Department of Instruction and Learning, School of Education, University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

School of Education

Department of Instruction and Learning

Course Syllabus

IL 2520 Literacy Assessment & Instruction for Children with Disabilities in

Inclusive Settings in Secondary Classrooms

Spring 2016

Instructor: Dr. Amy Srsic

Office: 5147 Wesley W. Posvar Hall

Phone: 412-648-1998

Email:

Office Hours: By Appointment

Class Meetings: This course is a hybrid that will meet every other week. During the weeks that the class does not meet in person, you will be required to complete readings and tasks independently. Face-to-face sessions will meet in room 5131 WWPH on Mondays from 4:30-7:10 pm.

Course Description

General education classrooms are increasingly diverse and all teachers must be able to assess the literacy skills of and provide effective instruction to the children in their classrooms for whom reading is a challenge. This course is designed to provide graduate students preparing to teach in general education settings with an understanding of literacy assessment and instruction for children who are at risk or who have disabilities. Students will develop an understanding of assessment components included in a standards aligned system and be able to explain the differences between the various components and to articulate the proper use of each. Students will also gain an understanding of the components of reading, the challenges these pose for struggling readers or students with disabilities, and effective, research-validated methods for intervening.

Course Objective

Students will acquire the ability to integrate instructional techniques in the area of literacy for struggling readers and students with disabilities who are included in general education settings and to administer and interpret various literacy assessments.

Required Readings

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2012). Improving adolescent literacy: Content area strategies at work (3rd Ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson. [ISBN: 0-13-248712-8]

Note: Donot purchase other editions of the textbook.

Additional readings will be made available electronically.

Course Schedule

 On-campus class.

 Off-campus class.

 Readings to be completed prior to class.

 Reading provided as a resource. Review but no need to read completely.

IRIS module for off-campus class.

 Resource for in-class activity/discussion.

• Fisher & Frey Chapter 1
•  Reading Next (pages 3-31)

•  IRIS Module: Secondary Reading Instruction: Teaching Vocabulary and Comprehension in the Content Areas (
•  Effective Instruction for Middle School Students with Reading Difficulties [Skim introduction; Review remainder to get an idea of the type and scope of included lessons.]

• Fisher & Frey Chapters 2, 3, 4
•  Literacy Instruction in the Content Areas (Alliance for Excellent Education) Pgs. 2-14

•  IRIS Module: CSR: A Reading Comprehension Strategy (
•  Reading in the Disciplines [Skim and focus on your specific content. May be useful for final project.]

• Fisher & Frey Chapters 5, 6
•  Intensive Interventions for Students Struggling in Reading & Math
•  Readability (

•  IRIS Module: PALS: A Reading Strategy for High School (
•  What Content-Area Teachers Should Know About Adolescent Literacy [Skim and consider as a resource.]

•  Academic Literacy Instruction for Adolescents
• Read Section 1 (pages 14-65) Focus on introduction, text under recommendations, and conclusion. Skim studies.
• Read Section 2 (pages 67-90) Focus on introduction and conclusion. Skim studies.
• Read Advice About Changing Content-Area Instruction (pages 125-134).
•  IRIS Module: SRSD: Using Learning Strategies to Enhance Student Learning (

• Fisher & Frey Chapters 7, 8
•  Writing Next [Read Recommendations pages 11-21; Skim rest.]

• Fisher & Frey Chapter 9
•  Understanding Test Scores

•  IRIS Module: Classroom Assessment (Part 1): An Introduction to Monitoring Academic Achievement in the Classroom (

•  IRIS Module: Accountability: High-Stakes Testing for Students with Disabilities(
•  Accommodations Guidelines 2011 (Skim)

•  King – Secondary RTI
•  Fuchs – Blurring of Special Education

• IRIS Module: Study Skills Strategies (Part 2): Strategies that Improve Students’ Academic Performance (

• National Center on Intensive Intervention ( [Focus on Resources and Tools Charts]
• National Center on Response to Intervention ( [Focus on Resources and Tools Charts]
• Evidence Based Intervention Network ( [Focus on Evidence Based Intervention section and Academic and Behavior Interventions]
• Best Evidence Encyclopedia ( [Focus on Reading interventions for Middle/High School]
• Center on Instruction ( [Focus on Literacy for adolescents, RTI, and/or your content area]
• What Works Clearinghouse ( [Focus on Publications and Reviews-particularly Practice Guides and Intervention Reports]

Assignments

All assignments should be 12 point font, Times New Roman, 1” margins, 1.5 spacing. Be sure your name is included on every document.

