Task One: Planning and Academic Language        

Planning

Planning consists of building content understanding, supporting learning needs, using knowledge of students, and assessments to monitor student learning.

Three Parts to Task One

1. Start by learning as much as possible about your school and the students in your class. You will use this information to fill out your Context for Learning template. 

2. Use your knowledge of your school, class, and students and co-plan with your partnership teacher to identify your central focus and write your lesson plans (the 3-5 plan learning segment). 
***CLICK HERE for a video on lesson plan templates for edTPA. Use the Canvas edTPA Support Course or ask your supervisor if you have any questions.

3. Reflect on your plans using the Planning Commentary template. Remember that this is your PLANNING for your intended teaching, so all responses should be written in the future tense, addressing what you will do in your instruction of this learning segment.
***Make sure you are using the Task One Written Commentary Template downloaded from TaskStream.

Academic Language Resources

Each language demand is defined in the glossary of your handbook.

The Understanding Academic Language in edTPA: Supporting Learning and Language Development guide gives you a basic overview of Academic Language for each subject area. Each guide is located below. 

Another valuable resource is the website of Understanding Language, the center that recently merged with SCALE.

Understanding Academic Language in edTPA: Supporting Learning and Language Development Guides

• Elementary Literacy
  • Click HERE for a video with additional guidance from Dr. Szech
  • Make sure to also see Appendix A in the Understanding Rubric Level Progressions for Elementary Literacy for central focus considerations.
• English as an Additional Language
• Health Education
• Middle Childhood English Language Arts
• Middle Childhood History/Social Studies
• Middle Childhood Mathematics
• Middle Childhood Science
• Performing Arts
• Physical Education
• Secondary English-Language Arts
• Secondary History/Social Studies
• Secondary Mathematics
• Secondary Science
• Special Education (Curriculum-Related Communication)
• Visual Arts

*Not all programs require a focus on Academic Language. Please see your program-specific handbook for further information. (Early Childhood, Special Education, and World Language do not have an Academic Language Component)

The Common edTPA Glossary explains the language demands that teachers need to consider as they plan to support student learning of content.