CTESS ebook

Opportunities To Respond (Frequency Tally)

Descriptor

Definition

The teacher presents a means for students to show what they know by saying, writing, reading, or doing. The teacher makes student thinking visible (the depth of student thinking is not paramount). If the purpose of the teacher’s prompt is to engage students in a learning activity that is related to the lesson content, it is tallied as an OTR. If the purpose of the teacher’s prompt is procedural, such as transitioning to another activity or an attention signal, it would NOT be tallied as an OTR (e.g., “Get out your workbooks.” or “Move into your small groups.” Or “When you are ready to begin, show me a ‘thumbs up’.”). Each example below is tallied as one OTR. Teacher asks questions of the whole class and then picks one student to answer. (If the teacher has second or third student answer the same question, each would be an additional OTR). • “Michelle, show us all how you work this algebra problem.” Group OTR Examples: • The whole class responds verbally, all at the same time (e.g., teacher asks students to count to 18; tally as one OTR, not 18). (Choral Response). • “Group A, thumbs up if you agree with Group B’s response.” (Non -verbal). • Teacher asks all students to hold up their answers. (Non-verbal). • Teacher reads the Learning Intention to the students, broken into three chunks, and has the students re-state each part of the Learning Intention. (Choral Response – Each chunk represents an OTR). • “Let’s read this sentence together. Begin” (Choral Reading). • Teacher asks students to Cloze read a passage and uses a prompt for each response; tally each of the group responses as one OTR. (Choral Response). • Teacher initiates the spelling or vocabulary routine, tally the breaking down of the word (in letters, sounds or syllables) as one OTR. (Choral Response). • Teacher asks all students to write briefly in response to a prompt. (Quick Write). • Teacher asks students share their Quick Write with a partner. (Pair-Share). • Teacher directs students to take notes during a presentation (or there is an implied expectation of notetaking). (Writing Response). • Teacher has students turn to their partner and explain the questions they will be answering during their Science Lab. (Pair-Share). • Teacher has the students say the individual sounds in the word “tell” (“t” “e” “ll”). (Choral Resp onse). Teacher continues and then asks the students what word? (“tell”). (Choral Response). These are two separate OTRs. Non-Examples: • Teacher provides a direction: “Tamara, take out your notebook.” (This is procedural). • Teacher prompts students: “Remember to put your name on your paper.” (This is procedural). • Teacher asks a rhetorical question, not really expecting students to answer: “Class, do we need a reminder of how to use the drinking fountain?” • Teacher has students turn to their partner and tell the partner what page they are on. (This is procedural). Individual OTR Examples: •

Teachers Engage Students

Group and Individual Opportunities for Student Responding (R)

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