Undergraduate Standards

STANDARDS FOR ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER CANDIDATES (UNDERGRADUATE)


MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING WITH ENGLISH 9-12 OR MIDDLE GRADES LANGUAGE ARTS SPECIALIZATION

All MAT candidates must meet the undergraduate standards as part of Phase I of that program.

English/Language Arts (ELA) teachers know what it means to be a literate citizen in the 21st century, acknowledging that the parameters of literacy are constantly shifting and expanding. ELA teachers know and are able to apply the language of the discipline of English/language arts appropriate for the developmental level of students and different grade level expectations. Teachers of ELA know and understand literacy processes to facilitate continuous growth in and beyond the classroom. ELA teachers recognize the importance of language practice in contexts within and beyond the academic environment of the classroom in preparation for success in a global society.

These standards are based on a philosophy of teaching and learning that is consistent with the current research, exemplary practices, and state and national standards.

Standard 1: ELA teacher candidates demonstrate knowledge and use of reading processes through the use of a wide range of texts.

ELA teacher candidates know what it means to be a literate citizen in the 21st century, acknowledging that the parameters of literacy are constantly shifting and expanding. Teacher candidates have an understanding of reading as a process and are able to employ strategies to encourage students to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate text in all forms. They have an in-depth knowledge of a wide range of texts. Teacher candidates understand how to integrate carefully designed learning experiences that encourage students to demonstrate their ability to read and respond to texts of varying complexity and difficulty.

Middle School

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied theories and teaching applications for a wide range of texts specifically written for young adolescents.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied theories and teaching applications of a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts appropriate to middle level/grades students.

High School

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied theories and teaching applications for texts representing a global, multicultural, historical, and contemporary spectrum of literature.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied teaching applications for a range of works of literary theory and criticism and an understanding of their effect on reading and interpretive approaches.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied theories and teaching applications of a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts appropriate to high school.

Standard 2: ELA teacher candidates demonstrate the knowledge and use of multiple composing processes.

ELA teacher candidates understand that composition is a recursive process. They demonstrate a wide variety of effective composing strategies in various forms that generate meaning and clarify understanding. ELA teacher candidates distinguish among different conventions of composition for a variety of audiences, purposes, and contexts. Teacher candidates understand the complexity of assessment when dealing with composition and use effective assessment strategies that value all aspects of the composing process.

Middle School

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied theories and teaching applications of print and non-print texts.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied teaching applications that integrate time for and practice of composition in all aspects of learning.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of, and ability to use, varied theories and teaching applications of aesthetic and rhetorical conventions.

High School

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied theories and teaching applications of print and non-print texts.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied teaching applications that integrate time for and practice of composition in all aspects of learning.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied theories and teaching applications of aesthetic and rhetorical conventions.

Standard 3: ELA teacher candidates demonstrate the knowledge and use of the function, the influence, and the diversity of language.

In order to plan and execute effective instruction, ELA teacher candidates have a comprehensive knowledge of the function, the influence, and the diversity of language. Teacher candidates understand and analyze the purposes of language in various contexts and forms: reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. They understand the use of purpose, audience, and context within language to construct meaning; they apply knowledge of the choices in language structure and language conventions within these constructs. Teacher candidates offer continuous feedback and provide effective assessment to foster language development.

Middle School

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to connect reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing processes.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied theories and teaching applications of the conventions of English appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use individual language acquisition and development, recognizing the impacts of cultural, economic, political, and social environments upon language.

High School

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to connect reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing processes.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use varied theories and teaching applications of the conventions of English appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use individual language acquisition and development, recognizing the impacts of cultural, economic, political, and social environments upon language.

Standard 4: ELA teacher candidates demonstrate the knowledge and use of the integrated practices of multimodal literacies.

In the 21st century there are increased cognitive demands on the audience to interpret the intertextuality of communication events that include combinations of print, speech, images, sounds, movement, music, and animation. Products may blur traditional lines of genre, author/audience, and linear sequence. Multimodal literacies acknowledge the idea that meaning is made through multiple modes of communication and expression and thus is not limited to traditional ideas of language.

Middle School

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to integrate a variety of instructional strategies and assessments to develop understanding of media, visual, aural, and critical literacies.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use multimodality as a way to enhance or transform the meaning of composing, reading, and analyzing print and non-print communication.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to acquire, organize, evaluate, and creatively use multimodal information.

High School

  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to integrate a variety of instructional strategies and assessments to develop understanding of media, visual, aural, and critical literacies.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to use multimodality as a way to enhance or transform the meaning of composing, reading, and analyzing print and non-print communication.
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of and an ability to acquire, organize, evaluate, and creatively use multimodal information.