EDU 310/320 Reading and Language Arts Methods

Course Instructor: Dr. Mike Smith

Office Hours: MW 1-2 pm Friday 12-1pm and 3-5pm

Tuesday and Thursday 8-10am

Office Phone: (816) 271-4514

Office: JGM 111k

Course Description:

An introductory course to the philosophy and techniques associated with a holistic, integrated approach to the teaching of reading and writing in the elementary school. In addition, methods in teaching handwriting, grammar, spelling, and vocabulary will be covered.

Course Objectives:

  1. Teacher candidates will become familiar with the philosophy, terminology and teaching practices associated with a holistic, integrated approach to literacy.
  2. Teacher candidates will become familiar with writing process, how children learn literacy, and how to implement writer’s workshop in the classroom. (INTASC 2.1, 2.4; MoSTEP 1.2, 2.1, 2.3)
  3. Teacher candidates will become familiar with using the Write Traits to evaluate writing. (INTASC 8.1)
  4. Teacher candidates will become familiar with the features (i.e., cueing system, schema, cognitive processes, phonics) of reading process and reading workshop. (INTASC 2.1, 8.1; MoSTEP 1.3, 2.4)
  5. Teacher candidates will be able to use observation guides to collect data on the strengths and needs of a reader and do an analysis of the data to make instructional and future assessment decisions. (INTASC 3.1, 4.2, 8.4)
  6. Teacher candidates will become familiar with different genres of children’s literature and how to use these different genres in their teaching. (INTASC 6.1, 7.1, 7.4)
  7. Teacher candidates will become familiar with the importance of reader response and ways to implement reading response in the classroom. (INTASC 6.1)
  8. Teacher candidate will understand the diversity in individual readers and how this diversity impacts assessment analysis and instructional decision making. (MoSTEP 2.2)

Course Methodologies

  1. Reading and discussion course text and other relevant materials
  2. Cooperative Groups
  3. Class presentation
  4. Quizzes
  5. Watching models of good teaching on videos
  6. Making running records
  7. Writing activities
  8. Analysis of Video Cases

Texts:

Teach Reading Creatively, 7th Editionby Frank B. May

One of the Following Children’s books: Small Steps by Louis Sachar;My Louisiana Sky, Kimberly Willis Holt;Crash by JerrySpinelli;So B. It by Sarah Weeks and, Reaching Dustin by Vicky Grove.

Tuesday with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Attendance: Attendance is seen as very important. Borderline grades will be rounded up if your attendance is good.

Assignments and Evaluations

  1. Quizzes……………………...…20%
  2. Test #1…………………..…… 10%
  3. Test #2…………………….…...15%
  4. Test#3……………………….....20%
  5. Vignette project………………..10%
  6. Lit Circle Project ……………...10%
  7. Tuesdays with Morrie Project….15%

Center for Academic Support: Located in the Northeast corner of the library building (LRC 213), the Center for Academic Support is a free service of the college. The Center offers help primarily for and writing and should you need help, you may wish to call the Center for an appointment at 271-4524 or drop by to make and appointment.

Special Needs: If you have a special need, e.g. hearing loss, learning disability, etc. that requires special arrangements, please inform the instructor after the first class meeting so that proper arrangements can be made.

Appeals: If at any time you feel that I have treated you or your work unfairly, first make an appointment with me to discuss the issue or provide me with a written description of your perceptions and position. If we are unable to resolve the matter, please make an appointment with the chairperson of the Education Department.

Academic Honesty: Cheating of any sort is not tolerated, and if caught will result in a zero being given on the test or assignments. Check your student handbook for your rights regarding any disciplinary procedures.

Diversity: This course will help prepare the teacher candidate to see diverse learners and study how they differ in their background knowledge, their understanding of reading process, their interests, and their attitudes. We will do this by profiling different learners through a series of video cases (struggling readers reading instructional-level texts) and creating discussions centering on their individual needs and strengths.

Grades

The following percentages will be used to determine grades:

92-100-A

84-91-B

76-83-C

66-75-D

0-65-F

Criteria for the above letter grades

Exemplary Performance: When there exist a numbers of correct “facts,” propositions,” “steps,” or “points” that could be included in an answer, the preservice teacher mentions more than one, and in addition each is presented in correct relationship or connection with the others, and in addition the student demonstrates a grasp of some larger model, or body of theory, or perspective from which the whole can be viewed, or extends the central principle of the answer into additional areas of relevant application not explicitly stated in the question.

Superior Performance: When there exist a numbers of correct “facts,” “propositons,”, “steps,” or “points,” that could be included in the answer, the preservice teacher mentions more than one , and in addition each is presented in correct relationship or connection with the others, in explaining, justifying, or establishing an outcome.

Acceptable Performance: When there exist a numbers of correct “facts,” “propositions,” “steps,” or “points,” that could be included in the answer, the preservice teacher mentions more than one but each is presented in isolation from the others, as though they were all unrelated or unconnected in explaining, proving, or establishing the outcome.

Sub-standard Performance: when there exist a number of correct “facts,” “propositions,” “steps,” or points that could be included in an answer, the preservice teacher mentions only one, as though it were all that is necessary to explain, prove, or establish the outcome.

Unacceptable Performance: When there exist a number of correct “facts,” “proposition,” “steps,” or points that could be included in an answer, the preservice teacher fails to address any and misses the main idea of the assignments.

Assignment Information

Vignette Project: We will be writing one “school day” story, taking it through the writing process and eventually publishing a class book of our stories. We will also use the 6 traits criteria to evaluate some of the vignettes for good writing.

Literature Circle Project: We will do literature circles on a children’s book. Each group will have to present a book project and each individual will have to hand in a packet of lesson plans and reflections.

Running Records: We will create a running record of a student.

Tuesday With Morrie assignment: We will be reading Tuesday With Morri, doing a literature circle, and writing a paper that connects the book with the Missouri Western Dispositions.

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