READ 4271

READING STRATEGIES AND ASSESSMENT

3 Semester Hours

Semester/Year: Spring 2000

Instructor: Dr. Donna Harkins

Office Location: Child Development Center, Room 3

Office Hours: Monday: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm & 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Tuesday: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Wednesday: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Telephone: 770-838-3202

E-mail: dharkins@westga.edu

Fax: 770-836-4612

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course involves practical application of knowledge concerning reading assessments, strategies, materials and methods of teaching and diagnosing word recognition, comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary knowledge.

 

 

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Through this course students will demonstrate progress in the achievement of three INTASC standards that form the conceptual framework for initial preparation programs in the College of Education.

Standard 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of a strong core curriculum and the discipline(s) taught and create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter

meaningful for students. The student will anticipate individual differences and their impact on planning for teaching and implementing the curriculum and act upon a repertoire of basic teaching models, strategies, and skills in order to meet student needs.

Standard 2. Demonstrate an understanding of how students learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support student learning and individual development. The student will plan, design, and implement developmentally appropriate content, activities, and methodology for young children.

Standard 4. Accept responsibility for monitoring and managing student learning including developing a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. The student will design and implement lessons that demonstrate inquiry and critical

thinking processes and that effectively manage children's behavior during these lessons.

 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Students will:

  1. Discuss and understand assessments for diagnosing reading problems and appropriate reading instructional plans (Bear, Templeton, Invernizzi, & Johnston, 1996; Flippo, 1997; Putnam, 1996; Valencia, Hiebert, & Afflerbach, 1994);
  2. Practice administering informal assessments for diagnosing reading problems (Bear, Templeton, Invernizzi, & Johnston, 1996; Ekwall & Shanker, 1993; Lipson & Wixson, 1991);
  3. Evaluate reading assessments and corrective instructional plans (Bear, Templeton, Invernizzi, & Johnston, 1996; Lipson & Wixson, 1991);
  4. Develop familiarity with the reading process and reading strategies to assist learners (Bodrova & Leong, 1996; Burns, Roe, & Ross, 1996; Cunningham & Allington, 1994; Fox, 1996);
  5. Understand the effects of culture, language, and dialect on reading success (Delpit, 1995; Gollnick & Chinn, 1990); and
  6. Apply reading strategies to help learners become independent readers (Bodrova & Leong, 1996; Bear, Templeton, Invernizzi, & Johnston, 1996; Cunningham & Allington, 1994).

 

 

TEXTS, READINGS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

Required Texts:

Clay, M. M. (1993). An observation survey of early literacy achievement. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Fox, B.J. (2000). Word identification strategies: Phonics from a new perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

 

References:

Bodrova, E., & Leong, D.J. (1996). Tools of the mind: The vygotskian approach to early childhood education. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Burns, P.C., Roe, B.D., & Ross, E.P. (1996). Teaching reading in today's elementary schools. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Cunningham, P.M., & Allington, R.L. (1994). Classrooms that work : They can all read and write. New York: Harper Collins.

Delpit, L. (1995). Other people's children. New York: The New Press.

Ekwall, E., & Shanker, J.L. (1993). Ekwall/Shanker reading inventory. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Gollnick, D.M., & Chinn, P.C. (1990). Multicultural education in a pluralistic society. New York.: Macmillan Publishing Company.

Lipson, M.Y., & Wixson, K. (1991). Assessment and instruction of reading disability. New York: Harper Collins.

Putnam, L.R. (1996). How to become a better reading teacher. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Valencia, S.W., Hiebert, E.H., & Afflerbach, P.P. (1994). Authentic reading assessment: Practices and possibilities. Newark, DE: International Reading Association, Inc.

 

 

ASSIGNMENTS, EVALUATION PROCEDURES, AND GRADING POLICIES

Assignments and Evaluation Procedures:

Group Projects

A. Mock Assessment and Instructional Plan

Group members will create a class scenario concerning a child with a particular reading problem. Next, they will select 2 informal assessments from the course readings and set up a mock administration of the tests. This process could involve a teacher, students, parents, etc. Evaluation of the test results and selected strategies for instructional plans will be determined and presented by the group. Follow up activities will be included.

B. Strategy Presentation

Group members will select a variety of strategies that include literature to demonstrate to the class. The presentation will include selection of strategies involving 2 of the following: word recognition, comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary strategies.

C. Individual Reaction Reports

Students will select 3 recent articles from a reading journal (Reading Teacher, Language Arts, Reading Improvement, etc.) concerning assessment/reading strategies. The reaction report will be written in APA style. Each paper will be 2-3 double spaced typed pages.

D. Chapter Notes

Students will write a quote or important idea presented in each chapter on a 3x5 index card to share at each class meeting.

 

Grading Policy

A = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, F = 69% or less

 

Evaluation Procedures

Each group project is worth 20% of the course grade (40%).

Each reaction report is worth 5% of the course grade (15%).

Chapter notes and class participation are worth 10% of the course grade.

The Midterm is worth 20% of the course grade.

The Final is worth 15% of the course grade.

 

CLASS OUTLINE

1/11 Introduction

Word Identification Strategies

1/18 Chapter 1: Word Identification in a Balanced Reading Program

1/25 Chapter 2: Becoming Aware of Language: Insights into Print and

Phonemic Awareness

2/1 Chapter 3: Early Strategies: Using Logos, Pictures, Smudges, and Rudimentary Letter-Sound Associations to Identify Words/Strategy Presentation

2/8 Chapter 4: The Analogy Strategy with Onsets and Rimes: Using Familiar Words to Identify Unfamiliar Words/Strategy Presentation

2/15 Chapters 5 & 6: The Letter-Sound Strategy: Identifying Words by Their Letters and Sounds & The Multiletter Chunk Strategy

2/22 Chapter 7: Children Who Need Extra Help/1st reaction report

2/29 Midterm

3/7 Spring Break

An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement

3/14 Chapter 1: Observing Change in Early Literacy Behaviours/2nd reaction report

3/21 Chapter 2: Reading and Writing: Processing the Information in Print

/Presentation

3/28 Chapter 3: Assisting Young Children Making Slow Progress/ Presentation

4/4 Chapter 4: Taking Running Records of Reading Texts /Presentation

4/11 Chapter 5: Other Observation Tasks/Presentation /3rd reaction report

4/18 Chapter 6: Summarizing the Observation Survey Results /Presentation

4/25 Chapter 7: The Teacher and the Observations /Presentation

5/9 Final Exam

 

Academic Honesty:

Students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty. Plagiarism occurs when a student uses or purchases ghostwritten papers. It also occurs when a student utilizes the ideas of or information obtained from another person without giving credit to that person. If plagiarism or another act of academic dishonesty occurs, it will be dealt with in accordance with the academic misconduct policy as stated in The Uncatalog, Undergraduate Catalog, and Graduate Catalog.