Foundations of Literacy RE 3030 Calendar

FOUNDATIONS OF LITERACY RE 3030-418 Spring 2009 CALENDAR

Alphabalance by Shel Silverstein Balancing my ABCs Takes from noon to half past three. I don't have time to grab a T Or even stop to take a P.	Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=421459470&size=s

RWEC = Reading and Writing in Elementary Classrooms: Research-Based K-4 Instruction

Meeting Date and Topics	Associated Tasks and Readings
Jan. 12, M - Introductions + to beginning literacy instruction, to this course, to one another as readers.	+ Syllabus and calendar overview: What is this course and why? + Fences and ladders in-class activity: Who are we as readers and writers and why?
Jan. 14, W - Fundamental Questions Core Questions: Who are we as readers? As writers? What are reading, writing, literacy, teaching, and learning? What do we know about teaching children to read and write?	+ Read RWEC, ch. 1 to begin to answer the core questions. Post one comment and one question about the reading at the course blog before Jan. 14. + Complete the Garfield Reading Attitudes and Writing Attitudes scales and bring them with you to class for discussion and comparison. How do you compare to the oldest students on the scale? + Here's an interesting read on how the Lemony Snicket author's parents got him hooked on reading and writing and how other accomplished people took different routes to success .
Jan. 19, M State Holiday (No Classes)	+ Familiarize yourself thoroughly with the syllabus and calendar. Write at least two questions you have about it on our class blog by commenting at the appropriate topic before Jan 18, so you can enjoy your holiday.
Jan. 21, W - Creating Enthusiastic, Independent Readers and Writers	+ Read Atwell (2007) to see how real teachers motivate real reading in their classrooms. + Read some of the ideas at the Reading is Fundamental website and check out some of their links to ideas for motivating children's reading. + Add at least one insight or observation and one question to the appropriate topic at our class blog before Jan. 21. + Class slides on reading interest.
Jan. 26, M - Emergent Literacy Core Questions: What is emergent literacy? What does it reveal about children's understanding and use of print? How does it develop?	+ Read RWEC, ch. 2, pp. 24-29 and the section entitled "The Beginning Years: Birth through Preschool," pp. 3-5, of the NAEYC/IRA Position Statement on developmentally appropriate early literacy to answer the core questions. + Respond to the readings as directed at the blog by Jan. 25.
Jan. 28, W - Emergent Literacy Supports Core question: What can teachers do to support children's emergent literacy?	+ Read RWEC, ch. 2, pp. 30-53 to answer the core question.

Meeting Date and Topics	Associated Tasks and Readings
Feb. 2, M - Phonemic Awareness Core questions: What is phonemic awareness and how can teachers help students learn it?	+ Read RWEC, ch. 4, pp. 84-95, to answer the core questions. + Read this poem to gain an appreciation of how complex English phonology can be for young readers.
Feb. 4, W - Phonics and Spelling Core questions: What are phonics and spelling? How can teachers help students learn them?	+ Read RWEC, ch. 4, pp. 98-108, and Ch. 3 (Phonics They Use) (be patient for download, large file) to answer the core questions. Post your observationsand questions at the blog.
Feb. 9, M - Word Identification and Fluency Core questions: What is the relationship between word identification and fluency? How can teachers use a word wall to develop sight words and build fluency?	+ Read RWEC, ch. 3, pp. 55-62, to answer the core questions. + Emergent literacy notes + Phonemic awareness instruction notes
Feb. 11, W a) Micro-Teaching Making Words Lessons b) Fluency ~~Core questions: What principles and strategies can teachers use to teach reading fluency?~~	+ a) Prepare a Making Words lesson to teach to your peers (making words, sorting, transfer steps) + b) Read RWEC, ch. 3, pp. 63-77, to answer the core questions.
Feb. 18 class links	+ Here is a Flash movie with your directions for Making Words using the web. You will need a Flash movie player to view it, if your computer doesn't already have one. + Phonemic awareness review notes. + Word wall notes. + Phonics notes.
Feb. 23, M - Reading Comprehension Core questions: What is reading comprehension? What are critical components of guided reading lessons? How do teachers plan comprehension lessons?	+ Read RWEC, ch. 7, pp. 184-201 to answer the core questions. Respond to one or more of the core questions in the appropriate blog topic and add you own question(s) by Sun, Feb. 22. + Making Words notes. + Word sorts notes.
Feb. 25, W - Reading Comprehension Lessons Core question: What is the structure of good guided reading lessons? What are examples of effective guided reading lessons?	+ Read RWEC, ch. 7, pp. 201-207 and RWEC, ch. 5, pp. 123-125 to answer the core questions. + Read Beck and McKeown's description of Text Talk as an approach to helping children learn from text. What are the critical components? + Read this description of Stauffer's DR-TA strategy. What are the critical steps? + DR-TA notes.
~~Feb. 23, M - Supporting Reading Comprehension without Reducing Direct Instruction~~ ~~Core questions: How can students be taught to read better with comprehension?~~	~~+ Read RWEC, ch. 7, 208-227 to answer the core questions.~~
~~Feb. 25, W - Micro-Teaching~~	~~+ Prepare (a) a DR-TA and a (b) Text Talk Lesson to teach to a small group of your classmates today.~~

