Infusing Career Development to Strengthen Middle School English Language Arts Curricula |
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| Authors: | Richard T. Lapan Amanda M. Marcotte Robert Storey Patricia Carbone Sharon Loehr‐Lapan Donna Guerin Teisha Thomas Deidre Cuffee‐Grey Aria Coburn Teresa Pfeiffer Latoya Wilson Stephen Mahoney |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Student DevelopmentUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst;2. 21st Century Learning Partners, Agawam, Massachusetts;3. Springfield Renaissance School, Springfield, Massachusetts |
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| Abstract: | An approach is presented for strengthening middle school standards‐based English language arts (ELA) classroom instruction by infusing theory‐ and research‐supported career development constructs and practices. Over an 8‐week period, 90 urban 7th graders participated in an integrated ELA–career development curriculum. Career agency emerged as an important construct for students. It was related to key markers of ELA achievement (i.e., standardized test scores, grades, and positive change in 6th‐ to 7th‐grade test scores) and elaborated on in nuanced ways by students in their written narratives. Four themes related to career agency were identified in student writings: time perspective, challenges of self‐direction, career development, and social and emotional development. Advantages for students and schools related to synergy, scale, and sustainability are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | middle school urban youth career development English language arts career narratives |
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