Required Textbooks:

Brozo, W.G., & Simpson, M.L. (1999). Readers, teachers, learners: Expanding literacy across the content areas (4th  Ed.). New Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall.

TWO books from the following list of adolescent/young adult literature are required to complete certain assignments:  http://www.pampetty.com/444421literature.htm.  Read the description of this assignments below before selecting the literature.

Course Description: Principles, psychology, and methodologies for teaching both the general and specialized reading skills in the secondary grades. This course is required for secondary English.

Rationale: LTCY 444/444G and LTCY 421/421G will provide middle and secondary education majors with an overview of the instructional strategies for teaching and integrating reading into the content areas at the middle and secondary levels. Students will develop a conceptual understanding of reading processes and appropriate instructional strategies, which emphasize reading skills necessary for the learning content area information in middle and secondary schools.

The goal of this course is to present information on various aspects connected with middle and secondary reading instruction and develops both conceptual and practical perspectives appropriate for teaching in middle and secondary schools. The course objectives are stated corresponding to Kentucky New Teacher Standards for Preparation and Certification.

Graduate students in this course will further their exposure to and understanding of the research that supports best practice in literacy instruction in middle and secondary schools. 

The course objectives and suggested instructional methods and activities to meet these objectives are listed with suggested assessment strategies. However, additional methods/activities and assessment strategies that meet these course objectives could be employed.

The teacher designs/plans instruction and learning climates that develop student abilities to use communication skills, apply core concepts, become self-sufficient individuals, become responsible team members, think and solve problems, and integrate knowledge.

Objective: The student will plan reading experiences that challenge, motivate, and actively involve the reader.

Methods and Activities: On-line discussion boards, reflective entries, electronic presentation, on-line resources review

Assessment: Scoring guides

The teacher creates a learning climate that supports the development of student abilities to use communication skills, apply core concepts, become self-sufficient individuals, become responsible team members, think and solve problems, and integrate knowledge.

Objective: Exhibit enthusiasm for the learning and teaching of reading.

Methods and Activities: On-line discussion boards, reflective entries, electronic presentation, on-line resources review

Assessment: Scoring guides

The teacher introduces/implements/manages instruction that develops student abilities to use communication skills, apply core concepts, become self-sufficient individuals, become responsible team members, think and solve problems, and integrate knowledge.

Objectives:

1. The student will develop a concept of "at-risk" students and appropriate strategies to teach various literacy needs at middle and secondary levels.
2. The student will develop multiple teaching strategies to facilitate content area literacy.

1. On-line discussion boards, reflective entries, electronic presentation, on-line resources review

1. Scoring guides
2. Scoring guides

The teacher assesses learning and communicates results to students and others with respect to student abilities to use communication skills, apply core concepts, become self-sufficient individuals, become responsible team members, think and solve problems, and integrate knowledge.

Objective: The student will develop a concept of assessment appropriate for various teaching and learning situations.

Methods and Activities: On-line discussion boards, reflective entries, electronic presentation, on-line resources review

Assessment: Cognitive tests

The teacher reflects on and evaluates specific teaching/learning situations and/or programs.

Objective: The student will reflect on the various instructional strategies in middle and secondary schools and the relevance in their own content areas.

Methods and Activities: On-line discussion boards, reflective entries, electronic presentation, on-line resources review

Assessment: Scoring guides

The teacher collaborates with colleagues, parents, and other agencies to design, implement, and support learning programs that develop student abilities to use communication skills, apply core concepts, become self-sufficient individuals, become responsible team members, think and solve problems, and integrate knowledge.

Objective: The student will develop a concept of reading as a common denominator of learning and develop strategies for reading across the content areas to enhance content area learning.

Methods and Activities: On-line discussion boards, reflective entries, electronic presentation, on-line resources review

Assessment: Scoring guides

The teacher demonstrates a current and sufficient academic knowledge of certified content areas to develop student knowledge and performance in those areas.

 

KERA Standards:   Goal 1:  Students are able to use basic communication and mathematics skills for purposes and situations they will encounter throughout their lives. Goal 5:  Students use critical thinking skills such as analyzing, prioritizing, categorizing, evaluating, and comparing to solve a variety of problems in real-life situations.   Goal 6:  Students shall develop their abilities to connect and integrate experiences and new knowledge from all subject matter fields with what they have previously learned and build on past experiences to acquire new information through various media sources.

