| (2) |
Requirements. To receive approval, GaPSC-approved educator
preparation providers shall offer a preparation program described in program
planning forms, catalogs, and syllabi addressing the standards delineated
below.
| (a) |
Middle Level Teacher Preparation
Standards. The program shall prepare candidates who meet the following
standards adapted from the standards published by the Association for Middle
Level Education (AMLE) for Middle Level Teacher Preparation (2022).
| 1. |
Middle Level Philosophy and
School Organization. Middle level teacher candidates understand
the major concepts, principles, theories, and research underlying the
philosophical foundations of developmentally responsive middle level programs
and schools, and they work successfully within middle level organizational
components as indicated by the following:
| (i) |
Middle Level Philosophical Foundations: Middle level teacher candidates
demonstrate an understanding of the philosophical foundations of
developmentally responsive middle level programs and schools. |
| (ii) |
Middle Level Organization and Practices:
Middle level teacher candidates use their knowledge of the effective components
of middle level programs and schools to foster fair educational practices and
to enhance learning for all students. They demonstrate their ability to apply
this knowledge and to function successfully, regardless of grade configurations
(e.g., grades K-8, 6-8, 7-12). Middle level teacher candidates perform
successfully using middle level practices (e.g., interdisciplinary teaming,
advisory programs, flexible block schedules, common teacher planning
time). |
|
| 2. |
Young Adolescent Development. Middle level teacher
candidates understand and reflect on the major concepts, principles, theories,
and research related to young adolescent development and use that knowledge in
their practice. They demonstrate their ability to apply this knowledge when
creating healthy, respectful, safe, supportive, and challenging learning
environments for each young adolescent they teach. They successfully model
middle level practices that affirm the unique differences of all young
adolescents as indicated by the following:
| (i) |
Knowledge of Young Adolescent Development: Middle level teacher candidates
demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of young adolescent development.
Knowledge of young adolescent development includes the cognitive, physical,
social, emotional, and moral characteristics, needs, and interests of young
adolescents, inclusive of the central roles technology has in their
lives. |
| (ii) |
Implications of Young
Adolescent Development for Responsive Learning Environments: Middle level
teacher candidates use their comprehensive knowledge of young adolescent
development to create healthy, respectful, safe, supportive, and
technologically rich and challenging learning environments for all young
adolescents, including those whose languages, identities, and backgrounds
differ from their own or others. Candidates establish relationships with young
adolescents in order to understand the uniqueness of each adolescent,
especially as it concerns the pervasive role of technology. |
| (iii) |
Implications of Individual Differences
for Young Adolescent Development: Middle level teacher candidates demonstrate
their knowledge that individual differences have implications for the
development of young adolescents. They are responsive to young adolescents'
individual experiences and identities. They successfully model middle level
practices that affirm the individual differences of all young
adolescents. |
|
| 3. |
Middle Level Curriculum. Middle level teacher
candidates use their knowledge of the distinct nature and identities of young
adolescents when planning and implementing curriculum and instruction. They
understand and use concepts, standards, and research to design, implement, and
evaluate curriculum. Candidates' understanding covers the broad scope of
content standards within their subjects and reflects a thorough grasp of those
standards and major concepts. Middle level teacher candidates demonstrate their
ability to assist all young adolescents in understanding the interdisciplinary
nature of knowledge and skills as indicated by the following:
| (i) |
Context for Middle Level Curriculum:
Middle level teacher candidates use their knowledge of the distinct nature and
identities of young adolescents when planning and implementing middle level
curriculum and when selecting and using instructional strategies. |
| (ii) |
Subject Matter Content Knowledge: Middle
level teacher candidates demonstrate a depth and breadth of content knowledge
in the subjects they teach. Candidates demonstrate competence with the broad
scope of content standards corresponding to the subjects they teach. Candidates
also have a sufficiently deep understanding of the major concepts of content
standards such that they are equipped to teach in an engaging manner and to
guide students in applying knowledge and skills to real-world problems and
transferring knowledge and skills across disciplines. |
| (iii) |
Middle Level Curriculum Standards:
Middle level teacher candidates use their knowledge of local, state, national,
and international standards to frame their teaching. These standards include
academic content standards as well as other standards that address the holistic
needs of young adolescents (e.g., socio-emotional learning, college and career
readiness, technology skill development). They draw on their knowledge of these
standards to design, implement, and evaluate developmentally responsive,
meaningful, challenging, exploratory, integrative, and diverse curriculum for
all young adolescents. |
| (iv) |
Interdisciplinary Nature of Knowledge and Skills: Middle level teacher
candidates demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge by helping all
young adolescents make connections among subject areas. They facilitate
relationships among content, ideas, interests, and experiences by developing
and implementing challenging, exploratory, integrative, and diverse curriculum.
They model and develop in young adolescents the skills needed for success
across diverse settings. These skills include such things as written and oral
communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, problem solving,
resiliency, digital literacy, information literacy, and citizenship |
|
| 4. |
Middle Level
Instruction and Assessment. Middle level teacher candidates
successfully use their knowledge of instruction and assessment strategies in
the subjects they teach. They employ a wide variety of effective teaching,
learning, and assessment strategies. Middle level teacher candidates develop
and administer formal and informal assessments that are both formative and
summative to create and guide meaningful learning experiences as indicated by
the following:
| (i) |
Content Pedagogy: Middle
level teacher candidates use their knowledge of instruction and assessment
strategies that are effective in the subjects they teach, and understand that
instruction and assessment are interrelated. |
| (ii) |
Middle Level Instructional Strategies:
Middle level teacher candidates employ a wide variety of effective,
developmentally responsive, and fair teaching, learning, and assessment
strategies. They do this in ways that encourage cognitive exploration,
creativity, and relevant digital literacy and information literacy skills
(e.g., critical thinking, problem solving, evaluation of information
gained). |
| (iii) |
Middle Level
Assessment that Advances Learning: Middle level teacher candidates develop and
administer formal and informal assessments that are both formative and
summative to create and guide meaningful learning experiences. They do this by
assessing prior learning, monitoring progress with the use of technology and
data, implementing effective lessons, collaborating with young adolescents to
reflect on their learning, and adjusting instruction based on the knowledge
gained. Assessment should be fair. |
|
| 5. |
Middle Level Professional
Roles. Middle level teacher candidates are successful in their
various roles as middle level professionals. They serve as informed advocates
for all young adolescents and for responsive schooling practices. They engage
with families and community members to form collaborative relationships. Middle
level teacher candidates demonstrate positive dispositions and engage in
ethical professional behaviors as indicated by the following:
| (i) |
Professional Roles of Middle Level
Teachers: Middle level teacher candidates understand, critically reflect on,
and are successful in their various roles as middle level professionals (e.g.,
members of interdisciplinary teams, advisors to young adolescents). |
| (ii) |
Advocacy for Young Adolescents and
Responsive Schooling Practices: Middle level teacher candidates serve as
advocates for all young adolescents and for responsive schooling practices.
