EDR 685: Practicum for Reading Teacher
Common Course Assessment: Case Study
Common Course Standards:
International Reading Association (IRA) 2010 Standards for Reading Professionals
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Element 1.1 – Candidates understand major theories and empirical research that
describe the cognitive, linguistic, motivational, and sociocultural foundations of
reading and writing development, processes, and components, including word
recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading–writing
connections.
Element 2.1 – Candidates use foundational knowledge to design or implement an
integrated, comprehensive, and balanced curriculum.
Element 2.2 – Candidates use appropriate and varied instructional approaches,
including those that develop word recognition, language comprehension, strategic
knowledge, and reading–writing connections.
Element 2.3 – Candidates use a wide range of texts (e.g., narrative, expository, and
poetry) from traditional print, digital, and online resources.
Element 3.2 – Candidates select, develop, administer, and interpret assessments,
both traditional print and electronic, for specific purposes.
Element 3.3 – Candidates use assessment information to plan and evaluate
instruction.
Element 3.4 – Candidates communicate assessment results and implications to a
variety of audiences.
Element 4.1 – Candidates recognize, understand, and value the forms of diversity
that exist in society and their importance in learning to read and write.
Element 4.2 – Candidates use a literacy curriculum and engage in instructional
practices that positively impact students’ knowledge, beliefs, and engagement with
the features of diversity.
Element 5.1 – Candidates design the physical environment to optimize students’ use
of traditional print, digital, and online resources in reading and writing instruction.
Element 6.3 – Candidates participate in, design, facilitate, lead, and evaluate
effective and differentiated professional development programs.
Rubric for Case Study:
Elements
Explain the
research and
theory about
effective
learning
environments
and the factors
contributing to
reading and
writing success
including
Distinguished
(3)
Apply literature
to specific
environment;
Accurately
describe learning
environment
featuring
student
learning;
Consider in
Proficient
(2)
Cite useful
literature;
Accurately
describe learning
environment;
Consider in
analysis
individual
cognitive,
linguistic,
Progressing
(1)
Unsatisfactory
(0)
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Fail to cite
appropriate
literature;
Describe learning
environment
with limited
insight;
Show in analysis
limited
awareness of
Updated 2/9/16
individual
motivation to
read and write.
IRA 1.1
analysis
relations
between
cognitive,
linguistic,
motivational,
and/or sociocultural factors
re: learning of
individuals;
In analysis, take
responsibility
for creating
learning
environment that
ensures success.
Use
foundational
knowledge to
design,
implement an
integrated,
comprehensive,
balanced
curriculum for
all learners
IRA 2.1
Use
‘Understanding
by Design’
inquiry model
to design and
implement
lessons of a
coherent unit of
study that
integrate a
balanced literacy
curriculum with
interesting
content.
Explain relation
of curriculum to
standards,
student
resources and
needs.
Use literatureand researchsupported
instructional
approaches to
develop word
recognition,
comprehension
and critical
thinking, oral
language, and
written
expression in all
learners.
Select
instructional
approaches that
suit instructional
purpose, student
need, and own
professional
growth goals;
Provide
evidence-based
rationale and
literature to
support choice
and describe
motivational,
socio-cultural
factors re: subgroup (e.g.,
boys, English
language
learners)
characteristics;
In analysis,
assign
responsibility to
students for
some
factors/outcomes
that are within
teachers’ control,
but recognizes
this upon
discussion.
cognitive,
linguistic,
motivational,
and/or sociocultural factors;
Interpret
students from
deficit
perspective;
In analysis,
assign
responsibility to
students for
factors that are
teachers’
responsibility.
Design,
implement
lessons that
balance direct
instruction,
supported and
independent
work; individual
and group work;
teach skills and
providing
authentic
opportunities for
oral and written
forms of
communication.
Design lessons
that lack balance
or coherence or
interest or
authentic
opportunities to
use oral and
written
communication.
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Select
instructional
approaches that
suit instructional
purpose and
student need;
Select
instructional
approaches that
are not ideally
suited to
instructional
purpose;
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Provide rationale
for choice.
Rationale has
gaps in
connections
between
research and
practice.
Updated 2/9/16
IRA 2.2
implementatio
n
Critically
evaluate, select,
use varied highquality print,
digital, online
resources; lead
others in
collaborative
efforts to do so.
Select
instructional
resources that
suit instructional
purpose,
student
characteristics
and own
professional
growth goals;
IRA 2.3
Select
instructional
resources that
suit instructional
purpose and
student need;
Instructional
resources are not
ideally suited to
instructional
purpose or
student;
Model for peers;
Model showing
partial
understanding of
resources;
Provide rationale
for choice.
Collaboratively
evaluate use;
Provide rationale
with gaps in
connections
between
research and
practice.
Provide
evidence-based
rationale,
literature to
support choice,
implement.
Select,
develop,
administer, and
interpret
assessments of
reading, writing,
language,
interest, and/or
content area(s)
for specific
purposes.
IRA 3.2
Select, develop,
and administer
assessments of
reading, writing,
language,
interest, and
content area(s)
that are wellmatched to
students, goals,
and instructional
context as well
as sensitive to
change.
Interpret
assessment data
collaboratively
with peer
teachers.
Analyze and use
assessment data
from multiple
sources to plan
instruction and
monitor response
to instruction.
IRA 3.3
Accurately,
completely
analyze
assessments;
Articulate how
instructional
goals and plans
are aligned with
assessment data,
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Select, develop,
and administer
assessments of
reading, writing,
language,
interest, and
content area(s)
that are
appropriate for
students, goals,
instructional
context.
