modeling Video Exemplars
Walkie-Talkies in Centers Frequent Conversation Open-ended Questions Repetition and Extension Encouraging a Child to Describe Her Hat Walkie-Talkies in Centers Frequent Conversation There is conversation between the teacher and the child about the walkie-talkie. There is a natural flow in the exchange of information. The teacher actively listens, contributes relevant responses, and asks related questions, while allowing the child to do the majority of the talking. For example, the teacher listens to the child talk about his work and asks him to elaborate on what he does and how he communicates during his work. Open-ended Questions When the child talks about some of the work he does like talking to people and being there when the people need him, the teacher asks, “How do you get in touch with them?” The teacher’s questions require the child to respond with more advanced explanation and communication, which he does. Repetition and Extension The teacher repeated, “Do stuff and fix stuff okay,” and “with a walkie-talkie okay.” By repeating what the child said, the teacher is acknowledging the child’s communicative attempts and letting the child know what he has to say is important enough to be repeated. Extending Children’s Responses during a Work Time Discussion Open-ended Questions The teacher asks questions such as, “Where do you plan to work? And what do you plan to do?” Repetition and Extension The teacher asks the children to discuss their plans for work time. He says, “Think what you are going to do for work time. Where do you plan to work? And what do you plan to do?” When the children provide responses, he consistently repeats and extends their responses. For example, he asks, “Debbie what do you plan to do?” She replies, “I’m going to finish that drawing.” He says, “Debbie is going to go to art and she is going to cut out the fish that she already drew.” He asks another girl where she is going to play and she says, "In cars." He replies, "You are going to work in blocks and play with cars." Both of these examples also expose children to more complex forms of the language than they provided. For example, when the girl says, “I am going to finish that drawing,” the teacher’s responses clarifies that she is going to cut out the fish that she already drew. Please note: There are no examples of frequent conversation. The verbal exchanges in this video are more question and answer than a conversation. As with the last example, there are no instances of self- or parallel-talk. The teacher says what the child is going to do rather than provides language for what the student is doing in the moment. There are also no examples of advanced language. TRAINER NOTE: For both exemplars we do not see examples of Self-and parallel talk and Advanced Language

Classroom Organization Domain
How do teachers help students… Develop skills to help them regulate their own behavior Get the most learning out of each school day Maintain interest in learning activities TRAINER NOTE: For the Classroom Organization Domain, fewer slides are provided since these dimensions are typically easier to grasp. The final CLASS Domain is Classroom Organization. It refers to the organization and management of students’ behavior, time, and attention in the classroom. Clearly, classrooms function best when children are engaged in meaningful activities that are of high interest to them. Children who are engaged in meaningful activities are much less likely to engage in inappropriate behaviors than are children who are provided with uninteresting (or no) activities. The three dimension within the domain of Classroom Organization are Behavior Management, Productivity, and Instructional Learning Formats. General information about Classroom Organization can be found on pages 3-5 of the CLASS manual.

Behavior Management Encompasses the teacher’s ability to provide clear behavior expectations and use effective methods to prevent and redirect misbehavior. Clear Behavior Expectations Proactive Redirection of Misbehavior Student Behavior TRAINER NOTE: Review definition at top of page 44 and footnotes at bottom. Research indicates that children who attend well-managed classrooms tend to achieve more than do children who attend poorly-managed classrooms. Not looking for strategies, rather looking for ways in which the teacher Makes clear her expectations, “Please be quiet when you friend is talking,” instead of “Excuse me.” Proactive versus reactive, “It might get crowed at that center, so let’s remember that only 4 friends at a time can work there.” Redirections are effective or subtle and efficient While it is important that teachers learn how to consistently and effectively respond to inappropriate behavior, one of the most important aspects of Behavior Management is that teachers are proactive in their management. A key to coding this dimension is to think about how much time is taken away from learning due to issues surrounding managing behavior. For this reason, a segment in which students are consistently living up to behavioral expectations without a great deal of teacher intervention can be scored in the high range. If redirects are not necessary, you may not see evidence of effective redirection of behavior as noted in the footnote on the face page. The indicators are Clear Behavior Expectations, Proactive, Redirection of Misbehavior, and Student Behavior. The specific kinds of behaviors that fall under each of these indicators are also listed on page 44.

