Catalog/Course Description:

Prerequisites: EDUC 3153, 3162, 4102, 4202, and 4302. Concurrent enrollment in READ 4213. Literacy theory and developmental stages of literacy. Planning and organizing for scientifically-based reading instruction including phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency.

Instructor Response Policy: During the week, response time is within 24-48 hours. Emails received over the weekend will receive a response no later than Tuesday, 8am. Emails received on holidays will receive a response no later than 8 am on the second business day after the holiday.

Course Competencies/Learning Outcomes:

Block B (READ 4203/4213) builds mastery of the following competencies/learning outcomes (Competencies are aligned to the TExES Examination Frameworks/Standards, EC-6 Core Subjects-ELAR, STR, Educator Standards, Technology Standards for Teachers, INTASC, and the International Literacy Association standards for Literacy Professional). Block B courses are taken concurrently. Knowledge and implementation of PK guidelines and K-6 TEKS geared instruction is required:

1.  Design content area ELAR classroom instruction. 

2.  Deliver content area ELAR classroom instruction. 

3.  Demonstrate knowledge of students and student learning.

4.  Demonstrate ELAR content expertise.

5.  Create a safe, accessible, and engaging learning environment.

6.  Demonstrate data-driven practice.

7.  Demonstrate professional practices and responsibilities.

8.  Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to phonological and phonemic awareness.

9.  Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to print concepts and alphabetic knowledge

10.Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to phonics and word identification skills

11.Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to syllabication and morphemic analysis.

12.Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to reading fluency.

13.Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to vocabulary development.

14.Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to comprehension development

15. Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to comprehension of literary texts.

16. Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to comprehension of informational texts.

17.Demonstrate and apply ELAR content knowledge related to writing, the writing process, and emergent literacy.

Teacher candidates will demonstrate the performances essential for meeting the reading/literacy instructional needs of all students. 

·        Reading education professionals are committed to using research-based instruction.

·        Reading education professionals assess learner needs to plan appropriate instruction.

·        Reading education professionals are aware that best assessments are conducted over time and compare the child’s past and present abilities.

·        Reading education professionals display positive dispositions related to reading and the teaching of reading.

·        Reading education professionals value students’ interests, reading abilities, and backgrounds as foundations for the reading and writing program.

·        Reading education professionals model reading and writing enthusiastically as valued lifelong activities.

·        Reading education professionals help parents find ways to support learning begun at school in enjoyable ways.

Course Focus

·        Effective Scientifically-Based Reading Instruction: The Teacher Makes the Difference

·        Developing Children’s Oral Language

·        Early Reading Instruction: Teaching the Essentials (Phonological/Phonemic Awareness & Alphabetics)

·        Phonics and Word Identification

·        Developing Children’s Reading Fluency

·        Increasing Reading Vocabulary

·        Teaching Reading Comprehension

·        Writing

·        Evidence-Based Programs, Interventions, and Standards for Reading Instruction

·        Assessment

·        Effective Reading Instruction and Organization in Grades K-3

·        Effective Academic Literacy Instruction and Organization in Grades 4-8

Appendix A –Standards/Competencies List

WCOE Standards (InTASC):

The outcomes for graduates of professional programs are based upon knowledge, skills, and dispositions in the following elements:

• Learner Development - understand how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and design and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

• Learning Differences - understand individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

• Learning Environment - work with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

• Content Knowledge - understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.

• Application of Content - understand how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.

• Assessment - understand and use multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.

• Planning for Instruction - plan instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

• Instructional Strategies - understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

• Professional Learning and Ethical Practice - engage in ongoing professional learning and use evidence to continually evaluate his or her practice, particularly the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

• Leadership and Collaboration - seek appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

TExES Preparation: The Language Arts and Reading content preparation test and review for the EC-6 Core Subjects and Science of Teaching Reading STR certifications will be given during this block. 

Course Objectives based upon the State Standards/ILA/INTASC: 

The course objectives of the ELAR Block are based on the Standards for Reading Professionals developed by the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee of the International Literacy Association (ILA), Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), and the Texas Educator Standards, EC-6 Core Subjects, PPR (EC-12), STR standards and TEXES test framework competencies.

ILA Standards for Literacy Professionals:

Foundational Knowledge-Standard 1 (ILA):  

Candidates demonstrate knowledge of the major theoretical, conceptual, and evidence-based foundations of pre-K/primary literacy and language and the ways in which they interrelate. As a result, teacher candidates will:

1.1 Candidates demonstrate knowledge of major theoretical, conceptual, and evidence-based components of pre-K/primary/elementary reading development (i.e., concepts of print, phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension) and evidence based instructional approaches that support that development

1.2 Candidates demonstrate knowledge of major theoretical, conceptual, and evidence-based foundations of pre-K/primary/elementary writing development and the writing process, and evidence based instructional approaches that support writing of specific types of text and producing writing appropriate to task.

1.3 Candidates demonstrate knowledge of major theoretical, conceptual, and evidence-based frameworks that describe the centrality of language to literacy learning and evidence-based instructional approaches that support the development of listening, speaking, viewing, and visually representing

1.4 Candidates demonstrate knowledge of major theoretical, conceptual, and evidence-based frameworks that describe the interrelated components of literacy and interdisciplinary learning

Curriculum and Instruction-Standard 2 (ILA):  

Candidates apply foundational knowledge to critically examine pre-K/primary literacy curricula; design, adapt, implement, and evaluate instructional approaches and materials to provide a coherent, integrated and motivating literacy program. As a result, teacher candidates will:

2.1 Candidates demonstrate the ability to critically examine pre-K/primary/elementary literacy curricula and select high-quality literary, multimedia, and informational texts to provide a coherent, integrated, and motivating literacy program.

2.2 Candidates plan, modify, and implement evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, and integrated instructional approaches that develop reading processes as related to foundational skills (i.e., concepts of print, phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, fluency), vocabulary, and comprehension for pre-K/ primary learners.

2.3 Candidates design, adapt, implement, and evaluate evidence-based and developmentally appropriate instruction and materials to develop writing processes and orthographic knowledge of pre-K/primary learners.

2.4 Candidates plan, modify, implement, and evaluate evidence based and integrated instructional approaches and materials that provide developmentally appropriate instruction and materials to develop the language, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing skills and processes of pre-K/ primary learners.

Assessment and Evaluation-Standard 3 (ILA):  

Candidates understand, select, and use appropriate assessments to gather evidence on pre-K/primary students’ language acquisition and literacy development for instructional and accountability purposes. As a result, teacher candidates will:

3.1 Candidates understand the purposes, strengths and limitations, reliability/validity, formats, and appropriateness of various types of informal and formal assessments.

3.2 Candidates use observational skills and results of student work to determine students’ literacy and language strengths and needs; select and administer other formal and informal assessments appropriate for assessing students’ language and literacy development.

3.3 Candidates use results of various assessment measures to inform and/or modify instruction.

3.4 Candidates use data in an ethical manner, interpret data to explain student progress

Diversity and Equity- Standard 4 (ILA): 

Candidates examine their own culture and beliefs; set high expectations for their students; learn about and appreciate the cultures of their students, families, and communities to inform instruction. As a result, teacher candidates will: 

4.1 Candidates recognize how their own cultural experiences affect instruction and appreciate the diversity of their students, families, and communities.

