Video Analysis #2 Lesson 3

READ 5463
Tarri O. Miller
Texas Womans University

Link to Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fK49heJIpQ
Introduction
This is the third lesson for Malachi. For this lesson my goal was to add another
strategy for Malachi to use for monitoring his comprehension. This lesson focuses on the
structure and elements of a fiction story by providing text evidence and using these
elements to synthesize the information through a brief retelling. As a result of the
feedback session when reviewing my first video analysis, this lesson also contains
introduction to vocabulary words in the story that Malachi might not understand. The
vocabulary routine proved to be an engaging activity that not only enhanced his word
knowledge, but also supported his comprehension. Malachi is familiar with retelling, but
only when his classroom teacher has asked for him to orally retell a story through
assessment such as DRA. I wanted him to also understand that by synthesizing
information in a fiction story to include story elements, he could retell a story with all
essential information. We had already briefly reviewed retell with the story Swimmy
previous to the other familiar story The Three Little Pigs. I wanted to jump right into the
new story for the week so that you could actually observe his ability to retell with a new
text.
My focus for this lesson was to allow for Malachi to control more of the
discussion and allow for the discussion to be more two-way instead of teacher controlled.
I think that by allowing Malachi to be more of a participant in the discussion, his selfconfidence will improve and his willingness to take risks without hesitation. My second
area that I wanted to focus on was to become more aware of my own language so that it
will encourage Malachi to think deeper. I provided myself a sheet with visual reminders
so that I could promote this type of thinking. I also want to give Malachi enough time to
process his thoughts. My hope with this lesson is that I promoted a more relaxed
environment and my disposition was more inviting.
Lesso
n
3

Note Taking
Video Length for Lesson 3 Video time 10:02

When you are doing a retell with a fiction story,

(inaudible comment), you have certain
characteristics of a fiction story. And what I
thought we would do right now is were going
to go through a story that is familiar to you and
me and we are going to categorize all the
different things. And a lot of times a fiction
story..and we know you said they havethey

Note Making

I have a graphic organizer (tree map) in

front of us that list the elements of a fiction
story. I will refer to this see my hands
I should have defined categorize and used
the word elements instead of things
so generic.
Having student recall story elements for
understanding.

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have what?
They have..uuhh
Swimmy was a fish.so that was a ..he
was the main.
character
Very good, thats right! Very good! I think I
may have you do the next one too. And it took
place where?
In the ocean
Which was thesetting, exactly
Setting
And things build upon things, they build,
events, they build, they happen and happen and
happen. Thats you plot, another word would be
event. Alot of times in fiction stories you have
..
ProbProblem

Yes. (nodding) but, a lot of times also, go on

take it..the problem.

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Uhh.Gets solved.
I think you are going to do a marvelous job on
this lesson. Those are the, called.Do you
know what they are called? Story.elements.
They are called story elements. I knew you
knew that. I knew you did.

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Oh, (shakes head )

Well, we kind of did it with Swimmy. I thought
we do it with a familiar story before we get into
our other story. This one know I know you and I
are both familiar with. It is the
# Little Pigs

We have discussed this already want to set

him up for success.
Prompted student maybe I shouldnt have
given him so much lead
I knew he knew it. Praise he needs a lot
of positive reinforcement for success.
Recalling setting
I already said I am going to let you do the
next one, responded too quickly wait
time!!
There is that things word again UGH! I
need to call it by its name (element) I did
call it events BUT that is what I was trying
to get him to say
He knows- I took this as positive to mean
more discussion /participation.
I should have reinforced with praise
missed opportunity this also made me
think of Choice Words chapter 4 being
strategic- it was as if by saying but I
disregarded his response.
I wanted Malachi to own take ownership
and feel he had the lead by saying take it.
Affirmed his thinking and building agency
I want to see if he has understanding of
story elements.
He is searching look at his face! When
told he shakes his head- I think he has heard
this term, he just forgot.
Although he did not say elements I
wanted to recognize his knowing (chapter
6)
Seems confident - interested
it is retelling the story using story
elements This is where I should have been
more explicit.
Reaching for 3 Little Pigs book

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Right! The 3 Little Pigs. So were going to go

ahead and were going to retell the story of the 3
Little Pigs and I am going to show you- when
you list everything Characters, setting, events,
problem, solution you know the most
important thing that you need to do when you
make sure when you do your - Character,
setting, events, problem, solution You have to
make sure the events are what?
Correct
They are correct and they have to be in..
Order
(Mouthing WOW)

Before we get into the story, before we are

reading the story, remember what we did last
time, is we went through the book and pointed
out some what?
Some words..
Right, vocabulary words that might give us
trouble. Last time we had quite a bit this time I
just have a couple that I want you to understand
before we go to the story. Can you turn to page
2?
See notes

I want you to put your finger Oh Look!

