Instructor: Dr. Sherry W. Powers                                     E-mail: sherry.powers@wku.edu

Office Phone: (270) 745-4452                             FAX: (270) 745-6474

Office: 119 Tate Page Hall

WKU Website: http://edtech.tph.wku.edu/~spowers/

Prerequisites: RDG 519

Course Description: Individual investigation of the research and descriptive literature in the field of reading

Rationale: This course provides the graduate student in education with the opportunity to do broad range, comprehensive investigation of research and descriptive literature in the field of reading and writing under the guidance of graduate faculty advisors. Individuals elect a plan of study based upon their individual interests and/or needs. Individuals will pursue a research study in literacy and review literature on a variety of literacy topics.

Course Objective and Assessment:

Graduate students in education can demonstrate knowledge of reading and writing concepts and developmentally appropriate instruction by providing evidence for each of Kentucky's Experienced Teacher Standards (ETS) and the International Reading Association's Advanced Standards for Reading Professionals (ASRP).
 
 

                                                I.       Demonstrates professional leadership
                                                II.      Demonstrates knowledge of content
                                                III.     Designs/plans instruction
                                                IV.     Creates/maintains learning climate
                                                V.      Implements/manages instruction
                                                VI.     Assesses and communicates learning results
                                                VII.    Reflects/evaluates teaching/learning
                                                VIII.   Collaborates with colleagues/parents/others
                                                IX.     Engages in professional development
                                                X.     Demonstrates implementation of technology
 
 

I.     Philosophy of reading instruction
        A.  Reading is a complex, interactive, and constructive process
        B.  Professionalism
        C.  Moral dimensions and values
        D.  Perspective about readers and reading
II.    Language development, cognition, and learning
III.   Knowledge of the reading process
IV.   Creating a literate environment
V.    Organizing and planning for effective instruction
        A.  Knowledge of contextual factors
        B.  Knowledge of individual differences
        C.  Knowledge of instructional materials
VI.   Knowledge of instructional strategies
        A.  Teaching strategies
        B.  Learning strategies
VII.  Demonstrating knowledge of assessment principles and techniques
VII.  Communicating information about reading
IX.   Planning and enhancing programs
        A.  Curriculum development
        B.  Staff development
        C.  Research
 

This course is designed to enable graduate students in education to:
 

