ASL Diagnostician and Evaluation Services

(202) 651-5222 (v)

(202) 250-2394 (vp)
(202) 651-5880 (fax)

Kendall Green
800 Florida Avenue NE
Merrill Learning Center, 2200
Washtington, DC 20002

October 12, 2016

Julie Mitchiner
Gallaudet University
800 Florida Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20002
RE: Classroom Discourse Observation
Dear Julie Mitchiner:
Classroom Discourse Observation (CDO) captures not only aspects of ASL, but also discourse
techniques/pragmatics, heuristic functions, and whether the environment is visually
optimized. A classroom-based assessment would also note students' comprehension of the
faculty, and the faculty's comprehension of the students.
You were observed and video recorded on 09/26/2016. The feedback session for this
observation was scheduled for 10/12/2016. During this session, the video recording was
reviewed with you. In addition to this cover letter, you are being provided a summative
report of the observation which includes your strengths and recommended areas for
improvement (if applicable) with regard to optimizing your classroom environment,
discourse, and pragmatics. We appreciate you completing a questionnaire to gather
information about your overall experience with the process, and the benefit of the
information provided to you.
The video recording you observed during the feedback session and the CDO Summative
Report are available to you via a CDO Portal. A username and password has been created for
you to gain access to the CDO Portal. You may change the password at your discretion. You
have ten (10) business from the feedback meeting date to log into the CDO Portal and
download the video and report onto your computer. As you enter the CDO Portal, you will see
your profile on the first page. There is a box that reads My Video with two boxes below
allowing you to either download or view the video. Click on the download box and it will
automatically be transferred to your downloads folder. You can then relocate the video on
your computer, if desired.
If recommended, the CDO Summative Report includes a Mentoring Action Plan (MAP) which
is tailored support to improve specific areas that were identified in the CDO process and
discussed in the feedback session. This support includes independent activities and those
guided by a Mentor. Depending on what is recommended, the mentoring could last several
weeks up to several months. You will be guided through the process to its completion.
Following the completion of the Mentoring Action Plan (MAP), a questionnaire will be provided
to you about your experience with the program.
In accordance with the Faculty Guidelines, specifically 6.8.7 Reporting Procedures
(outlined below), this letter and accompanying CDO Summative Report are being provided to
your Chair and Dean. If applicable, upon completion of the Mentoring Action Plan (MAP), a
follow up report will be provided.
6.8.7 Reporting Procedures
ASL-DES shall be responsible for sharing the rating results of the ASLPI
and feedback on the Classroom Discourse Observation with the individual
faculty member, the chair of the faculty members department, and the

Dean. In no other instance will the results be released without the written
permission of the individual faculty member.
If you have any questions about the information provided to you, please do not hesitate to
contact me. To express any concerns about the Classroom Discourse Observation (CDO),
please contact: CDO@gallaudet.edu
Sincerely

Attachment: CDO Summative Report

Jean M. Gordon
Diagnostician

CC: Maribel.garate@gallaudet.edu
Isaac.Agboola@gallaudet.edu

ASL Diagnostic and Evaluation Services

Summative Classroom Discourse Observation (CDO) Report

Name: Julie Mitchiner
Diagnostician: Jean M. Gordon
Date of Feedback session: 10/12/2016
With regard to your Classroom Discourse Observation (CDO) that was completed in the 2017 semester,
you were provided with access to the CDO Portal which houses the video recording, letter and summative
report (all of which you were permitted to download). Specific area(s) needing improvement were
identified in the CDO process, and you were recommended for the Mentoring Action Plan (MAP) Program.
As noted at the bottom of this report, you wish to participate in the MAP Program. In accordance with the
Faculty Guidelines Reporting Procedures, the letter and CDO Summative Report are also being provided
to your Department Chair and Dean who are included on this email. Upon completion of the MAP
Program, the CDO Summative Mentoring Report will be provided. If you have any questions, please
contact us at CDO@gallaudet.edu.
Understanding the Analysis: Each domain (A: Classroom Environment; B: Discourse; C: Pragmatics)
has ten items. Each item is analyzed and categorized in three ways: Satisfactory, Need Improvement, or
Not Applicable. For each overall domain, the total number of items in each category is provided. For items
that are identified as Need Improvement, a Mentoring Action Plan (MAP) is recommended to give
additional and tailored support for these specific item(s).
CATEGORIES (definitions):
Satisfactory (S) indicates that the item has been demonstrated accurately and
consistently throughout the observation. The items observed meet the minimal
expectations for Satisfactory.
Need Improvement (NI) indicates that the item has been demonstrated
inaccurately and inconsistently. It also indicates that the specific item is not
incorporated in content as expected. Changes need to be made to improve the
performance.
Not Applicable (NA) refers to a particular item that is rarely displayed in content
of the specific field so it is considered irrelevant. There are also some items for
which N/A is never selected because these items are always demonstrated and will
either be categorized as Satisfactory (S) or Need Improvement (NI). For these
items, you will see (---) in this category.

More information about the domains and their video samples can be found at
http://www.gallaudet.edu/asldes/cdo/cdo_checklist_videos.html
Domain A: Classroom Environment

Satisfactory (S)
Need Improvement (NI)
Not Applicable (N/A)
S=7
NI = 2

7
2
1
N/A = 1

1) sets appropriate font options

2) sets readiness

---

3) closing
4) visual readiness

---

5) visual readiness of other students

6) gives students time to read or look
7) sits/stands in an appropriate location

---

8) shifts between props

9) attention-getting techniques
10) visual acuity

--Satisfactory (S)
Need Improvement (NI)
Not Applicable (N/A)
S=9
NI = 1

Domain B: Discourse

9
1
0
N/A = 0

1) surrogate referents
2) referral tokens
3) depiction
4) clear relationship between two topics

---

5) digression devices
6) content-specific vocabulary

---

7) semantics

---

8) clarity of signs

---

9) clarity of fingerspelling

---

10) clarity of numbers

--Satisfactory (S)
Need Improvement (NI)
Not Applicable (N/A)
S=9
NI = 0

Domain C: Pragmatics

9
0
1
N/A = 1

1) gives the floor and gets it back

---

2) visual backchannel cues

---

3) students' backchannel cues

4) handles interruptions/distractions
5) understanding of students
6) acknowledge questions/comments

---

7) request clarification when needed

---

8) handling simultaneous conversations

9) self-repairs without disrupting pace
10) repreat or rephrase

Mentoring Action Plan (MAP)

Need Improvement Item

The Mentoring Action Plan (MAP) will provide support for the following item(s) needing improvement.
1. semantics

Mentoring Action Plan (MAP) Participation

I wish to participate in the MAP and agree to complete my assignments within the
agreed upon time frame. Upon completion, a Mentoring Summative Report will be
provided.
MAP Begin date: Monday, October 31, 2016
MAP End date: Friday, November 11, 2016
I wish to decline the MAP support
MAP is not recommended.

ASL Diagnostic & Evaluation Services (ASL-DES)

Classroom Discourse Observation (CDO)
https://www.gallaudet.edu/asldes/cdo.html