4.2 Candidates set high expectations for learners and implement instructional practices that are responsive to students’ diversity

4.3 Candidates situate diversity as a core asset in instructional planning, teaching, and selecting texts and materials.

4.4 Candidates forge family, community, and school relationships to enhance students’ literacy learning.

Learners and the Literacy Environment-Standard 5 (ILA):  

Candidates apply knowledge of learner development and learning differences to create a positive, literacy-rich learning environment anchored in digital and print literacies. As a result, teacher candidates will:

5.1 Candidates apply knowledge of learner development and learning differences to plan literacy learning experiences that develop motivated and engaged literacy learners.

5.2 Candidates incorporate digital and print texts and experiences designed to differentiate and enhance students’ language, literacy, and the learning environment.

5.3 Candidates incorporate safe, appropriate, and effective ways to use digital technologies in literacy and language learning experiences.

5.4 Candidates create physical and social literacy-rich environments that use routines and a variety of grouping configurations for independent and collaborative learning.

Professional Learning and Leadership-Standard 6 (ILA):  

Candidates are lifelong learners who reflect upon practice; use ongoing inquiry to improve their professional practice; advocate for students and their families to enhance students’ literacy learning. As a result, teacher candidates will:

6.1 Candidates are readers, writers, and lifelong learners who continually seek and engage with professional resources 

6.2 Candidates reflect as a means of improving professional teaching practices and understand the value of reflection in fostering individual and school change.

6.3 Candidates collaboratively participate in ongoing inquiry with colleagues and mentor teachers and participate in professional learning communities.

ELAR & Science of Teaching Reading (TEXES Core Subjects EC-6) Standards 

1. Oral Language 001: Teachers of young students understand the importance of oral language, know the developmental processes of oral language and provide a variety of instructional opportunities for young students to develop listening and speaking skills. 

2. Phonological and Phonemic Awareness 002: Teachers of young students understand the components of phonological and phonemic awareness and utilize a variety of approaches to help young students develop this awareness and its relationship to written language. 

3. Alphabetic Principle 003: Teachers of young students understand the importance of the alphabetic principle to reading English, know the elements of the alphabetic principle and provide instruction that helps students understand that printed words consist of graphic representations that relate to the sounds of spoken language in conventional and intentional ways. 

4. Literacy Development and Practice 004: Teachers of young students understand that literacy develops over time and progresses from emergent to proficient stages. Teachers use a variety of contexts to support the development of young students’ literacy. 

5. Word Analysis and Decoding 005: Teachers understand the importance of word analysis and decoding to reading and provide many opportunities for students to improve word analysis and decoding abilities. 

6. Reading Fluency 006: Teachers understand the importance of fluency to reading comprehension and provide many opportunities for students to improve reading fluency. 

7. Reading Comprehension 007: Teachers understand the importance of reading for understanding, know the components of comprehension and teach young students strategies for improving comprehension. 

8. Research and Inquiry Skills 011: Teachers understand the importance of study and inquiry skills as tools for learning and promote students’ development in applying study and inquiry skills. 

English Language Arts and Reading EC–6 Competencies (Examination Framework-391)

1. Oral Language 001: Teachers of young students understand the importance of oral language, know the developmental processes of oral language and provide a variety of instructional opportunities for young students to develop listening and speaking skills. (A-H)

2. Word Analysis and Decoding 002: Teachers understand the importance of word analysis and decoding to reading and provide many opportunities for students to improve word analysis and decoding abilities. (A-F)

3. Reading Fluency 003: Teachers understand the importance of fluency to reading comprehension and provide many opportunities for students to improve reading fluency. (A-J)

4. Reading Comprehension 004: Teachers understand the importance of reading for understanding, know the components of comprehension and teach young students strategies for improving comprehension. (A-L)

5. Vocabulary Development 005: The teacher knows the importance of vocabulary development and applies that knowledge to teach reading, listening, speaking, and writing. (A-F)

6. Reading, Inquiry, and Research 006: Teachers understand the importance of inquiry and research skills to students’ academic success and provide instruction that promotes students’ acquisition and effective use of these skills in the content areas. (A-G)

Science of Teaching Reading (STR) Standards [19 TAC 235.15]

 (b) Reading Development. The Early Childhood: Prekindergarten-Grade 3 classroom teachers demonstrate understanding of Kindergarten-Grade 5 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines pertaining to reading and apply knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote students' development of grade level skills within the following components of reading:

 (1) oral language development;

 (2) print awareness;

 (3) phonological and phonemic awareness;

 (4) phonics;

 (5) fluency;

 (6) vocabulary development;

 (7) comprehension of literary text;

 (8) comprehension of informational text; and

 (9) beginning strategies and reading comprehension skills.

(c) Reading Pedagogy. The Early Childhood: Prekindergarten-Grade 3 classroom teachers demonstrate understanding of the principles of reading instruction and assessment and use a range of instructional strategies and assessment methods to promote students' development of foundational reading skills, including:

 (1) implementing both formal and informal methods of measuring student progress in early reading development;

 (2) designing and executing developmentally appropriate, standards-driven instruction that reflects evidence-based best practices; and

 (3) acquiring, analyzing, and using background information (familial, cultural, educational, linguistic, and developmental characteristics) to engage all students in reading, including students with exceptional needs and English language learners.

Science of Teaching Reading (STR) Examination Framework [Test 293]

Domain I – Reading Pedagogy

Competency 001 (Foundations of the Science of Teaching Reading): 

Understand foundational concepts, principles, and best practices related to the science of teaching reading.

A. Demonstrate knowledge of scientifically based reading research (e.g., key findings of the National Reading Panel, the National Early Literacy Panel, the National Literacy Panel for Language Minority Children and Youth), including the key research-based components of reading instruction (i.e., phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension) and the essential roles that oral language, writing, and motivation play in promoting reading development for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 3.

B. Demonstrate knowledge of the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines related to reading and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) (Kindergarten through Grade 5).

C. Apply knowledge of the interconnected nature of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking by planning reading instruction that reflects an integrated and recursive model of literacy.

D. Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of students at various stages of reading development from learning to read, including emergent (i.e., pre-reading stage or pre-alphabetic stage), beginning (i.e., initial reading and decoding stage or partial- to the full-alphabetic stage), and transitional (i.e., confirmation and fluency stage or consolidated-alphabetic stage), to reading to learn, including intermediate (i.e., reading-to-learn-the-new stage) and advanced (i.e., multiple viewpoints stage and construction and reconstruction stage), in order to help inform instructional planning and management of reading instruction.

F. Demonstrate knowledge of the interrelationships between the various components of reading and the importance of promoting young children's development of both foundational reading skills and various dimensions of reading comprehension (e.g., listening comprehension, vocabulary development, literary analysis, analysis of informational text, responses to text) at all stages of reading development.

G. Recognize the importance of planning and managing reading instruction in ways that not only promote young children's learning and skill development in reading but also nurture their development as lifelong readers and their self-concept as readers by creating strong associations between reading and feelings of enjoyment, engagement, and self-efficacy and by promoting increased awareness of their own thoughts, feelings, likes, and dislikes with regard to texts.

H. Demonstrate knowledge of key principles of research-based and evidence-based reading instruction, including basing instruction on the standards outlined in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and the TEKS for ELAR (Kindergarten through Grade 5); making instructional decisions based on ongoing assessment results; designing and implementing developmentally appropriate, standards-driven instruction that reflects evidence-based best practices; and ensuring that reading instruction is systematic, sequential, and strategic and promotes the prevention of reading difficulties. 