Theres the word what is that word?
Bragged.
There ya go now you see it and you can be
familiar with it On page 7 theres another
word that I thought might cause you a little bit
of trouble This is the words dashed

Setting up the modeling part for a retell as a

strategy showing Malachi the graphic
organizer of story elements
Look at my face talk about deer in the
headlights! I included this part because I felt
like I got away from the lesson, although
important to order events I just felt it got
the lesson off course
Trying to bring him back in the lesson
YES!
I moved on and did not show you the part
that I modeled because Malachi actually
participated quire a bit and was successful
I wanted to go straight to the unfamiliar text
and show some vocabulary and text reading.
Seeing if he recalls what we did from the
last lesson

Right hereI should not have told him that

I should have ask HIM why we were
looking at vocabulary words missed
opportunity for a significant ownership
moment and a sense of agency!
We had just gone over the word bragged
and were moving over to the next word
we spotted bragged and I wanted Malachi
to see that it is used in other places in the
book probably should have said that to
him not being explicit

I should have reaffirmed in a more positive

way his noticing.
I think I should say something else here
my words sound negative, like Malachi is
not going to understand maybe not be so
personal and directed toward him but keep
it generic- change my words (Choice Words
chapter 8)

Dashed

Coyote dashed off Do you know what

dashed means?
Shakes his head.. No
Well, guess what? Its your lucky day, its kind
of like the words we had in the last story..
OH!!!!

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Swift dashed means to run or travel

somewhere with great speed so when I give
you the examples for dash Guess what I
want you to do? If you think its a really good
example of dashed.I want you to act like
you are running really fast so youre gonna do
this (demonstrating) You ready?
Giggling Yes!
Practice - Alright! Ok- heres your first
example (fast forward to another word)
Running in the building to get out of a
thunderstorm, would that be. you dash into
the building if it was a thunderstorm outside?
Would you say yes?
Saying yes to the example with the prompt
Tell me why you say yes.
Because when you dashing, when you dash to
school when you walk to school
This is a thunderstorm. Remember
And then when a thunderstorm comes, you
want to dash into the school because(shaking his
head no)
Why?
If you walk to the school when the
thunderstorm is about to come, why you want to
do that?
I dont know, you tell me. That was your
thought.
Cause when you dont

He said it too I should have stopped and

asked him how he knew that word. I am
glad he said it with me though he wants to
read!
(reading from text)
checking for understanding
Checking for understanding and prior
knowledge
I love this moment! He remembers and is
connecting text to text.
He really looks like he is thinking about the
words and making the connection - Chapter
5 (Transfer/Flexibility)
He is intently thinking the engagement is
positive
Explicit demonstrating his understanding
for the vocabulary word.
Check for understanding explicit
Love the smile!

Want him to be strategic/sense of

agency(Chapter 4)
Using his prior knowledge making a text
to self connection I interrupted him
I should have been silent (Chapter 6
knowing)

I think I sounded harsh maybe instead I

should have said Tell me more about that
or why you say that..
So animated! He is really trying to give a
good explanation!
I wanted him to give me more I want him
to own his thinking I am trying to develop
his sense of agency by being responsive.
Seems to be backing off his excitement

Whats a thunderstorm?

A thunderstorm is a really big.when

lightening comes out, rain is pouring
Soyou would definitely want to do what to
get into that building?
Dash.
There ya go! I like how you put those two
together. Has that ever happen to you? On the
playground maybe?
No!
Never? No, notthunderstorm raining? On the
playground? Got to get in the building quick?
Oh yeah raining!
And were going to think about how were going
to.

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Retell the story

And what are we things we are going to be
looking for and remembering in the story?
The..?
Characters, setting, plot, problem, and solution
Right and what I have done is Ive made a little
retelling guide here, a little anchor chart for us
to use. Can you read it for me?
Retelling guide Anchor chart

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Story of the title

Twist those words back flip em The..

