Knowledge foundations for teaching reading and spelling

Changes in education policy, the accumulation of research evidence that skilled instruction prevents and ameliorates reading failure, accountability requirements, and a new emphasis on multi-tiered interventions in schools are all causing a growing interest in improving teacher knowledge and skill in reading instruction. Consensus frameworks that explain reading development and individual differences provide an outline for what teachers need to know. The details of that content, however, including the English phonological system, the organization of English orthography, and the language structures that are processed during reading and writing, are challenging for teachers to learn. Recent studies are reviewed that investigate the relationship between teacher knowledge, practice, and student outcomes. The paper argues that teachers must have considerable knowledge of language structure, reading development, and pedagogy to differentiate instruction for diverse learners. Policy mandates for improvement of reading achievement should provide for more effective teacher education, as the knowledge base is not learned casually or easily. Research on how teachers best develop expertise should inform our licensing and professional development programs.     

The role of service-learning in transforming teacher candidates' teaching of reading

Most reading methods courses taught in the United States do little to change student teachers' actual classroom instruction because new pedagogies are not practiced in a structured, supportive, closely supervised manner. This lack of practice results in failure to develop strong feelings of self-efficacy during university courses. Because literacy courses fail to help preservice teachers think differently about literacy development, beginning teachers continue to perpetuate decades old methods of teaching young children how to read and write. These ‘business as usual’ pedagogies are especially dangerous for at risk learners.This study compared two literacy courses for elementary teacher candidates taught by the same professor at the same university with variables held constant with one exception. Course One incorporated a service-learning component as an integral part of the instructional process. During Course Two, the teacher candidates taught sample lessons to their classmates. It was hypothesized that teacher candidates who practiced new pedagogies with children at a designated low performing, highly diverse elementary school (Course One—Service-learning) during a highly structured service-learning experience would develop more self-efficacy and, therefore, demonstrate greater implementation of the course content than those who role played their practice (Course Two—Practice with Peers).Results document that incorporating service-learning into a well developed literacy course dramatically increased the self-efficacy of the participants by the conclusion of the course. This, in turn, led to increased implementation of course content during the remainder of their student teaching experience.     

Using curriculum-based measurement to inform reading instruction

The focus of this article is recent CBM work that incorporates diagnostic reading assessment. The goal is to help general and special educators tailor more effective reading instruction for developing readers. The development process for this CBM diagnostic reading assessment is described; the resulting assessment is presented; and preliminary data on its technical features and utility are provided. This research was supported in part by Grant #H324C000022 from the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and Core Grant #HD15052 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to Vanderbilt University. Statements do not reflect the position or policy.     

Student teachers' prior knowledge as prerequisite to learn how to assess pupils' learning strategies

This study analyzed whether student teachers exhibit insufficient prior knowledge concerning learning strategies and whether different contexts lead to variations in activated knowledge. Furthermore, we investigated whether pieces of prior-knowledge and their structured-ness were associated with the assessment of pupils' learning strategies. In a within-subjects experiment (ABABAB design; N = 47 student teachers), questions about learning-strategy application referred to either (A) pupil-focused or (B) teacher-focused contexts. After a short training intervention, student teachers assessed strategies in pupils’ work. Different prior knowledge was elicited depending on contexts, suggesting “knowledge-in-pieces”. Prior-knowledge pieces, even if insufficient, served as a prerequisite to learn strategy assessment.     

Preparing special educators to teach reading and use curriculum-based assessments

Preparing special educators who are knowledgeable about evidence-based interventions for teaching reading to students with reading difficulties and who are capable of using curriculum-based assessments to monitor student progress and differentiate interventions is vital to the success of current school reform efforts. The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the effect of tutoring and using assessment to monitor the progress of struggling readers on preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) knowledge and preparedness to teach reading. Also of interest was whether reading scores of tutored students improved. PSTs (n = 18) in an undergraduate reading methods course tutored at-risk second graders using an evidence-based intervention and monitored students’ progress weekly. PSTs made significant growth on a measure of teacher knowledge about the structure of language and on a survey of their preparedness to teach reading. A qualitative analysis of PSTs’ weekly reflections and final reports revealed that the majority used curriculum-based assessment data to describe students’ response to tutoring and were beginning to use that data to make instructional decisions. On average, tutored students improved reading fluency, but did not demonstrate significant growth in reading relative to national norms. Implications and limitations of the study are described and directions for future research are discussed.     