Behavior Management Video Exemplars
Communicating Expectations before Work Time Clear behavior expectations Proactive Student behavior Clear Behavioral Expectations during Transition Redirection of misbehavior Proactive Behavior Management Strategies Clear behavior expectations The teacher reminds the children about sharing and clearly asks children to tiptoe to work time. The classroom rules appear clear. The teacher reminds children of the rule about sharing. Proactive The teacher reminds the students about classroom expectations regarding sharing, saying, “Now there’s a lot of people that are gonna work with motorcycles. So we have to be friends and share.” The teacher also anticipates that a new student may have problems, so he lets Anthony know he’ll be watching him. The teacher is looking around at the children when he is talking to them. He gets up and follows the children when they move to their centers. The teacher is not reactive during this video as the children are well behaved. Student behavior The teacher dismisses children from circle by saying, “Go tiptoe to your work time,” and the children get up and begin to move slowly. No misbehavior is observed. Clear Behavioral Expectations during Transition Clear behavior expectations The children understand that they need to freeze when the lights go off. The teacher clearly states her expectations, “It is time for us to clean up and put everything away so that we can go outside,” and “Make sure everything is put away in the right place and then you may get your jackets and come on the red line.” One child does not freeze and the teacher says, “Luis, please freeze.” Proactive The teacher looks around the room and notices one child who is not “frozen”. The teacher calmly addresses child who is not “frozen”. Redirection of misbehavior The teacher sees that all children have stopped moving and says, “Thank you friends.” Student behavior All of the children comply with the rule to be still when the lights go off.

Productivity Considers how well the teacher manages instructional time and routines and provides activities for students so that they have the opportunity to be involved in learning activities. Maximizing Learning Time Routines Transitions Preparation TRAINER NOTE: Review definition at top of page 49 and footnotes at bottom. Productivity refers specifically to how well time is managed in the classroom. A highly productive classroom functions like a “well-oiled machine” where everyone knows what to do. An outside observer would have a hard time imagining how any more instructional time could be squeezed into the day. The quality of instruction is not considered when we look at Productivity. Thus, it is possible to observe a classroom in which the children move from one questionable activity to another, yet the classroom is rated as being highly productive because the instructional time and routines are well managed. The quality of instruction is considered within the Instructional Support domain. TRAINER NOTE: call participants’ attention to the footnote on the bottom of page 49. The indicators are Maximizing Learning Time, (meaning There is little to no “down time”, children wander or sit with NOTHING to do; this is rarely seen in CLASS studies. Note that ‘maximizing learning time’ in future versions of the manual will be called “maximizing planned time”) Clear Routines, Transitions that are quick or have learning opportunities within them; and Effective preparation of materials and lessons.

Productivity Video Exemplars
Making the Most of Snack Time Maximizing learning time Transitions Creating Routines in the Classroom Routines Preparation Making the Most of Snack Time According to findings from the National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) study, during preschool meals and snack time (approximately 10% of total class time) there are relatively few meaningful teacher-child interactions and not many instances in which children are actively engaged in learning. In this video, instead of occupying her time with managerial tasks or attending to other responsibilities in the classroom, the teacher makes the most of snack time by sitting down and talking with the children. This is a good example of Productivity in that the children are not experiencing “down time” (i.e. silently eating their snack or talking between themselves). Rather the teacher is providing an opportunity for the children to be involved in a learning activity--practicing using language in a conversation. Maximizing learning time While snack is being eaten, the teacher provides the children with the activity of joining in a social conversation. Transitions Although snack is not really a transition, the teacher has created or taken advantage of learning opportunities within the context of a routine activity (snack) by conversing with the children. She purposefully engages them and facilitates their oral language skills. Instead of being “down time,” a learning opportunity has been created. Creating Routines in the Classroom Maximizing learning time The teacher uses a quick song for learning and focusing children on listening and then is ready to start book reading. The teacher does not experience any distractions that take away from her plan. Routines There is clear evidence that the children know what is expected of them. Before the teacher even says a word, the children start saying, “1, 2, 3,” looking at the teacher, and turning their bodies to the front of the classroom without any specific direction from the teacher. The children then sing the song with the teacher. All the children are seated and attentive when the teacher begins the lesson. Transitions The teacher uses a song to quickly prepare the children for the lesson. At the end of the transition, children are quiet and focused on the teacher. The teacher uses a movement activity to get the children’s attention and to build on concepts like opposites. Preparation The teacher has her book ready to start the activity after the transition song.

