Skip to main content

Study Guide

Field 003: English Language Arts

Recommendation for individuals using a screenreader: please set your punctuation settings to "most."

Sample Constructed-Response Item 1

Competency 0009 
Pedagogical Content Knowledge

start bold Use the information below to complete the assignment that follows. end bold

You are planning instruction for a tenth-grade English language arts class that aligns with the following standard from the New York State P to 12 Learning Standards for English Language Arts left paren N Y S L S right paren.1

N Y S L S 9–10R6: Analyze how authors employ point of view, perspective, and purpose to shape explicit and implicit messages (e.g., examine rhetorical strategies, literary elements and devices). (RI&RL)

You are planning to teach a lesson based on Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address below:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Using your pedagogical content knowledge of English language arts, write a response of approximately 400  to 600 words in which you:

Sample Strong Response to Constructed-Response Item 1

For this lesson, an appropriate learning goal would be the following: Students will gain a deeper understanding of Abraham Lincoln's address at Gettysburg by analyzing how Lincoln uses rhetorical strategies to shape explicit and implicit messages in the speech.

To achieve this learning goal, students would first need to understand the literal meaning of the speech. Because some language is figurative (e.g., "conceived in Liberty"), and some words may be unfamiliar (e.g., "consecrate"), I would work through the literal meaning with students before analyzing the implicit meaning. To assess students' readiness for the learning goal, I would have them paraphrase the speech. The results of this assessment would help guide future class discussions.

One instructional strategy I would use to connect students' literal understanding of the speech to new knowledge about rhetorical strategies would be first to introduce and define two specific strategies, repetition and antithesis, and illustrate the definitions using examples from familiar texts. One example might be John F. Kennedy's statement "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

Following this activity, students would reread the speech independently and underline examples of repetition and antithesis. Students would present these examples to the class and, with my help, discuss their effects. For example, students might discuss how repetition of the phrase "we cannot" in the third paragraph emphasizes the humility felt by the living when confronted with the sacrifices made by the dead, or how the antithesis of "remember/forget" elevates the actions of the soldiers who died at Gettysburg above the words spoken in praise of those actions.

The rationale for this strategy is that the teacher-given definitions and examples provide students with clear direction and expectations for their task. Immediately conducting their own search for examples in the speech gives students the opportunity to apply their new knowledge. Following this activity with a teacher-guided class discussion promotes sharing of varied perspectives and subsequent understanding of the effects of the rhetorical features.

One potential challenge associated with analyzing this speech is the need for a solid understanding of U.S. history. A student would need to know about the Declaration of Independence, which is alluded to in the first line, the significance of the Civil War, Lincoln's role, and the events at Gettysburg. Although many students would have that knowledge, many might not. A strategy to address this challenge would be to ensure that students have the historical information they need before attempting the analysis. At the beginning of the lesson, when students are discussing the literal meaning of the speech, I would use careful questioning to elicit specific historical information. This strategy would provide students with the information they need to do a thorough analysis, which would promote deeper understanding of the speech.

A beneficial instructional modification for all students would be the use of a three-column graphic organizer, with one column for each of the two rhetorical strategies and a third column for notes. The organizer would include an example of each rhetorical strategy. Students would fill in the first two columns with examples of repetition and antithesis from the speech and make notes about the effects in the third column. During class discussions, students could refer to their graphic organizers.

One way to assess and promote students' learning and growth related to the learning goal would be to have each student write an imaginative diary entry from the point of view of an individual who was present when President Lincoln delivered the address at Gettysburg. In the diary, students would comment specifically on Lincoln's use of repetition and antithesis.

Sample Constructed-Response Item 2

Competency 0009 
Pedagogical Content Knowledge

start bold Use the information below to complete the assignment that follows. end bold

You are planning instruction for a ninth-grade English language arts class that aligns with the following standard from the New York State P to 12 Learning Standards for English Language Arts left paren N Y S L S right paren.2

N Y S L S 9–10R1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences; develop questions for deeper understanding and for further exploration. (RI&RL)

You are planning to teach a lesson based on the excerpt below from Jhumpa Lahiri's novel The Namesake.3

And so Ashima and Ashoke have agreed to put off the decision of what to name the baby until a letter comes, ignoring the forms from the hospital about filing for a birth certificate. Ashima's grandmother has mailed the letter herself, walking with her cane to the post office, her first trip out of the house in a decade. The letter contains one name for a girl, one for a boy. Ashima's grandmother has revealed them to no one.

Though the letter was sent a month ago, in July, it has yet to arrive. Ashima and Ashoke are not terribly concerned. After all, they both know, an infant doesn't really need a name. He needs to be fed and blessed, to be given some gold and silver, to be patted on the back after feedings and held carefully behind the neck. Names can wait. In India parents take their time. It wasn't unusual for years to pass before the right name, the best possible name, was determined. Ashima and Ashoke can both cite examples of cousins who were not officially named until they were registered, at six or seven, in school. The Nandis and Dr. Gupta understand perfectly. Of course you must wait, they agree, wait for the name in his great-grandmother's letter.

Besides, there are always pet names to tide one over: a practice of Bengali nomenclature grants, to every single person, two names. In Bengali the word for pet name is daknam, meaning, literally, the name by which one is called, by friends, family, and other intimates, at home and in other private, unguarded moments. Pet names are a persistent remnant of childhood, a reminder that life is not always so serious, so formal, so complicated. They are a reminder, too, that one is not all things to all people. They all have pet names. Ashima's pet name is Monu, Ashoke's is Mithu, and even as adults, these are the names by which they are known in their respective families, the names by which they are adored and scolded and missed and loved.

