Investigating the Relevance and Importance of English ...

Research Memorandum

ETS RM?16-08

Investigating the Relevance and Importance of English Language Arts Content Knowledge Areas for Beginning Elementary School Teachers

Michelle P. Martin-Raugh Clyde M. Reese Geoffrey C. Phelps

Richard J. Tannenbaum Jonathan H. Steinberg Jun Xu

August 2016

ETS Research Memorandum Series

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Investigating the Relevance and Importance of English Language Arts (ELA) Content Knowledge Areas for Beginning Elementary School Teachers

Michelle P. Martin-Raugh, Clyde M. Reese, Geoffrey C. Phelps, Richard J. Tannenbaum, Jonathan H. Steinberg, and Jun Xu

Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey August 2016

Corresponding author: Michelle P. Martin-Raugh, E-mail: mmartin-raugh@ Suggested citation: Martin-Raugh, M. P., Reese, C. M., Phelps, G. C., Tannenbaum, R. J., Steinberg, J. H., and Xu, J. (2016). Investigating the relevance and importance of English language arts content knowledge areas for beginning elementary school teachers (Research Memorandum No. RM-16-08). Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.

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M. Martin-Raugh et al.

Investigating the Relevance and Importance of ELA Content Knowledge Areas

Abstract The purpose of this report is to explore the content-related validity evidence supporting the English language arts (ELA) components of the ETS? National Observational Teaching Exam (NOTE) assessment series, a kindergarten through 6th-grade teacher licensure assessment. To establish the content knowledge required for the effective teaching of ELA in elementary school, we (a) identified content knowledge categories through the use of an expert panel and (b) surveyed a sample of 279 educators to verify that this body of content knowledge is indeed necessary and reasonable for the effective practice of beginning elementary school teachers teaching ELA. We report information regarding the importance and relevance of ELA content knowledge areas for both elementary school teachers and faculty members who prepare elementary school teachers. Implications of this work for the ELA components of the NOTE assessment series are discussed.

Key words: English language arts, content validity, teacher licensure, elementary school teaching, content knowledge for teaching

ETS RM-16-08

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