ERDG 500: Classroom Literacy Instruction

Program Requirements and Prerequisites: This is a required course for all programs—Literacy B-6, Literacy 5-12, Literacy B-12, Childhood Education and Early Childhood Education.

Course Description: This class introduces instruction and development in literacy including research-based strategies, materials, and assessment practices consistent with state and national standards. The focus is on intentional, critical literacy teaching with topics including; children's learning and thinking, instructional planning, tools and formats for balanced literacy instruction, text complexity, leveled texts, dialogic instruction, engaging families, running records and reading inventories, vocabulary-, syntax- and knowledge building.

Attributes
  • Literacy as Social Practice**
  • Equity
  • Generate Productive Learning Communities**
  • Engagement*
  • Reciprocal Relationships Across Modes of Communication**
  • Strategic Teaching to Promote Self-Extending Learning*
  • Assessment of Literacies and Their Development*
  • Research Based Professional Learning**
/ Attributes(continued)
  • Respectful Representation of Students, Families and Communities**
  • Critical Literacies*
  • Disciplinary Literacy/Knowledge Building*
  • Data Based Decision Making*
  • Technologies and Digital Media*
  • Materials and Resources**
  • Prevention and Intervention*
  • Standards**

Core Content / Possible Assignments / Possible Readings
Instructional Frameworks (grades 2-6)
-Shared, Independent and Interactive Reading
-Guided Reading
-Small, needs-based group instruction
-Writers Workshop
-Classroom Organization
-Comprehensive Approach to Literacy
Instructional Processes (grades 2-6)
-Building Literate Communities
-Reflective Teaching
-Responsive Teaching
-Working with Diverse Learners
-Dialogic Interaction
-Engagement/Motivation
-Family Engagement
Concepts (grades 2-6)
-Word Knowledge and Fluency
-Comprehension
-Vocabulary
-Word Study
-Self-Extending Learning
-Strategic Reading and Writing
-Reading-writing-speaking-listening synergies
-Critical Literacy
Instructional Materials/Tools (grades 2-6)
-Textbook Materials
-Lesson Planning
-Books
-Leveling Texts
Assessment Materials/Tools(grades 2-6)
-Common Core Learning Standards
-NY English Language Arts Assessments
-Running Records
-FountasPinnell Benchmark Assessment
-Record Keeping Techniques / Strategies / Letter to Families
-Write a letter to families (for students in your future K-6 classroom) describing your philosophy of literacy teaching and learning.
Leveled Text Project
-Analyze texts at varying levels for their text features and the knowledge/understandings student would need to have to successfully access them
Classroom Lessons
-Plan for lessons across the balanced literacy continuum- read aloud, shared reading, guided reading and independent reading- for a particular grade level or group of students.
Inquiry Project
-Develop an inquiry-based project aligned with a topic of interest from the course outline.
Reflective Journal
-Write journal entries throughout the semester that summarize, critique, and reflect on the readings, connect them to prior knowledge and teaching experience, make connections to other texts, and draw implications for integrated literacy instruction.
Running Record Assignments
-Take and analyze multiple running records and provide implications for instruction. / Allington, R. L., (2012). What Really Matters for Struggling Readers. New York: Longman.
Bear, D., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2011). Words their way- 5E. New Jersey: Merrill.
Clay, M. (2000). Running Records for Classroom Teachers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Johnston, P. (2000). Running records: A self-tutoring guide. York, ME: Stenhouse.
Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G.S. (2006). Teaching for comprehending and fluency. Portsmouth, N.H: Heinemann.
Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G.S. (2001). Guiding readers and writers: Grades 3-6.Portsmouth, N.H: Heinemann.
Johnston, P.H. (2004). Choice words: How our language effects children’s learning. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Johnston, P.H. (2004). Opening minds: Using language to change lives. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Lehman, C. & Roberts, K. (2013). Falling in love with close reading: Lessons for analyzing texts and life. Portsmouth, N.H: Heinemann.
Miller, D. (2012). Reading with meaning 2e. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Miller, D. (2008). Teaching with intention: Defining beliefs, aligning practice, taking action, K-5. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Owocki, G. (2013). The common core writing book: K-5. Lessons for a range of tasks, purposes and audiences. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Owocki, G. (2012). The common core lesson plan book: K-5. Working with increasingly complex literature, informational text and foundational reading skills. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Seravallo, J. (2010). Teaching reading in small groups: Differentiated instruction for building strategic, independent readers.Portsmouth, N.H: Heinemann.
Fountas, I. &Pinnell, G.S (2012). Genre study: Teaching with fiction and non-fiction books. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G.S. (2010). The continuum of literacy learning, Grades preK-8. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Keene, E.O. & Zimmermann, S. (2013). Years Later, Comprehension Strategies Still at Work. The Reading Teacher, 66(8), 601–606.
Schugar, H.R., Smith, C.A. & Schugar, J.T. (2013). Teaching With Interactive Picture E-Books in Grades K–6. The Reading Teacher, 66(8), 615–624.
Harris, K.R., Graham, S., Friedlander, B. & Laud, L. (2013). Bring Powerful Writing Strategies Into Your Classroom! Why and How. The Reading Teacher, 66(7), 538–542.
Harvey, StephanieGoudvis, Anne (2013). Comprehension at The Core. The Reading Teacher, 66(6), 432–439.
Hiebert, Elfrieda H. (2013). Supporting Students’ Movement Up the Staircase of Text Complexity. The Reading Teacher, 66(6), 459–468.
Roskos, Kathleen & Neuman, Susan B. (2013). Common Core, Commonplaces, and Community in Teaching Reading. The Reading Teacher, 66(6), 469–473.
Dewitz, Peter & Jones, Jennifer. (2013). Using Basal Readers: From Dutiful Fidelity to Intelligent Decision Making. The Reading Teacher, 66(5), 391–400.
Fountas, I.C.Pinnell, G.S. (2012). Guided Reading: The Romance and the Reality. The Reading Teacher, 66(4), 268–284.
Morrell, E. (2012). 21st-Century Literacies, Critical Media Pedagogies, and Language Arts. The Reading Teacher, 66(4), 300–302.
Miller, D. (2012). Creating A Classroom Where Readers Flourish. The Reading Teacher, 66(2), 88–92.
McLaughlin, M., & Overturf, B.J. (2012). The Common Core: Insights Into the K–5 Standards. The Reading Teacher, 66(2), 153–164.
Scanlon, D., Anderson, K. & Yurkewecz. (2012). Helping your child become a reader. ISA Professional Development Project.
Opitz, M. F. and Harding-DeKam, J. L. (2007), Understanding and Teaching English-Language Learners. The Reading Teacher, 60: 590–593.
Bauer, E. B., Manyak, P. C. and Cook, C. (2010), Supporting Content Learning for English Learners. The Reading Teacher, 63: 430–432.
Manyak, P. C. (2007), A Framework for Robust Literacy Instruction for English Learners. The Reading Teacher, 61: 197–199.
Wessels, S. (2011). Promoting Vocabulary Learning for English Learners. The Reading Teacher: A Journal of Research-Based Classroom Practice, 65(1), 46–50.