I. Demonstrate knowledge of factors that can affect young children's reading development, including the amount of time children spend daily engaged in reading, the amount of screen time children engage in daily, a reading curriculum that emphasizes the development of productive reading and vocabulary skills (e.g. phonics, structural analysis) rather than overreliance on memorization and context clues and that emphasizes the reading of whole texts rather than worksheets, and the use of culturally responsive instructional practices (e.g., call-and-response strategies).

J. Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of using an assets-based approach when acquiring, analyzing, and using background information about students (e.g., familial, cultural, educational, socioeconomic, linguistic, and developmental characteristics) to inform instructional planning and engage all students in reading.

L. Demonstrate knowledge of key factors to consider in planning and delivering differentiated instruction and flexible grouping, including students' assessed strengths and needs in the area(s) of reading to be addressed in a lesson, the prerequisite knowledge, and skills required for students to be able to benefit from instruction, the pacing of instruction, the complexity of the content or skills to be taught, and the scaffolds needed to support all students' learning.

Q. Demonstrate knowledge of basic linguistic terminology and concepts used in reading instruction (e.g., phoneme, morpheme, inflectional suffix, derivational affix, prosody), including identifying the role of various language systems (e.g., phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, discourse, pragmatics) involved in oral language and literacy development

R. Demonstrate knowledge of various instructional technologies (e.g., hardware, software, applications) that may be used to support young children's reading development, reading engagement, and motivation to read.

S. Demonstrate knowledge of criteria for evaluating and selecting curricular resources (e.g., evidence of effectiveness, appropriateness for students' age and developmental levels) and research-based strategies and best practices for teaching students how to select, view, and share books and other reading materials for independent reading.

Competency 002 (Foundations of Reading Assessment): Understand foundational concepts, principles, and best practices related to reading assessment.

B. Demonstrate knowledge of key purposes and characteristics of different types of reading assessment, including screening or entry-level assessments, formative or progress-monitoring assessments, summative assessments, diagnostic assessments, and pre- and post-assessments.

C. Demonstrate understanding of the importance of using both code-based and meaning-based classroom reading assessments to inform instructional planning, and identify techniques for assessing various decoding skills (e.g., using word lists to assess recognition of high-frequency sight words; using word pattern surveys, pseudo-word assessments, phonics inventories, writing samples, or spelling inventories to assess phonics knowledge and skills; using structural analysis inventories to assess syllabication and morphemic analysis skills) and various dimensions of reading comprehension (e.g., using oral retellings, written responses, or text-based questioning to assess reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge; using oral language and writing samples to analyze academic language and vocabulary development).

H. Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for using the results of assessments (e.g., informal reading inventories [IRIs], interest surveys or questionnaires) to guide students' independent reading, including conferencing with individual students about their interests, text selections, and responses to specific texts. 

I. Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for communicating a student's progress to stakeholders, including the student, when appropriate, and apply knowledge of strategies for providing feedback to young students that encourages, supports, and motivates their continued growth in reading. 

J. Demonstrate knowledge of various instructional technologies (e.g., hardware, software, applications) that may be used to support the assessment of reading development. 

K. Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for differentiating reading assessments to ensure that they accurately assess all students' reading needs. 

Domain II – Reading Development: Foundational Skills

Competency 003 (Oral Language Foundations of Reading Development): 

Understand foundational concepts, principles, and best practices related to young children's development of oral language, including second-language acquisition, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level oral language skills.

C. Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of oral language development as described in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and the TEKS for ELAR (Kindergarten through Grade 5), including basic stages of oral language development; characteristic features of children's oral language at different stages of development; and the importance of providing young children with frequent, repeated, incremental exposures to and opportunities to use new academic language structures in meaningful contexts, including providing opportunities for low-risk oral language rehearsal.

F. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' understanding and use of grade-level instructional language, including terminology and sentence structures used to label and describe people, things, places, and locations and to name, describe, and explain actions, directions, positions, sequences, locations, and categories (e.g., colors, shapes, textures). 

G. Demonstrate knowledge of the interrelationships between oral language and literacy development and various ways in which oral language provides a critical foundation for reading skills and comprehension development, particularly for young children at the emergent and beginning stages of reading development, including factors that affect oral language development (e.g., familial, cultural, educational, socioeconomic, linguistic, and developmental characteristics).

K. Demonstrate knowledge of culturally responsive instruction, including research-based strategies and best practices for supporting English learners' oral language, literacy, and concept development across academic disciplines as described in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and the TEKS for ELAR (Kindergarten through Grade 5) (e.g., identifying and aligning relevant language objectives with content-area lessons; using appropriate scaffolds, particularly visual cues, to support understanding).

L. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for differentiating instruction in oral language development, including in sentence and grammatical structures, in order to address the assessed needs of all students.

Competency 004 (Phonological and Phonemic Awareness): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the development of phonological and phonemic awareness, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level phonological and phonemic awareness skills.

A. Demonstrate knowledge of explicit, research-based strategies, tools, and techniques for assessing students' development of phonological and phonemic awareness skills.

H. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting development of phonemic awareness skills, including strategies that help make the concept of phonemes more concrete for young children (e.g., using manipulatives).

Competency 005 (Print Concepts and Alphabet Knowledge): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the development of print concepts and alphabet knowledge, including understanding of the alphabetic principle, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level print concepts and alphabet knowledge and their understanding of the alphabetic principle.

D. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting young children's development of print concepts (e.g., understanding that illustrations and print carry meaning; distinguishing between illustrations and print and between a letter and a word; identifying key conventions of print that contribute to meaning) and print and digital book-handling skills (e.g., identifying a book's front cover, back cover, and title page; turning pages correctly).

E. Demonstrate understanding of the role of alphabet knowledge in reading development (e.g., recognizing that phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge are key predictors of early reading success because phonemic awareness skills, letter recognition, and letter-sound correspondence provide the foundation for decoding and spelling development).

F. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting young children's development of alphabet knowledge, including strategies for reinforcing alphabet knowledge (e.g., using multisensory techniques).

G. Demonstrate knowledge of the alphabetic principle (i.e., the understanding that letters and combinations of letters represent the sounds of spoken language and that phonemes have a predictable, systematic relationship to those letters and letter combinations) and the role of the alphabetic principle in reading development (e.g., interrelationships between letter-sound correspondence, phonemic awareness, and beginning decoding).

H. Demonstrate understanding of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting young children's development of the alphabetic principle (e.g., identifying the most common sound or sounds associated with each letter of the alphabet), including strategies for reinforcing the alphabetic principle (e.g., using articulatory feedback when teaching letter-sound relationships, encouraging engagement in meaningful writing using phonetic spelling).

I. Demonstrate understanding of the role of predictable texts in promoting young children's development of print concepts and alphabet knowledge. 

K. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for differentiating instruction in print concepts, alphabet knowledge, and the alphabetic principle in order to address the assessed needs of all students.

Competency 006 (Phonics and Other Word Identification Skills): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the development of phonics and other word identification skills, including related spelling skills, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level phonics and other word identification skills and related spelling skills.

D. Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of phonics skills as described in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and the TEKS for ELAR (Kindergarten through Grade 5), from sounding out and blending each letter in decodable words, to recognizing VC and CVC words as units, to decoding more advanced words that contain increasingly complex letter combinations and/or less common phonics elements.

F. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for teaching common word patterns (e.g., word families), including explicitly teaching related spelling skills and patterns once students have developed basic phonics skills and orthographic knowledge.

G. Demonstrate knowledge of the role of high-frequency words in accurate, automatic decoding of grade-level text and knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' accurate, automatic decoding and spelling of grade-level high-frequency words, including high-frequency words that are not phonetically regular.

H. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' accurate, automatic decoding and spelling of words that contain common inflectional endings (e.g., -s, -ed, -ing, -er, -est), including teaching common orthographic guidelines related to inflections and connecting an inflectional ending to its grammatical meaning.

I. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' accurate, automatic decoding and spelling of common homophones, homographs, and contractions.

K. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for reinforcing students' development of beginning reading skills (e.g., reading and rereading decodable texts that feature elements already taught, practicing applying newly taught elements in their writing).

Competency 007 (Syllabication and Morphemic Analysis Skills): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the development of syllabication and morphemic analysis skills, including related spelling skills, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level syllabication and morphemic analysis skills and related spelling skills.

A. Demonstrate knowledge of explicit, research-based strategies, tools, and techniques for assessing various aspects of students' development in syllabication and morphemic analysis skills, including related spelling skills.

C. Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of knowledge and skills related to syllabication and morphemic analysis skills as described in the TEKS for ELAR (Kindergarten through Grade 5).

D. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for teaching accurate, automatic decoding and spelling of compound words. 

E. Demonstrate knowledge of common syllable types in English (e.g., closed, silent e, open, vowel team, r-controlled, consonant + le); common syllable division patterns (e.g., VC/CV, V/CV); and research-based strategies and best practices for developing students' accurate, automatic decoding and spelling of multisyllabic words.

F. Demonstrate knowledge of common morphemes in English (e.g., base words, roots, inflections, derivational affixes), including the distinction between inflectional and derivational suffixes, and research-based strategies and best practices for developing students' accurate, automatic decoding and spelling of multisyllabic words that contain two or more morphemes.

G. Demonstrate understanding of the importance of teaching students to read common syllable types and morphemes as chunks in order to promote accurate, automatic decoding of multisyllabic and multimorphemic words and to support their ability to read increasingly complex texts with fluency.

H. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for teaching accurate, automatic decoding and spelling of less common syllable types and morphemes, as well as other more advanced elements, including multisyllabic words with multiple sound-spelling patterns.

I. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for teaching students how to use print and digital resources to determine syllabication, pronunciation, meaning, and word origin, including how to alphabetize a series of words to the third letter in order to facilitate their ability to use a variety of print resources.

J. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for differentiating instruction in syllabication and morphemic analysis skills in order to address the assessed needs of all students.

Competency 008 (Reading Fluency): 

Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the development of reading fluency, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level reading fluency.

A. Demonstrate knowledge of explicit, research-based strategies, tools, and techniques for assessing various aspects of students' development of reading fluency. 

B. Demonstrate ability to accurately interpret the results of ongoing assessments in reading fluency and to use the results to inform instructional planning and delivery, including differentiation strategies and interventions.

C. Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of fluency development as described in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and the TEKS for ELAR (Kindergarten through Grade 5), from accurate, automatic letter naming, to word reading, to reading connected text, to reading increasingly complex connected text.

D. Demonstrate knowledge of key concepts related to reading fluency, including the key indicators of fluency (i.e., accuracy, rate, and prosody); the role of automaticity in reading fluency; interrelationships between accuracy, rate, and automaticity; the role of fluency in reading comprehension; interrelationships between prosody and comprehension; the importance of providing explicit and frequent instruction in fluency to students at all stages of reading development; and the importance of varying fluency instruction for students at different stages of development in decoding.

E. Demonstrate knowledge of common factors that disrupt reading fluency (e.g., limited phonics knowledge; lack of automaticity in key decoding skills; limited recognition of grade-level, high-frequency words; unfamiliarity with a text's content, vocabulary, and/or grammatical structures), and apply knowledge of strategies for addressing these factors.

F. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' accuracy in order to enhance reading fluency and comprehension (e.g., reteaching grade-level decoding skills or high-frequency words not yet mastered).

G. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' reading rate and automaticity in order to enhance reading fluency and comprehension (e.g., engaging students whose decoding skills are not yet automatic in oral reading or whisper reading with teacher monitoring for accuracy and feedback; engaging students whose decoding skills are accurate and automatic in silent reading with accountability for comprehension).

H. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' prosody (i.e., reading with appropriate phrasing, expression, and intonation) in order to enhance reading fluency and comprehension (e.g., providing explicit teacher modeling of prosody, engaging students in echo reading and phrase-cued reading, preteaching unfamiliar vocabulary and grammatical structures prior to assigning a text, engaging in readers' theatre).

I. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for selecting texts for fluency practice (e.g., using decodable texts with students who are acquiring basic phonics skills, balancing literary and informational texts, transitioning students to a broader range of appropriate texts as they progress in their decoding skills).

J. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for differentiating instruction in reading fluency in order to address the assessed needs of all students.

Domain III – Reading Development: Comprehension

Competency 009 (Vocabulary Development):

Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to vocabulary development, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level vocabulary knowledge and skills.

A. Demonstrate knowledge of explicit, research-based strategies, tools, and techniques for assessing students' development of vocabulary knowledge and skills in the context of authentic and meaningful reading.

C. Demonstrate knowledge of the essential role of vocabulary in supporting students' oral language development, reading comprehension, and ability to engage in self-sustained reading, including the interrelationships between vocabulary knowledge, reading achievement, and overall academic achievement.

D. Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of vocabulary development as described in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and the TEKS for ELAR (Kindergarten through Grade 5), including the importance of providing young children with frequent, repeated, incremental exposures to and opportunities to use new vocabulary in meaningful contexts.

E. Demonstrate knowledge of factors that affect vocabulary development (e.g., familial, cultural, educational, socioeconomic, linguistic, and developmental characteristics), including the role of frequent and wide reading in vocabulary development.

G. Demonstrate knowledge of criteria for selecting words for explicit word study (e.g., a word's utility and frequency within a discipline or across disciplines) and apply knowledge of strategies for providing students with multiple opportunities to use new Tier Two and Tier Three words in a variety of settings.

H. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to identify, use, and explain the meaning of grade-level antonyms, synonyms, idioms, adages, and puns.

I. Demonstrate understanding of the importance of teaching students independent word-learning strategies, including structural/morphemic analysis, contextual analysis, and use of print and digital resources, in order to promote their ability to engage in self-sustained reading of assigned or self-selected grade-level texts in multiple genres.

J. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to use structural/morphemic analysis skills, including etymology, to help them determine the meaning of unfamiliar words

K. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to use context within and beyond a sentence to help infer the meaning of an unfamiliar word or to determine the meaning of a multiple-meaning word, including using different types of context clues (e.g., syntax, punctuation, embedded definition/explanation, apposition, restatement/synonym, contrast/antonym).

L. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' word consciousness and motivation to learn new words and for supporting their retention of new words (e.g., providing student-friendly definitions and meaningful, contextualized examples; grouping words based on conceptual categories and associative meanings; developing semantic maps). 

M. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for differentiating instruction in vocabulary development in order to address the assessed needs of all students.  

Competency 010 (Comprehension Development): 

Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the development of reading comprehension, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level reading comprehension strategies.

