Checklist of Competencies

Long-term plans are cohesive and organized around explicit inquiry-driven learning objectives

Long-term plans are sequenced to support appropriate culminating activity/activities

Works from stated, focused reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking objectives

Integrates interdisciplinary strategies and materials where possible

Clearly promotes activities demonstrating the role of arts and humanities in learning

Offers sound rationale justifying instructional decision-making

Identifies and implements clearly stated assessments

Offers differentiated instruction

Relates materials to students= interests and needs

Establishes good rapport with the class-friendly, but firm

Includes all learners in class activities

Treats students with courtesy and tact

Deals effectively with disruptive students

Exhibits adequate control over the classroom in order to allow learning to take place

Attempts to motivate students through positive rather than negative techniques such as threats or tests

Seeks to act as a coach rather than a dispenser of wisdom

Exhibits poise and self-confidence

Displays enthusiasm for the subject matter

Is positive and supportive in relations and students

Provides multiple structures for engaging with and responding to texts (e.g., discussion circles, pair-share, writers= notebooks, book clubs, formal essay, blogging, media production)

Transitions smoothly from one activity to the next

Models activities rather than relying solely on giving verbal directions

Spends a minimum amount of time on class administration

Designs assessments that move students toward increasingly higher levels of engagement with rather than simple memorization of course material

Encourages students to be active, not passive agents of their own learning

Demonstrates concepts rather than merely defining them

Encourages students to spend time working in pairs and/or small groups to socially construct knowledge

Shows students how to function in groups and structures group work carefully

Adapts seating arrangements to facilitate discussion

Develops questioning strategies that lead students toward higher order thinking

Facilitates discussion to create a dialogic, student-centered classroom rather than a monologic, teacher-centered classroom

Respects individual learners= culture and language, community and experience

Designs instruction that is developmentally appropriate

Accommodates a variety of learning styles and intelligences

Demonstrates mastery of textual content

Relates the reading to students= lives

Teaches a variety of strategies for comprehending texts

Demonstrates ability to match student reading competence with readability of text

Encourages engagement with and analysis of a variety of textual forms (e.g., the novel, poetry, drama, memoir, newspapers, magazines, websites, oral/visual media, and the Aworld@)

Includes works dealing with human diversity and multicultural themes

Reads aloud to model good reading practices and to engage students in texts

Encourages a variety of critical perspectives for understanding texts such as new criticism, reader response, etc.

Provides pre-reading activities such as advanced organizers and prediction to enhance comprehension

Provides time for students to read

Encourages enjoyment and emotional response to literature

Encourages independent reading including texts written for young adults

Teaches students how to read assertively by annotating, underlining, and marking and writing responses to texts, when appropriate

Encourages creative dramatic activities (e.g., role play, readers’ theater)

Integrates formative and summative writing assessments into the study of literature

Provides time and instruction for all the stages of writing process:

_____ prewriting

_____ drafting

_____ revising

_____ editing

_____ publishing

_____ reflecting

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Employs peer writing groups

Stipulates criteria for evaluation of writing assignments

Provides constructive criticism and encouragement to student writers

Teacher models good writing

Provides examples of effective writing

Uses writing to teach the content of the English curriculum by employing frequent activities for writing to learn (e.g., Learning logs, journals, microthemes, etc.)

Demonstrates mastery of Standard American English/Edited American English in classroom presentations and written materials

Teaches grammar, usage, and mechanics in the context of students= writing and reading

Takes advantage of teachable moments to explore language issues

Builds opportunities for reflection about language use into lessons

Uses an inductive-discovery process when teaching vocabulary that allows students to figure out meaning through context and build knowledge from understanding of roots, related families, prefixes and suffixes

Provides students with authentic (and frequent) opportunities to use new vocabulary in their reading and speaking

Leads students through scaffolded language exercises linked to authentic reading/writing experiences

Demonstrates sensitivity and tact when responding to dialect and other ELL issues