Using embedded assessments to promote pedagogical reasoning among secondary teaching candidates

The purpose of this documentary account is twofold. First, we describe two strategic instructional assignments embedded in university courses at a large research institution in the United States that were designed to help teaching candidates move toward mastery. Second, we explicate candidates' performances on the assessments as well as evidence of the reliability of the assessments and scoring procedures. This case study provides evidence that advanced secondary teaching candidates are able to address instructional issues and engage in the kind of pedagogical reasoning more characteristic of experienced teachers. Further, this account indicates that despite some challenges, it is feasible for multiple course instructors in a research institution to implement and score reliable, valid embedded assessments.     

Classroom observation for evaluating and improving teaching: An international perspective

Teacher evaluation and development policies around the world are undergoing significant reform. Classroom observation often carries a considerable weight in teacher appraisal and improvement systems, and provides the critical formative anchor informing professional development. This study examined a purposively selected sample of sixteen classroom observation systems in six countries, including high performing Singapore and Japan, regional exemplar Chile, the three largest school districts in the United States, and other interesting examples in Australia, Germany and the United States to add diversity to the sample. The study offers an analytic framework for understanding classroom observation systems across contexts, distinguishing conceptual, methodological and policy aspects that shape these systems. The sixteen systems were remarkably consistent in their stated overall purposes, but there was variation in terms of how they operationalized good teaching, the degree of standardization of the observation process, emphasis on validation, and information uses. The paper describes and discusses these characteristics in order to help researchers and policymakers reflect on the available options and take more informed decisions in designing classroom observation for evaluating and improving teaching.     

Assessment for equity: learning how to use evidence to scaffold learning and improve teaching

Abstract

This article examines evidence regarding the assessment learning of preservice teachers (PTs) in a new Master of Teaching designed to prepare teachers to address the less than equitable outcomes of certain groups of students in New Zealand. The assessment curriculum was integrated across all of the courses and the in-school experiences as one of six interconnected facets of practice for equity. Evidence about the assessment learning of 27 preservice teachers was collected using a survey, interpretive analysis of three assignments and a focus group interview. The findings demonstrated that preservice teachers combined theory and practice encountered in many contexts to build the assessment understanding and competence needed to address equity issues. We argue that this was facilitated by incorporating the assessment curriculum within each course, intertwining university and school experiences, and the specific focus on addressing equity throughout the programme.     

Teachers’ opinions on quality criteria for Competency Assessment Programs

Quality control policies towards Dutch vocational schools have changed dramatically because the government questioned examination quality. Schools must now demonstrate assessment quality to a new Examination Quality Center. Since teachers often design assessments, they must be involved in quality issues. This study therefore explores teachers’ opinions on assessment quality evaluation criteria. Pre-vocational and vocational teachers (N=211$N=211$) responded to a questionnaire. Contrary to expectations, results show that teachers deem classical and competency-based quality criteria equally important. Vocational teachers gave higher importance scores than pre-vocational teachers, possibly due to the pressure they experience to improve the quality of their assessments.     

Facilitating preservice teachers’ development of mathematics knowledge for teaching arithmetic operations

Mathematical tasks, centered on arithmetic word problems, are discussed as the basis of an approach to facilitate preservice elementary teachers’ development of mathematical knowledge for teaching arithmetic operations. The approach consists of three groups of tasks that allow students to reflect on their initial knowledge, explore arithmetic word problem situations from multiple perspectives, and apply their resulting knowledge, respectively. Findings from the investigation of the approach indicate that the tasks can provide an effective and meaningful basis to help preservice teachers to develop deeper understandings of the arithmetic operations and their relationships and pedagogical-mathematical knowledge for teaching the arithmetic operations conceptually.     

