Connecting Theory and Research to Practice
Assessment 7 (RDNG 6313)
Synthesis Paper: Connecting Theory and
Research to Practice
It is important to be aware of how theories have shaped current reading practices in today’s classrooms and to understand the connection between reading theories and reading instruction, especially in regards to student achievement. In this theory to practice paper, you will discuss instructional practices literacy that you use in your classroom, would like to use in your classroom, or were exposed to when you were in school, and you will make clear connections between those practices and the theories discussed throughout this class. The paper will be about 5-6 pages. You must cite at least two sources beyond your textbook. You must cite all sources for the strategies and theories choose when appropriate. Works cited and in-text citations should consistently follow the APA 6th edition format.
Synthesis Paper Guidelines
You will select three (3) instructional approaches in literacy that you use in your classroom, would like to use in your classroom, or were exposed to when you were in school. Examples of literacy instructional practices include (but are not limited to) the use of book club, reading workshop, explicit modeling of comprehension strategies, teaching phonics, etc. You will explain the focal teaching practices of each instructional practice you choose, and give brief examples as needed. Provide evidence from sources beyond those used in the course if needed to support the instructional strategies you have chosen.
After your description of each focal instructional practice, you will also discuss how students respond to/what students should gain from each instructional approach. Then, you will discuss how each instructional approach is related to the theories discussed in this class. Which theoretical perspectives support the focal instructional practice? How can the theories you have selected be used to explain the instructional practice? Additionally, based on the theoretical perspectives you chose explain the strengths and limitations of the instructional approach. Please make clear connections by citing relative research.
The outline for this course paper will be as follows for all three (3) strategies you choose:
- Name of Literacy Instructional Approach
- Focal Teaching Practices for the Instructional Approach (including strengths of the instructional approach)
- Theoretical Perspectives about the Instructional Approach
- What Makes the Instructional Approach an Effective Teaching “Tool”
- How Students Respond to/What Students Should Gain from the Instructional Approach
* Use the same outline for instructional approach #2 and #3.
| Assessment 7, Research Paper: Connecting Theory and Research to Practice, aligns with the following IRA 2010 Standards:
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| Standard 1: Foundational Knowledge | Candidates understand the theoretical and evidence-based foundations of reading and writing processes and instruction. |
Assessment 7
Course: RDNG 6313 Theory and Practice in Teaching Reading Synthesis Paper: Connecting Theory and Research to Practice
| CRITERIA
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Exemplary
*In order to obtain Exemplary status for any of the Reading Standards Content Criteria to be considered, the candidate must include an additional page after the reference page of the paper where he or she includes detailed statements for EACH STANDARD that he or she believes is beyond proficient (exemplary). This evidence must be provided in order to be considered for Exemplary scoring.* |
Proficient | Acceptable | Unacceptable |
| IRA 2010 Standard 1 (Foundational Knowledge): Teacher Educator Candidates understand the theoretical and evidence-based foundations of reading and writing processes and instruction. | ||||
| 1.1 Understand major theories and empirical research that describe the cognitive, linguistic, motivational, and sociocultural foundations of reading and writing development, processes, and components, including word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading–writing connections. | 40 points
The candidate detailed focal teaching practices for three instructional approaches-including strengths of each instructional approach (Part A.)
and,
the candidate detailed why the three instructional approaches chosen are effective teaching “tools” (Part B). Furthermore, the candidate detailed limitations for each of the three focal instructional approaches.
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31-39 points
The candidate detailed focal teaching practices for three instructional approaches-including strengths of each instructional approach (Part A.)
and,
the candidate detailed why the three instructional approaches chosen are effective teaching “tools” (Part B).
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22-30 points
The candidate provided focal teaching practices for three instructional approaches-including strengths of each instructional approach (Part A.)
and,
the candidate explained why the three instructional approaches chosen are effective teaching “tools” (Part B). but, one of the areas lacked the required detail.
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0-21 points
The candidate did not provide focal teaching practices for three instructional approaches-including strengths of each instructional approach (Part A.)
or,
the candidate explained why the three instructional approaches chosen are effective teaching “tools” (Part B). or, more than one of the areas lacked the required detail,
or, at least one of the requirements was completely missing. |
| 1.2 Understand the historically shared knowledge of the profession and changes over time in the perceptions of reading and writing development, processes, and components. | 20 points
The candidate used theory to thoroughly explain the effectiveness of the three instructional approaches (Part B.)
and,
the candidate additionally detailed a reflective stance/opinion of the theories that were used to explain the instructional approaches. |
15-19 points
The candidate used theory to thoroughly explain the effectiveness of the three instructional approaches (Part B.) |
10-14 points
The candidate used theory to explain the effectiveness of the three instructional approaches (Part B.)
but, one of the areas lacked the required detail.
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0-9 points
The candidate did not use theory to explain the effectiveness of the three instructional approaches (Part B.)
or, more than one of the areas lacked the required detail,
or, at least one of the requirements was completely missing. |
| 1.3 Understand the role of professional judgment and practical knowledge for improving all students’ reading development and achievement. | 20 points
The candidate detailed multiple ways students should respond to /what students should gain from the instructional approaches (Part D.), and, the candidate additionally detailed how the fidelity (the teacher’s proficiency) with the use of the strategies can influence the effectiveness of the strategies for students.