They are informed advocates for effective middle level educational practices
and policies, and use their professional leadership responsibilities to create
fair and just opportunities for all young adolescents. |
| (iii) |
Engaging with Family and Community
Members: Middle level teacher candidates value family and community members as
assets. They understand the ways unique structures and backgrounds influence
and enrich learning. They enact practices and participate in activities that
build positive, collaborative relationships with families and community
members, leveraging technological tools to enhance engagement. |
| (iv) |
Dispositions and Professional Behaviors:
Middle level teacher candidates demonstrate positive dispositions toward
teaching young adolescents and model high standards of ethical behavior,
including the use of technology, and professional competence. They are
continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective,
critical perspectives on their teaching. |
|
|
| (b) |
Literacy. The program shall prepare
candidates who understand and apply scientific principles of teaching literacy
at the middle grades level and who meet the following elements of the Standards
for Literacy Professionals-Middle/High School Classroom Teacher, published in
2017 by the International Literacy Association (ILA), as well as the applicable
standards delineated in GaPSC Rule
FOUNDATIONS OF READING,
LITERACY, AND LANGUAGE. This requirement may be met in a separate three (3)
semester-hour course, or content may be embedded in courses and experiences
throughout the preparation program.
| 1. |
ILA Standards for Literacy Professionals, Middle/High School
Classroom Teacher.
| (i) |
Candidates
demonstrate knowledge of the major critical theoretical, conceptual, and
evidence-based foundations of adolescent literacy and language development and
the ways in which they interrelate; |
| (ii) |
Candidates apply foundational knowledge
to critically examine, select, and evaluate curriculum; and design, implement,
adapt, and evaluate contextualized instruction to meet the discipline-specific
literacy needs of middle school learners; |
| (iii) |
Candidates understand, select, and use
appropriate, dynamic assessments to gather evidence on middle school students'
content knowledge and literacy processes within a discipline to understand
strengths and differences among learners, inform instruction and ensure student
participation; |
| (iv) |
Candidates
examine their own backgrounds, identities and opinions, set high expectations
for their students, and learn about and appreciate the backgrounds of their
students, families, and communities to inform instruction; |
| (v) |
Candidates apply knowledge of learner
development and learning differences to create a welcoming learning environment
anchored in digital and print literacies; and |
| (vi) |
Candidates are lifelong learners who
reflect upon the social, political, and cultural nature of their practice; use
ongoing inquiry to improve their professional practice and enhance students'
literacy learning; advocate for students and their families to enhance student'
literacy learning. |
|
| 2. |
GaPSC Rule
FOUNDATIONS OF READING,
LITERACY, AND LANGUAGE Standards for Middle Grades Teachers of English language
arts, mathematics, science, and social science.
| (i) |
Knowledge: Literacy Acquisitions.
| (I) |
Candidates demonstrate awareness of
language processes required for proficient reading and writing: phonological,
orthographic, semantic, syntactic, and discourse. |
| (II) |
Candidates demonstrate an awareness that
learning to read requires explicit, structured, and cumulative
instruction. |
| (III) |
Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the reciprocal relationships among the foundations of
reading (i.e., phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, decoding, word
recognition, spelling, and vocabulary knowledge). |
| (IV) |
Candidates demonstrate an awareness of
how aspects of cognition and behavior can affect reading and writing
development. |
| (V) |
Candidates
demonstrate an awareness of how environmental and social factors can contribute
to literacy development. |
| (VI) |
Candidates demonstrate an awareness of major research findings on the
contribution of linguistic and cognitive factors to literacy
outcomes. |
| (VII) |
Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the most common intrinsic differences between
proficient and struggling readers, including linguistic, cognitive, and
neurobiological factors. |
| (VIII) |
Candidates demonstrate an awareness of the oral language development, phonemic
awareness, decoding skills, printed word recognition, spelling, reading
fluency, reading comprehension, and written expression. |
| (IX) |
Candidates demonstrate awareness of
evidence-based instructional approaches that support the development of reading
and writing skills, including concepts of print, phonological awareness,
phonics, word recognition, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and producing
writing appropriate to task. |
| (X) |
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the integration of literacy skills across
different subject areas. |
| (XI) |
Candidates demonstrate an awareness of the typical developmental progression of
oral language, phoneme awareness, decoding skills, printed word recognition,
spelling, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and written
expression. |
| (XII) |
Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the reciprocal relationships between decoding, word
recognition, spelling, morphology, and vocabulary knowledge. |
| (XIII) |
Candidates demonstrate awareness of
evidence-based instructional approaches that support the development of
listening, speaking, viewing, and visually representing, and their centrality
to literacy learning. |
| (XIV) |
Candidates demonstrate an awareness of the most common intrinsic differences
between strong and striving readers, including linguistic, cognitive, and
neurobiological factors. |
|
| (ii) |
Application: Curriculum and Instruction.
