Syllabus

Master of Science in Education

EDU 740: Supporting Literacy Development for All Learners

Credits - 3

Description

This course will address the foundational knowledge that teachers of literacy need in order to understand the reading and writing process for students. In this course, teachers will be exposed to major theories, research, and best practices in the literacy field. Teachers will be asked to draw upon this theoretical and practice knowledge to think about issues of practice. Through engaging inquiry units, teachers will become active participants in developing a strong foundational base for literacy instruction for all learners in their classrooms.

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Course Objectives

The objectives for this course correspond with ILA Standards for Literacy Professionals 2017 and InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards, as listed below. In addition, student learning outcomes supporting the course objectives will be specified at the beginning of the week for each module.

• Students will apply foundational knowledge about literacy instruction as it relates to reading development, differentiation, and motivation. (ILA 1, 2, 4, 6; INTASC 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10) 
• Students will select and implement instructional approaches based on evidence-based rationale, student needs, and purposes for instruction. (ILA 1, 2, 4, 6; INTASC 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9)
• Students will create a literate environment which supports literacy development for all students. (ILA 4, 5, 6; INTASC 3)
• Students will create discussion board posts in order to be active and contributing members of a collaborative learning community to learn how literacy challenges affect teaching and learning. (ILA 1, 6; INTASC 1, 3, 9)

Assignments

Threaded Discussions

Online discussions provide participants with opportunities to make meaning of new theory, key concepts, and applications of theory to practice. Participants contribute to the intellectual development of the class by offering insights, synthesizing understandings, and responding to the posts of others. Students are expected to post an initial response and respond to at least two classmates each week.

Annotated Bibliography on Reading Development

In this assignment, conduct research on best practices in foundational aspects of reading instruction including comprehension, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and concepts of print. Create an annotated bibliography of resources to inform and improve your instructional practice and advance your professional growth.

Student Challenge Profile

In this assignment, apply your knowledge of a specific student along with research and your learning in order to determine an appropriate level of challenge for the student. Consider assessment and other factors which provide a starting point, and then describe an acitivity or assignment which will allow your student to engage in productive struggle. 

Lesson Plan on Using Questioning and Discussion

Select a text for your content area or grade. Design a lesson plan that uses discussion and questioning to deepen comprehension of the text. The lesson plan should be sufficiently detailed that it could be submitted to a substitute or guest teacher, including information about the selected text, goals and objectives, classroom procedures/rules for discussion, differentiation strategies, and a plan for evaluating its effectiveness.

Plan for Transfer of Learning

For this assignment, you will collaborate with your classmates in order to gain suggestions for supporting students who have struggled, or are struggling, with transfer of learning. Once you have enough information, compose a plan for supporting transfer with your classmate’s student and share the plan with your classmate. Your plan should include a brief summary of the student, three suggestions to support transfer of learning, one positive comment about the strategies your classmate has already implemented, and a brief rationale explaining why your plan may work with this learner using at least 2 supporting references.

Intentional Teaching Plan for Supporting Diverse Literacy Learners

In this culminating assignment, create a slideshow presentation for a group of new teachers to share your knowledge and expertise in supporting diverse literacy learners in the classroom, incorporating learning from throughout the course. In your presentation, describe research-based approaches for addressing the needs of learners at different proficiency levels, including strategies for creating a literate classroom environment, addressing specific reading development issues, differentiating instruction, promoting learning transfer, and determining the impact of teaching. Presentations will be shared with colleagues through the discussion board, and students will have an opportunity to provide feedback in the following week’s discussion.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment	Point Value (total 100 points)
Weeks 1-6 and 8: Discussions (3 pts. each)	21
Week 2: Annotated Bibliography on Reading Development	15
Week 3: Student Challenge Profile	10
Week 5: Lesson Plan on Using Questioning and Discussion	15
Week 6: Plan for Transfer of Learning	10
Week 7: Intentional Teaching Plan for Supporting Diverse Literacy Learners	29