A psychometric approach to the validation of a student evaluation of teaching instrument

The purpose of this study was to conduct a validation analysis of an SET and provide a validation framework of SETs that can be included when designing complete evaluations of teaching within higher education institutions. A series of Rasch analyses was conducted on the results of the SET, examining the responses of students within a college and three departments. Results show the majority of items were moderately difficult to endorse in the college and departments, there were issues with DIF, and two items did not consistently fit the model. The study provides an analysis framework that may aid policymakers and institutional administrators in developing higher quality SETs, and demonstrates the need for validating SETs being implemented in higher education settings.     

在语文阅读教学中引导学生自主探究的策略研究

通过对在阅读教学中培养学生自主学习的习惯的研究及实施 ,培养学生的主体能力 ,塑造学生的主体个性 ,充分调动学生学习的积极性和创造性 ,促使学生生动活泼、主动和谐地发展     

建立网上学生评教系统完善课堂教学质量评价体系

开展课堂教学质量评价是对教学质量监控的重要手段。章对教学质量监控中的学生评教环节进行了探讨,分析了良好的评教体系应遵循的原则,指出传统的学生评教方式存在的弊端,提出建立网上学生评教系统以完善课堂教学质量评价体系。     

浅议高中音乐教学快乐教学的认识与体验

在高效课堂的背景下,高中音乐教学既要面向全体学生,又要关注尊重学生的个性,实施快乐音乐教学,努力构建快乐的音乐课堂。要构建快乐音乐课堂,必须尊重学生的情感体验,激发学生的学习兴趣,鼓励学生积极参与音乐活动,注意培养学生的音乐鉴赏能力,最终获得高中音乐教学效果的艺术性、情感性与思想性的完整统一。     

论我国基础教育建立自身质量评价制度的紧迫性

我国基础教育是整个教育体系中的重要组成部分,决定着一个人成年后继续学习和从事生产、生活所应当获得的基础知识和基本技能,以及综合素质和可持续发展的能力。基础教育要有自身的质量评价体系,高考不能替代基础教育质量的监测与评价,社会的发展迫切需要基础教育建立自身的质量评价制度。     

Creating foundations for collaboration in schools: Utilizing professional learning communities to support teacher candidate learning and visions of teaching

Despite widespread acknowledgment of the power of professional collaboration, the norm in most schools is teachers working in isolation. Our study examined the impact of multiple layers of professional collaboration intentionally integrated into a one-year preservice teacher education program working in two elementary schools. Analysis of 23 teacher candidates' written reflections, focus group interviews, and classroom observations indicated that supported by collaboration with colleagues, they developed the skills and commitment to teach each student for understanding. Based on our research, we propose a shift in teacher education toward collaborative inquiry about teaching and learning within school/university partnerships.     

高校体育教师如何适应俱乐部式体育教学的分析研究

文章通过对普通高校体育教师教学观念、教学模式及自身运动技术水平的观察和问卷分析，提出在当今普遍的俱乐部式教学模式中，体育教师必须从几个方面去改善、提高和充实，才能适应这样的个性化教学形式和现代化的教学趋势。     

Assessing the validity and reliability of a quick scan for student's evaluation of teaching. Results from confirmatory factor analysis and G Theory

Using confirmatory factor analysis and G Theory analysis, this article explores the reliability and the validity of a short version of the SET37 questionnaire for students’ evaluation of teaching (SET). The results show that this instrument can be used as a valuable diagnostic instrument for gathering student feedback in internal practices and procedures aimed at both monitoring and improving the quality of instruction in higher education.     

There’s more to teaching than instruction: seven strategies for dealing with the practical side of teaching 1

In this paper, we highlight the importance for teachers of having sound practical skills in interacting with students, parents, administrators and other teachers, and argue that the development of such skills is often insufficiently considered in professional training. We then present a new framework for conceptualizing practical skills in dealing with others that follows directly from Sternberg’s theory of successful intelligence. Finally, we outline and discuss an approach to measuring teachers’ preferred strategies for dealing with others that we believe has promise, both for future research into the nature and characteristics of effective teachers and schools, and for the development of teacher expertise.     

走出应试误区，抓好高中语文识字教学

要加强高中语的识字教学，必须从数量上和质量上抓好，对常用字要结合课从字的音，形，义上确切掌握。