Core Teaching Standards:
Evidence Chart
Part One: The Learner & Learning
Standard One: Learner Development
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
PC 1.1 Candidates use an understanding of learning theory (in areas such as cognitive, linguistic, social emotional or physical) to design appropriate learning experiences.
S1 PC 1a Evidence: The First Step on the Longer Path of Becoming an ESL Teacher, by Mary Ashworth
Description: This book is from one of my graduate school courses. The author looks at the structure of language and how it works. One model looks at language in layers as stories in a house. There is a lot of overlap between Phonology, Morphology, Syntax, and Semantics.
Rationale: Although we might look at phonology and the speech sounds we use, one needs to also look at morphology to understand the structures of words. Syntax is needed to know how to arrange words in a meaningful sentence, but without the understanding of semantics and the use of gestures, or facial expressions, meaning can be lost. All these parts of language cannot exist without the other, and that is important in understanding the learning experience.
S1 PC 1b Evidence: Constructivism Learning Chart
Description: A helpful chart that shows different ways we learn.
Rationale: I often refer to this chart in teaching to remind me that students learn in many ways: It isn’t just cognitive, it can be social, through experiences, it is active, occurs in stages, and we build on prior knowledge to help students understand new concepts.
S1 PC 1c Evidence: Equipped for Reading Success, by David A. Kilpatrick, Ph.D. One – Minute Activities.
Description: A book with one-minute activities geared at using the manipulation of sounds for developing phonemic awareness and fluent word recognition.
Rationale: I had a few students who were young learners from another country and they were struggling with different blended sounds so I reached out to the district instructional coach and she recommended this book with one- minute exercises to help my students develop their phoneme awareness. I have been using these exercises with them every day and in just a few weeks I saw big improvements.
PC 1.2 Candidates use an understanding of developmental theory (in areas such as cognitive, linguistic, social emotional or physical) to design appropriate learning experiences.
S1 PC 2a Evidence: Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
Description: In this article the work of Jean Piaget is explored and described in detail.
Rationale: This article explains how kids go through stages of development. It helps me as a teacher to know at which age I should be covering abstract thinking vs. concrete concepts. I especially took note of how he mentioned that some children learn by doing activities and not just reading or listening about them.
S1 PC 2b Evidence: Experiment by student in 6th grade class
Description: Students watched a video, and then did 3 different experiments in a group and charted their findings.
Rationale: This demonstrated the power of experience, instead of just reading or watching experiments done by other students. By doing the actual experiments themselves, students confirmed their hypothesis with documentation and consulted with group members about their findings.
Standard Two: Learning Differences
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
PC 2.1 Candidates use an understanding of individual differences to design inclusive learning experiences.
S2 PC 1a Evidence: Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms, by Jack C. Richards
Description: One section of this book looks at cognitive styles to help serve as an indicator of how learners each respond differently to the learning environment.
Rationale: It is good to know our students cognitive styles and how they respond to learning. Some students prefer to work in a group and others alone. Some can focus on many tasks at once, and others need to do one at a time. Some students learn best with visuals, and others are auditory learners and learn best by listening.
S2 PC 1b Evidence: Food flash cards
Description: I made color copies and laminated various food cards to use with my new students.
Rationale: I used these cards with my new level 1 students to see what prior knowledge and experiences they had with certain foods. They picked 3 of their favorite foods and 3 foods they didn’t like. Then we played a matching game to see if students were able to recognize the lettering in words and pair them up to the visual pictures.
PC 2.2 Candidates use an understanding of diverse cultures and communities to design inclusive learning experiences.
S2 PC 2a Evidence: “Tokyo Friends” culture book
Description: A rich colorful book explaining cultural differences through the everyday experiences of kids in Tokyo.
Rationale: This book engages students as they see differences introduced by 2 girls (one – American, One – Japanese) as they meet and become friends on the streets of Tokyo. In a creative, non-threatening way, they show students some cultural differences in the way kids go to school, how they count, greet others, study, celebrate holidays, etc. I often use it to segue into having students write about things they can learn about other cultures.
S2 PC 2b Evidence: Winter traditions writing assignment
Description: This is an assignment I gave my 3rd grade student after discussing different holidays around the world.