A. Demonstrate knowledge of explicit, research-based strategies, tools, and techniques for assessing various aspects of students' development in reading comprehension (e.g., inferring), including their development of reading comprehension strategies (e.g., self-monitoring).

B. Demonstrate ability to accurately interpret the results of ongoing assessments in reading comprehension, including reading comprehension strategies and trends in student work that provide insights into possible misconceptions, and to use the results to inform instructional planning and delivery, including differentiation strategies and interventions. 

C. Demonstrate knowledge of factors affecting reading comprehension (e.g., oral language development, including listening comprehension skills; academic language development, including vocabulary and grammatical knowledge and skills; decoding skills; reading fluency; ability to monitor for understanding; background knowledge relevant to a text's topic or setting; level of English language proficiency; prior literacy experiences with other texts of the same genre or text type; specific text characteristics).

E. Demonstrate knowledge of the challenges and supports in a text (e.g., pictures, predictability, decodability, text structure) and strategies for evaluating and sequencing texts for reading instruction according to text complexity (e.g., quantitative dimensions, qualitative dimensions, reader and task variables), including strategies that promote students' self-sustained reading of increasingly complex texts and their ability to self-select appropriate texts for independent reading, inquiry, and research.

F. Demonstrate knowledge of different levels of comprehension, including literal comprehension skills, inferential comprehension skills, and evaluative comprehension skills; and recognize the essential role background knowledge (including vocabulary knowledge) plays in a reader's ability to make inferences and to make connections within and across texts.

G. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to apply metacognitive reading comprehension strategies to literary and informational texts (e.g., establishing a purpose for reading assigned and self-selected texts; generating questions about a text before, during, and after reading; making predictions about a text and then confirming or correcting the predictions; creating mental images; making connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society; monitoring comprehension and making adjustments such as rereading, using background knowledge, asking questions, and annotating when understanding breaks down).

H. Demonstrate knowledge of the role of teacher-guided close reading and rereading in developing students' ability to comprehend increasingly complex texts, including key components of a research-based close-reading routine or protocol (e.g., using text-dependent questions and annotation; rereading a text for different levels of meaning; engaging students in collaborative conversations about and written responses to the text).

I. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to engage in independent self-sustained reading with comprehension for increasing periods of time (e.g., by explicitly teaching students self-monitoring skills, comprehension repair strategies, and strategies for self-selecting appropriate texts).

J. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for teaching students how to vary approaches to reading a text according to the purpose for reading (e.g., skimming for gist, scanning for specific information, close reading for deep understanding). 

K. Demonstrate knowledge of the importance of balancing young children's exposure to and reading of multiple genres of literary and informational texts and strategies for selecting and using multiple texts for reading instruction that reflect a diversity of genres, cultures, perspectives, and time periods, including the diversity of the classroom, school community, and society.

L. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for differentiating instruction in comprehension strategies in order to address the assessed needs of all students.

Competency 011 (Comprehension of Literary Texts): 

Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the comprehension of and critical thinking about literary texts, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level comprehension and analysis skills for literary texts.

A. Demonstrate knowledge of explicit, research-based strategies, tools, and techniques for assessing students' reading comprehension and analysis of literary texts. 

D. Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of development in the comprehension and analysis of literary texts as described in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and the TEKS for ELAR (Kindergarten through Grade 5).

E. Demonstrate understanding of the importance of reading aloud high-quality, culturally relevant literary texts on a regular basis to develop young children's familiarity with literary texts and basic story structures, and apply knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices related to using read-alouds for this purpose (e.g., asking questions about a story as it is being read aloud; providing props for children to use while acting out the story; helping children construct a story map with a clear beginning, middle, and end; providing story cards to assist children in sequencing retellings of the story; encouraging children to provide sound effects through musical instruments or environmental noises that fit what is happening in the story; extending the story into centers for children to continue to explore the story in other ways). 

F. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to comprehend and analyze a range of literary texts, including identifying a text's key ideas and details; analyzing an author's purpose for writing; identifying story elements, such as characters, plot, setting, and theme; analyzing an author's craft, such as word choice and use of imagery and figurative language; and using evidence from a literary text to support responses.

G. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' comprehension of literary texts at all three comprehension levels (i.e., literal, inferential, and evaluative) and for promoting critical thinking about literary texts (e.g., synthesizing information to create new understandings; asking and having students generate questions related to bias, such as which voices and perspectives are present and absent in a text).

H. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for differentiating instruction in the comprehension and analysis of literary texts in order to address the assessed needs of all students.

Competency 012 (Comprehension of Informational Texts): Understand concepts, principles, and best practices related to the comprehension of and critical thinking about informational texts, and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate, research- and evidence-based assessment and instructional practices to promote all students' development of grade-level comprehension and analysis skills for informational texts.

A. Demonstrate knowledge of explicit, research-based strategies, tools, and techniques for assessing students' reading comprehension and analysis of informational texts

C. Demonstrate knowledge of distinguishing characteristics and structures of informational, persuasive, multimodal, and digital texts. 

D. Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of development in the comprehension and analysis of informational texts as described in the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and the TEKS for ELAR (Kindergarten through Grade 5).

E. Demonstrate understanding of the importance of reading aloud high-quality informational texts on a regular basis to develop young children's familiarity with informational texts, and demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices related to using read-alouds for this purpose, including asking questions about a text as it is being read aloud, engaging students in activities related to the text's content, and extending an informational text into centers to continue students' interactions with the text's content.

F. Demonstrate understanding of the importance of scaffolding young children's comprehension and analysis of informational texts and knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices related to this purpose (e.g., using strategic questioning and engaging students in academic conversations about a text's content, teaching text annotation and note-taking skills, helping students develop semantic maps and other graphic organizers to help clarify or reinforce a text's content or organizational structure, helping students generate and respond to peer questioning about a text).

G. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' ability to comprehend and analyze informational texts, including identifying different informational text structures (e.g., descriptive, comparison/contrast, cause/effect, sequential, chronological), identifying and summarizing a text's central ideas and supporting evidence, using textual features (e.g., subtitles, bold or italicized text) and graphic features (e.g., charts, diagrams) to gain information, comparing and contrasting the content presented in a book's text with that presented in its graphic features, identifying a sequence of steps or events in a text, recognizing the characteristics of multimodal and digital texts, identifying an author's purpose and intended audience, analyzing an author's craft (e.g., choice of words, evidence, and rhetorical devices), distinguishing facts from opinions, and identifying the claim in an argumentative text.

H. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for promoting students' comprehension of informational texts at all three comprehension levels and for promoting critical thinking about informational texts (e.g., synthesizing information to create new understandings; asking and having students generate higher-order questions about a text, such as questions related to voices or perspectives present and absent in a text or questions about the credibility of a text).

J. Demonstrate knowledge of research-based strategies and best practices for differentiating instruction in the comprehension and analysis of informational texts in order to address the assessed needs of all students.

Domain IV – Analysis and Response

Competency 013 (Analysis and Response): 

Analyze assessment data related to reading development in foundational reading skills and reading comprehension, and prepare an organized, developed written response based on the data and information presented.

G. Using sound reasoning and knowledge of reading comprehension, demonstrate the ability to explain the effectiveness of the selected instructional strategy or intervention to address a student's identified need in reading comprehension.

Texas Educator Standards (Chapter 149)

 (1) Standard 1--Instructional Planning and Delivery. 

