However, it also has some behaviorist influences as well because it is TEKS oriented. With each TEK there is an expectation attached. Posner (2004) supports this by restating what Robert Mager’s said, “an objective is an intent communicated by a statement describing a proposed change in a learner….It is a description of a pattern of behavior (performance) we want the learner to be able to demonstrate (p. 106). Therefore, although this curriculum strives for student knowledge to grow and it facilitates complete understanding of Language Arts, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) dictates a certain level of expected student performance at each grade level. Student mastery is measured by their performance on their standardized tests
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Each section presents ideas for teachers to utilize to support all of these learners. For example, English-language learners, need extended explanations of idioms and this curriculum offers additional resources. Middle school educators must be aware of specific reading strategies that allows English-language learners to achieve their true potential (Bolos, 2012). Bolos continues saying often these students sound fluent in English, yet they lack academic language proficiency. Therefore, the support this curriculum offers makes a difference for English-language learners by suggesting activities to enhance language proficiency for beginning and intermediate students. The curriculum also offers support for struggling students. It outlines for the teacher how to present intervention at the Tier 2 level. Many times this is a hands on or small group activity to reinforce learning. In one unit, students act out the scene from the reading and have students improvise the dialogue to reflect and connect to the reading. This kind of Tier 2 intervention fosters a more complete understanding for struggling students, as well as the English-language learners. Another important piece of differentiated instruction is for the advanced or gifted and talented students. This curriculum also offers suggestions and activities …show more content…
However, the question is used only to focus learning and set a purpose for reading. This curriculum provides many resources for teachers for instruction and they have the flexibility of choosing when and if they utilize them. This seems to also lend itself to the top-down approach. However, the fact that teachers were instrumental in the development of this curriculum does not follow the top-down approach. What is intriguing about this curriculum is the building of background knowledge, sequencing of objectives and logical progression of concepts. All of these, demonstrate characteristics of the bottom-up approach. The fact that it is teacher directed more than student led, also is a characteristic of the bottom-up approach. However, the group projects and real-world applications make it even more interesting because these portray characteristics of the project method model. Therefore, the Texas Treasure Literature provides teachers and students with many activities and opportunities to learn, yet it does not completely follow one approach. It seems this curriculum took the strengths of all three approaches and utilized them in the development of this Language Arts
Each section presents ideas for teachers to utilize to support all of these learners. For example, English-language learners, need extended explanations of idioms and this curriculum offers additional resources. Middle school educators must be aware of specific reading strategies that allows English-language learners to achieve their true potential (Bolos, 2012). Bolos continues saying often these students sound fluent in English, yet they lack academic language proficiency. Therefore, the support this curriculum offers makes a difference for English-language learners by suggesting activities to enhance language proficiency for beginning and intermediate students. The curriculum also offers support for struggling students. It outlines for the teacher how to present intervention at the Tier 2 level. Many times this is a hands on or small group activity to reinforce learning. In one unit, students act out the scene from the reading and have students improvise the dialogue to reflect and connect to the reading. This kind of Tier 2 intervention fosters a more complete understanding for struggling students, as well as the English-language learners. Another important piece of differentiated instruction is for the advanced or gifted and talented students. This curriculum also offers suggestions and activities …show more content…
However, the question is used only to focus learning and set a purpose for reading. This curriculum provides many resources for teachers for instruction and they have the flexibility of choosing when and if they utilize them. This seems to also lend itself to the top-down approach. However, the fact that teachers were instrumental in the development of this curriculum does not follow the top-down approach. What is intriguing about this curriculum is the building of background knowledge, sequencing of objectives and logical progression of concepts. All of these, demonstrate characteristics of the bottom-up approach. The fact that it is teacher directed more than student led, also is a characteristic of the bottom-up approach. However, the group projects and real-world applications make it even more interesting because these portray characteristics of the project method model. Therefore, the Texas Treasure Literature provides teachers and students with many activities and opportunities to learn, yet it does not completely follow one approach. It seems this curriculum took the strengths of all three approaches and utilized them in the development of this Language Arts