Instructional Learning Formats
Focuses on the ways in which teachers maximize students’ interest, engagement, and ability to learn from lessons and activities. Effective Facilitation Variety of Modalities and Materials Student Interest Clarity of Learning Objectives TRAINER NOTE: Refer participants to page 55 in their manuals. Instructional Learning Formats does not just look at the types of activities or the kinds of materials used in the activities, but also at HOW the teacher facilitates the activities that allow the children to learn. If a teacher has many materials but does not facilitate the activity in such a way as to engage the children, the classroom would not receive a high score on this dimension. That said, one could receive a high Instructional Learning Formats score with children working independently in centers if the centers are interesting enough, and the teacher has clearly set them up in such a way that they are really getting what they are supposed to be getting out of them. Student engagement and the teacher’s clarity of learning objectives for lessons or activities are also considered in this dimension. In a classroom that has high use of Instructional Learning Formats, it is clear that the teacher has taken the time and effort to plan and facilitate interesting activities that draw the children into the learning process. The teacher may actively participate in the children’s play and ask questions that help the children make the most of the activities. The indicators are Effective Facilitation, Variety of Modalities and Materials, Student Interest, and Clarity of Learning Objectives.

Instructional Learning Formats
Even though ‘instructional’ is in the title, this is NOT about the quality of instruction. It’s about the ‘hooks’ teachers use to engage children. NOT the kinds of questions the teacher asks, rather that the teacher asks questions to engage children; and NOT whether or not the children are learning something, rather that they are engaged and interested so that the potential for learning is there. Clarity of learning objectives is not all or nothing. The quality of instruction is captured under the dimensions within Instructional Support (Concept Development, Quality of Feedback, Language Modeling) Clarity of learning objectives is meant to help observe whether or not children are attending to the instructional opportunities available within a given lesson. Imagine a small group of children playing with playdough. If they are simply playing with the playdough, with no direction or focus then it will score low on this indicator. (The overall ILF score might be mid range or even a 6 if the other indicators are high). A classroom could score well on the clarity of learning objectives in several ways. It may be that the teacher has introduced the center to the children in such a way that they are playing intentionally – for example they may be trying to make as many different shapes as possible, or experimenting with mixing colors. The teacher may also be interacting with the children but not being very explicit about the learning objectives. Rather she is asking what are clearly intentional and targeted questions, such as “What do you think might happen if we mixed the blue and the red play-dough” or “I wonder how many shapes we can make.” Finally, a teacher may be quite explicit about the objectives by saying something like, “Today we are going to try to make as many different colors (shapes) as possible out of the play-dough.” To score at the high end a teacher would follow up on this initial comment with some ongoing feedback and questions to help children understand the objective. If we don’t see a teacher actually interacting with children it is sometimes difficult to deduce whether or not there are clear learning objectives in center time. In these cases we pay particular attention to the way children are playing and talking with one another. For example if children in the block area are using the blocks to hit one another this would not score as well on this indicator as if they were building a tower together. But it may also be that there is less evidence for this particular indicator and we base the score more on the first three.

Instructional Learning Formats Video Exemplars
Using Name Cards and Letters to Engage Students in a Lesson Effective facilitation Variety of modalities and materials Student interest Creative Story Reading Using Name Cards and Letters to Engage Students in a Lesson Effective facilitation The teacher encourages the children to look at their cards to see if they have the same letter that she is holding. She also says, “A lot of you have this,” as she holds up a letter card. Variety of modalities and materials The children call out information, look at their cards and the teacher, and have freedom of movement. The children are interested in the materials because they are looking and listening to see if they have the same card that the teacher is holding up. The children each have their own cards to hold and use to complete the activity. Student interest The children hold their own cards, call out, and make comments about what they see. The children listen and look for the letter clue. Creative Story Reading Effective facilitation The teacher's enthusiasm and creativity during book reading facilitates the children's engagement in the learning experience. Variety of modalities and materials The teacher changes his voice depending on the tone of the story (e.g. sad voice when talking about a sad purple day). The teacher utilizes different sensory modalities to engage the children, including pointing to pictures, wearing outfits/hats, acting out feelings, and allowing the children to shout and finish sentences from the book. Student interest The children are actively and happily participating in the activity. When the teacher states an action verb in relation to the story, the children respond with sounds and movements to imitate these actions. When the teacher pauses during the story and points to pictures in the book, the children yell out responses indicating that they are actively paying attention to specific parts of the activity. Please note that Clarity of Learning Objectives was not present in either video at what we would could consider the high range. However during both videos the children’s attention was focused on the activity, and the teacher did not explicitly identify the learning objectives.

Classroom Assessment Scoring System - CLASS

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