Teachers demonstrate their understanding of instructional planning and delivery by providing standards-based, data-driven, differentiated instruction that engages students, makes appropriate use of technology, and makes learning relevant for today's learners.

 (A) Teachers design clear, well-organized, sequential lessons that build on students' prior knowledge.

 (i) Teachers develop lessons that build coherently toward objectives based on course content, curriculum scope and sequence, and expected student outcomes.

 (ii) Teachers effectively communicate goals, expectations, and objectives to help all students reach high levels of achievement.

 (iii) Teachers connect students' prior understanding and real-world experiences to new content and contexts, maximizing learning opportunities.

 (B) Teachers design developmentally appropriate, standards-driven lessons that reflect evidence-based best practices.

 (i) Teachers plan instruction that is developmentally appropriate, is standards driven, and motivates students to learn.

 (ii) Teachers use a range of instructional strategies, appropriate to the content area, to make subject matter accessible to all students.

(iii) Teachers use and adapt resources, technologies, and standards-aligned instructional materials to promote student success in meeting learning goals.

 (C) Teachers design lessons to meet the needs of diverse learners, adapting methods when appropriate.

 (i) Teachers differentiate instruction, aligning methods and techniques to diverse student needs, including acceleration, remediation, and implementation of individual education plans.

(ii) Teachers plan student groupings, including pairings and individualized and small-group instruction, to facilitate student learning.

(iii) Teachers integrate the use of oral, written, graphic, kinesthetic, and/or tactile methods to teach key concepts.

 (D) Teachers communicate clearly and accurately and engage students in a manner that encourages students' persistence and best efforts.

 (i) Teachers ensure that the learning environment features a high degree of student engagement by facilitating discussion and student-centered activities as well as leading direct instruction.

(ii) Teachers validate each student's comments and questions, utilizing them to advance learning for all students.

 (iii) Teachers encourage all students to overcome obstacles and remain persistent in the face of challenges, providing them with support in achieving their goals.

(E) Teachers promote complex, higher-order thinking, leading class discussions and activities that provide opportunities for deeper learning.

(i) Teachers set high expectations and create challenging learning experiences for students, encouraging them to apply disciplinary and cross-disciplinary knowledge to real-world problems.

(ii) Teachers provide opportunities for students to engage in individual and collaborative critical thinking and problem solving.

(iii) Teachers incorporate technology that allows students to interact with the curriculum in more significant and effective ways, helping them reach mastery.

(F) Teachers consistently check for understanding, give immediate feedback, and make lesson adjustments as necessary.

(i) Teachers monitor and assess student progress to ensure that their lessons meet students' needs.

(ii) Teachers provide immediate feedback to students in order to reinforce their learning and ensure that they understand key concepts.

(iii) Teachers adjust content delivery in response to student progress through the use of developmentally appropriate strategies that maximize student engagement.

(2) Standard 2--Knowledge of Students and Student Learning. 

Teachers work to ensure high levels of learning, social-emotional development, and achievement outcomes for all students, taking into consideration each student's educational and developmental backgrounds and focusing on each student's needs.

 (A) Teachers demonstrate the belief that all students have the potential to achieve at high levels and support all students in their pursuit of social-emotional learning and academic success.

 (i) Teachers purposefully utilize learners' individual strengths as a basis for academic and social-emotional growth.

 (ii) Teachers create a community of learners in an inclusive environment that views differences in learning and background as educational assets.

 (iii) Teachers accept responsibility for the growth of all of their students, persisting in their efforts to ensure high levels of growth on the part of each learner.

 (B) Teachers acquire, analyze, and use background information (familial, cultural, educational, linguistic, and developmental characteristics) to engage students in learning.

(i) Teachers connect learning, content, and expectations to students' prior knowledge, life experiences, and interests in meaningful contexts.

 (ii) Teachers understand the unique qualities of students with exceptional needs, including disabilities and giftedness, and know how to effectively address these needs through instructional strategies and resources.

(iii) Teachers understand the role of language and culture in learning and know how to modify their practices to support language acquisition so that language is comprehensible and instruction is fully accessible.

(C) Teachers facilitate each student's learning by employing evidence-based practices and concepts related to learning and social-emotional development.

(i) Teachers understand how learning occurs and how learners develop, construct meaning, and acquire knowledge and skills.

 (ii) Teachers identify readiness for learning and understand how development in one area may affect students' performance in other areas.

 (iii) Teachers apply evidence-based strategies to address individual student learning needs and differences, adjust their instruction, and support the learning needs of each student.

(3) Standard 3--Content Knowledge and Expertise. 

Teachers exhibit a comprehensive understanding of their content, discipline, and related pedagogy as demonstrated through the quality of the design and execution of lessons and their ability to match objectives and activities to relevant state standards.

 (A) Teachers understand the major concepts, key themes, multiple perspectives, assumptions, processes of inquiry, structure, and real-world applications of their grade-level and subject-area content.

 (i) Teachers have expertise in how their content vertically and horizontally aligns with the grade-level/subject-area continuum, leading to an integrated curriculum across grade levels and content areas.

 (ii) Teachers identify gaps in students' knowledge of subject matter and communicate with their leaders and colleagues to ensure that these gaps are adequately addressed across grade levels and subject areas.

 (iii) Teachers keep current with developments, new content, new approaches, and changing methods of instructional delivery within their discipline.

 (B) Teachers design and execute quality lessons that are consistent with the concepts of their specific discipline, are aligned to state standards, and demonstrate their content expertise.

 (i) Teachers organize curriculum to facilitate student understanding of the subject matter.

 (ii) Teachers understand, actively anticipate, and adapt instruction to address common misunderstandings and preconceptions. 

(iii) Teachers promote literacy and the academic language within the discipline and make discipline-specific language accessible to all learners.

 (C) Teachers demonstrate content-specific pedagogy that meets the needs of diverse learners, utilizing engaging instructional materials to connect prior content knowledge to new learning.

 (i) Teachers teach both the key content knowledge and the key skills of the discipline.

 (ii) Teachers make appropriate and authentic connections across disciplines, subjects, and students' real-world experiences.

(4) Standard 4--Learning Environment. 

Teachers interact with students in respectful ways at all times, maintaining a physically and emotionally safe, supportive learning environment that is characterized by efficient and effective routines, clear expectations for student behavior, and organization that maximizes student learning.

 (A) Teachers create a mutually respectful, collaborative, and safe community of learners by using knowledge of students' development and backgrounds.

 (i) Teachers embrace students' backgrounds and experiences as an asset in their learning environment.

 (ii) Teachers maintain and facilitate respectful, supportive, positive, and productive interactions with and among students.

 (iii) Teachers establish and sustain learning environments that are developmentally appropriate and respond to students' needs, strengths, and personal experiences.

 (B) Teachers organize their classrooms in a safe and accessible manner that maximizes learning.

 (i) Teachers arrange the physical environment to maximize student learning and to ensure that all students have access to resources.

(ii) Teachers create a physical classroom set-up that is flexible and accommodates the different learning needs of students.

 (C) Teachers establish, implement, and communicate consistent routines for effective classroom management, including clear expectations for student behavior.

 (i) Teachers implement behavior management systems to maintain an environment where all students can learn effectively.

 (ii) Teachers maintain a strong culture of individual and group accountability for class expectations.

 (iii) Teachers cultivate student ownership in developing classroom culture and norms.