APA style should be used for citations and references where appropriate.

Assignments should be submitted electronically to .

Please, attach your assignment as a Word document and put the following information in the subject line of your email: Full Name-Assignment Name (Ex. Amy Srsic-Micro-Teaching Plan 1).

Please, do not include any other correspondence in your message unrelated to the specific assignment being submitted. Any other course related messages or questions should be sent in a separate message.

• Discussion and/or Quizzes and Journal Responses. You are expected to be able to answer questions about the readings and to contribute substantively to class discussions (both large and small group). Should it become apparent that some students are not completing the readings, quizzes and/or journal responses will be required. [Evaluated across the term; 10 points]

• Micro-teaching plans and reflections:You will incorporate at least three strategies that you are learning in this course into your student teaching. You will incorporate the strategy into your lesson plan (i.e., the one your content faculty requires you to use), teach the lesson, and provide a written reflection of what went well and what you would do differently the next time. Consider ways you can incorporate these strategies and intensify your content area instruction by making it more explicit and systematic based on principles covered in the readings and in class. For one of the three plans, you should target your strategy to a student with a disability who is included in your student teaching class. If possible, review the student’s IEP/ER and make adaptations to your lesson based on this information. If possible, assess the readability of the content text you are using and relate this to assessment information gathered on your target student. Your reflection should include information on the success of the lesson for the targeted student. (Donot use actual student names in submitted assignments.) Reflections should be between 3-4 pages long. Additional details will be provided in class. [3 Plans + Reflections; 10 points each]

• IRIS Module Responses: You will provide written responses to the questions included in the Assessment sections of the IRIS Modules. [6 Responses; 5 points each]

• Final Project:You will provide a written report (5-7 pages) that includes the following components:

• Component A: You will informally discuss the content of this class and suggested instructional approaches/interventions with your mentor teacher. You will also discuss with your mentor teacher how he or she (a) assists students with disabilities who struggle with reading in learning content area material (focus on how they help the student access material, process material, and output responses); (b) whether he or she focuses on improving literacy skills (both content specific and more generally) during class. If so, what methods have been successful? You may do this informally throughout the semester and/or schedule a more formal meeting to discuss. [2-3 pages]
• Component B: Define the essential literacy skills of your content. [1 page]
• Component C: Reflect on how you plan to assist struggling readers who are included in your future classes to learn your content. Discuss how you may also work to improve the literacy skills of these students. You may discuss how you will do things similarly or differently than your mentor teacher. [2-3 pages]
• You should reference readings covered throughout the course throughout your paper using APA style citations, particularly referencing the reading on intensifying interventions from Module 5.
• Draft (at least Component A) due via email by midnight on 3/20.
• Final due via email by midnight on 4/18.

Grading Criteria

Course assignments are due on the date indicated. It is the expectation that all assignments will be submitted on time regardless of class attendance. Late assignments will result in a 10% loss of points for each day late (weekends included). Late assignments will not be accepted after three days past the due date, and the assignment will be scored zero.

Extensions beyond three days may be granted to students who contact the instructor PRIOR to the original due date to make individual arrangements.

• Final course grades will be based on the University’s grading system identified below.

• G and I Grades – A student may be graduated without removing G and/or I grades from the record provided all degree requirements have been met and the student's department recommends graduation. The individual school's grading policy should be consulted for regulations dealing with the removal of I grades. Students assigned G grades are required to complete course requirements no later than one year after the term in which the course was taken. Once the deadline has passed, the G grade will remain on the record, and the student will be required to re-register for the course if it is needed to fulfill requirements for graduation.

Professional Expectations

As a future teacher, you are expected to demonstrate professional behavior in all interactions with faculty, supervisors, mentor teachers, peers, students and parents. The faculty encourages you to approach your graduate program as a time to learn and practice using these professional behaviors. In this course, the expected professional behaviors are outlined below. Points may be deducted from your final grade due to unprofessional behavior.