Objectives:

The student will:

1. develop a concept of reading comprehension and strategies for instruction
2. develop a concept of vocabulary and strategies for instruction
3. develop a concept of reading/study skills and strategies for instruction

1. On-line discussion boards, reflective entries, electronic presentation, on-line resources review
2. On-line discussion boards, reflective entries, electronic presentation, on-line resources review
3. On-line discussion boards, reflective entries, electronic presentation, on-line resources review

Scoring guides

Topics Relevant to the Course:

Language acquisition and reading processes
Cultural diversity and the teaching of reading
Literacy assessments: formal and informal measures of assessment
Reading comprehension: curriculum, instruction, strategic reading, student learning
Vocabulary development and instruction in the content areas
Study skills and reading strategies for content area reading
Integrating literature into content area reading
Writing and reading processes: facilitating literacy in the content areas
Technology and literacy

Disposition Statements:

The teacher recognizes her/his professional responsibility for engaging in and supporting appropriate professional practices for self and colleagues.

Assignments

It is expected that ALL assignments will be submitted on their due dates. Late assignments will be penalized 20% of their possible point value if submitted within two consecutive days of their due date. Further penalties will be assessed for assignments turned in beyond that point. This policy is instituted primarily to prevent students from becoming overloaded at the end of the semester.

It is expected that you will read and reflect on required course readings prior to each specific discussion board. Selected course readings will help you develop the knowledge and theoretical base needed for teaching diverse learners strategies for reading in the content areas.

Keep a copy of all assignments electronically. If an assignment is lost, the burden of proof that you completed the assignment rests with you.  All materials for this course must be submitted electronically to the Instructor via the Dropbox in Blackboard.

Evaluation and Grade Assignment

Assessments will include written assignments, discussion boards, and evaluation of literature-based reading experience. The student must achieve minimum competency, otherwise the course must be repeated.

Final grades for LTCY 444/G - 421/G will be based on a 500 point scale:
 

  NOTE:  All assignments must be typed in Microsoft WORD (I cannot open WordPerfect, WORKS, etc.).  If you do not have WORD, you need to send your assignments in rich text format (.rtf).  PowerPoint presentations and html documents are also accepted as indicated within the directions for certain assignments below.  

Discussion Board  180 points = 20 points for submission of Discussion Board prompt (see schedule) and then 10.66 points each for 15 different Discussion Board RESPONSES.   You should view the TOPICS of discussion and decide which 15 are of interest to you and you feel like you can CONTRIBUTE to the conversation.  There are 27 topics in all. 

To facilitate students’ ability to become reflective educators, decision makers, and to construct meaning for an understanding of the interrelationships and application of educational theory into classroom practices, students will engage in Discussion Board entries responding to the assigned prompt.  The purpose of this assignment is to allow students to reflect, explore and dialogue with the university instructor and with each other concerning topics and issues discussed in class or as these issues relate to the experiences of the student.  The discussion boards take place in BlackBoard (http://bb1.wku.edu). This forum provides with a means of communication and exploration of topics/assignments.  The textbook and the research you do for this course will guide our discussions.

Each student will provide a discussion prompt based on the topic they select for their electronic research. Your prompt MUST be sent to Dr. Petty via email attachment.  Dr. Petty will post the prompts every TUESDAY and FRIDAY.  In order to get credit for participating in a discussion board that is posted on Tuesday, you must reply to the prompt by midnight on Thursday of each week.  In order to get credit for a discussion board prompt posted on Friday, you must reply by midnight on Monday of each week.  The discussion prompt you write must be based on the topic you select for your electronic research, must be thought-provoking, challenging, and direct us to the "heart" or thrust of the topic.  Students may reply more than once - as in a class discussion or grand conversation on these topics.  If your prompts are boring, the replies will be boring.  The instructor reserves to right to edit the submissions for clarity and accuracy.  Credit will also be given as "class participation." The person submitting the prompt must log onto the discussion board every day that his/her prompt is active, read the comments posted, and keep the conversation going.  A good discussion prompt will:

1. reflect KEY points from the chapter and/or other research (with references)
2. be brief and to the point (one paragraph ONLY)
3. provide a question that will encourage other students to make thoughtful replies
4. example of a good prompt

Scoring for this assignment will be based on the following criteria:

1. thoughtful insights
2. all responses posted by DUE dates
3. sharing of experiences specific to topic of discussion
4. specific references to information from our text or other outside readings (references must accompany)
   • NO "drive-by," "hit-and-run" or "token" responses
5. Graduate students will support undergraduates by referring to specific research and researchers in as graduate students respond to prompts for the Discussion Board.

Click HERE for RUBRIC for scoring this assignment. 

