#8 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading (TEKS), Subchapter B. Middle School
by Ann E. Bender

Topic:

TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS for ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS and READING (TEKS), SUBCHAPTER B. MIDDLE SCHOOL

Objective:

As part of the process of curriculum development, student observers will be introduced to the TEKS and the four principal strands (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, Viewing and Representing) that constitutes state English/Language Arts standards. The overall objective is that the student observers, particularly those in EnglishtLanguage Arts, would become aware of the TEKS as a standard in their classroom instruction, and use it as a guide for their lesson plans, specifically as regards strategies to introduce in their teaching the strand of reading, writing for many purposes and in varied forms, effective communication and interpreting, analyzing and producing visual messages.

Materials:

• Copies of the TEKS located on the Internet at this website: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/teks/ for ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS andREADING, CHAPTER 110, SUBCHAPTER B. MIDDLE SCHOOL
• Twelve packets of information sheets with accompanying Activity Sheets (4) published by the Texas Center for Reading and Language Arts re. TEKS, ELA/READING, MIDDLE SCHOOL

Procedure:

• Student observers will receive an email from supervisor instructing them to download a copy of the TEKS, ELA/READ1NG, MIDDLE SCHOOL from the website provided and bring their copy to Seminar #2 on October 2 at Sanchez Hall.
• After a brief examination of the introductory paragraphs of the TEKS at the three middle school levels (6th, 7th and 8th) and a short question and answer exchange between the student observers and the instructor on the language, merits, and usefulness of the TEKS: . Student observers will divide into three groups of four students and, using their copy of the TEKS, will work cooperatively to examine the four principal strands of the TEKS with each group selecting a different grade level (6th, 7th or 8th).
• Student observers will complete cooperatively in their groups, the four activity sheets following the information on each strand of the TEKS.

Evaluation:

Student observers will post a response on TEACHNET making remarks about their impressions, responses, feelings, thoughts and concerns with regard to the TEKS or their cooperative work with it. The purpose of their journal response is to provide feedback to the supervisor on TEACHNET so that A) an assessment can be made of whether or not the TEKS was perceived as a useful tool for their instruction and B) to provide the supervisor with a targeted journal entry that will have more direct meaning for both student observer and supervisor.