Practicum Teacher Work Sample  Assessment

Targeted Essential Learning

Effective literacy teaching focuses on research-based strategies and utilizes student assessment data in order to plan instruction that improves student achievement. (InTASC 4, 6, 7)

Assessment Tool Selected

1) Data-based lesson plans
2) Intervention activities

Specific Performance/Task(s)

• Generate a variety of formal and informal assessment tools that align with instruction in order to measure student learning.
• Select and utilize best practice implementation strategies appropriate to different developmental levels.
• Collect, maintain, and use records of student work and performance/achievement to monitor student progress.
• Analyze assessment outcomes to inform instructional methodologies.
• Collaborate in the design, implementation, and support of learning programs that develop students' academic abilities.

Relevancy of Task to Teacher Candidate

By engaging in the instruction and assessment cycle, teachers are able to create more effective literacy instruction that is tailored to student reading development levels.

General Practicum Information

• Practicum experience requirements, including the diversity and number of required hours for this course are specified in the College of Education Teacher Preparation Programs Practicum/Field Experience Manual.

• Complete the Practicum/Field Experience Observation and Activity Log including the names of the schools and grade levels where the observations took place and document the hours spent in the classroom.

• Spend 20 hours in one classroom, grades 1-3. Let your mentor know that you are working on developing assessment skills. Throughout the practicum, observe and interview your mentor.

• Practicum Observations/Teaching Lessons

o In Topics 2-6, devote attention to each of the four areas of literacy development. For each of these categories, observea classroom (grades 1-3) as the teacher and students focus on one of the four areas. Keep notes on activities used by the teacher. Suggested practicum schedule for observations and teaching the lesson plans:

o Topic 1: Observations only; look for differentiation techniques for ELL's and special needs students.
o Topic 2: Phonemic Awareness and Phonics
o Topic 3: Word Study and Fluency
o Topic 4: Vocabulary Development
o Topic 5: Comprehension

• Lesson Plans and Teaching Lessons

o In each of the four areas and using literacy assessments available in the classroom, administer a pre-test to one student in your practicum classroom.

o After you have administered the pre-test, confer with the mentor teacher and prepare lesson plans to address the four areas of literacy development. These lessons should be based on the direct instruction model. The lessons should reflect the areas of need identified through the data analysis collected from the pre-test.

o Teach the lessons to the one student you assessed previously.

o Administer assessments as a post-test to the same student. Analyze the data to see if learning has improved from the pre-test to the post-test.

Assessment: Student Prompts/Teacher Directions

• Write a 1,000-1,250-word reflection essay summarizing:

o Your learning experience during the practicum.
o Assessment administration- the pre and post assessment data, challenges and strengths.
o Data analysis. Include a chart or graphic organizer.
o Specific activities with the studentduring instruction.
o Progress made to be notated in the chart.
o Collaboration with the classroom teacher.
o Your reflection on how assessment guides instruction. Explain how data was used to target the needs of the student and to plan instruction.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA style guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin.

Combine all of your assessment data, copies of your lesson plans for each of the literacy areas, and the reflection paper under one APA-style title page.

Complete and include the applicable Practicum/Field Experience Observation and Activity Log located in the practicum manual.