Understanding and Implementing Best Practices in

Teaching Beginning Literacy (Literacy II)
ASTL 5723/6723/7723
3 Credit Hours

Syllabus

Course Information

Course Description:

ASTL 5723/6723/7723 (Literacy II) will engage candidates in reading and discussions to explore theory, understand best practices, and implement best practices in literacy instruction grades PreK-3. It will begin with an exploration of theory and best practices for family literacy from the birth of a child to school age. Theory and best practices will be examined from entrance into school, preschool to kindergarten, followed by explorations of best practices for teaching reading and writing in the primary grates. Candidates will be expected to work with primary grade children as they attempt to understand and implement best practices in emergent and early literacy development.

Course Objectives:

Literacy II is based on two sets of national standards for reading professionals. The following chart includes matches between course learning objectives, Standards for Reading Professionals, National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, and course activity/assignment for assessment.

At the completion of this course, the successful student will be able to complete the following as it relates to PreK-3^rd grade:

Course Learning Objectives	Standards for Reading Professionals	NBPTS	Activity/Assignment for Assessment
1. Evaluate current literature & theories about reading-language arts and best practice	1. Have knowledge of foundations of reading and writing	2, 5	Discussions Exams Literacy Profile
2. Describe and discuss the reciprocal nature of the literacy process of reading, writing, listening, & speaking for learners from birth through age 8; diverse learners	1 Have knowledge of foundations of reading and writing	1,2,5,9, 10, 11,12	Exams Literacy Brochure Literacy Profile
3. Create learning activities that integrate among the language arts & across the curriculum	1, 2 Use wide range of practices	1,9, 10, 11, 12	Field Experience Plans
4. Develop strategies to advance literacy, develop strategic readers, promote an appreciation of reading & create effective instruction.	2,4 Create literate environment	1, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13	Group Brochure Sign-In Project Evaluation by Supervisor
5. Develop age appropriate strategies to assist candidates in constructing meaning in their written work.	2: Use wide range of practices	1, 4, 8, 9, 10,11,12	Exams Literacy Profile
6. Critique methods for teaching oral language development & speaking skills as essential components of literacy.	1. Knowledge 3. Use variety of assessment practices	2, 4, 8, 9, 10,11,12	Discussions Exams Literacy Profile
7. Identify a wide variety of print & non-print resources to develop students’ viewing & visual-representation skills.	4. Create literate environment	1,13	Literacy Brochure Literacy Profile
8. Use standardized testing & results, naturalistic assessments, & observation documentation to plan, implement, & interpret children’s literacy development	3. Use variety of assessment tools and practices	2, 3, 4,10, 11, 12,14, 15	Literacy Profile Reflection Paper Discussions
9. Display positive dispositions related to reading, writing, and the teaching of literacy.	5. View professional development as life-long career	15	Evaluation by Supervisor

Prerequisites and Co-requisites:

ASTL 5723/6723/7723 (Literacy II) is part of the program of study leading to the Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in the Regents Online Degree Program (ROPD). Before enrolling in Literacy II, candidates must meet the following criteria:

Be admitted into the RODP M.Ed. program

Have completed ASTL 5721, Theory and Foundation of Developmental Literacy

Course Modules/ Objectives Topics Assignments

I. Diversity in children’s languages (Learning Objective 2)	Establish network for communicating, learning in course; recognizing diversity in children’s languages, defining emergent literacy; recognizing & developing strategies for at-risk & special needs; modifying classroom & curricular outlines to match diverse cultural & language backgrounds	Sign-In Project; Discussion with Small Group; Discussions
II. Family literacy & home-school relationships (Learning Objectives 1, 2, 3)	Home school relationships; factors that promote literacy development; parental involvement; child care & nursery school; media & technology; newsletters & communication methods; family literacy programs; conferencing with families	Mid Term Essay; Discussions; Contract for Field Experiences;
III. Foundations of early literacy development & reading-language arts (Learning Obj. 1,2)	Theory & philosophy; current literature; research & practice; characteristics within age/stages: birth to three years; three to five years; five to eight years	Literacy Brochure; Discussions
IV. Understanding how young children learn to read and write (Learning Obj. 1,2)	Emergent literacy; reciprocal nature of reading, writing, listening, speaking, & viewing; exposure to books & literacy development; guided reading & writing; psycholinguistic cueing system	Field Experience Plans
V. Understanding best practice (Learning Obj. 1,2,3)	Phonemic awareness instruction; phonics instruction; fluency instruction; vocabulary instruction; text comprehension instruction	Discussions; Literacy Profile; Field Experience Plans
VI. Organizing and managing the classroom (Learning Obj. 4)	Literacy-rich preschool –third classrooms; grouping & learning-centers; thematic units & integrating literacy into content areas; integrating technology into literacy curriculum; resources for developing language arts;	Discussions
VII. Strategies for teaching writing & literacy development (Learning Obj. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)	Development of writing ability; strategies for writing development; strategies for spelling development; open-ended questioning & thinking strategies; KWL process;	Discussions;
VIII. Strategies for promoting children’s literature (Learning Obj. 3,4)	Strategies to include story reading, re-telling & storytelling; selecting children’s literature; promoting independent reading & writing; promoting an appreciation of reading	Discussions: Literacy Profile
IX. Strategies for assessing, documenting, and interpreting literacy development (Learning Obj. 4,5, 7, 8)	Naturalistic assessment, standardized testing, screening & monitoring literacy development; using standards in documenting literacy growth; comparing & contrasting student artifacts;	Discussions; Literacy Profile
X. Teacher thinking & reflecting (Learning Obj. 8)	Describing learning cycle & teaching cycle; describe personal changes in teaching; professionalism	Final Reflection Paper

