ESL 523N SEI English Language Teaching:
Foundations and Methodologies
Benchmark Assessment and Rubric

Targeted Essential Learning

Effective instructional design and planning related to language learning must be based on the standards, the learners, and research-based strategies and practices. An effective ELL teacher has an in-depth knowledge of best practices, research-based methodologies for teaching English language learners. (APTS 1, 7; INTASC 1, 3, 7)

Assessment Tool Selected

1)SIOP Lesson Plan

2)Rationale Essay

Specific Performance/Task(s)

  • Create an instructional plan for ELL students in a targeted grade level. (APTS 1.3)
  • Demonstrate an understanding of language diversity as it informs the instructional design and planning process. (APTS 1.3)
  • Create learning experiences that connect subject area knowledge to real life situations. (APTS 7.5)

Relevancy of Task to Teacher Candidate

By designing a SIOP lesson plan that focuses on all components of SIOP, teacher candidates will be able to teach content and language objectives to second language learners in their classrooms.

General Practicum Information

1)This course requires a practicum experience. Familiarize yourself with the Practicum Manual and its associated forms found in the Student Success Center.

2)Students’ practicum experiences should follow the practicum experience requirements, including the diversity and hour requirements for this course on the “Education Practicum/Field Experience Placement Form,” located in the PracticumManual.

3)Students should fill out the “Education Practicum/Field Experience Placement Form” and “Practicum/Field Experience Observation and Activity Log,” found in the Practicum Manual. Complete the form with the names of the schools and grade levels where the observations took place and document the hours spent in the classroom. Submit the form to the course instructor along with your Benchmark Assessment.

4)Spend 5 hours each in two classrooms that service ELL students (10 hours total). Let each of your mentors know that you are observing lesson planning and implementation using the SIOP model. Throughout the practicum experience, observe and interview your mentors (two).

5)Students will also complete a 250-500-word Practicum Reflection (due in Module 7 in addition to the Benchmark Assessment) for each classroom highlighting your observations and interviews. The two observations must be in different grade levels and one placement must be in a Title 1 school.

Assessment: Student Prompts/Teacher Directions

Individual: Lesson Planning with SIOP: A Theoretical Base (Benchmark Assessment)

1)SIOP Lesson Plan

a)Create a lesson plan using the template “SIOP Lesson Plan,”locatedwithin the Additional Resources folder of Canyon Connect, for a content area and/or grade level that includes:

i)Identified content and language objectives.

ii)Relevant resources and materials.

iii)3-5 varied best-practice learning experiences.

iv)APA format is not required, but solid writing skill in APA style is expected.

2)Rationale Essay

a)Write a 1,250–1,500 word rationale for the lesson, comparing and contrasting two major language acquisition theories used to inform the lesson and noting any influence the observations of your mentor teachers may have had on your lesson. You may add a Venn-diagram that summarizes your main points. Speculate as to the success of your lesson plan based on these theories.

b)Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is required.

3)Submit your assignment with a title page, to the instructor by the end of Module 7.

Scoring Tool/Guide (Rubric)