ETS ASRP	Objectives	Assessment
ETS I ASRP I	Participates in professional organizations and activities	Written Report
ETS I ASRP I	Participates in policy design & development in educationally related activities whose mission is to improve literacy	Written Report Reaction/Research Paper
ETS II	Communicates a current knowledge of discipline to be taught	Written Report Reaction/Research Paper
ETS II	Analyzes sources of factual information for accuracy	Written Report
ETS III	Integrates skills, thinking processes, and content across disciplines	Written Report Reaction/research paper
ETS V	Presents differing viewpoints when integrating knowledge and experiences across disciplines	Written Report Reaction/research paper
ETS V ASRP I	Reflects on personal ideas and the ideas of others	Reaction/research paper Written report
ETS IX ASRP I	Establishes priorities for professional growth by reading professional journals and participating in professional activities	Reaction/research paper  Written report
ETS VIII ASRP I	Participates in and analyzes collaborative experiences with other literacy professionals	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP I	Recognizes the importance of teaching reading as a process	Reaction/research paper Written report
ETS V ASRP I	Has knowledge of current and historical perspectives about the nature, purposes, and approaches to reading instruction	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP I	Recognizes and is sensitive to the needs and rights of individual learners	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP I ETS VIII	Understands and respects learning, cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity and recognizes the positive attributes of all learners	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP I	Recognizes the importance of using reading in positive ways and creating a positive environment for literacy learning	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP I	Recognizes the importance of literacy programs which meet the needs of readers and build on their individual strengths	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP II	Recognizes that language is a symbolic system	Written report
ASRP II	Understands major theories of language development, cognition and learning	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP II	Is aware of the linguistic, sociological, cultural, cognitive, and psychological bases of the reading process	Reaction/research paper  Written report
ASRP II	Is aware of the impact of physical, emotional, social, cultural, environmental, and intellectual factors on learning, language development, and reading	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP II	Understands dialect variations and respected linguistic differences	Reaction/research paper  Written report
ASRP III	Perceives reading as the process of constructing meaning	Reaction/research paper  Written report
ASRP III	Understands the nature and multiple causes of reading disabilities	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP III	Has knowledge of emergent literacy and the sorts of experiences that support literacy	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP III	Is aware that reading develops through activities that show the purpose and function of reading and writing	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP III	Is able to explain various word recognition, vocabulary and comprehension strategies	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP III	Understands the role of metacognition in reading	Written report  Reaction/research paper
ASRP IV	Uses texts to simulate interest, promote reading growth, foster appreciation for the written word, and increase the motivation of learners to read	Reaction/research paper
ASRP IV	Recognizes the importance of providing time for reading of extended text for authentic purposes	Reaction/research paper Written report
ASRP V	Understands how factors such as content, purpose, tasks and settings influence the reading process	Reaction/research paper
ASRP V	Understands how assessment and grouping procedures can influence motivation and learning	Written report
ASRP V	Understands the relationship among home, social factors and reading habits	Written report
ASRP V	Understands what the reader brings to the reading experience	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP V	Understands how to design, select, modify and evaluate reading and writing materials	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP V	Understands methods for determining whether materials are clear and appropriate	Written report Reaction/research report
ASRP VI	Understands reading and writing strategies for narrative and expository texts	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VI	Understands effective study strategies for narrative and expository texts	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VI	Applies comprehension strategies for a variety of purposes	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VI	Gains understanding of the conventions of language	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VI	Understands approaches to word recognition strategies such as context, word analysis, and syntactic cueing strategies	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VI	Understands techniques and strategies for developing vocabulary	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VI	Makes effective use of technology and media	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VI	Understands that word recognition strategies aid  comprehension	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VI	Analyzes information presented in a variety of texts	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VI	Connects prior knowledge with new information	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VIII	Recognizes the importance of aligning assessment with curriculum and instruction	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VIII	Recognizes assessment as an ongoing and indispensable part of reflective teaching and learning	Written report  Reaction/research paper
ASRP VIII	Is knowledgeable about the characteristics and appropriate applications of assessment approaches	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP VIII	Uses assessment information to inform instruction and learning	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP IX	Adapts programs to the needs of different learners to accomplish different purposes	Written report Reaction/research paper
ASRP IX	Promotes and facilities teacher and classroom based research	Written report Reaction/research paper

Course Topics:

Major topics to be considered:
    Approaches to reading and writing instruction
    Causes of reading and writing difficulties
    Collaborative reading and writing
    Correction of reading and writing difficulties
    Emergent literacy
    Family literacy
    Vocabulary development
    Oral reading
    Study skills
    Contemporary programs and trends in literacy education
    Historical, philosophical literacy issues
    Rate (flexibility, speed)
    Reading interests
    Organization for teaching reading and writing
    Clinical/classroom diagnosis
    Formal an informal reading assessment
    Teaching materials
    Use of technology to support reading and writing
    Providing for individuals differences
    Parent involvement
    Literacy development
    Literacy intervention
    Process writing
    Word study/spelling

KERA Elements Addressed
    Curriculum (Outcomes Based)
    Goals and Outcomes
    Performance Tasks
    Performance Assessment
    Expended use of Technology
    Primary Program
 

Required Components (Written work must be stored electronically for portfolios):

1.  An individual conference(s) with the instructor will be arranged to initiate investigations; additional meetings are to be
arranged as needed.

2.  Students will prepare summaries of, reactions to, research and descriptive papers on topics identified in the conference with the instructor.

3.  While encouraged to become acquainted with landmark research studies and descriptive articles, most of the reviews should be articles from current periodical literature.

4.  The student and the instructor shall agree on the topics for study as well as the scope of the investigation.
 

Evaluation and Grade Assignment
Assessment will include written reports, and reaction/research papers.  The student must achieve minimum competency, otherwise the course must be repeated.

The grading scale for RDG 522 is as follows:

A =    93 - 100 %
B =    85 - 92%
C =    77 - 83%
D =    70 - 76%
F =    69% or less

Textbook:
Because of the nature of this course, textbook(s) and other printed materials will be negotiated between the instructor and the student in the initial conference.

