Concept Development and Quality of Feedback. These dimensions fall under the Instructional Support domain in the Pre-K CLASS measure. They have some similarities, of course—but they are truly distinctive in the ways they play out in the classroom.

Concept Development is defined by the CLASS Manual as the dimension that "Measures the teachers' use of instructional discussions and activities to promote students' higher-order thinking skills and cognition and the teacher's focus on understanding rather than on rote instruction."

This dimension focuses on building children’s thinking skills. Teachers who demonstrate high levels of CD are not just teaching a “concept” (letters, numbers, seasons), but using specific strategies to encourage children to think more deeply about ideas in the world around them. CD is all about the ways a teacher facilitates learning throughout the day.

Quality of Feedback, on the other hand, "Assesses the degree to which the teacher provides feedback that expands learning and understanding and encourages continued participation."

QF happens when a teacher responds to what a child says or does in a way that pushes the child to keep thinking or trying. Teachers who show high levels of QF are really specific in their feedback, assist children without simply giving away right answers, and expand on children’s words and actions. Was the child able to accomplish something deeper as a result of a teacher’s response? If so, there was probably some QF involved!

So, keeping those definitions in mind, can you sort the following classroom interactions into the correct CLASS dimension? 

 

 

 

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