Master Practitioner Portfolio

Standard Two: Middle level English language arts teachers understand the function, the influence, and the range of written language.  

Reading/Literature

As an educator, I believe that there are several important strategies and practices that are important in reaching students both in and outside of the classroom. While many of these strategies are important, there are four that are essential in reaching young readers. Direct, explicit comprehension, diverse texts, and ongoing formative assessment are key in meeting the literacy needs of all students, individually.

Direct, explicit comprehension instruction is a form of instruction where you define, explain, and model the instruction of the reading comprehension strategies. Reading comprehension strategies such as making inferences, summarizing, identifying the main idea, comparison, contrast and cause/effect are strategies that all middle school students need regular practice in. In the midst of today’s regular education classroom, most teachers have a group of struggling readers, and a group of special needs readers. In order to meet the goal of growth and proficiency for all students, teachers must lead their students towards literacy goals by providing a balance of intentional whole group and small group direct reading instruction where reading strategies are taught and modeled in detail for students. After modeling, students should be provided ample classroom time where they may practice the strategies both independently and with a group. Practice time is essential in creating the confidence and feedback necessary to help students reach growth and proficiency in reading.

In addition to comprehension instruction, providing a classroom library with diverse texts (from the four major genres of fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) available for student reading is an absolute necessity. Middle school students, specifically struggling middle school students most often arrive to language arts class unmotivated. It’s almost as if they feel that they will be forced to read never-ending, miserably boring novels. Providing students with a choice in text and text reading levels will not only satisfy their interest in reading, but it will allow a reading experience that reaches them on their own reading and language level. All reading students can grow if met at their reading level and if they are simply READING. It takes getting the student deeply interested in what they’re reading, before you can begin to teach and monitor reading strategies. Once students begin to feel confident in developing an understanding of the text, literary elements, author’s language and relevant genre at their own level, they begin to feel confident that they may try those same, improved skills on the next level of text. Instilling a sense of efficacy in this manner is essential for improving the reading level of adolescents.

To accompany enriched, balanced reading instruction, students must be carefully monitored for understanding through formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment is essential in driving instruction in the classroom. Small assessments such as teacher/student mini-conferences, tickets-out-the-door, 3-2-1 summarizing and quick check assignments allow for class and individual student progress monitoring. This monitoring is important in informing the teacher of which students have gained proficiency in a certain objective or standard, and which students have remained non-proficient. This knowledge helps instructors prepare for future lesson strategies and the re-teaching necessary in helping all students achieve growth and proficiency in the area of reading comprehension.

Writing

With reading emphasis on the rise and the likelihood that it will not diminish, English language arts teachers benefit from a combined writing curriculum balanced and rich in both process and product. If properly balanced, both would benefit student performance.

Process allows student exploration of thoughts, concepts, meanings of text, political/ social position, critical insight/ analysis, and how theme relates to society and self. The utilization of concrete and digital graphic organizers empowers students to organize their thoughts related to structuring and organizing the writing process in regards to compositional thoughts and insights.

Product refines student skills such as grammar, mechanics, voice, tone, organization, and structure. Both teacher and student developed assessment rubrics assist in the overall analysis of writing/grammar skills in relation to the process of composing effective writing.

A balanced instruction of both in relation to the composition of writing would promote academic success in the areas of reading comprehension, writing composition, and refinement of textual analysis and publishing the final product.

Evidences of Proficiency in Standard Two:

Reading: -Class Activities and Lesson Plan design incorporating the use of literary works from major genres.

               -Class assignment incorporating the use of a graphic organizer to guide the reading comprehension skill of making 

                predictions and foreshadowing.

Writing:  -Class activity requiring the student to create a scene in a classic Shakespearean Drama. Scene creation is specific to purpose and

                audience. Activity also reflects students ability to connect literature and the writing process.

               -Class activity requiring the student to create an effective adaptation of a classic Shakespearean Drama specific to purpose,

                audience, and context. Activity also reflects students ability to connect literature and the writing process.

               -Distributed Rubric specific to an assigned narrative writing project. Reflects the guided practice of analyzing the quality of

                written work and how to develop effective written language.