A Tool for Evaluating English-Language Arts Teacher Candidates’ Skills and Knowledge to Teach
Summary
The enactment of Senate Bill 2042 in California led to the development of the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT) to evaluate teacher candidates. However, PACT's generic approach might not effectively assess English-Language Arts (ELA) candidates, especially in rural border schools where cultural context plays a pivotal role. Researchers examine how PACT assesses ELA candidates in such contexts. Two central inquiries drive the study: the influence of school accountability and available resources on teaching during PACT. Reviewing eight ELA teacher candidates' PACT Teaching Event commentaries revealed constraints like standardized tests and limited resources, hampering candidates' ability to develop culturally relevant teaching methods suited for rural settings. The study suggests enhancing PACT by evaluating candidates' abilities to connect teaching with rural themes, address educational inequalities, foster critical thinking, and promote collaborative learning. It recommends assessing teachers' adaptability within complex sociocultural contexts. Further research is proposed to explore effective learning strategies for bilingual, bicultural students in rural border areas and design culturally sensitive assessments and curricula that accommodate diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.