(D) Teachers lead and maintain classrooms where students are actively engaged in learning as indicated by their level of motivation and on-task behavior.

 (i) Teachers maintain a culture that is based on high expectations for student performance and encourages students to be self-motivated, taking responsibility for their own learning.

 (ii) Teachers maximize instructional time, including managing transitions.

 (iii) Teachers manage and facilitate groupings in order to maximize student collaboration, participation, and achievement.

 (iv) Teachers communicate regularly, clearly, and appropriately with parents and families about student progress, providing detailed and constructive feedback and partnering with families in furthering their students' achievement goals.

(5) Standard 5--Data-Driven Practice. 

Teachers use formal and informal methods to assess student growth aligned to instructional goals and course objectives and regularly review and analyze multiple sources of data to measure student progress and adjust instructional strategies and content delivery as needed.

 (A) Teachers implement both formal and informal methods of measuring student progress. 

(i) Teachers gauge student progress and ensure student mastery of content knowledge and skills by providing assessments aligned to instructional objectives and outcomes that are accurate measures of student learning.

 (ii) Teachers vary methods of assessing learning to accommodate students' learning needs, linguistic differences, and/or varying levels of background knowledge.

 (B) Teachers set individual and group learning goals for students by using preliminary data and communicate these goals with students and families to ensure mutual understanding of expectations.

 (i) Teachers develop learning plans and set academic as well as social-emotional learning goals for each student in response to previous outcomes from formal and informal assessments.

 (ii) Teachers involve all students in self-assessment, goal setting, and monitoring progress.

 (iii) Teachers communicate with students and families regularly about the importance of collecting data and monitoring progress of student outcomes, sharing timely and comprehensible feedback so they understand students' goals and progress.

 (C) Teachers regularly collect, review, and analyze data to monitor student progress.

 (i) Teachers analyze and review data in a timely, thorough, accurate, and appropriate manner, both individually and with colleagues, to monitor student learning.

 (ii) Teachers combine results from different measures to develop a holistic picture of students' strengths and learning needs.

 (D) Teachers utilize the data they collect and analyze to inform their instructional strategies and adjust short- and long-term plans accordingly. 

 (i) Teachers design instruction, change strategies, and differentiate their teaching practices to improve student learning based on assessment outcomes.

(ii) Teachers regularly compare their curriculum scope and sequence with student data to ensure they are on track and make adjustments as needed.

(6) Standard 6--Professional Practices and Responsibilities. 

Teachers consistently hold themselves to a high standard for individual development, pursue leadership opportunities, collaborate with other educational professionals, communicate regularly with stakeholders, maintain professional relationships, comply with all campus and school district policies, and conduct themselves ethically and with integrity.

 (A) Teachers reflect on their teaching practice to improve their instructional effectiveness and engage in continuous professional learning to gain knowledge and skills and refine professional judgment.

 (i) Teachers reflect on their own strengths and professional learning needs, using this information to develop action plans for improvement.

 (ii) Teachers establish and strive to achieve professional goals to strengthen their instructional effectiveness and better meet students' needs.

 (iii) Teachers engage in relevant, targeted professional learning opportunities that align with their professional growth goals and their students' academic and social-emotional needs.

 (B) Teachers collaborate with their colleagues, are self-aware in their interpersonal interactions, and are open to constructive feedback from peers and administrators.

 (i) Teachers seek out feedback from supervisors, coaches, and peers and take advantage of opportunities for job-embedded professional development.

 (ii) Teachers actively participate in professional learning communities organized to improve instructional practices and student learning.

 (C) Teachers seek out opportunities to lead students, other educators, and community members within and beyond their classrooms.

 (i) Teachers clearly communicate the mission, vision, and goals of the school to students, colleagues, parents and families, and other community members.

(ii) Teachers seek to lead other adults on campus through professional learning communities, grade- or subject-level team leadership, committee membership, or other opportunities.

 (D) Teachers model ethical and respectful behavior and demonstrate integrity in all situations.

(i) Teachers adhere to the educators' code of ethics in §247.2 of this title (relating to Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators), including following policies and procedures at their specific school placement(s).

 (ii) Teachers communicate consistently, clearly, and respectfully with all members of the campus community, including students, parents and families, colleagues, administrators, and staff.

 (iii) Teachers serve as advocates for their students, focusing attention on students' needs and concerns and maintaining thorough and accurate student records. 

Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities Standards, Early Childhood-Grade 6 (Rule 235.21)

(b) Instructional Planning and Delivery. 

Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers demonstrate understanding of instructional planning and delivery by providing standards-based, data-driven, differentiated instruction that engages students and makes learning relevant for today's learners. Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers must:

(1) develop lessons that build coherently toward objectives based on course content, curriculum scope and sequence, and expected student outcomes;

 (2) effectively communicate goals, expectations, and objectives to help all students reach high levels of achievement;

 (3) connect students' prior understanding and real-world experiences to new content and contexts, maximizing learning opportunities;

 (4) plan instruction that is developmentally appropriate, is standards driven, and motivates students to learn;

 (5) use a range of instructional strategies, appropriate to the content area, to make subject matter accessible to all students;

 (6) differentiate instruction, aligning methods and techniques to diverse student needs, including acceleration, remediation, and implementation of individual education plans;

 (7) plan student groupings, including pairings and individualized and small-group instruction, to facilitate student learning;

 (8) integrate the use of oral, written, graphic, kinesthetic, and/or tactile methods to teach key concepts;

 (9) ensure that the learning environment features a high degree of student engagement by facilitating discussion and student-centered activities as well as leading direct instruction;

 (10) encourage all students to overcome obstacles and remain persistent in the face of challenges, providing them with support in achieving their goals;

 (11) set high expectations and create challenging learning experiences for students, encouraging them to apply disciplinary and cross-disciplinary knowledge to real-world problems;

 (12) provide opportunities for students to engage in individual and collaborative critical thinking and problem solving;

 (13) monitor and assess students' progress to ensure that their lessons meet students' needs;

 (14) provide immediate feedback to students in order to reinforce their learning and ensure that they understand key concepts; and

 (15) adjust content delivery in response to student progress through the use of developmentally appropriate strategies that maximize student engagement.

(c) Knowledge of Student and Student Learning. 

Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers work to ensure high levels of learning, social-emotional development, and achievement outcomes for all students, taking into consideration each student's educational and developmental backgrounds and focusing on each student's needs. Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers must:

(1) create a community of learners in an inclusive environment that views differences in learning and background as educational assets;

 (2) connect learning, content, and expectations to students' prior knowledge, life experiences, and interests in meaningful contexts;

 (3) understand the unique qualities of students with exceptional needs, including disabilities and giftedness, and know how to effectively address these needs through instructional strategies and resources;

 (4) understand the role of language and culture in learning and know how to modify their practice to support language acquisition so that language is comprehensible and instruction is fully accessible;

 (5) understand how learning occurs and how learners develop, construct meaning, and acquire knowledge and skills; and

 (6) identify readiness for learning and understand how development in one area may affect students' performance in other areas.

(d) Content Knowledge and Expertise. 

Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers exhibit an understanding of content, discipline, and related pedagogy as demonstrated through the quality of the design and execution of lessons and the ability to match objectives and activities to relevant state standards. Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers must: 

(1) have expertise in how their content vertically and horizontally aligns with the grade-level/subject area continuum, leading to an integrated curriculum across grade levels and content areas;

 (2) identify gaps in students' knowledge of subject matter and communicate with their leaders and colleagues to ensure that these gaps are adequately addressed across grade levels and subject areas;

 (3) keep current with developments, new content, new approaches, and changing methods of instructional delivery within their discipline;

 (4) organize curriculum to facilitate student understanding of the subject matter;

 (5) understand, actively anticipate, and adapt instruction to address common misunderstandings and preconceptions;

 (6) promote literacy and the academic language within the discipline and make discipline-specific language accessible to all learners;

 (7) teach both the key content knowledge and the key skills of the discipline; and

 (8) make appropriate and authentic connections across disciplines, subjects, and students' real world experiences.

(e) Learning Environment. 

Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers interact with students in respectful ways at all times, maintaining a physically and emotionally safe, supportive learning environment that is characterized by efficient and effective routines, clear expectations for student behavior, and organization that maximizes student learning. Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers must:

(1) embrace students' backgrounds and experiences as an asset in their learning;

 (2) maintain and facilitate respectful, supportive, positive, and productive interactions with and among students;

 (3) establish and sustain learning environments that are developmentally appropriate and respond to students' needs, strengths, and personal experiences;

 (4) create a physical classroom set-up that is flexible and accommodates the different learning needs of students;

 (5) implement behavior management systems to maintain an environment where all students can learn effectively;

 (6) maintain a culture that is based on high expectations for student performance and encourages students to be self-motivated, taking responsibility for their own learning;

 (7) maximize instructional time, including managing transitions;

 (8) manage and facilitate groupings in order to maximize student collaboration, participation, and achievement; and

 (9) communicate regularly, clearly, and appropriately with parents and families about student progress, providing detailed and constructive feedback and partnering with families in furthering their students' achievement goals.

(f) Data-Driven Practices. 

Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers use formal and informal methods to assess student growth aligned to instructional goals and course objectives and regularly review and analyze multiple sources of data to measure student progress and adjust instructional strategies and content delivery as needed. Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers must:

(1) gauge student progress and ensure mastery of content knowledge and skills by providing assessments aligned to instructional objectives and outcomes that are accurate measures of student learning;

 (2) analyze and review data in a timely, thorough, accurate, and appropriate manner, both individually and with colleagues, to monitor student learning; and

 (3) design instruction, change strategies, and differentiate their teaching practices to improve student learning based on assessment outcomes.

(g) Professional Practices and Responsibilities. 

Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers consistently hold themselves to a high standard for individual development, collaborate with other educational professionals, communicate regularly with stakeholders, maintain professional relationships, comply with all campus and school district policies, and conduct themselves ethically and with integrity. Early Childhood-Grade 6 classroom teachers must: 

(1) reflect on their own strengths and professional learning needs, using this information to develop action plans for improvement;

 (2) seek out feedback from supervisor, coaches, and peers and take advantage of opportunities for job-embedded professional development;

 (3) adhere to the educators' code of ethics in §247.2 of this title (relating to Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators), including following policies and procedures at their specific school placement(s);

 (4) communicate consistently, clearly, and respectfully with all members of the campus community, administrators, and staff; and

 (5) serve as advocates for their students, focusing attention on students' needs and concerns and maintaining thorough and accurate student records.

Technology Application Standards for All Teachers [19 TAC 228.30]

Standard I: All teachers use and promote creative thinking and innovative processes to construct knowledge, generate new ideas, and create products. 

Standard II: All teachers collaborate and communicate both locally and globally using digital tools and resources to reinforce and promote learning.

Standard III: All teachers acquire, analyze, and manage content from digital resources.  

Standard IV: All teachers make informed decisions by applying critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.  

Standard V: All teachers practice and promote safe, responsible, legal, and ethical behavior while using technology tools and resources.  

Be on time and do not leave early.  Absences or tardies during the May term field experience will result in dismissal from the May term block. During MSU class time, students who arrive after class has started or leave before it ends will be counted absent. Class attendance and promptness to class are crucial to successful completion of this course.  Points will be deducted for each absence as follows: 1 absence = 2 points from final grade; 2 absences = an additional 3 points from final grade; 3 absences = an additional 5 points from final grade; 4 absences = dropped from the class. For example, if you have two absences, five points will be deducted from your final grade.

Participation and Late Work Policy:

Please complete all assignments on time. Assignments and Exams will be deducted by 25% for each late day. Complete readings prior to class schedule to ensure participation in course-related content and activities. 

Note: You may not submit a paper for a grade in this class that already has been (or will be) submitted for a grade in another course, unless you obtain the explicit written permission of me and the other instructor involved in advance.

Plagiarism is the use of someone else's thoughts, words, ideas, or lines of argument in your own work without appropriate documentation (a parenthetical citation at the end and a listing in "Works Cited")-whether you use that material in a quote, paraphrase, or summary. It is a theft of intellectual property and will not be tolerated, whether intentional or not.

Student Honor Creed

As an MSU Student, I pledge not to lie, cheat, steal, or help anyone else do so."

As students at MSU, we recognize that any great society must be composed of empowered, responsible citizens. We also recognize universities play an important role in helping mold these responsible citizens. We believe students themselves play an important part in developing responsible citizenship by maintaining a community where integrity and honorable character are the norm, not the exception.

Thus, We, the Students of Midwestern State University, resolve to uphold the honor of the University by affirming our commitment to complete academic honesty. We resolve not only to be honest but also to hold our peers accountable for complete honesty in all university matters.

We consider it dishonest to ask for, give, or receive help in examinations or quizzes, to use any unauthorized material in examinations, or to present, as one's own, work or ideas which are not entirely one's own. We recognize that any instructor has the right to expect that all student work is honest, original work. We accept and acknowledge that responsibility for lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty fundamentally rests within each individual student.

We expect of ourselves academic integrity, personal professionalism, and ethical character. We appreciate steps taken by University officials to protect the honor of the University against any who would disgrace the MSU student body by violating the spirit of this creed.

Written and adopted by the 2002-2003 MSU Student Senate.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Disability Support Services in Room 168 of the Clark Student Center, (940) 397-4140.

The professor considers this classroom to be a place where you will be treated with respect as a human being - regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, political beliefs, age, or ability. Additionally, diversity of thought is appreciated and encouraged, provided you can agree to disagree. It is the professor's expectation that ALL students consider the classroom a safe environment.

All instructors in the Department have voicemail in their offices and MSUTexas e-mail addresses. Make sure you add your instructor's phone number and e-mail address to both email and cell phone lists of contacts.

All students seeking a Bachelor's degree from Midwestern State University must satisfy a writing proficiency requirement once they've 1) passed the 6 hours of Communication Core and 2) earned 60 hours. Students may meet this requirement in one of three ways: by passing the Writing Proficiency Exam, passing two Writing Intensive Courses (only one can be in the core), or passing English 2113. If you have any questions about the exam, visit the Writing Proficiency Office website at https://msutexas.edu/academics/wpr, or call 397-4131.

Senate Bill 11 passed by the 84th Texas Legislature allows licensed handgun holders to carry concealed handguns on campus, effective August 1, 2016. Areas excluded from concealed carry are appropriately marked, in accordance with state law. For more information regarding campus carry, please refer to the University’s webpage at https://msutexas.edu/campus-carry/rules-policies.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSU Chief of Police at police@msutexas.edu.