Interpret
assessment data
independently.
Select, develop,
and administer
assessments of
reading, writing,
language,
interest and
content area(s)
with considerable
support from
instructor to
align
assessments
with students,
goals,
instructional
context.
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Interpret data
partially
accurately.
Use assessment
data to plan
instruction,
monitor progress
in response to
instruction,
evaluate
effectiveness of
instruction, and
Construct plan
for instruction,
chose
instructional
approach not
well-informed by
assessment nor
revised in
response to
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Updated 2/9/16
progress
monitoring
information.
Revise as
needed.
Communicate
assessment/prog
ress results,
implications to
educators,
families, and
learners.
IRA 3.4
Describe
substantive
learning re:
worthwhile
goals, with
quotes, other
evidence from
student
responses to
instruction.
Situate learning
re: significance
of progress.
revise
instructional
goals and
approaches as
needed.
progress
monitoring data.
Describe
progress toward
instructional
goals, with
evidence from
student
responses to
instruction.
Describe
progress without
convincing
evidence or
substance.
Communication
is not sufficiently
complete or
organized.
Communicate in
detail without
jargon.
Communicate
thorough,
accurate
message in
audiencesensitive
language.
Understand the
relationship
between first and
second language
acquisition,
literacy
development.
IRA 4.1
Provide
differentiated
instruction, use
practices,
materials that
are responsive
to, respectful of,
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Chose language
or content of
message that is
ill-suited to the
audience.
Articulate the
relationship
between 1st and
2nd language
acquisition and
literacy, and the
implications of
this relationship
for teaching and
learning,
supported by
relevant
literature.
Apply this
information
planning to
teaching,
professional
conversations.
Articulate the
relationship
between 1st and
2nd language
acquisition with
citations and
literacy and the
implications of
this relationship
for teaching and
learning.
Articulate the
relationship
between 1st and
2nd language
acquisition with
insufficient
development;
the implications
of this
relationship for
teaching and
learning are illdefined.
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Identify diversity
present in
classroom;
identify
potential
tensions
between own
Identify the
diversity of
language,
culture, family
background,
academic skills
and interests
Demonstrate
limited
awareness of
diversity present
in classroom and
of potential
tensions between
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Updated 2/9/16
learners’ diverse
skills, interests,
and
backgrounds.
IRA 4.2
Design the
physical
environment to
optimize
students’ use of
traditional print,
digital, and
online resources
in reading and
writing
instruction.
backgrounds and
those of
students.
Model practices,
choose
materials,
resources,
technology,
that are
empowering,
responsive to,
respectful of,
learners’ diverse
skills, interests,
and
backgrounds.
present in
classroom.
Use practices,
chose materials
that are
responsive to
learners’ diverse
skills, interests,
and
backgrounds.
own background
and that of
students.
Use practices,
materials that
are not
sufficiently
responsive to
learners’ diverse
skills, interests,
backgrounds.
In discussion,
discover more
opportunities for
interesting,
authentic uses of
literacy. Provide
abundant
literacy
opportunities/res
ources to
students.
In modeled
lessons, provide
students with
opportunities for
interesting,
authentic uses of
reading, writing,
speaking,
listening,
viewing, and
representing.
Do most talking;
opportunities for
students to
engage in
interesting,
authentic uses of
literacy are rare.
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
In discussion of
plans, lessons,
articulate
understanding
of principles of
‘guided practice’
or ‘gradual
release of
responsibility’
models of
scaffolding
learning.
In lesson plan
and lessons
modeled, show
use of ‘guided
practice’ or
‘gradual release
of responsibility’
models of
scaffolding
student learning.
Base lesson plan
and lessons
modeled on
‘guided practice’
or ‘gradual
release of
responsibility’
steps, but
instructional
practice shows
limited
scaffolding of
student learning.
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
Engage
in/initiate wellresearched
professional
conversations
around
instruction,
creating own
prompts, eliciting
useful
Engage in
professional/peer
conversations
around
instruction using
suggested
prompts,
attending to
student learning,
demonstrating
Engage in
professional/peer
conversations
with minimal
evidence of
planning or
attention to
authentic uses of
literacy or
student learning
Not meet criteria
for progressing.
IRA 5.1
Design a social
environment that
is low risk and
includes choice,
motivation, and
scaffolded
support to
optimize
students’
opportunities for
learning to read
and write.
IRA 5.1
Participate in,
design, facilitate,
lead, and
evaluate
effective and
differentiated
professional
development
programs.
Updated 2/9/16
IRA 6.3
information re: a
thoughtful
plan, directly
focusing on
student learning,
and producing
deep insights
into own and
other’s
thinking in
reflection;
Model researchbased
instructional
practices,
achieving,
articulating fit
between
practice, learning
targets, K-12
student
strengths, needs,
teacher needs,
and Reading
literature.
active listening,
and producing
insights in
reflection;
Model researchbased
instructional
practices
consistent with
learning targets,
sensitive to
student or
teacher needs.
Apply learning
from individual
and group
professional
development to
own instructional
practice.
and little depth
of reflection;
Model
instructional
practice without
evidence of a
clear
understanding of
the practice and
without a good
fit between
practice, learning
targets, K-12
student
strengths and
needs, and
teacher needs.
Fail to integrate
information from
professional
development into
teaching
practice.
Extend learning
from professional
development to
own instructional
practice.
Updated 2/9/16