Rationale: I wanted to give my student an opportunity to showcase how his writing had improved by having him share how his family celebrated Christmas in Chile. I wanted him to connect with his rich Chilean heritage, since he had recently moved to the US and this was a way to focus on meaningful experiences to build further learning and understanding.
S2 PC 2c Evidence: Student power point project
Description: This project was intended to have my high school students share something from their own culture and put it into a power point slide presentation for oral presentations.
Rationale: The reason why I chose this assignment, was that it gave students the opportunity to share their rich diverse cultural backgrounds and engage other students in learning as they share from their cultural backgrounds. On top of that, it gave students a safe place to share and develop their presentation skills on a topic they were already familiar with.
Standard Three: Learning Environments
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
PC 3.1 Candidates design learning environments that support individual learning marked by active engagement.
S3 PC 1a Evidence: Homemade dumplings photos
Description: An instructional activity for a few of my students during a home visit.
Rationale: This was a culminating activity designed to demonstrate what the students had learned previously in lessons. They needed to use sequencing words to describe the steps in making dumplings, something that is a treat in their culture. Since this environment was a safe place, my students’ active level of engagement was high. It was also a topic they were familiar with and interested in.
S3 PC 1b Student A reading and writing goals
Description: A power point I used with a student to focus on his active engagement in the learning process and motivation.
Rationale: This student needed to take ownership of his learning and set measurable goals to bring mainly his writing skills up, as well as his reading skills. In self motivating it is important to help students see the importance of setting goals, making a plan, and working at it until they reach their goals. I think it is important to find ways to help students see the intrinsic value of their work.
PC 3.2 Candidates design learning environments that support collaborative learning marked by positive social interaction.
S3 PC 2a Evidence: Holiday Family Event
Description: An event I sponsored for 15 families to participate in learning about other ways countries celebrate the holidays.
Rationale: This was a great way to bring families together to share in a fun experience, while at the same time providing an opportunity for interacting with other families and learning how other people celebrate traditions around the world.
S3 PC 2b Evidence: Intensive English Program – speed conversations
Description: This was an ice breaker activity to promote getting over nervousness when having social interactions.
Rationale: I found that students could get multiple chances to practice conversational starters and small talk in a positive and rewarding way. This created an inviting environment and friendly atmosphere in my classroom that supported my goal of collaborative learning marked by social interaction.
Part Two: Content Knowledge and Instructional Practice
Standard Four: Content Knowledge
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) they teach and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
PC 4.1 Candidates accurately communicate central concepts of the discipline.
S4 PC 1a Evidence: Unit Plan with 6 lessons
Description: A unit plan about “Getting around town”
Rationale: By stimulating my student to reflect first on his prior knowledge by drawing a map of his home town in Honduras, I will then introduce the vocabulary and grammar related to the current subject. The student will then draw and describe his current town. We will do a Venn Diagram to do a comparison. We will set up our room as a town, and do some role play giving directions. The final project will stretch his critical thinking as he plans an ideal future town; what it might look like, and explain the reasons for his choices. This multi layered unit intentionally helps the student to understand, question, and apply the content he will master in a relevant, but creative way.
S4 PC 1b Evidence: Syllabi for COD courses
Description: These are a few course syllabi I created following state guidelines for courses I taught at College of Du Page, IL.
Rationale: These are a few courses I taught in the ELL program for the community college. It is a grant funded program that helps adults improve their English speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills using Ventures series with scan bar codes for listening and grammar practice. Many of my students were from various countries and had different experiences in English. I created learning experiences with the intention to help students see measurable score increases on their CASAS post tests and reach their individual learning goals.
PC 4.2 Candidates accurately address common misconceptions of the discipline.
S4 PC 2a Evidence: Learning Strategies For ELL’s
Description: A helpful and informative article on misconceptions of ELL students to help regular teachers understand common misunderstandings Multilingual learners face.
Rationale: I will be meeting with middle school teachers next week to go over some of these misconceptions as well as share some other modification strategies to use with their new ELL student who starts school at the end of this month.
S4 PC 2b Evidence: Audio of student reading
Description: An audio of a current student reading demonstrates that just because a student can decode or memorize a story doesn’t mean they have developed reading comprehension skills.
