As an English teacher many assessments that take place are in the form of writing.

Whether it is a
journal entry used as a daily warm up or whether it is a writing assignment, informal and formal
assessments are constantly taking place. Writing samples are also gathered to determine weaknesses
and strengths of the students to help guide where emphasis is needed for writing instruction. Informal
assessments can also be given in the form of discussions, either whole class or small group.
Accommodations have been a big part of my student teaching experience. I had the experience of
teaching two CC classes. These are co-taught classes, including a resource teacher for extra support.
Accommodating was a major part of our planning, preparation, and discussions. We were constantly
making sure the accommodations we provided were valuable to the students as a whole class and
adjusted on an individual basis. Modeling was a big part of our instructional goals. Students who had
needs either because of language barriers or learning disablities all benefitted from the modelling we
provided on assignments, projects, and lessons.
Accommodations for our students who did not read well were varied. It was important for me to hear
all my students read out loud in class, at least a little bit, so I could evaluate their reading skills and
struggles. We also provided audio reading where the students could follow along without the pressure
of reading aloud to their peers. A directive handed down from the principal at the school was to provide
more opportunities for silent reading in class. We wanted to implement this in our CC classes as well.
However we had to also double check afterwards for comprehension and to make sure the students
were in fact reading the text on their own. This was a struggle in itself, pushing for greater
independence but also making sure the reading was being done.
Selecting instructional goals and ways that I get students to find the content important is to first find
material that I think will engage the students in subject matter, content or task. I have a passion for the
subject matter and am genuinely excited about teaching or guiding the students through the lesson. I
have found this to be a valuable component in getting the students engaged, by being engaged myself. I
make attempts to relate the lessons to real-world situations. During a poetry lesson we had a great
discussion on making choices and consequences after reading the poem The Road Less Traveled by
Robert Frost. The students were able to make connections to their own lives. To take the discussion a
step further I had the students write about a time they had to make a decision and the consequence of
that decision. I also provided a few examples that might help prompt the students that needed
prompting or were unsure about what to write. The writing and reflecting on their real life connection
to the literature on paper helped to keep them focused and clarify in their mind the correlation.
I find the real world connections important when dealing with literature, themes, and writing. To make
sure I address these connections with each new lesson I have it addressed in the daily warm-up.
Accessing prior knowledge is a great way to trigger connections for the students and to peak their
interest in the subject matter.