What is it that differentiates

students who make it from those who do not? This list is long, but very prominent among the factors is mastery of academic language.
- Lily Wong Fillmore, Ph.D.

Cycle of Inquiry: 2012-2013

EMPHASIS: Exploring teaching and learning to create a community of practice that supports the learning of our teacher candidates.

Understand What Happened Take Action

Start with a Problem of Practice

Plan to Collect and Use Evidence of Progress

Develop a Theory of Action

Overarching Question
What supports do our candidates need so that they can successfully demonstrate the ability to plan, teach, and assess academic language?

Academic Language 2012 edTPA Results

Below Standard Earned all 3s Earned 3s and 4s Earned all 4s

3 - Acceptable level to begin teaching 4 - Solid foundation of knowledge and skills

Candidate Self-Assessment of Academic Language

35

32

30
25 20 15 10 3 11 13

5
0

3
Candidate Overall

January 2013

Washington State Institution Comparison

Spring 2012
Rubric #10 State Median ETC C13 MIT 2.78 2.71 2.78 Rubric #11 3.05 3.29 3.00 Rubric #12 3.02 2.71 3.00

Essential Question
Who provides the needed support to candidates?
OOOO-

O-

O-

Our Claim
To support our candidates, we must support the practice of our adjuncts who must: 1. understand academic language demands, 2. include them in course content and assignments, 3. model them during instruction, and 4. provide for candidate practice.

Adjunct Self-Assessment of Academic Language

Theory of Action
What supports do adjuncts need to help our candidates plan, teach and assess academic language?
Time given for collaboration Input opportunities to identify needs Clarification of candidate requirements Syllabus development assistance

Adjunct Self-Assessment March

Training

Plans to Collect More Data

Surveying candidates to determine where academic language is embedded in coursework. Including an academic language question in candidate exit interviews. Work with MIT and ETC directors to include a common academic language outcome in syllabi templates.

Plans for Additional Actions

Create a structure to disseminate and archive resources. Develop a means for ongoing adjunct input and discussion (e.g. Blackboard discussions). Consider how mentors and supervisors can be involved in adult practice to support candidates.

One Adjunct ~
Before and After

January: I dont really want to work on elementary language development goals as I have row to hoe on a candidates own learning goals.

March: I now can see how this fits into my instruction.