Writing Constructed Responses

1
Writing Constructed Responses

• Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching

2
Structure of Praxis II

• Praxis has 24 multiple choice questions and 4
  case histories with 3 constructed response
  questions each (12 constructed response
  questions)
• You will have 2 hours to take the test.

3
Constructed response

• For constructed response questions, you will read
  a case history and then respond in writing to the
  constructed response questions.
• You will need to write quickly. Use bullets for
  your points instead of paragraphs. Do not worry
  about transitions and other niceties of
  writing.

4
Case histories

• Case histories have two possible focuses the
  student and the teacher.
• They may also be narrative-based (telling you
  what went on in a situation) or document-based
  (giving you a series of documents on which to
  base your answer)

5
Answering

• ETS feels it has given you all information
  necessary to answer the question, so its not
  okay to claim you need more information. You
  need to go with what is there.
• The most important thing answer the question
  completely. If they ask for TWO strategies, you
  need to supply TWO strategies in order to get
  full credit.

6
Strategies

• ETS claims that one expert strategy is to read
  the case study with content categories in mind
  (p. 73) and then read the questions. This may
  require more time than you have.
• The strategy that makes the most sense is to read
  the questions and then read the case study. Make
  notes related to the questions as you read.

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Advice from experts what the scorers suggest

• Answer ALL PARTS of the question. It might be
  two strategies, two activities, a strength and a
  weakness. Pay attention to what they are asking
  and be sure you clearly include that. (scorers
  advice)
• Mark your inclusions with bullets and state
  the first strategy is.because The second
  strategy is. because. (Carolyns advice).

8
More advice from the scorers

• Show that you understand the pedagogical concepts
  related to the question. This is a more subtle
  piece of advice. The scorers are looking to see
  not only that you can read the case study and
  make good observations, but also that you can
  relate those good observations to pedagogical
  concepts such as the principles of human
  development, the principles of motivation, the
  principles of effective instructional design, and
  the principles of diagnostic and evaluative
  assessment. (p. 99)

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More from p. 99

• You can show you understand these concepts not by
  merely mentioning that the concepts exist, but by
  relating them to the specifics of your response.
  For example, in answering a question about
  identifying a weakness in a teachers approach to
  assessment, instead of stating that Mr. Taft
  didnt give the students very good tests, you
  could state instead, Given that assessment of
  student performance is most effective when
  evidence is gathered frequently and through a
  variety of exercises and assignments, Mr. Tafts
  reliance on end-of-chapter tests did not give
  students like Paige adequate opportunities to
  demonstrate achievement.

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In other words

• You need to show how to apply the principles to
  the situation at hand. I dont think it needs to
  be as wordy as the example they gave, but it
  needs to be along those lines.

11
More from the experts (p. 99)

• Show that you have a thorough understanding of
  the case. Some answers receive partial credit
  because they are vaguethey address the issues
  brought up in the case study at too general a
  level rather than at the level that takes into
  consideration the particulars given about a
  teacher, student, or assignment.

12
The experts give their example

• If you are asked, for example, about the boy in a
  case study with learning disabilities whose
  patterns of behavior are described specifically
  in several sentences in the case study, dont
  answer the question in terms of children with
  disabilities in general, but, instead, focus on
  the boy and all the particulars you know about
  him.

13
In other words

• Apply your knowledge to the case at hand. Avoid
  generalities when there is specific information
  to use.

14
More from the experts

• Support your answer with detailsThe scorers are
  looking for some justification of your answers.
  If you are asked to state a strength shown by
  the teacher in a case study, dont just state the
  strength in a few words. Write why this is a
  strengthperhaps because of a particular
  principle of effective instructional design,
  which you should briefly summarize, or perhaps
  because of a good outcome described in the case,
  to which you should refer.

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The last from the experts

• Do not change the question or challenge the basis
  of the question. Stay focused on the question
  that is asked and do your best to answer it. You
  will receive no credit or, at best, a low score
  if you choose to answer another question or you
  state that, for example, there really arent any
  activities that could be proposed, or there
  arent any strengths to mention, or in some other
  way deny the basis of the question. (p. 99)

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In other words

• They believe their questions are answerable. You
  may have a different philosophical perspective,
  but unless you want to pay for taking the Praxis
  again, you will have to adopt whatever stance is
  represented by the test. In other words, you
  will have to find a strength or two activities or
  whatever else they ask.