| (I) |
Candidates demonstrate an awareness of
the principles and practices of scientific reading instruction and apply this
knowledge to critically examine literacy curricula; select high-quality
literary, multimedia, and informational texts; and provide a coherent,
integrated, and motivating literacy program for all learners. |
| (II) |
Candidates apply adolescent literacy in
reading and writing for vocabulary development, word recognition reading
comprehension and fluency. Key terms or concepts related to this area include:
| I. |
Reading grade-level texts from a variety
of genres with greater focus on higher-order skills such as analyzing texts and
developing perspective |
| II. |
Reading
comprehension for text complexity |
| III. |
Writing for a range of authentic
purposes and genres |
| IV. |
Morphology
for understanding multisyllabic words |
| V. |
Oral and silent reading fluency |
| VI. |
Systematically teach the decoding of
multisyllabic words |
|
| (III) |
Candidates apply adolescent literacy development to develop disciplinary
literacy and content area literacy; developing academic vocabulary and writing
for research. Key terms or concepts related to this area include:
| I. |
Demonstrate skill in integrating literacy
into specific disciplinary studies |
| II. |
Develop awareness and skill in utilizing
a range of content area literacy strategies across the curriculum. |
|
|
| (iii) |
Assessment and
Evaluation.
| (I) |
Candidates understand the
purposes, strengths, limitations, reliability/validity, and appropriateness of
various types of informal and formal assessments, including screening, progress
monitoring, diagnostic, and outcome assessments, for gathering evidence on
students' language acquisition and literacy development. |
| (II) |
Candidates utilize results of various
assessment measures to inform and modify instruction and understand and apply
basic principles of test construction and formats, including reliability,
validity, criterion, and normed. |
| (III) |
Candidates use assessment data in an
ethical manner, interpret data to explain student progress, and inform families
and colleagues about the function and purpose of assessments. |
| (IV) |
Candidates integrate, summarize, and
communicate (orally and in writing) the meaning of educational assessment data
for sharing with students, parents, and other teachers. |
|
|
|
| (c) |
Areas of
Concentration. Baccalaureate degree programs shall require preparation of
candidates in at least two of the following areas of concentration: reading,
language arts, mathematics, science, or social science. Post-baccalaureate
programs shall require preparation of candidates in at least one of the
following areas of concentration: reading, language arts, mathematics, science,
or social science.
| 1. |
An area of concentration
shall be defined as a minimum of fifteen semester hours of content that meet
the standards of the appropriate national specialized professional association,
as described below. |
| 2. |
A course
taken to meet the requirements of paragraph (b) Literacy, may be counted toward
the fifteen semester hours required for the reading concentration. |
| 3. |
A course taken to meet the requirements of
paragraph (b) Literacy, may be counted toward the fifteen semester hours
required for the language arts concentration. |
| 4. |
Reading Concentration. Programs that
prepare middle grades teachers in the concentration area of reading shall meet
the following standards from Rule
, FOUNDATIONS OF READING,
LITERACY, AND LANGUAGE.
| (i) |
Knowledge: Literacy Acquisition.
| (I) |
Candidates demonstrate knowledge of
language processes required for proficient reading and writing: phonological,
orthographic, semantic, syntactic, and discourse. |
| (II) |
Candidates demonstrate an understanding
that learning to read requires explicit, structured, and cumulative
instruction. |
| (III) |
Candidates
demonstrate knowledge of the reciprocal relationships among the foundations of
reading (i.e., phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, decoding, word
recognition, spelling, and vocabulary knowledge). |
| (IV) |
Candidates demonstrate the ability to
identify and explain how aspects of cognition and behavior can affect reading
and writing development. |
| (V) |
Candidates demonstrate an understanding of how environmental and social factors
can contribute to literacy development. |
| (VI) |
Candidates demonstrate an understanding
of major research findings on the contribution of linguistic and cognitive
factors to literacy outcomes. |
| (VII) |
Candidates demonstrate knowledge of the most common intrinsic differences
between proficient and struggling readers, including linguistic, cognitive, and
neurobiological factors. |
| (VIII) |
Candidates demonstrate an understanding of the oral language development,
phonemic awareness, decoding skills, printed word recognition, spelling,
reading fluency, reading comprehension, and written expression. |
| (IX) |
Candidates demonstrate knowledge of
evidence-based instructional approaches that support the development of reading
and writing skills, including concepts of print, phonological awareness,
phonics, word recognition, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and producing
writing appropriate to task. |
| (X) |
Candidates demonstrate knowledge of the integration of literacy skills across
different subject areas. |
|
| (ii) |
Application: Methods and
Assessment.
| (I) |
Curriculum and
Instruction.
| I. |
Candidates demonstrate an
understanding of the principles and practices of scientific reading instruction
and apply this knowledge to critically examine literacy curricula; select
high-quality literary, multimedia, and informational texts; and provide a
coherent, integrated, and motivating literacy program for all
learners. |
| II. |
Candidates design,
adapt, implement, and evaluate instructional approaches and materials that are
evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, and integrated across literacy
domains related to the following areas: phonological and phonemic awareness,
phonics, word recognition, reading fluency, vocabulary, listening and reading
comprehension, and written expression. |
| III. |
Candidates plan, modify, and implement
explicit, systematic, cumulative, and teacher-directed instruction in the
foundational skills of reading, including phonological and phonemic awareness,
phonics, word recognition, reading fluency, and listening and reading
comprehension. Candidates scaffold instruction to support all learners in
reading, including those with different learning needs. Concepts related to
this area include:
| A. |
Phonological and
phonemic awareness
| (A) |
Consonant and vowel
phonemes |
| (B) |
Phonological
sensitivity |
| (C) |
Phonemic-awareness
difficulties |
| (D) |
Progression of
phonemic-awareness skill development across age and grade |
| (F) |
Segmenting, deleting, manipulating
phonemes |
|
| B. |
Phonics
and word recognition
| (B) |
Phoneme-grapheme
correspondence |
| (D) |
Systematic,
cumulative, and explicit teaching of basic decoding and encoding rules and
letter patterns (digraphs, diphthongs, blends, onset-rime, etc.) |
| (E) |
Teaching regular and irregular
words |
| (F) |
Teaching decoding of
multisyllabic words |
| (G) |
Decodable
texts and sound walls in teaching beginning readers |
|
| C. |
Reading fluency
| (A) |
Automatic word reading |
| (B) |
Oral reading fluency including accuracy,
automaticity, and prosody |
| (C) |
Varied techniques and methods for building reading fluency |
