RUNNNING HEAD: Literature Review: Domain A 1

Literature Review: Domain A

Alexis Mayhall

National University

TED690
Literature Review 2

Abstract

This literature review connects and explains the artifact that I have chosen to Domain A:

Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to Students. In this review, I will explain Domain A and

how the InTASC standards one and two make up this domain. My first artifact is an Observation

Form completed my university supervisor in which she evaluated my ability and competency in

Domain A. My second artifact is an ELA phonics lesson plan that demonstrates my ability to

make content comprehensible to students and accessible to different learning groups.

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The artifacts that I have chosen demonstrate my competency and progress towards

mastering Domain A of the InTASC standards. This domain requires teachers to make subject

matter comprehensible to students. This domain covers two of the InTASC (2013) standards:

 Standard 1: The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that

patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive,

linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements

developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences (p. 16)

 Standard 2: The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures

and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to

meet high standards (p. 17)

Artifact 1: Student Teaching Observation Form

This artifact is my final student teaching observation form in which my university

supervisor made her final assessment of mastery for each of the InTASC standards. According to

Costantino & De Lorenzo, “each set of standards captures the knowledge, dispositions, and skills

related to effective teaching in general or relative to a specific domain” (2013. p. 10). This

artifact provides evidence that I have mastered standards one and two based on my supervisor’s

observations while in my classroom. While teaching kindergarten students, I was able to make

the content understandable and relatable to young learners through teaching strategies such as

anchor charts, peer discussions, and cooperative learning groups. This form also shows that I was

able to demonstrate competency in understanding differences in learners, cultures and their

communities by providing anchors for student learning that activates prior knowledge and

utilizes pictures that can be easily read by young learners or ELL students.

Artifact 2: Lesson Plan Template

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One of the core standards in this domain is making sure diverse groups of learners from

different cultures abilities are included in reaching high standards of learning. This lesson is

demonstrating my ability to reach these diverse learning groups in that the lesson enables

students who are not readers and students who are English Language Learners (ELL) are

included in a whole group learning experience. According to Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory,

“through social interaction people create knowledge in using their first language, and this use of

language helps guide their joint activity in particular settings, allowing for ways of thinking to be

shared and learned” (as cited by Haley & Austin, 2014, p. 12). Within this lesson, I am able to

provide my students with models of how to think about a text by thinking aloud and providing a

model for their own thinking. I am also able to provide the students with various social learning

experiences by allowing my students to discuss their thinking about a text through partner talks

at the beginning of the lesson, then again with a Think, Pair, Share discussion structure at the end

of the lesson. By providing my students with opportunities to discuss their thinking with proper

scaffolds, students are able to actively join in academic discussion about age appropriate content.
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References

Costantino, P.M., De Lorenzo, M.N. (2013). Developing a professional teaching portfolio: A

guide for success (3rd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Haley, M.H., Austin, T.Y. (2014). Content-based second language teaching and learning: An

interactive approach (2nd Ed.). Boston: Pearson.

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