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What now?

• What follows is a series of slides that have
  content-based questions on them. These slides
  will give you an idea of the types of questions
  you may be asked on Praxis.
• One purpose of reading them is to get them into
  your mind so that when you read the real thing,
  it will seem familiar.
• There is not enough information to form an actual
  response, but you might be able to think about
  some general principles related to the subject
  matter.

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Content to think about

• Identify and describe a strength and/or weakness
  in
• A lesson plan for meeting needs of individual
  students with identified special needs, as
  described in the case.
• The interaction described in the case between the
  teacher and students in terms of culturally
  responsive teaching.

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Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Helping a student with attention deficit problems
  described in the case stay on task (e.g.,
  listening to a lecture, following a
  demonstration, doing written work)
• Improving performance of students in the case who
  do not perform well on homework, original
  compositions, or other assignments

20
Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Helping students in the case for whom English is
  not the first language build literacy skills
  and/or improve in academic areas
• Meeting needs of a wide range of students
  (especially students with learning difficulties
  and students who are accelerated)

21
Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Building a positive relationship with a student
  the case shows is very turned off in school
• Adapting instruction and/or assessment for an
  individual student with identified needs
  described in the case
• Helping the students described in the case see
  issues from different points of view

22
Content

• Identify and describe a strength and/or weakness
  in
• The communication with parents used by a teacher
  described in the case
• The approach used by a teacher described in the
  case to involve parents

23
Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Using parent volunteers during a lesson that is
  described in a case
• Involving all parents or other caregivers in
  helping students in areas specified in the case
• Helping the family of a student described in the
  case work with the students learning or other
  needs

24
Content

• Identify and describe a strength and/or weakness
  in the teachers oral or written communication
  with the students in the case (e.g., feedback on
  assignments, interaction during class)

25
Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Improving the self-image of a student described
  in the case or the students sense of
  responsibility for his/her own learning
• Involving all students in a class discussion
  described in the case in a positive way, showing
  respect for others
• Helping a student described in the case to
  develop social skills in a specified situation

26
Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Assessing progress for students described in the
  case who are working toward specified goals or
  objectives
• Assessing class progress toward achievement of
  specified goals or objectives
• Gathering information to use to help understand
  classroom performance that is different from what
  was expected at the beginning of the year.
• Assessing language fluency of a student for whom
  English is not the first language

27
Content

• Propose a hypothesis or explanation for
• A students strengths and/or weaknesses as a
  learner based on the evidence presented
• What might be important to explore in working
  with a student described in the case who is
  having difficulties academically, socially, or
  emotionally

28
Content

• Identify a strength and/or weakness in
• A unit plan that is described in the case
• Specific strategies used in instruction (e.g.,
  lecture, class discussion) in the case
• A sequence of lessons described in the case
  designed to achieve a goal or a set of objectives
• One or more written assignments given to students
  in the case.

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Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Meeting what may appear to be conflicting goals
  or objectives described in the case
• Incorporating activities that will have students
  described in the case draw on their own
  experiences to understand the instruction
• Stimulating prior knowledge in the situation
  described in the case

30
Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Teaching critical thinking skills in a specific
  lesson described in the case
• Achieving effectiveness with group work in a
  particular situation described in the case
• Helping students stay on task in the situation
  described in the case
• Helping students learn material presented through
  various media introduced in the case

31
Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Assigning students to group work appropriate to
  the case
• Bringing closure to a lesson that stops abruptly
  as presented in the case
• Improving student interaction during class
  discussion as described in the case
• Addressing a missed opportunity during
  instruction that is described in the case

32
Content

• Propose a strategy for
• Revising a lesson that is described in the case
  for improving student engagement and motivation
• Improving motivation through means other than
  negative strategies described in the case
• Addressing behavioral problems that are described
  in the case

33
Content

• Identify and describe a strength and/or weakness
  in a lesson plan or instructional strategy
  described in the case with the intention of
  building a positive classroom environment.

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Your turn

• You dont have to write. Just think about this
  stuff. If you have taken educational psychology,
  then try to connect the questions with what you
  have learned. If you havent yet, then this is a
  preview of material you will learn there.