For information on planning, preparing, conducting and writing a successful research paper you will want to check out the following Website:
http://www.learnerassociates.net/dissthes/
 

Supplementary Resources:

    Adams, M.J.  (1944).  Beginning to read:  Thinking and learning about print.  Cambridge, MA:  MIT Press.
    Allington, R.L. (1991).  Children who find learning to read difficult:  School responses to diversity.  In E.H. Hiebert (Ed.), Literacy for a diverse society:  Perspectives, practices, and policies (pp. 237-252).  NY:  Teachers College Press.
    Au, K.H. (1993).  Literacy instruction in multicultural settings.  Orlando, FL:  Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
    Banks, J.A. (1991).  Teaching multicultural literacy to teachers.  Teaching Education, 41(1), 135-144.
    Calkins, L. (1991).  Living between the lines.  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann.
    Chall, J.S. (1996).  Stages of reading development.  Fort Worth, TX:  Harcourt, Brace & Co.
    Clay, M.M. (1985).  The early detection of reading difficulties.  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann.
    Darling-Hammond, L. (1997).  The right to learn:  A blueprint for creating schools that work.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass Publisher.
    Delpit, L.D. (1995).  Other people's children:  Cultural conflict in the classroom.  NY:  The New Press.
    Durkin, D. (1966).  Children who read early.  NY:  Teachers College.
    Freire, P., & Macedo, D. (1987).  Literacy:  Reading the word and the world.  South Hadely, MA:  Bergin & Garvey.
    Graves, D. (1994).  A fresh look at writing.  Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann.
    Heath, S.B. (1983).  Ways with words:  Language, life, and work in communities and classrooms.  New York, NY:  Cambridge University Press.
    Heath, S.B. (1989).  Oral and literate traditions among black Americans living in poverty.  American Psychologist, 44(2), 367-373.
    Ladson-Billings, G. (1994).  The dreamkeepers:  Successful teachers of African American children.  San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass Publishers.
    Powell, R. (1999).  Literacy as a moral imperative:  Facing the challenges of a pluralistic society.  New York, NY:  Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
    Purcell-Gates, V. (1993).  Other people's words:  The cycle of low literacy.  Cambridge, MA:  Harvard University Press.
    Teale, W., & Sulzby, E. (Eds.) (1986). Emergent literacy:  Writing and reading.  NJ:  Ablex.
    Temple, C., Nathan, R., Temple, F., & Burris, N. (1993).  The beginnings of writing (3rd edition) Boston:  Allyn & Bacon.
    Tierney, R., Readence, J., & Dishner, E. (2000). Reading strategies and practices:  A compendium (5th edition).  Boston, MA:  Allyn and Bacon.
    Tompkins, G. (1997).  Literacy for the twenty-first century:  A balanced approach.  NJ:  Prentice Hall.
    Valencia, S., McGinley, W., & Pearson, P.D. (1990).  Assessing reading and writing:  Building a more complete picture for middle school assessment.  Champaign, IL:  University of Illinois, Center for the Study of Reading.

Journals:

    Action in Teacher Education
    College of Reading Association Yearbook
    Educational Researcher
    Elementary School Journal
    English Journal
    Harvard Educational Review
    Indiana Reading Journal
    Journal of Negro Education
    Journal of Reading Behavior
    Language Arts
    Kentucky Reading Journal
    Multicultural Perspectives
    Reading Horizons
    Reading Improvement
    Reading Psychology
    Reading Research and Instuction
    Reading Research Quarterly
    Research in the Teaching of English
    Review of Educational Research
    The Journal for Adolescent and Adult Literacy
    The Journal for Literacy Research
    The Reading Teacher
    Urban Education

Website Addresses:

Kentucky Department of Education:      http://www.kde.state.ky.us
International Reading Association:      http://www.reading.org
Children's Literature Web Guide:       http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown
ERIC Clearning on Reading, English & Communication:
                                                        http://www.indiana.edu/~eric_rec/index.html
Booklist (reviews):                            http://www.ala.org/booklist/
Ask ERIC                                        http://ericir.syr.edu/
Internet Public Library                      http://www.ipl.org/youth/StoryHour/
K-12 English                                    http://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/busyt/eng.html
U.S. Dept. of Education http://www.ed.gov/