Syllabus / EdSe 4214 (2 credits) Teaching Reading Grades 5-12 / May Term 2008

Christopher W. Johnson / Engineering 213

Phone: (218) 726-7042

E-mail: cwjohnso@d.umn.edu

Class Time/Location: 9:30 - 12:30, MTWThF  

Office Hours 1:00 - 2:00 - Wednesday

Course Description:  An introduction to discourse about literacy.  Candidates will become proficient with teaching procedures, objectives, and materials that promote content-area literacy. The course will include an emphasis on teaching reading, writing, speaking, and listening effectively.  Course content will proceed according to ‘best practices’ research and theory,  with a particular emphasis on strategies for students in grades 5 through 12. Candidates will learn the rudiments of analysis of reading difficulties, and will examine appropriate accommodations for diverse learners.

Course Overview:  The purpose of the class is to acquaint candidates with the theories, principles, goals, and methods of integrating the language arts (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) throughout content area curricula, so students will be able to use reading, writing, speaking, and listening to acquire information, create knowledge, express and share ideas, ask questions and raise issues, pursue answers, argue points, come to consensus, and communicate and collaborate with others. This involves language learning and using language to learn. The IRA and NCTE curricular standards serve as a foundation. All of this is in keeping with the Learner Sensitive Model—the components of which include: diversity, collaboration, reflection, empowerment, and technology.

Required Texts/Readings:  Beers, Kylene. (2003). When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Other readings will be made available on reserve.

One trade book to be selected following class discussion.

Assignments as Outlined on Course Webpage.

Course Objectives:

1-Understands the interactive/constructive nature of reading comprehension and how it functions in the literal, inferential, and schema-based levels of understanding.

2-Understands the stages of the reading process so as to model and teach strategies that occur before, during, and after reading.

3-Teaches content area reading strategies to encourage competence and independence for lifelong learning.

4-Teaches students to apply comprehension strategies for a variety of purposes to various materials and tasks, including everyday life situations.

5-Teaches students to seek out and synthesize information from a variety of textual and non-textual sources.

6-Possesses skill in the selection and teaching of technical vocabulary.

7-Models and teaches the use of books and other printed sources for personal growth and lifelong learning.