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15-19 points
The candidate detailed multiple ways students should respond to /what students should gain from the instructional approaches (Part D.).
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10-14 points
The candidate detailed two ways students should respond to /what students should gain from the instructional approaches (Part D.).
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0-9 points
The candidate detailed minimally detailed ways students should respond to /what students should gain from the instructional approaches (Part D.) or, did not do so at all.
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QUALITY OF WRITING
| Statement of Purpose/Focus and Organization | 30 to 40 points
The response is fully sustained and consistently and purposefully focused: • controlling idea or main idea of a topic is focused, clearly stated, and strongly maintained • controlling idea or main idea of a topic is introduced and communicated clearly for the purpose, audience, and task The response has a clear and effective organizational structure creating unity and completeness: • a variety of transitional strategies is consistently used to effectively clarify the relationships between and among ideas • progression of ideas from beginning to end is logical • introduction and conclusion are effective for audience and purpose • appropriate sentence structure variety produces strong connections among ideas |
20 to 29 points
The response is sustained and purposefully focused: • controlling idea or main idea of a topic is focused, clearly stated, and strongly maintained • controlling idea or main idea of a topic is introduced and communicated clearly for the purpose, audience, and task The response has a clear and effective organizational structure creating unity and completeness: • a variety of transitional strategies is consistently used to effectively clarify the relationships between and among ideas • progression of ideas from beginning to end is logical • introduction and conclusion are effective for audience and purpose • appropriate sentence structure variety produces strong connections among ideas |
10 to 19 points
The response is sustained and purposefully focused in some of the following areas: • controlling idea or main idea of a topic is focused, clearly stated, and strongly maintained • controlling idea or main idea of a topic is introduced and communicated clearly for the purpose, audience, and task The response has a clear and effective organizational structure creating unity and completeness: • a variety of transitional strategies is consistently used to effectively clarify the relationships between and among ideas • progression of ideas from beginning to end is logical • introduction and conclusion are effective for audience and purpose • appropriate sentence structure variety produces strong connections among ideas |
0 to 9 points
The response is sustained and purposefully focused in in very few of the following areas: • controlling idea or main idea of a topic is focused, clearly stated, and strongly maintained • controlling idea or main idea of a topic is introduced and communicated clearly for the purpose, audience, and task The response has a clear and effective organizational structure creating unity and completeness: • a variety of transitional strategies is consistently used to effectively clarify the relationships between and among ideas • progression of ideas from beginning to end is logical • introduction and conclusion are effective for audience and purpose • appropriate sentence structure variety produces strong connections among ideas |
| Evidence/Elaboration | 30 to 40 points
The response provides thorough and convincing support/evidence (with citations) for the controlling idea or main idea that includes the effective use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves substantial depth that is specific and relevant: • use of evidence from CITED sources is smoothly integrated, cited, comprehensive, relevant, and concrete • a variety of effective elaborative techniques is used The response demonstrates strategic use of language to produce clear communication: • precise language clearly and effectively expresses ideas • use of academic and domain-specific vocabulary is clearly appropriate for the audience and purpose |
20 to 29 points
The response provides support/evidence (with citations) for the controlling idea or main idea that includes the effective use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves substantial depth that is specific and relevant: • use of evidence from CITED sources is smoothly integrated, cited, comprehensive, relevant, and concrete • a variety of effective elaborative techniques is used The response demonstrates strategic use of language to produce clear communication: • precise language clearly and effectively expresses ideas • use of academic and domain-specific vocabulary is clearly appropriate for the audience and purpose |
10 to 19 points
The response somewhat provides support/evidence (with citations) for the controlling idea or main idea that includes the effective use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves some depth that is specific and relevant: • use of evidence from CITED sources is integrated, cited, comprehensive, relevant, and concrete • elaborative techniques is used The response somewhat demonstrates strategic use of language to produce clear communication: • precise language clearly and effectively expresses ideas • use of academic and domain-specific vocabulary is clearly appropriate for the audience and purpose |
0 to 9 points
The response insufficiently provides support/evidence (with citations) for the controlling idea or main idea that includes the effective use of sources, facts, and details. The response achieves lacks depth that is specific and relevant: • use of evidence from CITED sources is integrated, cited, comprehensive, relevant, and concrete • elaborative techniques is used The response insufficiently demonstrates strategic use of language to produce clear communication: • precise language clearly and effectively expresses ideas • use of academic and domain-specific vocabulary is clearly appropriate for the audience and purpose |
| Editing/Conventions | 15 to 20 points
The response displays adequate command of all conventions of writing: • some errors in usage and sentence formation may be present, but no systematic pattern of errors is displayed • use of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling is adequate |
10 to 14 points
The response displays adequate command of all conventions of writing: • some errors in usage and sentence formation may be present, but no systematic pattern of errors is displayed • use of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling is adequate |
5 to 9 points
The response insufficiently displays command of all conventions of writing: • multiple errors in usage and sentence formation may be present, but no systematic pattern of errors is displayed • use of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling is adequate |
0 to 5 points
The response insufficiently displays command of all conventions of writing: • excessive errors in usage and sentence formation may be present, but no systematic pattern of errors is displayed • excessive errors in use of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling is adequate |