Rationale: The misconception is that just because a student can read a text doesn’t mean he/she comprehends what he/she is reading. I use quick reading comprehension questions to help clarify this. Some students are good at decoding, but if you ask them about it, they might not know what they are reading.
Standard Five: Application of Content
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
PC 5.1 Candidates engage learners in applying perspectives from varied disciplines in authentic contexts (such as local and global issues).
S5 PC 1a Evidence: 12- 15 minute teaching video
Description: A presentation on local and global cultural awareness.
“A melting pot or a pizza with distinct flavors?”
Rationale: Students are introduced to perspectives of a local and global cultures and how one can embrace differences and see the positives. Students are sometimes unaware of the world around us, but this can be a springboard to encourage them to also think global and find ways we can collaboratively embrace differences, while at the same time come closer together, not as a melting pot, but more like a pizza with distinct flavors.
S5 PC 1b Evidence: Student acknowledgement writings
Description: Weekly writings that my 6th grade student has done.
Rationale: This style of writing is part of a weekly meeting that the 6th graders exchange and share with each other. I help my student write notes of encouragement as he observes behaviors in his classroom. We talk about developing friendships and what kinds of things are appropriate to write for this style of writing.
S5 PC 1c Evidence: Supervisor observation and evaluation
Description: Completed observation and evaluation form done by my supervisor as she visits a classroom session where I am teaching students.
Rationale: This has been done multiple times over the years and although one might tend to get nervous being observed, I always see it as a learning curve to improve my approach towards teaching to get the best results for my students.
PC 5.2 Candidates integrate cross-disciplinary skills (such as critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving) to help learners demonstrate their learning in unique ways.
S5 PC 2a Evidence: Idiom presentation on Black and Blue
Description: A unit on color idioms that I presented.
Rationale: We discussed how idioms are used around the world, and the difficulty of understanding idioms, because their meanings aren’t literal. We practiced how to use them, as well as when and where it would be appropriate. Students chose one and made a poster to share with the class.
S5 PC 2b Evidence: Chalk town on places and directions
Description: Students used chalk to create a town with streets and places.
Rationale: This was part of an intensive English program for high school students from Asia, run through University of Wisconsin. I taught a 10 day course to prepare students for American culture and their soon to be 10 month home exchange high school experience. I had them create a town with streets and places and then had them lead their classmates through the town blindfolded, using phrases we learned, so they could have a creative way to practice what we had covered in class.
Standard Six: Assessment
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
PC 6.1 Candidates plan and implement multiple methods of assessment over time and use the results to inform their instructional practice.
S6 PC 1a Evidence: word recognition and pyramid sentences
Description: Fundations section on pyramid sentence practice.
Rationale: I had a student who at the beginning of the year who repeatedly said that she could not read. We practiced over the next few months, but she was still struggling behind other 1st grade students. I started using pyramid sentences from Fundations and saw great improvement in her oral ability to read complete sentences.
S6 PC 1b Evidence: Venture Arcade Unit practice online
Description: Online multi-level practice for English learners.
Rationale: I have been teaching from the Venture curriculum for years and enjoy the online activities that allow students to practice at different levels in listening, reading, writing, and grammar. They can show me their progress as they check their answers and go on to the next activity or level. It also has scaffolding exercises in matching, choosing, and eventually brings students to the point where they can write answers with no props.
PC 6.2 Candidates analyze an individual student’s work products over time, using multiple means of assessment, in order to adjust instruction for that student.
S6 PC 2a Evidence: Student A work over time
Description: 5 writing samples of a student over time.
Rationale: This 3rd grade student was struggling with punctuation, capitalization rules, run-on sentences, spelling, and irregular and regular verb rules, as well as verb tense. These 5 samples show the struggle, as well as the improvement over time in these problem areas.
S6 PC 2b Evidence: Student B work over time
Description: Student B work is reflected over two years from 1st grade to 2nd grade.
Rationale: After first grade this student was far behind in writing skills, and it was evident on his WIDA scores, sample writings, misspellings, and letter reversals. Our focus for 2nd grade was to work on letter formation, expanding sentences with more details, and punctuation rules. We also worked on sequencing words in writing, vocabulary, and spelling.
Standard Seven: Planning for Instruction
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
PC 7.1 Candidates plan instruction by drawing upon knowledge of content areas to meet rigorous learning goals.
