Instruction
Instruction: evidence of impact
Task 2 asks you to show how instruction supports learning, using video evidence and commentary. Rubrics focus on the learning environment, engagement, subject-specific pedagogy, deepening thinking through discourse and questioning, and supporting academic language. The key move is analysis, not narration. 'I asked a question and students answered' is narration; 'At 3:12 I asked students to compare two explanations, and their turn-and-talk shows they were using evidence because...' is analysis. Name the strategy, cite the moment, interpret its effect on learning, and propose a next step.
Traps
Common traps: describing compliance as engagement; claiming student-to-student discourse when the clip shows only teacher-student recitation; giving generic feedback like 'good job'; and proposing supports for language without naming the demand. Another trap is mismatch between commentary claims and video evidence-if the rubric asks for evidence, the clip or artifacts must actually show it.
Worked example
A candidate writes, 'Students engaged in rich discussion.' The clip only shows the teacher calling on volunteers who give one-word answers. Revision: 'At 2:45, I shifted from IRE questioning to a partner protocol: Explain your claim to your partner, then ask one clarifying question. The clip shows two students citing the text and revising a claim. Next time I would model a stronger clarifying question to deepen reasoning.' Rule of thumb: claim → cite → impact → next step.