Question One
The article by Shelton and his colleagues (2021) resonates with me because it explains ways that promote students’ reading comprehension and content acquisition. As a content teacher, I understand that effective acquisition of knowledge depends entirely on the students’ capabilities to read and interpret text effectively. This article will equip m with skills that I can apply when teaching my students. The authors discuss evidence-based practices that make reading an engaging experience. I am confident that such engagement will allow my students to analyze the meaning of knowledge to comprehend content. One of the aspects discussed by Shelton and his colleagues that I might consider applying is CRT. It is an evidence-based reading practice that involves students working in groups. I think this practice would be useful in teaching science topics that have complex terminologies. The group works will be effective as the reading exercise will be lively when students interact to share knowledge.
Significantly, Shelton and his colleagues’ articles could align with teaching in the Bahamian setting. Quamina-Aiyejina (2004) explained that the literacy rate in the Bahamian setting is high, but the reading comprehension performance is poor. Thus, the article’s study could be applied in the Bahamian setting to improve learners reading and comprehension abilities.
Question Two
I agree with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) (2020) that method coursework in teaching English is critical. In my experience as an English teacher, I have witnessed people believing that coursework is only needed in scientific subjects and not languages. Indeed, coursework prepares one to teach English by assembling approaches applicable in both class and outside-class settings. The most advantageous aspect of method coursework is that it allows the teachers to acquire engaging skills that effectively teach learners and make them understand the content.
References
NCTE. (2020, May 22). Beliefs about Methods Courses and Field Experiences in English Education. https://ncte.org/statement/methodsinee/
Quamina-Aiyejina, L. (2004). Education and Training in the Bahamas: A Partially Annotated Bibliography. Caribbean Educational Research Information Service (CERIS), The University of The West Indies. http://eprints.rclis.org/9639/1/Bahamas_Bibliography_Final.pdf
Shelton, A. et al. (2021). Incorporating Evidence-Based Literacy Practices into Middle School Content Areas.