| (D) |
Appropriate uses of assistive
technology |
| (E) |
Repeated and echo
readings |
|
| D. |
Listening and
reading comprehension
| (C) |
Factors that contribute to deep
comprehension |
| (D) |
Instructional
routines appropriate for each major genre: informational text, narrative text,
and argumentation |
| (E) |
Role of
sentence comprehension in listening and reading comprehension |
| (F) |
Teacher's role as an active mediator of
text-comprehension processes |
|
|
| IV. |
Candidates design, adapt, implement, and
evaluate evidence-based and developmentally appropriate instruction and
materials to develop writing processes and orthographic knowledge for all
learners. They use a structured approach to explicitly teach skills related to
written expression. Key terms or concepts related to this area include:
| A. |
Written expression
| (A) |
Handwriting skills in print and
cursive |
| (B) |
Motor skills and
letter/word formation |
| (C) |
Transcription and writing fluency |
| (D) |
Major skill domains that contribute to
written expression |
| (E) |
Planning,
translating (drafting), reviewing, and revising |
| (G) |
Research-based principles for teaching
letter formation, both manuscript and cursive |
| (H) |
Research-based principles for teaching
written spelling and punctuation |
| (I) |
Developmental phases of the writing
process |
| (J) |
Appropriate uses of
assistive technology in written expression. |
|
|
| V. |
Candidates plan, modify, and implement
evidence-based and integrated instruction and materials to develop vocabulary
knowledge for all learners. They use a range of instructional approaches,
including direct instruction, context-based instruction, and word-learning
strategies. Key terms or concepts related to this area include:
| A. |
Vocabulary
| (A) |
Role of vocabulary development and
vocabulary knowledge in oral and written language comprehension |
| (B) |
Sources of wide differences in students'
vocabularies |
| (C) |
Indirect
(contextual) methods of vocabulary instruction and their role and
characteristics |
| (D) |
Direct,
explicit methods of vocabulary instruction and their role and
characteristics |
| (E) |
Morphological
awareness |
|
|
| VI. |
Candidates apply knowledge of learner development and learning differences to
create a positive, literacy-rich learning environment anchored in digital and
print literacies. |
|
| (II) |
Assessment and Evaluation.
| I. |
Candidates
understand the purposes, strengths, limitations, reliability/validity, and
appropriateness of various types of informal and formal assessments, including
screening, progress monitoring, diagnostic, and outcome assessments, for
gathering evidence on students' language acquisition and literacy
development. |
| II. |
Candidates use
observational skills and results of student work to determine students'
reading, literacy, and language strengths and needs, and select and administer
other appropriate formal and informal assessments for assessing students'
language and literacy development. |
| III. |
Candidates utilize results of various
assessment measures to inform and modify instruction and understand and apply
basic principles of test construction and formats, including reliability,
validity, criterion, and normed. |
| IV. |
Candidates use assessment data in an
ethical manner, interpret data to explain student progress, and inform families
and colleagues about the function and purpose of assessments. |
| V. |
Candidates understand and utilize
well-validated screening tests designed to identify students at risk for
reading difficulties and characteristics of dyslexia and understand and apply
the principles of progress monitoring and reporting with Curriculum-Based
Measures (CBMs), including graphing techniques. |
| VI. |
Candidates understand and utilize
informal diagnostic surveys of phonological and phonemic awareness, decoding
skills, oral reading fluency, comprehension, spelling, and writing. |
| VII. |
Candidates read and interpret the most
common diagnostic tests used by psychologists, speech-language professionals,
and educational evaluators. |
| VIII. |
Candidates integrate, summarize, and communicate (orally and in writing) the
meaning of educational assessment data for sharing with students, parents, and
other teachers. |
|
|
| (iii) |
Literacy Professional
Dispositions and Practices.
| (I) |
Candidates promote high-quality literacy learning for all students by using
responsive practices and engaging in ethical and effective practices that honor
all students' linguistic backgrounds. |
| (II) |
Candidates act in the best interests of
struggling readers and maintain the public trust by providing accurate and
scientifically supported best practices in the field. |
| (III) |
Candidates continuously reflect on
their practices, engage in ongoing inquiry, and advocate for students and their
families to enhance literacy learning. |
|
|
| 5. |
Language Arts Concentration. Programs that
prepare middle grades teachers in the concentration area of language arts shall
meet the following standards adapted from the standards published by the
National Council of Teachers of English (2021).
| (i) |
Learners and Learning in
English Language Arts. Candidates apply and demonstrate knowledge
of learners and learning to foster learning environments that support coherent,
relevant, 6-12 standards-aligned, and differentiated instruction to engage all
6-12 learners in ELA.
| (I) |
Candidates gather
and interpret comprehensive data on learners' individual differences,
identities, and funds of knowledge to foster learning environments that
actively engage all learners in ELA; |
| (II) |
Candidates apply and demonstrate
knowledge of how the constructs of adolescence/adolescents and learners'
identities affect learning experiences to foster coherent, relevant instruction
that critically engages all learners in ELA; and |
| (III) |
Candidates apply and demonstrate
knowledge of learning processes that involve individually, collaboratively, and
critically accessing, consuming, curating, and creating texts (e.g., print,
non-print, digital, media). |
|
| (ii) |
English Language Arts
Content Knowledge. Candidates apply and demonstrate knowledge and
theoretical perspectives pertaining to texts (e.g., print, non-print, digital,
media), composition, language, and languaging practices, and crosscutting
concepts to develop deep understandings of the core disciplinary ideas in their
instructional planning.
| (I) |
Candidates apply
and demonstrate knowledge and theoretical perspectives about a variety of
literary and informational texts (e.g., young adult, classic, contemporary, and
media) representing a range of world literatures, historical traditions,
genres, and lived experiences; |
| (II) |
Candidates apply and demonstrate knowledge and theoretical perspectives of the
relationships among form, audience, context, and purpose by composing and
critically curating a range of texts (e.g., print, non-print, digital, media);
and |
| (III) |
Candidates apply and
demonstrate knowledge and theoretical perspectives of language and languaging,
including language acquisition, conventions, dialect, grammar systems, and the
impact of languages on society as they relate to various rhetorical situations
(e.g., journalism, social media, popular culture) and audiences. |
|
| (iii) |
Instructional
Practice and Planning for Instruction in ELA. Candidates apply and
demonstrate knowledge of theories, research, and ELA to plan coherent,
relevant, 6-12 standards-aligned, differentiated instruction and assessment.