Specific Course Requirements:

This course will be completed online through D2L. All content, e-lectures, and assignments are accessible in Course Content Modules; therefore, it is necessary to have access to the Internet frequently for extended periods of time. In addition, basic computer skills are necessary including the ability to browse Internet sites, create documents in word processing programs, upload and download files, create brochures, and access virtual libraries. Candidates must submit most assignments through the digital Drop Box in the D2L course.

There may be slight variations between public syllabi within courses. The D2L version of the syllabus is the official version for this semester.

The following items will be assessed to generate the course grade. Professional conduct includes productive interactions with peers, professor, classroom children and adults in field experiences; timely completion of assigned tasks and responsibilities; as well as adherence to academic honesty as reflected in University policies.

Course Requirement: See Assignments within Course Modules	Percentage of grade	Points
Misc. activities (Sign-In Project 10; Field Experience Contract 10; Field Experience Plans 10; Misc. 20)	10%	50
Discussion board participation related to readings and modules; small group 20; large group 80	20%	100
Exams related to text, modules, and online discussion, Quiz (10); Essay (20); Midterm Exam (70)	20%	100
Group Brochure: individual (10); group (40)	10%	50
Literacy Profile: comprehensive assignment (90); Evaluation (10)	20%	100
Final: Reflection Paper (20); Exam (80)	20%	100
	100%	500 points

Textbooks, Supplementary Materials, Hardware and Software Requirements

Required Textbooks:

Visit the Virtual Bookstore to obtain textbook information for this course.

http://rodp.bkstr.com

Hardware Requirements:

The minimum requirements can be found at

http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software.htm

Software Requirements:

The minimum requirements can be found at http://www.rodp.org/students/hardware_software

Specific hardware requirements for this course include Real Player, Media Player, and Acrobat Reader. Microsoft Publisher is also recommended.

Instructor Information

Please see Instructor Profile on Home Page to find instructor contact information as well as a statement of virtual office hours and other communication information.

Assessment and Grading

Testing Procedures:

A variety of assessment methods are used to generate grades for this course. Discussions are included to gain information on knowledge gained and synthesis of principles. Group work is monitored through the Group Brochure Discussion site. Timed quizzes and examinations will generate numeric scores. The exams will be offered during a designated time period, scored automatically, and linked in Assessments. Candidates will complete self evaluations of the Group Brochure and the Literacy Profile. See Calendar for due dates. Essay, Reflection, and Literacy Profile provide evidence of Candidate’s organization and writing skills as well as growth in utilizing course content and principles.

Grading Procedure:

Evaluation will be based on student performance and participation. Assignments and discussion responses should be completed by the due dates posted in Calendar so that the instructor can provide prompt feedback and constructive guidance to the student. See My Profile for posting of points. Feedback will be given in comment section in Drop Box as well as through attached files and rubrics. Expect assignments to be assessed within 3-4 days after Due Date. Notify professor if scores/grades do not appear after 1 week of Due Date.

Grading Scale:

90-100—A
80-89---B
70-79---C

60-69---D
1-59-----F

Assignments and Participation

PLEASE NOTE: Specific information about assignments is located in the course on D2L. Due dates are listed in Calendar; details and rubrics for each assignment are located in Modules: Assessments.

Class Participation:

Candidates must participate in all interactive aspects of the course. Candidates must actively participate in threaded discussion events and are expected to communicate with the instructor as a learning resource and check the course bulletin board frequently for announcements. Candidates are expected to log in a minimum of four times per week and should advise the professor ahead of time about planned absences. Plan on spending 3 hours per week on-line, and another 3 hours reading, studying, planning, and teaching.