Meeting Date and Topics	Associated Tasks and Readings
Mar. 2, M - No Class -- University Closed Due to Snow
Mar. 4, W - Guided Reading Core question: What kinds of writing instruction is most effective in school?	+ Review thinking strategies in chapter 1 (pp. 5-8)and generic reading strategies in chapter 7 (pp. 189-190) + Midterm exam: Final hour of class. + Guided Reading notes
Mar. 9, M ASU Spring Break: No Classes
Mar. 11, W ASU Spring Break: No Classes
Mar. 16, M - Qualitative Inventory of Word Knowledge (QIWK) Core questions: What is the QIWK? How is it administered? What can it tell teachers? How can it be used thoughtfully?	+ Here are the forms you need for the word-level assessment you will conduct in your practicum class:  - QIWK directions;  - QIWK rubric; - QIWK K-Early Grade 1 scoring guide; - QIWK words and Level I-V scoring guide; - QIWK rationale; and - QIWK report template. You should bring them all with you to class today.
Mar. 18, W: Practicum Visit #1	+ Finalize times and days for your lessons and assessments. Record these in appropriate blog topic. + Learn student and staff names. + Familiarize yourself with the schedule and instructional day. + Learn your cooperating teacher's expectations of you and the students.
Mar. 23, M: Practicum Visit #2	+ What is done by your teachers to promote student engagement? Independence?
Mar. 25, W: Practicum Visit #3	+ What are you learning or wondering about from your initial practicum visits?
Mar. 30, M - Practicum Debrief and Catch-Up on Loose Ends	+ Assignment TBA. + Compare/contrast notes.


Meeting Date and Topics	Associated Tasks and Readings
Apr. 1, W - Practicum Visit #4	+ What is done to promote learning to write in your practicum classroom? What skills/strategies and how are children taught? Are children's works published? How and how often? Do children get to read each other's publications? When, how, how often?
Apr. 6, M - Practicum Visit #5	+ What technologies are used to support children's learning in the classroom? In the media center? Elsewhere? How and how often are these technologies used?
Apr. 8, W - Practicum Visit #6	+ Have you completed your QIWK assessment? Posted it at Taskstream? Must be done by today.
Apr. 13, M - State Holiday: No Classes
Apr. 15, W - Best Practices vs. the Real World How does your practicum experience compare with best practices?	+ Read whichever RWEC chapter (11, 12, 13, 14, or 15) matches, or most closely matches, your practicum placement. Bring notes to class highlighting 5-6 major similarities or differences. + Take-home final exam will be explained and distributed.
Apr. 20, M - Practicum Visit #7	+ Who are the struggling readers/writers (ESL/disabilities/other) in your practicum classroom? What have you seen done to support their literacy learning?
Apr. 21, T - Final Exam due as email attachment
Apr. 22, W - Practicum Visit #8	+ Have you posted your reflections on the lessons you taught? Did you focus on positives as well as ways to improve the lesson? Did you focus on what you learned--not just on what you or the students did? + Farewells. It would be appropriate to make (or purchase) a small token of your thanks, and deliver it today, to your cooperating teacher and class for the learning opportunity they provided you. A literacy gift would be lasting (e.g., donation to the classroom library in the kids' or teacher's name, a book you helped the students make, etc.).
Apr. 27, M - Organizing for Instruction How might you plan a day, a week, a month, a year of reading instruction?	+ Read RWEC, Ch. 10, to identify what elements should be considered in planning. How, if at all, do considerations vary for daily, weekly, monthy, or annual planning? + Planning notes
Apr. 29, W - Organizing for Instruction How might you plan a day, a week, a month, a year of reading instruction?	+ Course evaluation + Struggling reader notes + Here's a paper authored by a child with significant and complex learning disabilities who succeeded (he graduated with honors from Villanova). It's important to understand that the decisions you make to help a child learn or blame a child for not learning have human consequences. Best wishes in your very important work.

Gone Forever
by Barriss Mills

Halfway through shaving, it came--
the word for a poem.
I should have scribbled it
on the mirror with a soapy finger,
or shouted it to my wife in the kitchen,
or muttered it to myself till it ran
in my head like a tune.

But now it's gone with the whiskers
down the drain. Gone forever,
like the girls I never kissed,
and the places I never visited--
and the lost lives I never lived.

writing Photo credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=370091434&size=s

Last modified by Dave Koppenhaver on 4/29/09.