| (I) |
Candidates use a variety of resources and
technologies to plan coherent, relevant, standards-aligned, and differentiated
instruction that incorporates theories, research, and knowledge of ELA to
support and engage all learners in meeting learning goals; and |
| (II) |
Candidates identify and/or design
formative and summative assessments that reflect ELA research, align with
intended learning outcomes, and engage all learners in monitoring their
progress toward established goals. |
|
| (iv) |
Instructional Practice and
Planning for Assessment in ELA. Candidates implement coherent,
relevant, 6-12 standards-aligned, and differentiated ELA instruction and
assessment to motivate and engage all learners.
| (I) |
Candidates implement coherent, relevant,
6-12 standards-aligned, and differentiated instruction that uses a variety of
resources and technologies and incorporates theories, research, and knowledge
of ELA to support and engage all learners in meeting learning goals; |
| (II) |
Candidates implement formative and
summative assessments that reflect ELA research, align with intended learning
outcomes, engage all learners in monitoring their progress toward established
goals, and guide the next steps of ELA instruction; and |
| (III) |
Candidates communicate with learners
about their performance in ELA in multiple ways that actively involve them in
their own learning (e.g., learning management systems, digital communication
tools, conferencing, and written feedback). |
|
| (v) |
Professional Responsibility
for ELA teachers. Candidates reflect on their ELA practice, use
knowledge and theoretical perspectives to collaborate with educational
community members, and demonstrate readiness for leadership, professional
learning, and advocacy.
| (I) |
Candidates reflect
on their own identities and experiences and how they frame their practices and
impact their teaching of ELA; |
| (II) |
Candidates use feedback and evidence from a range of sources to reflect upon
and inform their practice; |
| (III) |
Candidates apply and demonstrate knowledge in collaboration with learners,
families, colleagues, and ELA-related learning communities; and |
| (IV) |
Candidates demonstrate readiness for
leadership, professional learning, and advocacy for learners, themselves, and
ELA. |
|
|
| 6. |
Mathematics Concentration. Programs that prepare middle level teachers in the
concentration area of mathematics shall meet the following standards adapted
from the standards published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
(NCTM) (2020).
| (i) |
Knowing and
Understanding Mathematics. Candidates demonstrate and apply
understandings of major mathematics concepts, procedures, knowledge, and
applications within and among mathematical domains of Number and Operations;
Algebra and Functions; Statistics and Probability; Geometry, Trigonometry, and
Measurement.
| (I) |
Essential Concepts in Number
and Operations. Candidates demonstrate and apply understandings of major
mathematics concepts, procedures, knowledge, and applications of number
including flexibly applying procedures, using real and rational numbers in
contexts, developing solution strategies, and evaluating the correctness of
conclusions. Major mathematical concepts in Number include number theory;
ratio, rate, and proportion; and structure, relationships, operations, and
representations. |
| (II) |
Essential
Concepts in Algebra and Functions. Candidates demonstrate and apply
understandings of major mathematics concepts, procedures, knowledge, and
applications of algebra and functions including how mathematics can be used
systematically to represent patterns and relationships including proportional
reasoning, to analyze change, and to model everyday events and problems of life
and society. Essential Concepts in Algebra and Functions include algebra that
connects mathematical structure to symbolic, graphical, and tabular
descriptions; connecting algebra to functions; and developing families of
functions as a fundamental concept of mathematics. |
| (III) |
Essential Concepts in Statistics and
Probability. Candidates demonstrate and apply understandings of major
mathematics concepts, procedures, knowledge, and applications of statistics and
probability, including how statistical problem solving and decision making
depend on understanding, explaining, and quantifying the variability in a set
of data to make decisions. They understand the role of randomization and chance
in determining the probability of events. Essential Concepts in Statistics and
Probability include quantitative literacy, visualizing and summarizing data,
statistical inference, probability, exploratory data analysis, and applied
problems and modeling. |
| (IV) |
Essential Concepts in Geometry, Trigonometry, and Measurement. Candidates
demonstrate and apply understandings of major mathematics concepts, procedures,
knowledge, and applications of geometry, including using visual representations
for numerical functions and relations, data and statistics, and networks, to
provide a lens for solving problems in the physical world. Essential Concepts
in Geometry, Trigonometry, and Measurement include measurement,
transformations, scale, graph theory, geometric arguments, reasoning and proof,
applied problems and modeling, development of axiomatic proof, and the
Pythagorean Theorem. |
|
| (ii) |
Knowing and Using Mathematical Processes. Candidates
demonstrate, within or across mathematical domains, their knowledge of and
ability to apply the mathematical processes of problem solving; reason and
communicate mathematically; and engage in mathematical modeling. Candidates
apply technology appropriately within these mathematical processes.
| (I) |
Problem Solving. Candidates demonstrate a
range of mathematical problem-solving strategies to make sense of and solve
non-routine problems (both contextual and non-contextual) across mathematical
domains. |
| (II) |
Reasoning and
Communicating. Candidates organize their mathematical reasoning and use the
language of mathematics to express their mathematical reasoning precisely, both
orally and in writing, to multiple audiences. |
| (III) |
Mathematical Modeling and Use of
Mathematical Models. Candidates understand the difference between the
mathematical modeling process and models in mathematics. Candidates engage in
the mathematical modeling process and demonstrate their ability to model
mathematics. |
|
| (iii) |
Knowing Students and Planning for Mathematical
Learning. Candidates use knowledge of students and mathematics to
plan rigorous and engaging mathematics instruction supporting students' access
and learning. The mathematics instruction developed provides fair,
developmentally responsive opportunities for all students to learn and apply
mathematics concepts, skills, and practices.
| (I) |
Student Differences. Candidates identify
and use students' individual and group differences when planning rigorous and
engaging mathematics instruction that supports students' meaningful
participation and learning. |
| (II) |
Students' Mathematical Strengths. Candidates identify and use students'
mathematical strengths to plan rigorous and engaging mathematics instruction
that supports students' meaningful participation and learning. |
| (III) |
Positive Mathematical Identities.