• Confidentiality
• You are responsible to maintain the confidentiality of all the students you work with in field placements related to your coursework at the University of Pittsburgh. When writing or completing assignments for courses or speaking about your field experience and the students you work with, use pseudonyms (not initials) for student, teacher, and school names. In public, it is your responsibility to keep written assignments and any other materials bearing the names of students, teachers, or staff secure from the view of others.

• Academic Integrity
• Students in this course will be expected to comply with the University of Pittsburgh's Policy on Academic Integrity. Any student suspected of violating this obligation for any reason during the semester will be required to participate in the procedural process, initiated at the instructor level, as outlined in the University Guidelines on Academic Integrity. This may include, but is not limited to, the confiscation of the examination of any individual suspected of violating University Policy. Furthermore, no student may bring any unauthorized materials to an exam, including dictionaries and programmable calculators.

• Attendance
• You are expected you to attend and actively participate all sessions (face-to-face/online). Attendance will be taken at the start of each face-to-face session. If you are unable to attend class due to illness or other significant personal circumstances, email your instructor prior to the start of class. A doctor’s note will be required for absences from face-to-face sessions. If you have 1 absence, your highest possible grade in the course is a B, 2 absences a C, and 3 or more absences will result in a failing grade of F. You are responsible for all content covered in missed sessions. Please contact a classmate for notes and announcements.

• Participation
• You are expected to actively participate in course discussions and activities. This helps you better learn the material and it helps your instructor gain better insight into your learning. You are expected to complete all required readings according to the timeline delineated in the course syllabus so that you will be able to better participate in class discussions and activities. If you do not understand something, please, ask!

• Technology
• You are not permitted to use cell phones, laptops, etc. during face-to-face class sessions for purposes unrelated to class. If you have a special situation that needs to be considered, please, let your instructor know within the first week of the course.

• Communication
• Please communicate openly with your instructor regarding your understanding of course material, assignments, and course format. If you need assistance or wish to discuss any aspect of the course, do not hesitate to ask. You may also schedule a meeting with your instructor. Communicate with your instructor about special circumstances as soon as possible and always prior to the related class session and/or assignment due date.

• Courtesy
• You are expected to arrive to class on time and inform your instructor if you must leave early. Keep in mind that it is generally unacceptable to leave class early. Additionally, courteous behavior includes staying on-task during the class, respecting the opinions of others, and coming to class prepared.
• Additionally, you are expected to use professional language in class and in written communication (including email). Papers and emails that are written in an unprofessional manner (i.e., grammatically incorrect, typos, misspellings, overly informal) are considered unacceptable.

• Disability Services
• If you have a disability that requires special testing accommodations or other classroom modifications, you need to notify both the instructor and Disability Resources and Services no later than the second week of the term. You may be asked to provide documentation of your disability to determine the appropriateness of accommodations. To notify Disability Resources and Services, call (412) 648-7890 (Voice or TTD) to schedule an appointment. The Disability Resources and Services office is located in 140 William Pitt Union on the Oakland campus.

• Statement on Classroom Recording
• To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas, students may not record classroom lectures, discussion and/or activities without the advance written permission of the instructor, and any such recording properly approved in advance can be used solely for the student's own private use.

DIL Student Grievance Procedures

The rights and responsibilities of faculty and students are described in the University’s Academic Integrity Guidelines at:

The purpose of grievance procedures is to ensure the rights and responsibilities of faculty and students in their relationships with each other. When a student in DIL believes that a faculty member has not met his or her obligations (as an instructor or in another capacity) as described in the Academic Integrity Guidelines, the student should follow this procedure:

1. The student should talk directly to the faculty member to attempt to resolve the matter.
2. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the student should talk to the relevant program coordinator.
3. If the matter remains unresolved, the student should talk to the associate chair of DIL (currently Dr. Patricia Crawford).
4. If needed, the student should next talk to the SOE associate dean of students (currently Dr. Michael Gunzenhauser).
5. If the matter still remains unresolved, the student should file a written statement of charges with the dean’s designated Academic Integrity Administrative Officer (currently Dr. Michael Gunzenhauser).

Links to University Policies

Nondiscrimination, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action

Sexual Harassment

Grading System

Academic Integrity

Plagiarism Resources and Information

Disability Policies

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