Contextual Factors

Demographics
In Mrs. Greens class (pseudonyms are in use to protect privacy) where I student teach,
there are a total of twenty-six students in the classroom. Chart 1 breaks down the class by gender.

Class Break Down by Gender (Chart 1)

Boys
9
35%
Girls
17
65%

From chart one, we can see that the boys are very outnumbered by the girls in the
classroom. The class is made up of 17 girls which is approximately 65% of the class and the
class only has 9 boys, which means that they make up about 35% of the class.
The class also has a few students with different ethnicities in the class, and chart 2
compares the different ethnicities (Latino and Navajo) of the classroom to the other students of
the class.

Class Break Down by Ethnicity

Number of Students
10
5
0

Navajo

Latino

White

Ethnicitys

From Chart 2, we can see that the class is made up 21 white students, four students with
families from Latin America, and one student that is Navajo. This means that a strong majority of
the class is white. The names that of the students who are Latino or Navajo are (again names
have been changed to preserve privacy) Ryan (Navajo), Josh (Latino), Mandy (Latino), Elisabeth
(Latino), Rashiea (Latino).
Chart 3 shows those students who are English Language Learners (ELL) and breaks them
down by language proficiency level using the WIDA scale. On the WIDA scale, a student with a
WIDA score of 1 has a very basic understanding of English and often needs the aids of pictures
to help them understand what you are talking about and a WIDA level of 5 is capable of using
the language much like their native peers.

Language Proficiency (Chart 3)

2
0

3
0

4
0

WIDA Level

From Chart 3, we can see that there is a broad gap in language proficiency levels in the
ELL students. We have one student who has a WIDA level of one and is a new migrant from El
Salvador (Josh), and we have three students who have a WIDA level of 5 (Rashiea, Elisabeth,
Ryan).
The next chart (chart 4) shows the breakdown of the different exceptionalities. This chart
includes gifted and talented (GATE) students, students who struggle with some kind of literacy
skill (reading, writing, comprehension or fluency), students who struggle with math, students
who have behavioral problems, and students that have speech problems.

Break down of Exeptionalities of the classroom (Chart 4)

4
3

2
1

Series 1

From Chart 4, we can see that the class is made up of two GATE students (John and
Jasmine), three students who struggle with reading (Jason, Ryan, Sarah), four students that
struggle with writing (Nathan, Matt, Ryan, and Sarah), one student that struggles with fluency
(Matt), one student that struggles with comprehension (Nathan), three students that struggle with
math (Matt, Ryan, Sarah), one student who has an IEP for speech (Alison), and three students
that are behavior problems in the classroom (Ryan, Sarah, and Alison).
Finally table 1 summarizes all of the demographic data for each student. In this paper, I
have only named the students that are a part of the different subgroups and the other students I
have given the names Student A, Student B, etc. I also have combined the subgroups of
fluency and comprehension with the subgroup of reading to make it easier to identify these
groups.
Table 1
Name
Student A
Reshiea
Student B
Student C
Student D

Gende
r
Femal
e
Femal
e
Male

Ethnicity

Femal
e
Femal
e

White

White
Latino
White

White

Language
Proficiency
Native English
Speaker
WIDA 5
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker

Sub Group

ELL, Minority Student

Student E

Femal
e
Femal
e
Femal
e
Femal
e
Femal
e
Femal
e
Male

White

White

Jason

Femal
e
Femal
e
Femal
e
Femal
e
Male

Student L

Male

White

Matt

Male

White

Sarah

White

Ryan

Femal
e
Male

Student M

Male

White

John

Male

White

Josh
Student N

Male
Femal
e
Femal
e

Latino
White

Elisabeth
Jasmine
Student F
Student G
Student H
Nathan
Student I
Student j
Mandy
Student K

Alison

Latino
White
White
White
White
White

White
Latino
White
White

Navajo

White

Native English
Speaker
WIDA 5
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
WIDA 5
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker
WIDA 1
Native English
Speaker
Native English
Speaker

ELL/ Minority
GATE

Struggles with Reading

Minority

Reading/Math

Reading
(Fluency)/Math/Writing
Reading/Writing/Math/Behavior
problems
Reading/Writing/Math/Behavior
problems

GATE
ELL/Minority

IEP for Speech/Behavior

From Table 1, we can see that a majority of the students are not a part of any subgroup. We can
also see the students that are part of the six different subgroups in the classroom which are
GATE, ELL, IEPs, struggling readers, struggling writers, struggling with math, and behavior
problems. These will be the groups that I will need to differentiate for in my lessons in my
Teacher Work Sample (TWS).
Differentiation
From the subgroups identified in my contextual factors, I will need to differentiate my lessons
for the ELL, struggling readers, struggling writers, IEP students, GATE students, those that
struggle with math, and students that have behavioral problems.
For most of my ELL students, I can give them opportunities to use the language in my lessons
and they will be fine, but for Josh who has such a low WIDA level, I will not only need to give
him opportunities to use the language of the lesson, but I will have to ask simpler questions, use
pictures and gestures to help him understand what I am talking about, and modify what he is
expected to do to show me what he has learned (e.g. If the students have to write two paragraphs
with five sentences each I will expect that he will write shorter paragraphs or sentences with
fewer words, but that still hit the main concepts of the lesson.) It may also be helpful to pull Josh
aside to pre-teach him the vocabulary words before I teach a lesson that day.
The next subgroup that I have to differentiate for will be the students who struggle with reading.
To help them, I will modify my lesson by reading information to them (e.g. reading the questions
to them on the pre/posttest) and repeating questions that are asked in class.
To help the students who struggle with writing, I can use sentence starters, fill in the blank
questions, or change the requirements of what they will produce (e.g. expect them to write a little
less or give them the opportunity to speak their answers to me.)
For Alison, who has an IEP for speech, I will need to help her by giving her opportunities to use
the language correctly while not being too critical of how she says things.
The challenge for the GATE students will be to keep them engaged in my lessons. To do this, I
will plan challenge questions into my lesson that require higher level thinking and the application
of the science concepts that are being discussed. I can also extend their knowledge by letting
them participate in web quests (for lessons one and two only) that will help them to use the
language and help them understand the concepts after I have taught the main portion of my
lesson.
To help students that are struggling with math, because my unit does not include many math
concepts they will not need me to help with that. However if large numbers do come up I will
help them pronounce the place value of those numbers.
Finally, to help my students that sometimes have behavioral problems, I will focus on limiting
such problems. For Rayn and Sarah, I will include them in many of the hands-on demonstrations
and activities that I will do. For Alison, it would be best pair her up with someone who does not
mind working with her, but will keep her on task.