Candidates understand that teachers' interactions impact individual students by
influencing and reinforcing students' mathematical identities, positive or
negative, and plan experiences and instruction to develop and foster positive
mathematical identities. |
|
| (iv) |
Teaching Meaningful
Mathematics. Candidates implement effective and equitable teaching
practices to support rigorous mathematical learning for a full range of
students. Candidates establish rigorous mathematics learning goals, engage
students in high cognitive demand learning, use mathematics-specific tools and
representations, elicit and use student responses, develop conceptual
understanding and procedural fluency, and pose purposeful questions to
facilitate student discourse.
| (I) |
Establish
Rigorous Mathematics Learning Goals. Candidates establish rigorous mathematics
learning goals for students based on mathematics standards and
practices. |
| (II) |
Engage Students in
High Cognitive Demand Learning. Candidates select or develop and implement high
cognitive demand tasks to engage students in mathematical learning experiences
that promote reasoning and sense making. |
| (III) |
Incorporate Mathematics-Specific Tools.
Candidates select mathematics-specific tools, including technology, to support
students' learning, understanding, and application of mathematics and to
integrate tools into instruction. |
| (IV) |
Use Mathematical Representations.
Candidates select and use mathematical representations to engage students in
examining understandings of mathematics concepts and the connections to other
representations. |
| (V) |
Elicit and Use
Student Responses. Candidates use multiple student responses, potential
challenges, and misconceptions, and they highlight students' thinking as a
central aspect of mathematics teaching and learning. |
| (VI) |
Develop Conceptual Understanding and
Procedural Fluency. Candidates use conceptual understanding to build procedural
fluency for students through instruction that includes explicit connections
between concepts and procedures. |
| (VII) |
Facilitate Discourse. Candidates pose
purposeful questions to facilitate discourse among students that ensures each
student learns rigorous mathematics and builds a shared understanding of
mathematical ideas. |
|
| (v) |
Assessing Impact on Student Learning. Candidates
assess and use evidence of students' learning of rigorous mathematics to
improve instruction and subsequent student learning. Candidates analyze
learning gains from formal and informal assessments for individual students,
the class as a whole, and subgroups of students disaggregated by demographic
categories, and they use this information to inform planning and teaching.
| (I) |
Assessing for Learning. Candidates
select, modify, or create both informal and formal assessments to elicit
information on students' progress toward rigorous mathematics learning
goals. |
| (II) |
Analyze Assessment
Data. Candidates collect information on students' progress and use data from
informal and formal assessments to analyze progress of individual students, the
class as a whole, and subgroups of students disaggregated by demographic
categories toward rigorous mathematics learning goals. |
| (III) |
Modify Instruction. Candidates use the
evidence of student learning of individual students, the class as a whole, and
subgroups of students disaggregated by demographic categories to analyze the
effectiveness of their instruction with respect to these groups. Candidates
propose adjustments to instruction to improve student learning for each and
every student based on the analysis. |
|
| (vi) |
Social and Professional
Context of Mathematics Teaching and Learning. Candidates are
reflective mathematics educators who collaborate with colleagues and other
stakeholders to grow professionally, to support student learning, and to create
more equitable mathematics learning environments.
| (I) |
Promote Equitable Learning Environments.
Candidates seek to create more equitable learning environments by identifying
beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics, and associated classroom
practices that produce equitable or inequitable mathematical learning for
students. |
| (II) |
Promote Positive
Mathematical Identities. Candidates reflect on their impact on students'
mathematical identities and develop professional learning goals that promote
students' positive mathematical identities. |
| (III) |
Engage Families and Community.
Candidates communicate with families to share and discuss strategies for
ensuring the mathematical success of their children. |
| (IV) |
Collaborate with Colleagues. Candidates
collaborate with colleagues to grow professionally and support student learning
of mathematics. |
|
|
| 7. |
Science Concentration. Programs that
prepare middle grades teachers in the concentration area of science shall meet
the following standards adapted from the National Science Teaching Association
(NSTA) and American Science Teachers Association (ASTA) (2020) and Framework
for K-12 Science Education (2012).
| (i) |
Content Knowledge. Effective teachers of science
understand and articulate the knowledge and practices of contemporary science
and engineering. They connect important disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting
concepts, and science and engineering practices for their fields of
certification. Preservice teachers will:
| (I) |
Use and apply the major concepts, principles, theories, laws, and
interrelationships of their fields of licensure and supporting fields. Explain
the nature of science and the norms and values inherent to the current and
historical development of scientific knowledge; |
| (II) |
Demonstrate knowledge of how to
implement science standards, learning progressions, and sequencing of science
content for teaching their certificate 4-8 students; and |
| (III) |
Demonstrate knowledge of crosscutting
concepts, disciplinary core ideas, practices of science and engineering, the
supporting role of science-specific technologies, and contributions of diverse
populations to science. |
|
| (ii) |
Content
Pedagogy. Effective teachers of science plan learning units of
study and equitable, developmentally responsive opportunities for all students
based upon their understandings of how students learn and develop science
knowledge, skills, and habits of mind. Effective teachers also include
appropriate connections to science and engineering practices and crosscutting
concepts in their instructional planning. Preservice teachers will:
| (I) |
Use science standards and a variety of
appropriate, student-centered, and relevant science disciplinary-based
instructional approaches that follow safety procedures and incorporate science
and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting
concepts; |
| (II) |
Incorporate
appropriate differentiation strategies, wherein all students develop conceptual
knowledge and an understanding of the nature of science. Lessons should engage
students in applying science practices, clarifying relationships, and
identifying natural patterns from scientific phenomena and empirical
experiences; |
| (III) |
Use engineering
practices in support of science learning wherein all students design,
construct, test and optimize possible solutions to a problem; |
| (IV) |
Align instruction and assessment
strategies to support instructional decision making that identifies and
addresses student misunderstandings, prior knowledge, and naïve
conceptions; and |
| (V) |
Integrate
science-specific technologies to support all students' conceptual understanding
and application of science and engineering. |
|
| (iii) |
Learning
Environments. Effective teachers of science are able to plan for
engaging all students in science learning by identifying appropriate learning
goals that are consistent with knowledge of how students learn science and are
aligned with standards. Plans reflect the selection of phenomena appropriate to
the social context of the classroom and community, and safety considerations,
to engage students in the nature of science and science and engineering
practices. Effective teachers create a learning environment to achieve these
goals. Preservice teachers will:
| (I) |
Plan a
variety of lessons based on science standards that employ strategies that
demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of how to select appropriate
teaching and motivating learning activities that foster a fair and welcoming
learning environment; |
| (II) |
Plan
learning experiences for all students in a variety of environments (e.g., the
laboratory, field, virtual, and community) within their fields of
certification; |
| (III) |
Plan lessons
in which all students have a variety of opportunities to obtain information,
evaluate, communicate, investigate, collaborate, learn from mistakes, and
defend their own explanations of scientific phenomena, observations, and data.
