Praxis 5038 – Pedagogical Content Outline

I. Teaching Reading and Comprehension

A. Strategies for Close Reading

• Modeling annotation and questioning the text
  
  

• Identifying main ideas, supporting details, and themes
  
  

• Teaching literary elements (symbolism, tone, character, setting)
  
  

• Analyzing text structure (chronology, cause-effect, problem-solution)
  
  

B. Approaches for Informational Texts

• Teaching students to identify claims, evidence, and reasoning
  
  

• Evaluating credibility, bias, and perspective
  
  

• Understanding rhetoric and persuasive strategies
  
  

C. Supporting Diverse Learners

• Differentiating instruction for struggling readers, ELLs, and advanced students
  
  

• Pre-teaching vocabulary and background knowledge
  
  

• Using scaffolding (graphic organizers, guided reading, chunking texts)
  
  

II. Teaching Writing

A. Writing Process

• Prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing
  
  

• Encouraging brainstorming and organization (outlines, graphic organizers)
  
  

B. Writing Modes

• Narrative, expository, persuasive, argumentative, research writing
  
  

• Emphasis on audience and purpose
  
  

C. Teaching Revision and Editing

• Sentence combining and restructuring for clarity
  
  

• Peer review and feedback strategies
  
  

• Teaching grammar/mechanics within the context of student writing
  
  

D. Research and Citation Skills

• Summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting
  
  

• MLA/APA basics
  
  

• Avoiding plagiarism
  
  

III. Teaching Speaking and Listening

A. Speaking Skills

• Organizing speeches with clear purpose and structure
  
  

• Using rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos)
  
  

• Practicing delivery, tone, and body language
  
  

B. Listening Skills

• Active listening strategies
  
  

• Evaluating arguments and identifying fallacies
  
  

• Distinguishing between fact, opinion, and propaganda
  
  

C. Collaborative Communication

• Socratic seminars, debates, peer discussions
  
  

• Classroom norms for respectful dialogue
  
  

IV. Language Instruction

A. Grammar & Usage in Context

• Teaching grammar as a tool for improving writing
  
  

• Sentence diagramming, editing exercises, and mentor texts
  
  

B. Vocabulary Development

• Explicit instruction in roots, prefixes, and suffixes
  
  

• Contextual vocabulary learning from texts
  
  

• Word walls, semantic mapping, and morphology exercises
  
  

C. Supporting Language Learners

• Code-switching and register awareness
  
  

• Contrastive analysis of dialects and Standard English
  
  

• Culturally responsive teaching strategies
  
  

V. Assessment and Feedback

A. Formative Assessment

• Exit tickets, journals, reading checks
  
  

• Informal discussions and peer assessment
  
  

B. Summative Assessment

• Essays, research papers, projects, presentations
  
  

• Standardized test-style assessments (multiple choice, short answer)
  
  

C. Rubrics and Feedback

• Clear criteria for writing and speaking
  
  

• Balancing positive reinforcement with constructive critique
  
  

• Encouraging self-assessment and reflection
  
  

VI. Classroom Practices & Theory Connections

• Constructivism: students build meaning through active engagement
  
  

• Scaffolding (Vygotsky, Zone of Proximal Development): support then release
  
  

• Reader-response theory: valuing student interpretations
  
  

• Critical literacy: questioning power, perspective, and representation in texts
  
  

• Multimodal literacy: incorporating digital media, visual texts, and nontraditional forms
  
  

✅ What Praxis Questions Look Like in This Area

• A scenario where a teacher uses a graphic organizer — you need to identify the strategy (scaffolding, comprehension aid).
  
  

• A question about how to help ELL students — correct answer usually involves explicit vocabulary instruction or scaffolding, not “simplifying the text.”
  
  

• A question on writing instruction — best answers often include revision, peer review, and modeling, not just correcting grammar errors.