Language Acquisition

ED.811.641
Spring 2020

ED.811.641 Session 13
BL11 4/21
DL11 4/28
TL11 4/28

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the loss of the clinical program, and a lack of access to
secondary students, the key assignment for Language Acquisition is being modified as follows:

Key Assignment: Promoting Academic Discourse

Due: Session 13; Total Value: 35%; See Appendix B for Rubric
 
For the Key Assignment, you will develop a lesson that deepens students’ knowledge, or
understanding, of a topic through the use of academic language/discourse. The lesson should
clearly illustrate how you, as the teacher, plan to structure the opportunity for discourse in a way
that deepens student knowledge and how you plan to offer supports for linguistically diverse
learners (e.g. English Language Learners, speakers of all variants of English, etc.).
 
Your plan should include explicit teacher actions and student actions. The teacher actions should
include a script of the model, directions, and expectations for the lesson. The student actions
should include exemplar student responses or a range of acceptable responses. Finally, you will
need to include your plan to hold students accountable for the expectations for academic
language throughout the lesson. This should include a well-developed student-watching tool that
will enable you to evaluate the quality of student dialogue.  

Additionally, you should submit a lesson rationale that explains the intent behind the
instructional design, referencing course readings, CCSS/TEKS, and your knowledge of students.
Your rationale should also speak to: (1) the preparation that you would have students do in the
days before this talk-based lesson in order to scaffold the content and skills and (2) how you
would synthesize and extend the learning from this lesson in future ones. 
 
You may develop your lesson based on models presented in class or you may teach a lesson from
your required curriculum, revising as needed to address the needs of your students and specific
goals and objectives (content/reading and speaking/language based).  

Participants will submit:

 Detailed, scripted lesson plan with student-watching tool
 Lesson rationale
 Key Assignment Final Assignment Revised Rubric
**D.2 and D.3 have been removed due the removal of student context** 
Program Assignment Beginning Emerging Proficient  
Learning Component(s)
Objective (Minimum required of Mastering
candidates)

B.1. Collect Lesson Plan Included student watching tool Included student watching tool Included student watching tool Included student watching tool
Data: Routinely will allow the teacher to gather will allow the teacher to gather will allow the teacher to gather will allow the teacher to gather
gather formative concrete student performance concrete student performance concrete student performance concrete student performance
assessment data data but is not aligned to the data but is only partially data aligned to the expectations data aligned to the expectations
expectations of the standard. aligned to the expectations of of the standard. of the standard.
that is aligned to
OR the standard.
the expectations Student watching tool is not It is clear how the data
of the standards included. gathered by the tool will be
used strategically for learning.
10%
C.1. Lesson Lesson Plan  Instruction is not aligned to the Instruction is aligned to the Instruction is aligned to the Instruction is aligned to the
Structure and relevant standards. relevant standards. relevant standards. relevant standards.
       
Alignment: Instruction does not Instruction incorporates best- Instruction incorporates best- Instruction incorporates best-
Provide high- incorporate best-practice for practices for delivering practices for delivering practices for delivering
quality, delivering instruction (e.g. instruction (e.g. modeling and instruction (e.g. modeling and instruction (e.g. modeling and
standards-based, modeling and student practice). student practice). student practice). student practice).
learning    
Instruction moves students Instruction successfully moves
experiences for towards the learning target. students to meeting the
students. demands of the standard.

15%
C.1. Lesson Rationale Effectively satisfies one of Effectively satisfies two of Effectively satisfies all of these Effectively satisfies all of these
Structure and these three criteria: these three criteria: three criteria: three criteria:
Explains the intent behind the Explains the intent behind the Explains the intent behind the Explains the intent behind the
Alignment: instructional design, instructional design, instructional design, instructional design,
Provide high- referencing course readings, referencing course readings, referencing course readings, referencing course readings,
quality, CCSS/TEKS, and your CCSS/TEKS, and your CCSS/TEKS, and your CCSS/TEKS, and your
standards-based, knowledge of students.  knowledge of students.  knowledge of students.  knowledge of students. 
learning AND AND AND AND
Explains the preparation that Explains the preparation that Explains the preparation that Explains the preparation that
experiences for you would have students do in you would have students do in you would have students do in you would have students do in
students. the days before this talk-based the days before this talk-based the days before this talk-based the days before this talk-based
lesson in order to scaffold the lesson in order to scaffold the lesson in order to scaffold the lesson in order to scaffold the
20% content and skills.  content and skills.  content and skills.  content and skills. 
AND AND AND AND
Explains how you would Explains how you would Explains how you would Explains how you would
synthesize and extend the synthesize and extend the synthesize and extend the synthesize and extend the
learning from this lesson in learning from this lesson in learning from this lesson in learning from this lesson in
future ones. future ones. future ones. future ones.

Writing is clear and concise

and demonstrates an
understanding of course
readings and content.

C.2. Lesson Plan Supports for diverse learners, Vague or general supports for Specific supports for diverse Specific supports for diverse
Differentiation: including linguistically diverse diverse learners, including learners, including learners, including
learners, are not included. linguistically diverse learners, linguistically diverse learners, linguistically diverse learners,
are included. are included. are included.
Ensure that the  
content and Students are given appropriate
experiences are access to academic language
accessible for via teacher supports.
diverse learners;
based on student
data.

10%

C.2. Rationale Does not describe how the plan Generally describes how the Effectively describes how the Effectively describes how the
Differentiation: is designed to offer supports plan is designed to offer plan is designed to offer plan is designed to offer
for linguistically diverse supports for linguistically supports for linguistically supports for linguistically
Ensure that the learners (e.g. English diverse learners (e.g. English diverse learners (e.g. English diverse learners (e.g. English
Language Learners, speakers Language Learners, speakers Language Learners, speakers Language Learners, speakers
content and of all variants of English, etc.). of all variants of English, etc.). of all variants of English, etc.). of all variants of English, etc.).
experiences are
accessible for Writing is clear and concise
diverse learners; and demonstrates an
based on student understanding of course
readings and content.
data.

20%

C.3. Academic Lesson plan Most tasks and questions are Tasks and questions are Tasks and questions are Tasks and questions are
Rigor: closed-ended and require little frequently open-ended and frequently open-ended and frequently open-ended and
Continuously critical thinking. require little critical thinking require little critical thinking require critical thinking
push for ongoing      
No evidence of scaffolding is Some scaffolding is present in Frequent evidence of
development and
present in the lesson the lesson scaffolding in the lesson that
deep builds cognitively to support
understanding of students in achieving the
the lesson learning target
content; based on
student data.
 
10%

D.1. Promote Lesson Plan The participant does not plan The participant plans to The participant plans to The participant plans to
Talk: Hold all to substantively engage substantively engage students substantively engage students substantively engage students
students students in academic talk. in academic talk. in academic talk. in academic talk.
accountable for
participating in The plan includes a scripted The plan includes a scripted
respectful model of the quality of talk model of the quality of talk
academic expected from students and a expected from students and a
range of exemplar answers.  range of exemplar answers. 
conversations.
 
 
Plan includes scripted teacher
15%
moves to facilitate talk.