Teacher Action Research Paper (100 points) - DUE Week of November 24

In an effort to prepare Graduate students to be active participants in surveying and synthesizing research germane to their teaching, and to more effectively link theory with practice, students will design an action research project and write a research paper that includes the following:

	Problem - what challenge do you face in your literacy instruction
	Survey of Literature - what does research say about your particular challenge/issue
	Action Research Design - how will you take best practice as supported in research and try to solve the challenge you face
	Results - what are the results of your application of theory into your literacy instruction
	Implications for other Middle/Secondary (content area goes here) Teachers - how does what you have learned impact other teachers

Click on this link for ALL directions for this assignment:  Teacher Action Research Paper Requirements (includes scoring rubric)

Electronic Research (50 points) - Due Week of September 15

Students will use on-line searches to locate professional readings and resources (minimum of five sites) related to topics of study in this course.  Topics for this research are listed below.  You must provide the URLs for the information you have located, an annotation of each site including how the site aligns with current literacy research (must make reference to specific researchers or research projects),  and a presentation of the information you have gathered.   This presentation may take the form of a PowerPoint presentation, a web-site, a "visual" adaptation of a Microsoft Word document, or possibly other methods of delivery (with Instructor approval). 

The purpose is for each student to become an "expert" on a particular topic and to be able to share information with others.  The on-line resources should be supplemented by print materials (via an APA-style bibliography).   Students must sign up for a topic of interest. I will accept email messages requesting topics on August 21, 2003.  This assignment must be sent to the Dropbox in Blackboard or  put on a web page with the URL being sent to the Instructor by the due date.  The Instructor will post these assignments so that all students may view the presentations and provide feedback for others.  You can see an example of what this project should look like by clicking here:  Middle and Secondary Students and Literacy. NOTE:  This example does NOT include the references to specific researchers or research projects that is now required of graduate students.  Your annotations MUST include those references.  

Electronic Research and Professional Readings will be used for: 

• Demonstrating your "expert" knowledge on the selected topic
• Discussion board reactions and discussions based on your findings.  This will allow you to react to the reading as well as what you have learned. (Reactions and responses are to be based on evidence rather than on feelings.)
• "Grand conversations" via the Discussion Board based on your well developed explanation or description of how you will use what you have learned.

Example of APA format:

McCallum, R. (1998). Don’t throw the basal out wit the bath water. The Reading Teacher, 42(3), 204-208.

OR

Irvin, J., & Connors, N. (1989). Reading instruction in middle level schools: Results of a U.S. survey. 
         Boston:  Abbott and Smith.

  Additional directions for assignment and schedule:  http://www.pampetty.com/444421researchdiscboard.htm

  Click HERE for RUBRIC for scoring this assignment.  

Literature Across the Curriculum (50) - DUE Week of October 13

The purpose of this assignment is to allow you to take a piece of quality adolescent literature, identify key literary elements, and find connections to your particular curricular area.  If you are not yet in the classroom, you may select one (or more) curricular areas that the book you choose seems to fit naturally.

Go to the Literature List below or  (http://www.pampetty.com/444421literature.htm) and select a book.  It would be nice if you selected something you have not read before so that you could learn a new piece of literature, but even if you have read the book before you won't be able to do this assignment unless you read it again.

Each theme or novel unit will be different and unique based on the book you select and the curricular area in which you choose to focus. To see an example , go to http://www.pampetty.com/novelunit.htm . In the WATSON'S GO TO BIRMINGHAM example  provided for you, you will note that a Social Studies theme (Civil Rights Movement) and a Language Arts theme (idioms) emerge.  You must follow the format of the on-line version of

WATSON's GO TO BIRMINGHAM:

• Personal Response to Book
• Literary Elements

  • Character	Plot	Point-of-View	Setting
    Style	Theme	Tone

• Curricular Connections
• Theory and Practice Links:
  •  Summary statements explaining how using literature in the content areas is supported by research; benefits for learners (must make reference to specific researchers or research projects)

The Curricular Connections need to be STRONG - they should relate to a central THEME in the book or RECURRING elements. Click here for MORE EXAMPLES.

Click HERE for RUBRIC for scoring this assignment. 

•  Overview of Unit
  • Bibliographic information on the book (APA style)
  • One paragraph summary of book
  • Your content area focus
  • One paragraph describing the positive aspects of using this particular book as a springboard for teaching comprehension strategies and content material 
• Specific Goals for the Unit
  • Objectives
  • Kentucky Learner Goals
  • Academic Expectations
  • Core Content

  • Application to Real-Life Experience

  • Resources
    • Supplement your core book with textbooks or other expository literature to help students understand concepts in the book.  Use strategies from chapters 7, 3, 5, and 6 in planning instruction.
  • Assessment
    • How will you measure learning? 
• A Lesson Plan Format for EACH day of the unit (minimum of 5 - must cover entire book):  Use THIS form to plan your instruction.
  • Your unit plan must include the lesson plans for each day AND any forms, handouts, graphic organizers, etc., you planned within that day's instruction.  Specifically, this means materials you prepared for vocabulary instruction, comprehension instruction, and materials you generated to link your content area to concepts in the book.
• A bibliography of all literature (narrative and expository) used in this assignment.  
• A one page (minimum) reflection making firm connections between the literacy instructional strategies included in the unit and specific research that supports those strategies.