S7 PC 1a Evidence: Text choices for student in 6th grade
Description: World English Intro by National Geographic Learning and English for Workplace, Civics, and Academic Readiness, by Steven J. Molinsky
Rationale: I chose these two books for the practicality of the units and the vocabulary that would enable my student to focus on academic readiness. Both books engage students with visuals and content knowledge to help achieve rigorous learning goals. They also cover listening, speaking, reading, writing, and life skills, which are important in overall language development.
One book focuses on conversational English and the other focuses on academic readiness.
S7 PC 1b Evidence: Would You Rather…
Description: Power point slides on different types of housing choices with various locations.
Rationale: I was introducing students on how to give reasons for their choices using the word “because” to share about different housing options and various living environments. I wanted students to think of the many ways people live and the choices available. I also wanted them to think through the pros and cons of different living environments and see different views others have.
PC 7.2 Candidates plan instruction by drawing upon knowledge of learners to meet rigorous learning goals.
S7 PC 2a Evidence: Describe what you see
Description: 4 intentionally different pictures to get students talking about describing people, animals, and settings.
Rationale: I was working with students and they were struggling to describe characters and settings in stories, so I put together this short power point as an intro to our lesson on describing people, places, and things. It was good to have students share with a partner their findings, as well as hear some other things students noticed in the pictures. I used this as an intro before a reading activity where students would have to describe a setting and characters in a story.
S7 PC 2b Evidence: Understanding prefixes and suffixes slides and card props
Description: I made this for a 10th grader who needed work on prefixes, suffixes, and root words.
Rationale: I used the slides to begin our time together to review what I believed the student already knew, so we could go from the known to the unknown to introduce new vocabulary. For this, I used prefix and suffix cards that I made and laminated. They could be bended to only show a portion and allow the student to use prior knowledge to make educated guesses before finding out the meanings.
Standard Eight: Instructional Strategies
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
PC 8.1 Candidates use a variety of instructional strategies to make the discipline accessible for diverse learners.
S8 PC 1a Evidence: TPR method used for kinesthetic learners
Description: Activity using an apple, a cup, and a plate to introduce prepositions.
Rationale: Some students are audio learners and like to hear instructions. Some students are visual learners and need to see an example to understand something. Others are kinesthetic learners and need to experience something to learn it. I like to use the TPR method when I can to support the various style of learners I have in my classroom. I always get a lot of good feedback on how helpful the activity is for students.
S8 PC 1b Evidence: Intrinsic motivation “ Noodle slides”
Description: Students got to choose a project that focused on something they liked and already had a connection.
Rationale: I believe choice allows students to share about topics they have an interest in. When this happens, intrinsic motivation is triggered. This type of motivation makes learning exciting and rewarding. This student chose to share about different types of noodles from her home country.
PC 8.2 Candidates use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
S8 PC 2a Evidence: TED talks inspirational talks
Description: An inspiring story shared on Ted.com. and an article on the power of storytelling.
Rationale: I like to use stories told by the people who experienced them, to help engage student motivation. The knowledge they learn from a story and the emotion behind the story helps learners to remember and recall what they heard and learned, as well as the likelihood of them passing on the information they absorbed as they listened to the speaker.
S8 PC 2b Evidence: Rhyme game with picture cards
Description: A game I often use with young learners who are beginning to discover the world of rhyming words.
Rationale: Early learners love games and when I can make learning a fun activity I believe students engage more and retain more. The strategy is to focus on background knowledge of the pictures in their L1 and then let students apply what they already know as they learn new vocabulary words that rhyme together. This also increases phonemic awareness in students as they practice similar, but different sounds in rhyming words.
Part Three: Professional Responsibility
Standard Nine: Professional Learning & Ethical Practice
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate {their} practice, particularly the effects of {their} choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
PC 9.1 Candidates are prepared for self-directed, continuous professional learning.
S9 PC 1a Evidence: Meetings with other MLL coordinators
Description: A monthly meeting where MLL coordinators and teachers can meet to talk about current issues in Vermont.
Rationale: There is strength in working together, sharing ideas together, and asking questions to come up with positive solutions together. We are focusing on a yearly list to keep our teaching on target, the development of district Lau Plans, and the sharing of helpful resources.
S9 PC 1b Evidence: Local conference in Burlington, VT
Description: We All Belong – A Vermont Statewide Conference on the Education of Refuge and Immigrant Students K – 12.
Rationale: Being new to Vermont, I wanted a chance to meet other educators who worked with ELL students and learn more about how to build a multilingual program in rural districts. I also wanted to hear about what other districts are doing with their ELL programs as well as hear from Stephanie Vogel’s what AOE is doing to provide resources for ELL programs.
S9 PC 1c Evidence: WIDA Certifications
Description: Mandatory yearly WIDA certifications
Rationale: There are both WIDA Screener and WIDA Access certifications that are needed yearly to meet state standards for different age groups K – 12th grade that need to be completed and turned into my supervisor. These courses are self-paced and can be done online. WIDA also includes webinars and resources. I took a course on scaffolding this past winter and found it helpful.
PC 9.2 Candidates are prepared to practice in a legal and ethical manner. (Peer Review Required Evidence)
S9 PC 2a Evidence: Vermont Code of Ethics Form
Description: Signed Vermont Code of Ethics (Part 111 requirement).
Rationale: I have read and agree to what it means to teach ethically.
S9 PC 2b Evidence: Question #2 What Does Ethical Teaching Look Like? Question #3 How do you model, teach, guide learners to use technology in a safe way?
Description: Linked responses that answer two questions related to ethical teaching and modeling technology in a safe way.
Rationale: For my answers to the questions I looked at a recent meeting with other teachers to describe what ethical learning looked like in our meeting. For the other question I looked at a weekly activity I do with a student online and the teachable moments I have when it comes to how I use of technology in a safe way.
S9 PC 2c Evidence: Peer Review Form
Description: My completed Peer Review Form.
Rationale: This form is needed to see what my strengths as well as weaknesses are, so that I can improve, when presenting a new lesson to a class. It is also good to see things from another person’s point of view and perspective, with the hopes of learning something new about my teaching style and how to continually make adjustments and be a lifelong learner.
Standard Ten: Leadership and Collaboration
Performance Criterion (P.C.)
Evidence & Rationale
The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.
PC 10.1 Candidates are prepared to collaborate with stakeholders (such as learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, or community members) to ensure student learning.
S10 PC 1a Evidence: Power Point on Modifications
Description: I put together a presentation to share with high school teachers that had ELL students in their classrooms.
Rationale: This was something that I discussed with the vice-principal and put together so when we met with the teachers who had ELL students we shared modifications and strategies they could put in place to help their ELL learners.
S10 PC 1b Evidence: Meetings with other ELL Teachers
Description: Meetings over the last 24 months with ELL teachers in nearby districts, and Zoom meetings with ELL coordinators.
Rationale: Being new to Vermont, and going from an urban setting to a rural setting, it was good to touch base and meet with a neighboring ELL teacher on early release days to discuss ELL resources, teaching strategies, and ordering and submitting WIDA testing materials. I also joined in monthly meetings as scheduling permitted with ELL coordinators to discuss state requirements and how to share resources with each other.
S10 PC 1c Evidence: Lau Plan development – Stephanie Vogel
Description: Lau Plan Workgroup meeting presentation.
Rationale: The discussions and the sharing of helpful resources and overall rhetoric in these meetings has fostered greater community networking in our field. This presentation gives examples, questions we need to ask, and a framework to help districts move forward.
PC 10.2 Candidates are prepared to advance the profession through advocacy, leadership and/or action research.
S10 PC 2a Evidence: The beginning of a district Lau Plan
Description: AOE Lau Plan Template.
Rationale: There is no Lau Plan in place that I am aware of as I have been talking with my supervisor, so I am attending meetings in order to present to our district how we might move forward and get a committee together to address this need. It will be a collaboration effort of leaders and take 1 or 2 years to complete.
S10 PC 2b Evidence: Workplace Discrimination Prevention
Description: Course certificate on Prevention of discrimination and sexual violence in the workplace – Prairie State College, IL.
Rationale: It is important as faculty and staff that we take action to prevent any type of discrimination or violence happen on our watch. No matter what our endorsement area, it is extremely important to be aware of different types of discriminations, how to recognize them, and diffuse any violence before escalation can take root.