CI 510/READ 531: Teaching the Struggling Adolescent Reader

COURSE
DESCRIPTION

This course is for middle and high school teachers who want to experience hands-on teaching and learning strategies for improving motivation and learning in the core subject areas. As part of a collaborative effort, teachers will work with each other to develop tutoring plans and activities in curriculum materials to be used in teaching struggling readers in their own classrooms.

PREREQUISITES

There are no required prerequisites for this course. However, learners are assumed to be teachers with access to middle and/or high school students.

COURSE
STRUCTURE

Readings of books, articles, and Internet with postings to discussion board; classroom-based assignments for middle and high school students; culminating project. Students will :

Complete 5 required readings
Design, administer and assess a pretest and post-test for struggling reader(s)
Prepare or teach 3 intervention lessons
Complete final write-up of case report

STANDARDS

This course supports the following International Reading Association's 2003 Standards for Reading Professionals:

1.4	Demonstrate knowledge of the major components of reading (phonemic awareness, word identification and phonics, vocabulary and background knowledge, fluency, comprehension strategies, and motivation) and how they are integrated in fluent reading.
2.2	Use a wide range of instructional practices, approaches and methods, including technology-based practices, for learners at different stages of development and from differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
2.3	Use a wide range of curriculum materials in effective reading instruction for learners at different stages of reading and writing development and from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
3.2	Place students along a developmental continuum and identify students' proficiencies and difficulties.
3.3	Use assessment information to plan, evaluate, and revise effective instruction that meets the needs of all students, including those at different developmental stages and those from differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
3.4	Effectively communicate results of assessments to specific individuals (students, parents, caregivers, colleagues, administrators, policymakers, policy officials, community, etc.).
4.1	Use students' interests, reading abilities, and backgrounds as foundations for the reading and writing program.
4.2	Use a large supply of books, technology-based information, and non-print materials representing multiple levels, broad interests, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
4.3	Model reading and writing enthusiastically as valued lifelong activities.
4.4	Motivate learners to be lifelong readers.

PRACTICAL
APPLICATIONS

Students will:

Learn about national trends in adolescent reading, particularly the National Reading Panel's recommendations, the Alliance for Excellent Education position, and the National Reading Conference's Effective literacy Instruction for adolescents addressing the implication of adolescents' multiple literacies: print, as well as digital texts.
Use a wide range of instructional practices, approaches and methods for struggling readers at different stages of development and from differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Use a wide range of curriculum materials in effective reading instruction for struggling readers.
Use the appropriate assessment method to determine students' proficiencies and/or difficulties.
Use students' interests, reading abilities and backgrounds as foundations for the reading and writing program.
Learn ways to work collaboratively with other content area teachers to incorporate literacy instruction for struggling readers.

CORE/ELECTIVE

This graduate course can be used to fulfill the 3-credit requirement in the Literacy Strategies & Methods thematic area in the 24-credit Reading Endorsement program, the 12-credit Literary Education program, or for individual professional development. It can also be used as an elective.

INSTRUCTOR

M. Carrol Tama, PhD, a retired professor in the Portland State University Graduate School of Education, taught secondary reading and supervision. Dr. Tama has expertise in thinking skills across the curriculum, cooperative learning, and classroom supervision. (BA, Alvernia College; MA, California State University; MS, PhD, Syracuse University.)

TARGET
AUDIENCE

Middle and high school teachers, teachers seeking a reading endorsement, and tutors and other instructional professionals interested in learning better teaching strategies to help struggling adolescent readers.

TIME
COMMITMENT

Students should expect to spend approximately 9 hours per week for 10 weeks in course-related activities (e.g., reading the text and course materials, posting to discussion forums, completing classroom-based assignments and final project). This course is online and does not require in-person attendance. Assignments are completed on the learner's time schedule and are due as posted.

TEXTBOOK

There is a required textbook as well as recommended other articles and readings.

COST

No course in the ReadOregon curriculum will cost more than $300 per credit, including all fees, for students in the ReadOregon program.

TECHNICAL
REQUIREMENTS

This online course requires access to the Internet with Word/WordPerfect for written assignments. Recommended minimum computer configuration is:

PC running Windows 95 or newer
Macintosh Quadra 700 or better or Power PC
Modem 28.8 or faster, or other network connection
Sound card and speakers (optional)
32 Megabytes or greater of system RAM
Adequate hard disk drive

CONTACT

For more details on this course, please contact Carrol Tama (instructor) or Val Katagiri (PSU program coordinator) at Portland State University.