Click HERE for RUBRIC for scoring this assignment. 

Professionalism, Participation, Collegiality (20 points)

Participation in this course is  mandatory! This also includes collegiality, effort, etc.  You are required to regularly check your email and to check Blackboard for announcements, explanation of assignments, recommended resources, etc.  You are also expected to communicate regularly with the Instructor and other students via email.  You have the option of chatting "live" with the Instructor via the chat capabilities in Blackboard (or AOL Instant Messenger) during the semester.  Instructions for using this chat facility are found on the FAQ page (http://www.pampetty.com/444421faq.htm) ... it is easy, don't worry. You must put a homepage in Blackboard by August 21, 2003 (see above for directions).

Click HERE for RUBRIC used for scoring this assignment.  

Tentative Course Calendar - UNDER CONSTRUCTION
 Assignments are DUE when they appear RED. 
(Need a FUN break?  Click on the birds listed in the left column below.  ENJOY!)

NOTES:

A.  Do not try to work ahead of me on this course.  I will not accept work BEFORE the due date.  All assignments are due on time.  A late assignment will not be accepted unless advance arrangement has been made with the instructor.  

B. You are HIGHLY encouraged to stay in close contact with the Instructor (me) via email throughout the semester.  DO NOT GO "MISSING".  One of the greatest pitfalls of on-line courses (distance learning) is that students feel isolated and give up.  DO NOT give up.  Talk to me.  My goal is for you to be successful in this course - that means learning something, growing, challenging yourself, and doing your best work.  It also means I will HELP you if you are struggling.  

C.  Just because this is an on-line course, that does not mean we won't meet.  In fact, I would love to meet you. I will be arranging "special" times that I can be in Bowling Green and will encourage you to come and visit with me and other students in our class.  We can discuss coursework, assignments, the weather ... whatever ... just get to know each other.

D. University policy on academic honesty will be strictly observed.  

"Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services, Room 445, Potter Hall. The OFSDS telephone number is (270) 745-5004 V/TDD. Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services."

Plagiarism Policy:

To represent ideas or interpretations taken from another source as one's own is plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense. The academic work of students must be their own. Students must give the author(s) credit for any source material used. To lift content directly from a source without giving credit is a flagrant act. To present a borrowed passage after having changed a few words, even if the source is cited, is also plagiarism. 

In PLAIN ENGLISH:  Do not (NOT) turn in work to us that you copied from someone else, that belongs to someone else, or that you did not personally write every word of yourself.  With past literature units and other materials posted on the Internet the temptation might be for you to "borrow" some of the writing and present it as your own.  I urge you to resist that temptation.  No plagiarism or cheating will be tolerated. 

For information about plagiarism: what it is and how to recognize it and avoid it, see
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html

Website Address: (for your resource file)

Teacher-oriented sites:

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 Clearing on Reading, English & Communication: http://www.indiana.edu/~eric_rec/index.html

Booklist (reviews): http://www.ala.org/booklist/

Pam Petty's Educational Websites:  http://www.pampetty.com 

Child-oriented sites:

Kids on the Web: http://www.zen.org/~brendan/kids.html

Ann Arbor District Library Kid’s page: http://www.anarbor.lib.mi.us/kidspg/kidspgw.html

K-12 English: http://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/busyt/

English literature and composition resources on the Internet: http://www.iat.unc.edu/guides/irg-30.html

16^th Century Renaissance English Lit: http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/

Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet: http://www.palomar.edu/Library/shake.html

Supplementary Resources:

Allington, R.L., & Walmsley, S.A. (1995). No quick fix. New York: Teacher’s College Press.

Atwell, N. (1987). In the middle: Writing, reading, and learning with adolescents. New Jersey: Boynton/Cook.

Delpit, L. (1994). Other people’s children: Cultural conflict in the classroom. NY: New Press.

Dewey, J. (1916 or 1966). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. NY: Macmillan.

Gay, G. (1994). At the essence of learning: Multicultural education. NY: Macmillan.

Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching. NY: Teacher’s College Press.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children. CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Oakes, J. (1985). Keeping track: How schools structure inequality. NY: Yale University Press.

Powell, R. (1999). Literacy as a moral imperative: Facing the challenges of a pluralistic society. Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield.

Roe, B.D., Stoodt, B.D., & Burns, P.C. (1998). Secondary school literacy instruction: The content areas. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Santa, C.M., & Alvermann, D.E. (1991). Science learning: Processes and applications. Delaware: International Reading Association.

Vacca, R.T., & Vacca, J.A.L. (1998). Content area reading: Literacy and learning across the curriculum. New York: Harper Collins College Publishers.

08/15/2005 06:43:41 PM