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The title of the story

There ya go

The characters are.the setting..the story

took place.the plot..
Included is..
Included is the problem.problem and solution

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Okay so were just going to charting this

down as we go through the story and also we
going to go back and revisit it at the end of the

I know he knows this, I am trying to get him

to think about his answer without too much
prompting.
Affirming his answer, but not verbally
Bringing him back to the vocabulary word.
Affirming his ownership
Seeing if he can make the connection

I am referring back to the anchor chart for

retell I introduced this earlier this is
reminder is for support.
I am glad he said this, understanding.
Guiding should have said elments:
Recall with visual
I did not need to say anchor chart just
state the purpose.
I want him to know that this is our guide for
the story (explicit) yet I read the
beginning need to let Malachi take more
ownership
Should be title of the story
Using twist is confusing glad I said
flip
Affirm by nodding not sure why this has
become my new catch phrase.
Helping with words
Notice how he gets stuck on problem
he gets a little frustrated I am thinking that
his articulation has gotten him frustrated in
the past and that might be his reason why he
does not like to read out loud.
I wish I had said write instead of chart
for clarity I might be explicit here but I
think I could have used different language.

story and see if there is something we could

have possible missed. Okay?

You are in charge today of all of the reading!

How do you feel about that?
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Excited.
Why do you feel excited?

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Because I like it read by myself and uh..

Is it okay that I join you in this reading?

So if you need some help, what would you do?

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I will ask for some help.

Okay. Feeling pretty confident?
Yes.
You should be. We are getting a lot of
disruptions today. Okay so lets open.
Begins to read to read text
Continues reading to the end

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I win!
I like your expression in that. How did you
know to say it that way?
Becauseexclamation mark??
Yes, it is. Its an exclamation point and we
always show emotion when we use and
exclamation point.
Poor Coyote, look at Coyote. How do you think
he feels at the end of the story. What does that
tell you?
Probably sad.
Sad? Right.What el.Do you think anything

Check out the yawn !- FYI there is no a/c in

the building and we have a box fan blowing
across from us Look at that smile! I wanted Malachi to
become more comfortable about reading out
loud and take ownership.
Yay!!!
I want him where his answer takes him.
I want him to know he has a choice, but I
should have said listen to him read not
join him because that sounds like I will be
reading too.
Want him to know that he has support.
Check for understanding
Identity(Chapter 3) affirm his ability
School bell ringing his expression is
hilarious.
I wanted to show his reading various parts
of the text - he struggles, at times, with
pronunciation, but overall he has become
more confident and I wanted him to own
this read. W gives him trouble possible
articulation need I should have stopped
after he went back and self corrected for
support
Want him to be strategic (Chapter 4)
He knows he is really trying to problem
solve I probably could have asked for more from
Malachi in regard to what kind of emotion
was Rabbit showing when he said what he
did. This would have allowed Malachi more
ownership.
(Continues to read text)
again looking for him to be strategic
I caught myself because I felt I was leading

else?
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him, so I reworded to give him ownership

of his thoughts. Watch his expression.

No.
Sad, because he didnt win the race and it said
he never going to brag again. Because guess
what? He got beat by who?
The Rabbit.
But Rabbit knew that because who really was
going to win because he was faster
Coyote
So what did Rabbit do?
Tricked him.
How did he trick him?
With the brothers..because Rabbit and the
brother looked the same and he each one of the
brothers hopped out a holeand the Coyote
ran as fast and then he stopped to rest.
Malachi?
And thenuh
Do you know what you just did?
What?
What did you just do? You did an amazing job!
Look at you!

I should have let him explain he was

taking the lead so well. My fault!
He is beginning to retell (character)
He is beginning to get all the elements as
we talk.
(character)
(Problem/solution)
(Problem/solution) This was text evidence,
but also higher level thinking because it
does not explicitly state this in the story
Malachi had to be strategic with this portion
od the text! Huge! Look at my face- HA!
Inside I am so elated!
He is so unaware of the strategy keep
watching.
Calling his attention to the strategy -

Praise for his work -Want him to

acknowledge his ability to monitor his
comprehension. Now I look back- should
have said something about his thinking- not
a job have to rid myself of this word!!
Look at him!!He knows he is successful
he is so proud of himself!!!
Retell (mumbling )
Name the strategy.
You did! You did a retell and we were just
Want him to acknowledge his ability to
discussing. Thats all we were doing and you did monitor his comprehension and notice.
a retell. Im so proud of you. What about you?
I am!
So shy yet excited we really took in this
moment!
You didnt even know.You didnt even
Laughing love to see him shine! I should
know you did that and you did! And you read
have said the strategy of retell he is
beautifully, you read beautifully! I did not have
kicking his feet quickly underneath the table
to help you with anything. You were so
he is so excited!
confident.
Affirm his progress
Summary of Analysis

