Literacy TPE Certification Literature, Language, Comprehension

Part 4. Program Inclusion of Literature, Language, and Comprehension

4.1 Literature, Language, and Comprehension Table

As of May 2025, additional evidence in response to the Phase 3 feedback is noted with yellow highlighter in Table 4.1.

The Westmont Teaching Credential Program aims to value and leverage students' linguistic repertoires, accepts and encourages translanguaging, and promotes multilingualism. Candidates are primarily introduced to these values in ENG106 Language Acquisition where students learn about acquisition of first and second languages, translanguaging, and strategies to support multilingual learners in the classroom. ED170 Literacy Instruction emphasizes the ELD standards and multilingual learners when teaching foundational skills, meaning making, effective expression, and language development. All credential program courses require the writing of lesson plans with the expectation that candidates will consider assets and needs of multilingual learners when designing learning objectives, instructional strategies, and assessment measures. 

4.2 Clinical Practice Opportunities: Literature, Language, Comprehension

During the teaching credential program, students are placed in both a lower (K-2) and upper (3-6) elementary classroom. The program collaborates with principals closely  to identify classrooms and mentor teachers that will provide our candidates with opportunities to practice a strong literature, language, and comprehension component with a balance of oral and written language. Principals and cooperating teachers must review and agree that the placement will provide these opportunities by signing our Cooperating Teacher Checklist. These checklists are reviewed with and collected from all new cooperating teachers each year. The larger LEA is also made aware of these requirements in our revised MOU with each district where our students are placed. During our program orientation training sessions, candidates review the following handbook pages relevant to literature, language, and comprehension: CT Checklist, literacy standards & TPEs, clinical practice requirements, CalTPA requirements, evaluation guidelines, and evaluations.

4.2a Communication and agreements with our partnering K-12 districts regarding clinical practice requirements include:

4.2b Our Teaching Credential Handbook provides candidates with detailed explanations of the new literacy standards, TPEs, and performance assessment requirements, including the requirements for clinical practice related to literature, language, and comprehension. Several key areas in the handbook include:

4.2c Our clinical practice observation tools and assessments have been updated to include the literacy TPEs to ensure that candidates are practicing teaching literature, language, and comprehension and receiving feedback to guide improvement. Key observation tools and assessments include: