Graduate students in LTCY 523 come from many different backgrounds and work with literacy learners at many levels in diverse settings.  Taking those dynamics into consideration, this course is natured so as to allow learners to custom design a diagnostic and instructional strategic plan centered around self-identified issues specific to a population of literacy learners. 

Each graduate student in LTCY 523 will work to develop a Strategic Diagnostic Plan for a group of literacy learners.  The Strategic Diagnostic Plan will address each of the course objectives as listed below and will be specific to different populations of learners:

1. Work from theory to practice in applying research and diagnostic techniques in a clinical setting.
2. Become familiar with strategies to help struggling literacy learners.
3. Administer assessments in a clinical setting; interpret assessment results; connect assessments to learning goals.
4. Diagnose learners using a decision model for choosing objectives, strategies, organizational procedures, and resources, and begin implementing language procedures given the findings from above.
5. Learn to use a wide variety of strategies to help students with reading and writing difficulties.

Step 1:  Each LTCY 523 student will use the following framework to write a PROPOSAL for the Strategic Diagnostic Plan that they would like to develop:

• Statement of the Problem - what issue or issues related to assessment, diagnostics, or student literacy achievement are you targeting - no more than one paragraph of clearly stated problem - you must be very specific here - it is not enough to say that you "need to know more about your learners' reading abilities"
• Proposed Action - no more than one page of what you plan to do to address the identified problem
• Requested Materials - list assessment materials have you identified that you plan to use
• Description of "tasks" you plan to include in your Strategic Diagnostic Plan - you must do some "fashion" of tasks 1 and 2 (listed below) and then spell out other tasks you will accomplish within your Strategic Diagnostic Plan
• Timeline for Implementation of Strategic Diagnostic Plan - which tasks will you do in which order aligned with the weeks within this course (Jan 22 - April 30)
• Identified population of learners - no less than 3
• Description of targeted population of learners  - male, female, approximate ages, approximate grade-equivalent of present literacy skills, highest grade achieved in school, any other impacting information 

Step 2:  Submit your Proposal to Dr. Petty by the date indicated on the course calendar.  Dr. Petty will score the Proposal, resubmit to you if adaptations need to be made, and then assist you in developing a workable plan.  We will use this website to post questions, ask for clarifications, and share ideas - I urge you to "rob" ideas from others as they fit your needs: 

Step 3:  Once your Proposal is approved you need to develop a Schedule of Implementation that outlines what you will do, when you will do it, and when you will submit benchmark materials to Dr. Petty.  You will be provided with a template for your schedule. 

Step 4:  You work your plan, submit materials as they are due, and participate in synchronous and asynchronous discussions related to your plan, your progress, and objectives of this course.  Points for each course component will be assigned and jointly agreed upon between instructor and student (as students will be performing similar but unique tasks for this course). 

Learner Dimensions Case Study (critical performance includes tasks 1 and 2 - click here for rubric)

Students will develop a Learner Dimensions Case Study report on one or more learners depending on the learning situation (one-on-one, group, topical, etc.).  The Learner Dimensions Case Study report will include the following:

1)  Demographic information on learner(s) including any observed or measured information that provides insight into this person as a literacy learner.

2)  Summary of Learn the Learner dimensions as listed below.  Use each dot point as a heading and subheading for the information you include.

3)  Summary of Informal Assessments, Data Collection and Synthesis.  Use each dot point as a heading and subheading for the information you include.

4)  Findings and implications.  This narrative should allow you to synthesize task 1 and 2 and then make recommendations for learner success based on that synthesis.  Recommendations should be very specific and align with each finding. 

EVERYONE has to incorporate Tasks 1 and 2 into his/her Strategic Diagnostic Plan - although you can SELECT the most meaningful components to include in your Plan (your selections need to be linked to your identified problem and proposed action).