This includes the proposal and defense of potential solutions to real-world,
authentic, scientific and engineering problems; and |
| (V) |
Plan and implement instruction
incorporating universal technologies that support and enhance virtual learning
either in person or digitally to include all students in investigation and
application of science content, engineering practices, and crosscutting
concepts. |
|
| (iv) |
Safety. Effective teachers of science demonstrate
biological, chemical, and physical safety protocols in their classrooms and
workspace. They also implement ethical treatment of living organisms and
maintain equipment and chemicals as relevant to their fields of certification.
Preservice teachers will:
| (I) |
Implement
activities appropriate for the abilities of all students that demonstrate safe
techniques for the procurement, preparation, use, storage, dispensing,
supervision, and disposal of all chemicals/materials/equipment used within
their fields of certification; |
| (II) |
Demonstrate an ability to: recognize hazardous situations including
overcrowding; implement emergency procedures; maintain safety equipment;
provide adequate student instruction and supervision; and follow policies and
procedures that comply with established state and national guidelines,
appropriate legal state and national safety standards (e.g., Occupational
Safety and Health Administration, National Fire Protection Association,
Environmental Protection Agency), and best professional practices (e.g.,
National Science Teaching Association, Georgia Science Teachers Association,
National Science Education Leadership Association). This would include
awareness of personal liability, duty of care as it relates to students
(face-to-face and remote), fellow staff, and visitors to the
classroom; |
| (III) |
Demonstrate
ethical decision-making with respect to safe and humane treatment of all living
organisms in and out of the classroom, and comply with the legal restrictions
and best professional practices on the collection, care, and use of living
organisms as relevant to their fields of certification; and |
| (IV) |
Demonstrate an awareness of
safety-implications associated with remote-learning. This would include
awareness of personal responsibility for instructing students on
safety-precautions for remote-learning. |
|
| (v) |
Impact on Student
Learning. Effective teachers of science provide evidence that
students have learned and can apply disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting
concepts, and science and engineering practices as a result of instruction.
Effective teachers analyze learning gains for individual students, the class as
a whole, and subgroups of students disaggregated by demographic categories, and
use these to inform planning and teaching. Preservice teachers will:
| (I) |
Design and implement diverse and balanced
assessments that allow all students to demonstrate their knowledge and ability
to apply, synthesize, evaluate, and communicate their understanding of
disciplinary knowledge, nature of science, science and engineering practices,
and crosscutting concepts in practical, authentic, and real-world
situations; |
| (II) |
Collect, organize,
analyze, evaluate and reflect on a variety of formative and summative evidence
and use those data to inform future planning and teaching; and |
| (III) |
Analyze science-specific assessment
data based upon student demographics, categorizing the levels of learner
knowledge, and reflect on results for subsequent lesson plans. |
|
| (vi) |
Professional
Knowledge and Skills. Effective teachers of science strive to
continuously improve their knowledge of both science content and pedagogy,
including approaches for ensuring fairness for all students in science.
Teachers will also possess a deeper understanding of how to apply science and
engineering practices for their discipline. They identify with and conduct
themselves as part of the science education community. Preservice teachers
will:
| (I) |
Engage in critical reflection on
their own science teaching to continually improve their instructional
effectiveness; |
| (II) |
Participate in
professional learning opportunities to deepen their science content knowledge,
and knowledge of science and engineering practices; and |
| (III) |
Participate in professional learning
opportunities to expand their science-specific pedagogical knowledge. |
|
| (vii) |
Commitment to
Three-dimensional Learning. Effective teachers of K-12 science and
engineering should focus on a limited number of disciplinary core ideas and
crosscutting concepts that are designed so that students continually build on
and revise their knowledge and abilities over multiple years while supporting
the integration of such knowledge and abilities with the practices needed to
engage in scientific inquiry and engineering design. There are three major
dimensions, Scientific and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and
Crosscutting Concepts. All three dimensions need to be integrated into
standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Preservice teachers will:
| (I) |
Emphasize Science and Engineering
Practices in their planning and implementation of lessons and units for all
science students.
| I. |
Asking questions (for
science) and defining problems (for engineering); |
| II. |
Developing and using models; |
| III. |
Planning and carrying out
investigations; |
| IV. |
Analyzing and
interpreting data; |
| V. |
Using
mathematics and computational thinking; |
| VI. |
Constructing explanations (for science)
and designing solutions (for engineering); |
| VII. |
Engaging in argument from evidence;
and |
| VIII. |
Obtaining, evaluating,
and communicating information. |
|
| (II) |
Focus deeply on a limited number of
Disciplinary Core Ideas within each major category of science disciplines.