Student Learning
Malachi is exhibiting much more self confidence and a willingness to take risks.
He seemed more actively involved in discussion. By setting him up for success with a
familiar text, he was able to move into an unfamiliar text and apply his prior knowledge
accurately. As we discussed the story elements he actually took the lead in discussion and
responded before I could even say anything. Since Malachi is a visual leaner he addition
of the anchor chart on the easel and also in front of him provided him cues as he
processed his thinking. The anchor charts assisted Malachi a way to capture thinking
and make it visible, public, and permanent (Miller, 2013, page 75). If an adjustment was
needed, the charts were available. When instruction was provided for vocabulary, he
seemed his most comfortable. MacNeil (1984) has suggested that one hypothesis
explaining the strong correlation between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension
ability is that a person who knows a word well knows other and ideas
related to it. He was able to recall similar words from last week and make the
connection. Malachi read the entire story independently. He is becoming more proficient
with his text accuracy, expression, and phrasing. His ability to retell the story both orally
and with a story map with accuracy, again plays into how his confidence and self-esteem
are affect positively by this academic achievement.
Teacher Learning
Before I edited this video for viewing by colleagues, I came to the conclusion that I
talked way too much in this lesson when providing explanation for the strategy. I see
myself questioning my practices as I am instructing. I actually was having the
conversation in my head as the lesson continued on how to refine and revise as time went
on. Even though I wasnt please with that take away, I was please with the fact that I was
aware and took notice. I believe this is a good habit because it makes me aware of how I
teach, which is a part of self-assessing. This excessive talking took place more during the
explicit teach or explaining portion. My A-ha was that explicit doesnt mean more talk or
explaining, just being more explicit will make for better instruction assumes that
language is simply a delivery system for information, a literal packaging of knowledge. It
is not (Johnston, 2004, page 8). I am please that I have been able to be creative with the
lesson and make learning fun for Malachi. I am learning that as I reflect on my teaching,
the more honest conversations I have in regard to my practices, the greater my ability
will be to adapt and be an integral part of education that is constantly changing. During
the discussion times, I was able to effectively use wait time more productively, which
gave Malachi time to justify his comments. I also believe this went well with my first
goal of sharing the ownership of knowledge. Malachi is taking more risks with discussion
and expressing his thoughts deeper. I have tried to include reflective question stems for
him that allow for this. I know that changes to my teaching practices will not take place
over night. What I can say is that I a noticing more as I teach, an awareness, which I think
is positive not only for myself but my students. It is by being reflective that my teaching
experience is becoming more rewarding.

Teaching Goal/ Progress

Goal 1: My goal is to get better at sharing the ownership of knowledge and the
responsibility for constructing knowledge with my students.
Progress:
For this goal I feel that Malachi took a substantial leap this week. I feel that I have made
a step towards making learning matter to him and providing the purpose as well. I believe
that eventually he will see how the lessons taught will hold value for him outside the
classroom. I believe through the discussions that have taken place between the two of us
while learning and the encouragement I have exhibited toward his ability to seek answers
as he learns, this will continue to create that internal motivation.
Goal 2: My goal is to be more consciously aware in deciding what elements of
instruction need to be taught explicitly. I want to develop my abilities to be explicit when
called for, but to allow students to explore and figure out things for themselves.
Progress:
Reflecting on this goal I asked myself if am I confusing Malachi by simply telling him
instead of getting him to apply the strategy to help him comprehend. I believe I can
accomplish this by doing a better job of modeling and offering him he opportunity to see
me think through the process. I dont want to just tell him. Being told explicitly what to
do and how to do it over and over again provides the foundation for a different set of
feelings and a different story about what you can and cannot do, and who you are
(Johnston, 2004, page 8).

References
Irwin, J.W. (2007). Teaching reading comprehension processes. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Johnston, P. H. (2004). Choice words: How our language affects childrens learning.
Portland, ME: Stenhouse
Miller, D. (2013). Reading with meaning: teaching comprehension in the primary grades
Portland, ME: Stenhouse