Lesson Planning With SIOP: A Theoretical Base

Criteria / 1: Unsatisfactory / 2: Less Than Satisfactory / 3: Satisfactory / 4: Good / 5: Excellent
Content 95%
Standards(25%) / No standards are mentioned in lesson. Lesson is not aligned to standards. / Standards are inconsistently alluded to in lesson. Lesson is minimally aligned to standards. Too many or too few standards are included. (Lesson may name many standards instead of focusing on important, key standards; alternately, lesson may not name relevant key standards). / Some relevant standards are referenced. Some
key standards are identified. Lesson
is mostly influenced by standards. / Relevant standards are referenced. Most key standards are identified. Lesson is clearly aligned to standards. / Key applicable standards are thoroughly referenced. Lesson is guided by and aligned to standards.
Content and Language Objectives(25%) / Content and language objectives are missing.Content vocabulary is not addressed. / Missing either content or language objectives. Content and language objectives do not provide a clear sense of what students will know and be able to do as a result of the lesson. Objectives areunclear, or
are unrelated to standards. Incomplete reference to vocabulary instruction. / Both language and content objectives are present, and most are aligned to standards. Stated language objectives provide a minimal sense of what students will be able to do as a result of the lesson. Adequate attention is provided to content vocabulary instruction. / Most objectives provide a path to what students will know and be able to do as a result of the lesson. Multiple strategies for addressing content vocabulary instruction are evident. / All objectives are aligned to standards. Extensive, well-planned focus on teaching and reviewing content vocabulary before, during, and after the lesson.
Learning Experiences (25%) / Activities are absent or unrelated to objectives. No differentiation of instruction is mentioned. / Many activities are extraneous and irrelevant. Limited or unsuccessful attempt is made to individualize activities for learning styles or strengths. / Activities relate to objectives, thoughsome are extraneous. Activities are mostly accessible to students with different learning styles and strengths.
Lesson plan includes differentiated instruction, limited to either gifted students, English language learners, or students with special needs. / Activities provide
a logical path to meeting objectives. Activities are accessible to students of more than one learning style or strength.
Lesson includes varied differentiated instruction for gifted students, English language learners, and students with special needs. / Students of many learning styles and strengths can benefit from activities.
Lesson clearly offers appropriate, creative, and well-integrated challenges for students of all levels, including gifted students, English language learners, and students with special needs.
Materials and Resources (10%) / Materials and resources needed for this lesson are not included in plan. / Materials and resources needed for this lesson are included, but
seem limited or incomplete. / A list of materials and resources needed for this lesson are included. / A detailed list of materials and resources needed
for this lesson are included in plan. / Methodical notes about assembling materials, contacting outside guests, or locating additional resources are also included.
Organization 5%
Mechanics of Writing
(includes spelling, punctuation, grammar)(1%) / Surface errors are pervasive enough
that they impede communication of meaning. / Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. / Some mechanical errors or typos are present, but are not overly distracting to the reader. / Prose is largely free of mechanical errors, although a few may be present. / Writer is clearly in control of standard, written American English.
Language Use and Audience Awareness (includes sentence construction, word choice, etc)(1%) / Inappropriate word choice and/or sentence construction, lack of variety in language use. Writer appears
to be unaware of audience. / There are some distracting and/or inconsistencies in language choice (register), sentence structure, and/or word choice. The writer exhibits some lack of control in using figures of speech appropriately. / Sentence structure
is correct and occasionally varies. Language is appropriate to the targeted audience
for the most part. / The writer is clearly aware of audience; uses a variety of sentence structures and appropriate vocabulary for the target audience; uses figures of speech to communicate clearly. / The writer uses a variety of sentence constructions, figures of speech, and word choice in unique and creative ways that are appropriate to purpose, discipline, and scope.
Essay Structure, Paragraph Development,
and Transitions (2%) / Paragraphs and transitions consistently lack unity and coherence; no apparent connections between paragraphs. Transitions are inappropriate to purpose and scope. Organization is disjointed. / Some paragraphs and transitions may lack logical progression
of ideas, unity, coherence, and/or cohesiveness.
Some degree of organization is evident. / Paragraphs are generally competent, but ideas may show some inconsistency in organization and/or in their relationships to each other. / A logical progression of ideas between paragraphs is apparent. Paragraphs exhibit a unity, coherence, and cohesiveness. Topic sentences and concluding remarks are used as appropriate to purpose, discipline, and scope. / There is a sophisticated construction of
the essay. Ideas universally progress and relate to each other. The writer has been careful to use paragraph and transition construction to
guide the reader.
APA Format
and Style Requirements (1%) / APA format and style are not evident. / Title page is present, though missing APA elements; in-text citations, where necessary, are used though formatted inaccurately, but not referenced. / All key elements of an APA title page are present; an abstract is present and formatted correctly; in-text citations and a reference section are present with few format errors. Mechanics of writing are reflective of
APA style. / Plan elements
are theoretically supported with accurate citations
and references. / A broad understanding of APA format and style is evident in use of level headings and lists, for example.

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