| I. |
Life Sciences
| A. |
From Molecules to organisms: Structures
and processes
| (A) |
Structure and
function |
| (B) |
Growth and development
of organisms |
| (C) |
Organization for
matter and energy flow in organisms |
| (D) |
Information processing |
|
| B. |
Ecosystems: Interactions,
energy, and dynamics
| (A) |
Interdependent
relationships in ecosystems |
| (B) |
Cycles of matter and energy transfer in ecosystems |
| (C) |
Ecosystem dynamics, functioning, and
resilience |
| (D) |
Social interactions
and group behavior |
|
| C. |
Heredity: inheritance and variation of traits
| (A) |
Inheritance of traits |
|
| D. |
Biological Evolution: Unity and diversity
| (A) |
Evidence of common ancestry and
diversity |
| (D) |
Biodiversity and humans |
|
|
| II. |
Chemistry
| A. |
Matter and its interaction
| (A) |
Structure and properties of
matter |
|
| B. |
Energy
| (A) |
Definitions of energy |
| (B) |
Conservation of energy and energy
transfer |
| (C) |
Electromagnetic
radiation |
|
|
| III. |
Earth Space Science
| A. |
Earth's place in the
Universe
| (A) |
The universe and its
stars |
| (B) |
Earth and the solar
system |
| (C) |
History of planet
earth |
|
| B. |
Earth's systems
| (A) |
Earth materials and systems |
| (B) |
Plate tectonics and large system
interactions |
| (C) |
The roles of water
in Earth's surface processes |
|
| C. |
Earth and
Human Activity
| (C) |
Human impacts on earth's
systems |
| (D) |
Global climate
change |
|
|
| IV. |
Physics
| A. |
Matter and its interactions
|
| B. |
Motion and stability
| (B) |
Types of interactions |
| (C) |
Stability and instability in physical
systems |
|
| C. |
Energy
| (A) |
Definitions of energy |
| (B) |
Conservation of energy and energy
transfer |
| (C) |
Relationship between
energy and forces |
| (D) |
Energy in
chemical processes and everyday life |
|
| D. |
Waves and their applications in
technologies for information transfer
| (B) |
Electromagnetic
radiation |
| (C) |
Information
technologies and instrumentation |
|
|
|
| (III) |
Consistently bear in mind crosscutting
concepts as a means to provide linkages between science disciplines across
multiple grades
| II. |
Cause and effect: mechanism and
explanation |
| III. |
Systems and system
models |
| IV. |
Energy and matter;
flows, cycles and conservation |
| V. |
Structure and function |
|
|
|
| 8. |
Social Studies Concentration. Programs
that prepare middle grades teachers in the concentration area of social studies
shall meet the following standards adapted from the standards published by the
National Council for the Social Studies (2018):
| (i) |
Content
Knowledge. Candidates demonstrate knowledge of social studies
disciplines. Candidates are knowledgeable of disciplinary concepts, facts, and
tools; structure of inquiry; and forms of representation.
| (I) |
Candidates are knowledgeable about the
concepts, facts, and tools in civics, economics, geography, and
history; |
| (II) |
Candidates are
knowledgeable about disciplinary inquiry in civics, economics, geography, and
history. |
| (III) |
Candidates are
knowledgeable about disciplinary forms of representation in civics, economics,
geography, and history. |
|
| (ii) |
Application of Content
Through Planning. Candidates plan learning sequences that leverage
social studies knowledge and literacies, technology, and theory and research to
support the civic competence of learners.
| (I) |
Candidates plan learning sequences that demonstrate social studies knowledge
aligned with the C3 (College, Career and Civic Life) Framework, state-required
content standards, and theory and research; |
| (II) |
Candidates plan learning sequences that
engage learners with disciplinary concepts, facts and tools from the social
studies disciplines to facilitate social studies literacies for civic life.
Learning sequences should involve experiences that engage students in
evaluating accuracy of print and electronic resources, discerning fact vs.
opinion and drawing evidence-based conclusions; |
| (III) |
Candidates plan learning sequences that
engage learners in disciplinary inquiry to develop social studies literacies
for civic life; |
| (IV) |
Candidates
plan learning sequences where learners create disciplinary forms of
representation that convey social studies knowledge and civic
competence; |
| (V) |
Candidates plan
learning sequences that use technology to foster civic competence. |
|
| (iii) |
Design and
Implementation of Instruction and Assessment. Candidates design
and implement instruction and authentic assessments, informed by data literacy
and learners self-assessment, that promote civic competence.
| (I) |
Candidates design and implement a range
of authentic assessments that measure learners' master of disciplinary
knowledge, inquiry, and forms of representation for civic competence and
demonstrate alignment with state-required content standards. |
| (II) |
Candidates design and implement learning
experiences that engage learners in disciplinary knowledge, inquiry, and forms
of representation for civic competence and demonstrate alignment with state
required content standards. |
| (III) |
Candidates use theory and research to implement a variety of instructional
practices and authentic assessments featuring disciplinary knowledge, inquiry,
and forms of representation for civic competence. |
| (IV) |
Candidates exhibit data literacy by
using assessment data to guide instructional decision-making and reflect on
student learning outcomes related to disciplinary knowledge, inquiry, and forms
of representation for civic competence. |
|
| (iv) |
Social Studies Learners and
Learning. Candidates use knowledge of learners to
plan and implement developmentally relevant and responsive pedagogy, create
collaborative and interdisciplinary learning environments, and prepare learners
to be informed advocates for a fair and welcoming society.
| (I) |
Candidates use knowledge of learners'
socio-cultural assets, learning demands, and individual identities to plan and
implement relevant and responsive pedagogy that ensures learning opportunities
for all students in social studies. |
| (II) |
Candidates facilitate collaborative,
interdisciplinary learning environments in which learners use disciplinary
facts, concepts, and tools, engage in disciplinary inquiry, and create
disciplinary forms of representation. |
| (III) |
Candidates engage learners in ethical
reasoning to deliberate social, political, and economic issues, communicate
conclusions, and take informed action toward achieving a more fair and
welcoming society. |
|
| (v) |
Professional Responsibility and Informed Action.
Candidates reflect and expand upon their social studies knowledge, inquiry
skills, and civic dispositions to advance social justice and promote human
rights through informed action in schools and/or communities.
| (I) |
Candidates use theory and research to
continually improve their social studies knowledge, inquiry skills, and civic
dispositions, and adapt practice to meet the needs of each learner. |
| (II) |
Candidates explore, interrogate, and
reflect upon their own backgrounds to attend to issues of fairness, access,
power, and human rights within their schools and/or communities. |
| (III) |
Candidates take informed action in
schools and/or communities and serve as advocates for learners, the teaching
profession, and/or social studies. |
|
|
|
|
