Comprehension Instruction Design Activity

Client Information
Name of Client: Tiera Lee
Title of Client: 4th Grade Teacher
Email Address of Client: tiera.lee@clayton.k12.ga.us
Organization of Client: Thurgood Marshall Elementary School
Instructional Problem
My client stressed to me that she needs more instructional support and strategies to differentiate
learning. In addition, she needs new ideas on how to teach reading comprehension in order to
answer and respond to higher level DOK questions. Ms. Lee thinks engaging activities will spark
an interest in her students and encourage them to think critically. Her students require support in
order to build confidence and self-motivation. The goal is for 75% of Ms. Lees students to be
able to read multistep problems/questions without being confused and defeated. Lees classroom
is composed of 4th graders (ages 9 and 10) ; there are 18 males and 14 females. She teaches a
diverse group of students at a transitional school. She has a predominantly African American, but
there are also Caucasian, Vietnamese, Hispanic, and Asian students. There is an alarming amount
of students who are labeled as DES or SWD. Under five of her students are pulled out to receive
gifted services. She has observed that 25% of her students are above level, 40 % on level, and
35% below level. Although some of her students are ESOL, all of them are fluent in English. A
vast majority of her students are tactile or visual learners who are interested in the arts, sports,
electronics, and reading aloud.
Standard
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in
the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
Instructional Design Utilized

The ADDIE Instructional Design model seems to be the most suitable to address the instructional
problem. I started off by analyzing the dynamics of the classroom and collecting valuable
information to solve the instructional problem. After the problem was identified we set a learning
outcome. The major constraints is the amount of intensive students that she services daily. In
order to implement the lesson I will create an Emaze presentation for my client. When I reached
the design phase, we identified a learning target for the lesson. The learning target places an
emphasize on story elements, which was introduced in third grade. In 4th grade, students are
asked to describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama. During the design
phase we decided on the type of tool we would use for assessment. To ensure that the lesson will
be effective we identified the projects goal. After evaluating the original PowerPoint
Presentation, I made and executive decision to use an on-line platform called Emaze. This
platform allows users to create an eye catching and engaging media presentation. After
developing the Emaze we outline the procedure for the lesson to ensure that it was aligned with
the curriculum and learning objectives. The implementation phase entails familiarizing the
instructor and learners with the new platform. Furthermore, this phase includes securing the
proper equipment for the lesson. The same lesson will be taught for four consecutive days to
ensure fidelity. In the next step of ADDIE students will be evaluated to measure if the learning
objectives were met. Students will take an on-line assessment so that they may be provided with
immediate feedback. Once all test score are accessible, the facilitator can determine if the
learning objectives were met. Unfortunately, if the learning objective are not met the next step
would be to revisit the design phase of ADDIE.

Re-design

The original PowerPoint had a wealth of information. However, it lacked visuals and was very
wordy on certain slides. In order to reduce the amount of text and spark the interest of learners, I
added more familiar graphic animations to the presentation.

Assessment
On Friday students will be assessed on an on-line platform. The goal is for 75% of the students
to master the standards with the given constraints in Ms. Lees class. The assessment will be
assigned on eAssessment which is an online testing site powered through Mc-Graw Hill.
Students in her class are already familiar with the platform.

Support of learning
The use of technology is a critical component in a 21st Century class setting. Because technology
is constantly evolving, it is imperative to keep up with the technological trends. In addition, I
added visuals for supplementary support. Studies show that 90% of information transmitted to
the brain is visual and processed faster, because visual content drives engagement. The Spatial
Contiguity Principle was applied in the re-design. People retain more information from graphics
and printed text.

ACRL Visual and Literacy Competency

Standard 1
It is transparent that visuals are important in media presentation to encourage students to retain
information. This standard was implemented by adding visuals to support written text.

Standard 3
While determining which images to use, I considered the dynamics of Ms. Lees class. Age
played a key factor in picking relatable visuals. This established a strong relationship to lay the
foundation for the learning objectives.
Reflection
This project was one of the most challenging projects that I have had throughout my
matriculation in graduate school. I was relieved completing this assignment. However, I enjoyed
completing this activity. I was able to apply the information that was taught throughout the
course.

References
Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2008). Teaching visual literacy: Using comic books, graphic novels,
anime, cartoons, and more to develop comprehension and thinking skills. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.
Clark, R. C., & Mayer, R. E. (2003). E-Learning and the science of instruction: Proven
guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass/Pfeiffer.

Clipart images from google.com