Every pet name is paired with a good name, a bhalonam, for identification in the outside world. Consequently, good names appear on envelopes, on diplomas, in telephone directories, and in all other public places. (For this reason, letters from Ashima's mother say "Ashima" on the outside, "Monu" on the inside.) Good names tend to represent dignified and enlightened qualities. Ashima means "she who is limitless, without borders." Ashoke, the name of an emperor, means "he who transcends grief." Pet names have no such aspirations. Pet names are never recorded officially, only uttered and remembered. Unlike good names, pet names are frequently meaningless, deliberately silly, ironic, even onomatopoetic. Often in one's infancy, one answers unwittingly to dozens of pet names, until one eventually sticks.

Using your pedagogical content knowledge of English language arts, write a response of approximately 400  to 600 words in which you:

Sample Strong Response to Constructed-Response Item 2

Students will identify both explicit and implicit inferences about main idea that may be present in the passage from The Namesake, using textual evidence to support their understanding.

Students will be asked to write their answer to the question, "How do we determine the main idea in a passage?" We have discussed this in the previous class and worked on finding the main idea of simple passages. I would establish that they understand this concept before using the more complicated passage from The Namesake.

I will distribute copies of the passage from The Namesake, and we will read the passage as a class. I will also distribute a three-column graphic organizer and display an identical one on the board. The columns will be titled "Main Idea," "Explicitly Stated," and "Implicitly Stated."

I will ask the class to share ideas about the main idea of the passage. I would expect the students to identify one main idea as the complex tradition in the naming of a child. After noting this in the first column of the graphic organizer, I model finding an example from the passage that explicitly states the main idea, writing in the second column, "Names can wait. In India parents take their time." We would then discuss how this makes a clear observation that naming a child is something that takes time in this culture.

We'll have worked in the previous class on finding explicit evidence to support main idea, and now I'll introduce the concept of implicitly stated support. Thinking aloud, I'll note less explicit references to naming a child in the excerpt. I will elicit help from the class and, ideally, students will identify lines such as "The letter contains one name for a girl, one for a boy. Ashima's grandmother has revealed them to no one." We will discuss that, while the lines mention the grandmother has chosen a name and kept it secret, the excerpt does not directly state that the tradition of naming the baby falls to the grandmother; we can infer that based on the evidence provided.

Next, I'll break the class into groups of two and have them work together to find explicit and implicit examples of the main idea about the significance of the child's name. By working together as a class, and by watching my modeling the process with a think-aloud, the students will have a clearer understanding of what is expected. Working with peers to find examples of explicit/implicit information encourages collaboration; the students will help each other hone this skill.

A challenge might be that the ideas of explicit and implicit may be difficult for some students to grasp. I will provide examples from other pieces of literature that we have read in class. In addition, I will write the words "explicit" and "implicit" on the board, defining them in simpler terms such as "right there" and "direct" for "explicit" and "beneath the surface," "need to look deeper" for "implicit." Students will most likely feel less intimidated by the activity when the terms are clearly defined and easily referenceable as they work.

A modification to meet the needs of all learners will be providing definitions of challenging vocabulary found in the excerpt ("nomenclature," "transcends," "onomatopoetic"), so as to allow students to focus on finding explicit and implicit references in the text.

As a follow-up activity, I will have the students complete a new graphic organizer in which they describe explicit and implicit support of the main idea in a new passage.

Performance Characteristics for Constructed-Response Item

The following characteristics guide the scoring of the response to a constructed-response item.

Completeness The degree to which the response addresses all parts of the assignment
Accuracy The degree to which the response demonstrates the relevant knowledge and skills accurately and effectively
Depth of Support The degree to which the response provides appropriate examples and details that demonstrate sound reasoning

Score Scale for Constructed-Response Item

A score will be assigned to the response to a constructed-response item according to the following score scale.

Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response reflects a thorough command of the relevant knowledge and skills:
  • The response thoroughly addresses all parts of the assignment.
  • The response demonstrates the relevant knowledge and skills with thorough accuracy and effectiveness.
  • The response is well supported by relevant examples and details and thoroughly demonstrates sound reasoning.
3 The "3" response reflects a general command of the relevant knowledge and skills:
  • The response generally addresses all parts of the assignment.
  • The response demonstrates the relevant knowledge and skills with general accuracy and effectiveness.
  • The response is generally supported by some examples and/or details and generally demonstrates sound reasoning.
2 The "2" response reflects a partial command of the relevant knowledge and skills:
  • The response addresses all parts of the assignment, but most only partially; or some parts are not addressed at all.
  • The response demonstrates the relevant knowledge and skills with partial accuracy and effectiveness.
  • The response is partially supported by some examples and/or details or demonstrates flawed reasoning.
1 The "1" response reflects little or no command of the relevant knowledge and skills:
  • The response minimally addresses the assignment.
  • The response demonstrates the relevant knowledge and skills with minimum accuracy and effectiveness.
  • The response is minimally supported or demonstrates significantly flawed reasoning.
U The response is unscorable because it is unrelated to the assigned topic or off task, unreadable, written in a language other than English or contains an insufficient amount of original work to score.
B No response.

Acknowledgments

footnote 1From the New York State Education Department. New York State Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards. Internet. Available from http://www.nysed.gov/curriculum-instruction/new-york-state-next-generation-english-language-arts-learning-standards; accessed 1/10/2019.

footnote 2Ibid.

footnote 3Excerpt from THE NAMESAKE by Jhumpa Lahiri. Copyright 2013 by Jhumpa Lahiri. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.