Punctuality:

Candidates are expected to work toward completion of the course work assignments in a timely manner as indicated in the syllabus. Should medical or other emergencies delay progress, an official excuse must be forwarded to allow for assignment extensions. Follow the dates as posted in Calendar and look for new information on Home Page.

Course Ground Rules

Active participation is required. Candidates are expected to read assigned readings, communicate with fellow candidates and professor in discussion board activities, and take responsibility for communicating with the professor through D2L email and the telephone numbers on the Instructor Information Page. Candidates are expected to address technical problems immediately at http://help.rodp.com, and observe course netiquette at all times. Be aware that the professor is also a member of small group chat rooms. Should you find a discrepancy in information, dates, citations, etc., please email the instructor immediately. Questions are welcome. This is how we learn. Try to provide suggestions for problems to expedite communications. Typically a question from one student is answered and forwarded to the entire class. Read your mail prior to asking questions if possible.

Academic Integrity and Student Conduct:

Expectations for academic integrity and student conduct are described in detail on the website of the Office of Student Judicial and Ethical Affairs (http://saweb.memphis.edu/judicialaffairs). Please take a look, in particular, at the sections about “Academic Dishonesty,” “Student Code of Conduct and Responsibilities,” and “Disruptive Behaviors.” Students are expected to be aware of these guidelines and to conduct themselves accordingly.

Guidelines for Communications

EMI

·Always include a subject line.

Remember that some comments may be taken the wrong way without facial expressions. Be careful in wording your emails. Use of emoticons might be helpful in some cases.

·Use standard fonts.

·Avoid sending large attachments without permission.

·Special formatting such as centering, audio messages, tables, html, etc. should be avoided unless necessary to complete an assignment or other communication.

·Respect the privacy of other class members.

Discussion Groups

Review the discussion threads thoroughly before entering the discussion. Be a lurker, then a discussant.

Maintain threads by using the "Reply" button. It's ok to start a new topic, but you are required to respond to all threads posted by the instructor.

Avoid make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the discussion group. Be respectful of other’s ideas.

Be patient and read the comments of other group members thoroughly before entering your remarks.

Be cooperative with group leaders in completing assigned tasks.

Be positive and constructive in group discussions.

Respond in a thoughtful and timely manner.

Web Resources:

· Columbia Guide to Online Style by Janice R. Walker and Todd Taylor

· Citation Styles Online http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/online/cite6.html

Library

The Tennessee Virtual Library http://vl.rodp.org is available to all candidates enrolled in the Regents Degree Program. Links to library materials (such as electronic journals, databases, interlibrary loans, digital reserves, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and librarian support) and Internet resources needed by learners to complete online assignments and as background reading are included.

Candidates With Disabilities

Qualified candidates with disabilities will be provided reasonable and necessary academic accommodations if determined eligible by the appropriate disability services staff at their home institution. Prior to granting disability accommodations in this course, the instructor must receive written verification of a student's eligibility for specific accommodations from the disability services staff at the home institution. It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with their home institution's disability services staff and to follow the established procedures for having the accommodation notice sent to the instructor.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to make slight changes as necessary to this syllabus. If changes are necessitated during the semester, the instructor will immediately notify candidates of such changes both by individual email communication and posting both notification and nature of change(s) on the course bulletin board.

Technical Support

If you are having problems logging into your course, timing out of your course, using your course web site tools, or other technical problems, please contact the AskRODP Help Desk by calling

1-866-550-7637 (toll free)

or go to the AskRODP website at: http://help.rodp.org

Professional Organizations/Websites

Association for the Education of Young Children www.acei.org

National Education for the Education of Young Children www.naeyc.org

National Institute for Literacy www.nifl.gov

National Reading Association www.nra.org

Southern Early Childhood Association www.southernearlychildhood.org

Supplemental E Resources: See Modules for Additional Resources.

Epstein, A. S. (2007). The Intentional Teacher: Choosing the Best Strategies for Young Children’s Learning. National Association for the Education of Young Children: Washington, DC.

http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications

A Child Becomes a Reader: Proven Ideas for Parents from Research -- Birth to Preschool, September 2002. Bonnie B. Armbruster, Fran Lehr and Jean Osborn. ED Pubs Document EX0028P.

A Child Becomes a Reader: Proven Ideas for Parents from Research -- Kindergarten through Grade Three, September 2002. Bonnie B. Armbruster, Fran Lehr and Jean Osborn. ED Pubs Document EX0027P.

Research-Based Principles for Adult Basic Education Reading Instruction, September 2002, John Kruidenier. ED Pubs Document EXR0033P.

Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read, September 2001. The Partnership for Reading: National Institute for Literacy; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; and U.S. Department of Education. EXR0007B.