Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Given:

Contextual factors include community, school, and classroom factors; characteristics of students; students’ varied approaches to learning; and students’ skills and prior learning. It is important for classroom teachers to realize how contextual factors will affect their instructional planning and assessment.

Task:

A.  Write an essay (suggested length of 5–7 pages) in which you describe the contextual factors in your classroom and discuss how these factors affect the teaching–learning process. In your essay:
1.  Describe two environmental contextual factors for each of the following areas:
a.  Community
b.  District
c.  School

Note: Environmental factors may include geographic location, community and school population, socioeconomics, race and ethnicity, stability of community, and community support for education.

2.  Describe each of the following four classroom contextual factors:
•  Physical features
•  Availability of technology equipment and resources
•  Extent of parental involvement
•  One other classroom contextual factor

Note: Other classroom factors can include grade level, classroom subjects, classroom rules and routines, grouping patterns, and classroom arrangement.

3.  Explain how four student contextual factors impact the design of instruction and assessment of learning.

Note: Student factors can include age, gender, race and ethnicity, special needs, achievement and developmental levels, culture, language, interests, learning styles and modalities, and skill levels.

4.  Discuss student skills and prior learning that may influence your development of each of the following three components: learning goals, instruction, and assessment.

B.  Submit a completed “School Demographics Survey” attached below.

C.  When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the attached Rubric Terms.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in a paper or project, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the paper or project.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the General Instructions section.